A Modernist Object

We were asked to pick a Modernist object and explain why it belongs to that style:

 Crown Hall, which houses the Illinois Institute of Technology’s school of architecture in Chicago. 

Photo from Wikipedia

Steel and glass rectangular 2-storey box with no internal columns.  Glass in lower floor is sand-blasted to minimise distractions.  Glass in upper floor is clear to let in light and allow views of the sky.

It’s considered to be the masterpiece of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a leading architect in Germany’s Bauhaus movement (part of Modernism).

More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._R._Crown_Hall

Why it is Modernist:

·       Simplicity and clarity of form.

·       Form follows function

·       Visual expression of the structure. 

·       Use of 90 degree angles

·       Emphasis on horizontal and vertical lines

·       Industrially produced materials – “machine aesthetic”

·       Truth to materials