Contemporary Design

Post Modernism

A style to replace the International Style. Jet travel was more common after WWII, making style and design easier to share among countries. Also, increased speed of communication occurred, taking place through magazines, books, and the television. 

Contemporary Design: Hi-Tech

New technology was one of the prime basis of modern design. Modern materials such as glass, concrete, and steel were being incorporated in design. The popular term given to design based on advanced technology is Hi-Tech. More than 50% of the cost of any modern project is generated by the systems provided: electrical, plumbing, telephone, and air quality services. This design type rejects the ideas of modernism and reflects the designs of early modern concepts. 

Contemporary Design: Deconstructivism

This was a term that came to use to identify a design practice that emerged in the 1980'2 and 1990's. The word literally means to be broken up, loosely assembled parts and elements that were seemingly torn apart and reassembled in chaos.

Design Here and Now "Going Green"

The USGBC developed Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. This green building rating system was design to provide effort to national standard for what constitutes a "green building", and also developed to help design teams and owners determine green project goals, identify green design strategies, and monitor/document project success. There are six overall sections of LEED: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design process. 

Moving forward, there was many influential architects in these time periods. One of my favorite architects from this time was a man named Cesar Pelli. He was an Argentine/American architect that designed some of the worlds tallest buildings. He built the Petronas Center in Malaysia. 

The next architect that I really favored from this time was Richard Buckminister Fuller. He was an American engineer, designer, inventor , and philosopher. However, much of his work ended after the few prototypes that he could produce. He used a lot of geometric concepts by constructing hemispherical dome structures from triangular units. His most famous design that displayed this concept was the U.S. exhibit pavilion at Expo 67.

The final architect who's style I loved during this time was Norman Foster. He had a partnership with Richard Rogers from 1963-1965. He also, designed with Willis, Faber, and Dumas. His most famous architecture that I liked the most was the Gherkin in London. 

Some modern applications from this time would be a modern version of the Chippendale Chair constructed and designed by Robert Venturi and Densie Scott Brown.

Another modern application would be this modern contemporary designed home, using very futuristic style.

I reviewed Samantha's blog and she used some great examples of the contemporary design in the pictures she displayed of  the architects 

I reviewed Allison's blog and she had a great example of the Guggeliem Museum that showed contemporary design to a tee. 

Here is my youtube clip of Cesar Pelli's Petronas Center design:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0i3c5vYgpU

Rise of the Interior Decorator.

In 1925, the World's fair in Paris took place leaving its contributors to fall into two separate categories being: functionalists and decorators. The rise of the Profession of Decorator beings in Paris during the Art Deco period. The word decorator originated from the french term "decorateur" or "ensemblier". The "ensemblier is the one who creates an ensemble, chooses objects, combines objects and in doing so makes aesthetic choices. The functionalists were grounded in theory. There was a growing need of wealthy class of people for houses that reflected status, including professionals to help with outfitting the interiors.

One of my favorite architects from this time period would have to be the well known Dorothy Draper. One of her most well known projects that she designed was the Greenbier Hotel in West Virginia. She was known for dramatic use of black and white on walls, floors, and upholstered pieces. Her style focused around modern baroque and she incorporated vivid colors to make feel happy and comfortable.
 

Another architect that I admire from this period is man named Billy Baldwin. He designed spaces for the middle class as well as having many famous clients. He worked with a restricted color scheme, and disdained the florid, baroque, and rococo in entirety. However, he focused on being clean cut, hard edged, and pared down in his design. One of my favorite interiors he designed was the Kenneth Hair Salon in New York.
 

Lastly, I really loved the Elephant Chair designed by Jaques-Emile Ruhlmann. It was a very unique chair that displayed a great sense of comfort as well as really resembling parts on an elephant.




Here are some current application that I found:

This is a modern version of the Denham Maclaren Armchair


Here is a modern version of the elephant armchair



I reviewed Samantha's blog and she picked out some great interiors of the Greenbier Hotel and also pointed out each designer's strengths and main focuses.

I also reviewed Nichole's blog and she used a great example of a cluster of interiors done by Elsie de Wolfe.


Youtube video clip on Dororthy Draper's Greenbier Hotel design:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7_cycJBTPg

Modernism in America

During this movement, the most successful architects and designers were using eclectic historicism. They were based on the concepts of Paris Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Sullivan and Wright's work was often overlooked and ignored. European modern works were rarely published and therefore little known.

First off, my favorite architect from this movement would clearly be Frank Lloyd Wright. He had a way about his architecture that no one could compete with. He incorporated nature throughout this work as well as accompanying the most amount of nature light as possible to flow through his design. One of the most interesting architecture developments created by him would be the Falling Water House. He built this home in a rock and tress so he wouldn't destroy nature but he wanted to incorporate it is his design. He also angled this home in the direction that would gain the most possible sunlight.

Another architect's work I enjoyed learning about was a man named Rudolph Schindler. He was born in Austria and had a collaborative relationship with Wright but later ended due to a bitter conflict. He later designed the Schindler House for the Lovell family in California. Inside of the Schindler home, it was aimed to accommodate two young families with a cooperative space to live and work in. His construction was based on a tilt slab method of pouring concrete walls on top on the concrete base.

The last architect from this movement that I really also enjoyed learning about was Richard Neurta.  He was born in Austria and studied in Vienna with Adolf Loos and Otto Wagner. He came to the United States in 1921 and worked with Louis Sullivan and Wright. He later then moved to Los Angeles in 1926 to establish his own practice. Neurta created the Lovell House as well as the Kaufmann House which were both beautifully designed My favorite happened to be the Lovell House because of all the windows as well as the modern designed that flowed through the home.

Some modern applications I found was first of this home in Argentina. It consists of a lot of windows for natural light as well as a very modern architectural layout. 

The second modern application I found was of this home in Arizona. The windows are my favorite part of this design.

I reviewed Flor's blog and she really displayed a good understanding of modern applications through the architecture of homes inspired by Irving Gill.

I also reviewed Nicole's blog, she had a very thorough understanding of all of the architects from this movement as she explained each in detail.

Here is a short video on a tour from Philip Johnson explaining his glass house :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpOS_wE0xkQ