9.2 North American interpretations of Modernism

North American Modernism took unique forms, blending European influences with local traditions. Architects like Frank Lloyd Wright pioneered organic architecture, emphasizing harmony with nature and the use of local materials in designs like Fallingwater.

The International Style found a home in American cities, with sleek skyscrapers like the Seagram Building. Meanwhile, regional variations emerged, from California's Case Study Houses to the sculptural works of Eero Saarinen, showcasing America's diverse architectural landscape.

Frank Lloyd Wright and the Prairie School

Organic Architecture and Wright's Design Philosophy

Top images from around the web for Organic Architecture and Wright's Design Philosophy

• 

  Organic architecture - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Fallingwater House - Frank Lloyd Wright (1937) | Pablo Sanchez | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:Frank Lloyd Wright - Fallingwater exterior 3.JPG - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Organic architecture - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Fallingwater House - Frank Lloyd Wright (1937) | Pablo Sanchez | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Organic Architecture and Wright's Design Philosophy

• 

  Organic architecture - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Fallingwater House - Frank Lloyd Wright (1937) | Pablo Sanchez | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:Frank Lloyd Wright - Fallingwater exterior 3.JPG - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Organic architecture - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Fallingwater House - Frank Lloyd Wright (1937) | Pablo Sanchez | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Frank Lloyd Wright pioneered the concept of organic architecture which aimed to create structures in harmony with humanity and the environment
• Believed that a building should appear to grow naturally from its site, achieved through the use of local materials, horizontal lines, and open floor plans that blurred the boundaries between interior and exterior spaces
• Incorporated natural elements like stone and wood, and designed around central hearths to emphasize the connection to nature (Fallingwater)
• Developed the Usonian home concept, affordable single-story dwellings for the American middle class that featured passive solar heating and natural cooling (Rosenbaum House)

The Prairie School Style

• Prairie School was a late 19th and early 20th-century architectural style developed by Wright and his contemporaries in the American Midwest
• Characterized by horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad overhanging eaves, windows grouped in horizontal bands, and integration with the landscape
• Used natural materials like brick, wood, and stone, and featured open floor plans with a central chimney
• Other notable Prairie School architects included George W. Maher, Walter Burley Griffin, and Marion Mahony Griffin (Robie House, Willits House)

Modernist Architects in the USA

Richard Neutra and the Neutra House

• Richard Neutra was an Austrian-American architect who became a leading proponent of International Style modernism in the United States
• Known for his minimalist designs that emphasized the connection between interior and exterior spaces through the use of glass walls and open floor plans
• Designed the Neutra VDL Studio and Residences, his own home and studio that served as a living laboratory for his architectural ideas (Kaufmann Desert House)
• Other notable works include the Lovell Health House, which featured a steel frame structure, and the Singleton House

Philip Johnson and the Glass House

• Philip Johnson was an influential American architect and critic who played a key role in introducing European modernism to the United States
• Designed the iconic Glass House, a transparent box-like structure with a minimalist aesthetic that blurred the boundaries between inside and outside (The Glass House)
• Also known for his eclectic style that drew from various architectural movements, including Postmodernism and Deconstructivism (AT&T Building)
• Collaborated with Mies van der Rohe on the Seagram Building, a classic example of the International Style in New York City

Eero Saarinen and Sculptural Modernism

• Eero Saarinen was a Finnish-American architect known for his sculptural and expressive modernist designs
• Designed the TWA Flight Center at JFK Airport, a sweeping concrete structure that evoked the sense of flight and movement (Gateway Arch in St. Louis)
• Other notable works include the Dulles International Airport, the CBS Building, and the MIT Chapel
• Pioneered the use of new materials and construction techniques, such as the thin-shell concrete structures used in the Kresge Auditorium at MIT

Louis Kahn and Monumental Modernism

• Louis Kahn was an American architect known for his monumental and timeless modernist designs
• Emphasized the use of simple geometric forms, natural light, and the inherent qualities of materials like concrete and brick (Salk Institute)
• Designed the National Assembly Building in Bangladesh, a massive concrete structure with a central courtyard that serves as a symbol of democracy
• Other notable works include the Kimbell Art Museum, the Yale University Art Gallery, and the Phillips Exeter Academy Library

Modernist Styles in the USA

The International Style in the United States

• The International Style was a modernist architectural movement that emerged in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s and was later adopted by American architects
• Characterized by flat roofs, smooth and uniform wall surfaces, large expanses of glass, and minimal ornamentation
• Notable examples in the USA include the Seagram Building by Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson, and the Lever House by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (United Nations Headquarters)
• The style became synonymous with corporate architecture in the post-World War II era, with many office buildings and skyscrapers adopting its sleek and modern aesthetic

Brutalism in America

• Brutalism was a modernist architectural style that emerged in the 1950s and 1960s, characterized by the use of exposed concrete and geometric forms
• American Brutalist buildings often featured heavy massing, deeply recessed windows, and a monolithic appearance (Boston City Hall)
• Notable examples include the Yale Art and Architecture Building by Paul Rudolph, and the Geisel Library by William Pereira
• The style was popular for institutional buildings like universities, government offices, and cultural centers, but fell out of favor in the 1970s due to its perceived coldness and austerity

Case Study Houses and California Modernism

• The Case Study Houses program was a series of experimental homes built in California between 1945 and 1966, sponsored by Arts & Architecture magazine
• Aimed to showcase innovative and affordable housing solutions for the post-war era, using new materials and construction techniques
• Notable examples include the Eames House by Charles and Ray Eames, and the Stahl House by Pierre Koenig (Case Study House #22)
• The program helped to popularize the distinctive California Modernist style, which emphasized indoor-outdoor living, open floor plans, and a connection to the natural landscape