Emergence of Modernism

 Emergence of Modernism Era occurred during the 1900- 1950s which was during the beginning of World War I and the end of World War II. As it can be known, the economy during this time was suffering greatly from the wars happening. Therefore, in order to achieve a new design era, the material used was inexpensive and not high quality. Additionally, designers focused on the mass of design with having furniture be made for an average person with low to mid income. 

Internationalism and modernism was a very purposeful and aggressive movement that focuses on the futuristic of design rather than the pervious historical designs. This movement is the heart of the Industrial Revolution because of machinery basically being the inspiration for this era in design. Lastly, it is very important to note functionalism being a key idea in the design process. Meaning, the furnituring is easy to produce and manufacture and design itself has no ordimination, just functional. 

THE BAUHAS & WALTER GROPIUS

The internationalism movements started in Germany in 1919 which was founded by designer, Walter Gropius. Gropius focused on using material such as plywood, metal tubing, and plastic laminate with primary colors. A furniture done by Gropius is the F 51 Armchair in 1923. This chair focuses on using the primary color red and having functionality with the way the arm rest is placed. 

                                 Image above is the F 51 Armchair designed by Walter Gropius

The modern application of the F 51 Armchair has a more modern neutral style rather than having a bold look to it with the primary colors. In the photo, it not only shows a neutral color material used in the chair, but the side table showcases how the chair is placed in homes and emphasis modernism more because the metal and steel material. This is design is very functional. 

                    Image below is the Bauhas designed by Walter Groupis            

Image above is modern application of F 51 Armchair

While Walter Gropius was a well-know architect and design, he was an educated before anything else and wanted to teach the generation and future generations about internationalism. With this idea, Gropius created a the Bauhas which was an educational program. The Bahas started with 500 students in Weimar, Germany and then later was moved to Dessau, Germany. Groupis created the building based on functionality and utilizing materials of steel, glass and concrete. This is new to this movement with the transition using steal from wood. 

Groupis wanted to cover a wide verity of topics of arts because Groupis believed that all areas of arts and equal and unified. With that said, the Bauhas taught students the practice of “architecture, town planning, interior design, furniture design, advertising, exhibition design, stage design, photography, film, dance, textiles, fashion, and he creation of objects in wood, metals, and ceramics." While the Bauhas moved to  Dessau, Germany due to expansion, which is when Miles van der Rohe took over and helped Groupis

ARCHITECTS IMPACT

Miles van der Rhode, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Le Corbusier are all architects during the movement of modernism and internationalism style. The architects allowed there to be inspiration for future generations of what modernism should look like as well as the way it should evolve. 

Miles van der Rhode had a different approach in emerging Modernism by using rich material and having an open concept in interior spaces. Miles became inspired by using colors and textures of rich materials from the Barcelona Exhibition of 1929. With that said, he used marble as a expensive material and to make the space more expensive looking. An example of this is the Tugendhat House. The materials used is glass around the exterior and a marble accents.

Image below is the Farnsworth House

Image above of interior space of Tugendhat House

Miles van der Rohe changed the way houses were style in a modern take due to having glass windows throughout the exterior of the home and having a big open concpet with minimal walls. Having functioanlity in mind, Miles believed that the best way to design interior space is to just have a huge open concept because it is easier to get around. A place that I got to visit built by Miles in the Farnsworth House in Plano, IL. This design was an all open concept with only walls to inclose bathroom space and electrical work. Additionally, there was only glass used on the exterior, so the space was very much connected to nature and no privacy. 

This changed the way of modernism because taking the concept of open space and big windows used on exterior is a popular stereotype to modernism now. Miles van der Rohe and Frank Lloyd Wright are two architects who achieved these characteristics and set examples of modernism for future generations which are still being taken into account today. The modern application image of a modern interior space with open concept is very similar to Miles floor plan in the Fransworth house with limited walls and rearranging in future. 

              

The image above is a modern application of Miles and Wrights design

Le Corbusier was a ubran architecture who worked under Peter Behrens and Josef Hoffmann and had ideas to modernize furniture by the use of technology. Similarly to many architectures at the time, Le Corbusier had the idea of functionality and used materials such as concrete with wanting to have a heavy mass as the concept. The most well-know facade from Le Corbusier is the Villa Savoye which set the standards of functionalism in Internationalism design. During this time period, cars became a new luxury and this house was designed around that being the concept with having the driveway go through the lower section of the house. 

Image above is Villa Savoye

In the image of modern application of Internationalism it showcases the international style due to the open concept with window walls. Additionally, it is a functional concept due to the backyard space, deck area on top and lower floor, as well as the driveway being accessible to the house. 

Image to the right is a modern application of international style

ONE STEP FURTHER

Marcel Bruer is a designer that was mentored by Walter Gropius and was the master of the construction shop at the Bauhas. Breuer looked at inspiration for functionality in the bicycle handles. He is know for iconic chair deigns such as the tubular metal chair design He used materials such as steel and glass when designing furniture and heavy masses. 

Image to the left is a portrait of Marcel Breuer 

The furniture chairs that he created were very functional based on it being a simplistic form while having details tied into the furniture. The Wassily Chair in 1925 was made of tubular steel and was based off of the bicycle frame due to its linear lines and industrial look. 

Image to the right in the Wassily Chair 

EXTRA SOURCES

History and Defining International Style- 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6O6ahLjfn8

Walter Gropius Work- 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqK5K6qFJuI

Bauhas Architecture- 

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