Le Corbusier

Born: October 6, 1887, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland Died: August 27, 1965, Roquebrune-CapMartin, France (drowned while swimming) Le Corbusier is a well know architect from the late 1800s and early to mid 1900s. He is also accredited for contributing to the start of modern architecture. He built his first house at the age of 18 and is well know for being one of the first to use concrete and steel reinforced concrete. He said this in 1923, Modern life demands, and is waiting for, a new kind of plan, both for the house and the city. He influenced modern architecture by thinking of a house as a machine for living. Which lead to the thinking of function over form, which is a widely used concept in modern architecture.

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Born: March 27, 1886, Aachen, Germany Died: August 17, 1969, Chicago, IL (of esophagus cancer) Ludwig like Corbusier is considered one of the greatest architects of the 20th century. He also contributed to the creation of modern architecture because he believed in emphasizing open spaces and revealing materials used in construction. He spent the first half of his career in Germany. Where he designed everything from residential buildings to the Barcelona Pavilion. The in 1930 he was named the director of the Bauhaus. The Bauhaus was Germanys very highly know and accredited fine arts school. He ran that for three years until the Nazi party made him shut it down in 1933. A few years later he moved to Chicago, IL. Where he became the director of the architecture curriculum at the Illinois Institute of Technology. He stayed revamped the whole curriculum and stayed there until he resigned from that position when he was 72 years old. He died a few years later at the age of 83 in his home in Chicago, IL.

A list of a few more people who influenced present day modern architecture is below: Frank Gehry 1929-present Made: Walt Disney Concert Hall

Walter Gropius 1883-1969 Made: Bauhaus Archives

Louis Sullivan
Born: September 3, 1856, Boston, MA Died: April 14, 1924, Chicago, IL Louis Sullivan is known as The father of modernism or the prophet of modern architecture and The father of skyscrapers. He was not necessarily the modern architect we think of today but he definitely contributed to the idea of using the geometrical shapes in todays modern architecture and he coined the phrase function over form. He studied at The Chicago School of architecture. Sullivans most profound influence can be found in the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, who spent more than six years as Sullivans chief draftsman before going on his own to advance Sullivans idea of American architecture into his Prairie Houses and, more generally, the Prairie School of the early 1900s. Richard Neutra 1892-1970 Made: Lovell House

Alvar Aalto 1898-1976 Made: Syntsalo Town Hall

When and Where Modern Architecture was first used?

When: In the early 1800s Where: It was mainly used first in the U.S.A and in Europe, in France and Germany

Where is this style most commonly found?

This style is not found in one specific location like some styles are. You can find this style everywhere. Some great examples are in Chicago, Los Angeles, Germany, and France. This style can be found mostly everywhere though. Even the settings vary. They can be in the city, the countryside, beach side, or even in the woods. Pohutukawa Beach House by Herbst Architects Chimney House by Marcio Kogan, Studio MK27 Gallery near Auckland, New Zealand In Sao Paul, Brazil

Typical Distinctive Features:

-Geometric and boxy shapes -Lots of exposed glass, concrete, steel and other building materials -Simple, simplicity -Clean or sterile looking - Function over from -Whites and natural colors

Building Materials:
Glass, concrete, steel, brick, wood and then obviously the necessary electrical plumping and so on

Typical Visual Design Aspects:

In this style lines are used very heavily. They are what make these houses modern with the geometrical shapes and sharp lines. Color is mostly white or natural colors. The shapes are usually squares or rectangles. The form is usually boxes or rectangular prisms. Space is usually open and functional. The texture used depends on the building materials. The value also depends on what is put in or on the house. Balance is usually used in these houses whether its between glass and steel or one side of the house being the same visual weight as the other. Rhythm is with the materials all being the same and having them repeated in the house. Emphasis is on the materials, the simplicity, or function over form. Unity is when all the things match up whether its material or things inside the house. Movement, contrast, and proportion or scale all depend on what an architect is going for with the final product.

Inside Characteristics of Structure: