Modernism in America

History:

The second phase of Modernism in America had a different feel than the first phase transition. The most successful designers were using the dominant movement of eclectic historicism which were based on concepts from the Paris Ecole des Beaux-Arts. During this phase works done by Wright and Sullivan were typically ignored or overlooked. 

Works completed by Frank Lloyd Wright after his return from Japan in 1922 was not considered a form of the International Style at the time. This caused Wright to continue producing works but at a much lesser level than he had in previous years. During this period in the 1920's and 1930's, he did produce some of his greatest works. Some of his residential projects included the Hollyhock House and the Millard. His commercial projects included the S.C. Johnson Company Office Building in Wisconsin; this building was actually one of the first floors plans that introduced the idea of an open office layout. 

Most of the prominent architects during this period were influenced by the projects of the architects and designers who had originally launched the modernism movement, like Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies van de Rohe. The Taliesin Fellowship, which was a group of followers and apprentices of Wright, Wright was known to advise up-and-coming designers to avoid the traditional architectural programs and to study underneath him at his home in order to learn his techniques. 

One of the collaborators of Wright was Austrian born architect Rudolph Schindler. Each of his designs were an unique exploration of space. The Schindler House, which was built in 1992, was constructed using the materials of concrete, glass, and metal. The design was formed using a tilt slab method. This house is unique because the fact that it was designed around two individual families living in a shared space. It was actually Rudolph Schindler and Richard Neutra's families that would be living in the home. 

Other designers that became very popular were Richard Neutra, William Lescaze, Philip Goodwin, Edward Stone. Walter Gropius, Marcel Bruer, Mies van de Rohe, Philip Johnson, and more. Skidmore, Ownngs, & Merrill was also an architectural firm that emerged and made a name for itself during this time. 

Current Applications:

Blog Discussion:

I reviewed Megan Sanderson's blog and I thought it was interesting how she decided to focus on Frank Llyod Wright and Irving Gill as two of the primary architects that influenced the modernism movement in America. I also really enjoyed her link to the video about the Falling Waters home. 

I also reviewed Flor's blog and I liked how when she examined it home she had multiple pictures to elaborate the characteristics assocaited with it home and how those characteristics associated with the stylistic movement. The video she posted was also extremely intriguing. 

Video Link!

Tour of the interior of the Schindler home

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ_kJ3RR3_E

Art Deco

History:

Art Deco was first introduced to the world in 1925 at the World's Fair in Paris after the completion of World War I. The world's fair was a showcase for interior design. It included furniture, textiles, lamps, and accessories for one's home. This style used sharply angle and cubistic forms. There was a strong use of aluminum, black lacquered wood, and glass. Zigzag patterns were also strongly present to resemble the up-and-coming use of electricity and the radio.

While France was the point of origin, the Art Deco movement didn't really make it over the United States and other European countries until the beginning of World War II. This style was more fashion oriented and strongly decorative. It was not concerned with functionality and technology as it was with modernism. There were lots of skyscraper furniture pieces used throughout spaces that used Art Deco. Just as Art Nouveau, which it was strongly influenced by, the public was often hesitant to accept its unique characteristics.

The furniture designs used a lot of rich materials. Some of these materials included zebrawood with inlays of ivory, ebony, tortoise-shell, leather, polished metals, glass, and mirrors. Textile designs included cubistic themes, zigzags, stripes, plaids, and deco colors.

One of the main ways that the Art Deco movement spread was by radio, especially into the American homes. Cabinets and tables had console-model radio receivers that were made of wood with slick and curving forms. These styles were no longer historically based. The color of blue hinted at the use of electricity as well as black and chrome being used to resemble the new technology up rise.

Another way that the style of Art Deco spread internationally was the French Ocean-liner the Normandie. It was predominately designed by Richard Bouwens and Roger Expert.

There were many influential designers that shined during the Art Deco movement. Some of the most popular ones included Michel Roux-Spitz, Jean Dunand, Maurice Dufrene, Jean-Michel Frank, Eileen Gray, Josrph Urban, Paul Frankl, and Frederick Kiesler. 

Current Applications:

Discussions:

I read Megan Sanderson's blog and I really liked all of her different example pictures that she had of Art Deco. I feel like she really got the entire style in all of those pictures.

I also looked at Allison's blog and like how she focused more on the actual stylistic properities and the core of the history to go alone with her examples.