How have architecture trends changed over time, Building design style movements, Classicism, Historicism guide
Have Architecture Trends Changed Over Time Guide
post updated 17 February 2024
2 January 2022
Have Architecture Trends Changed Over Time? Find Out Here
In the last 100 years, there have been many changes in architecture trends. In general, these changes may be categorized into two major types: modern and traditional. Both of these styles have brought with them good and bad aspects to society.
Modern architecture is a form of architecture that emerged from about 1930 to 1960 in Western Europe and North America as a reaction against classicism and historicism. It can also be described as a philosophy in which choosing forms for a building began with the question “how do we live today?”
Modern architecture emerged around 1920 in Europe and later in America during the 1930s all because of Industrialization. Living spaces changed from above-the-shop rooms to more modern ideas like flats where families lived in one space. This led to new designs for furniture, which was the first modern design movement.
Modern Architecture
Modern architecture isn’t confined to a single style or set of forms. It has changed over time to reflect changes in society and technology. Modernism, for example, emerged as a reaction against the ornate styles of historicist architecture such as Baroque and Gothic styles that had become widespread during the 19th century. It was influenced by movements in art and philosophy such as cubism, Dadaism, and futurism. The most famous architects who contributed to these new ideas were Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe. They both saw buildings primarily as machines for living in, and they both designed factories before beginning to design buildings.
Modern architecture also led to changes in how buildings were constructed of the demand for new materials such as concrete, steel, and glass. These materials would later become the primary building blocks of modern homes that any reputable home builder will work with.
These modern materials give architects and builders more flexibility and creativeness in designing and constructing commercial and residential buildings. This also led to greater use of prefabricated components, which in turn influenced movements in furniture design. These influences continued into the second half of the 20th century when mass-production became possible with developments like flat-pack furniture where all pieces are numbered or coded to make assembling easier.
Traditional Architecture
Traditional architecture has been built throughout history across the world after being inspired by nature. A key concept within it is that nothing is new, so examples can be found everywhere from Ancient Greece, Rome up until Victorian England. Traditional architecture can be defined as a style of architecture that is an attempt to duplicate or emulate previous styles. The buildings were imposing, built for comfort, and made to inspire awe by their sheer size, but were mostly used for palaces, government buildings, and churches. They created the basis for how buildings should look with temples such as the Parthenon in Greece and the Coliseum in Rome inspiring centuries of design. Whether it was arches or columns, these features were placed into almost every building constructed until the 19th century when new movements and technologies would change everything.
Traditional architecture is divided into periods such as ancient Greek and Roman architecture or medieval architecture. Each of these periods is considered by most scholars to be a style itself, but it can also be described as a set of different styles that are related to each other. These styles can be broken down into time periods such as ancient Egyptian architecture, Roman architecture, and Islamic architecture.
Ancient Greek and Roman Architecture
Ancient Greece was regarded as an influential culture during the Classical era. It is considered a cradle of Western civilization with its development of democracy, philosophy, science, art, and literature. The Romans built monuments like The Colosseum, Pantheon, and Trajan’s Column which are still standing today.
Islamic Architecture
One way to tell if a building is Islamic or not is by looking at its main feature that you cannot find in Christian churches: the mihrab. This formal niche that points towards Mecca indicates where worshipers must pray and is typically located in the main prayer hall. There are several different styles of Islamic architecture including Egyptian, Persian, and Mughal.
This era was also known for its advancements in engineering and technology, particularly in Venice and Genoa where ships took on a new design that included stern posts raised higher into the air to help with steering. It allowed sailors to go faster by cutting through the water instead of pushing against it. This new design led to even more trade routes being set up between Europe and Asia.
Industrial Revolution
The first-generation industry was coal mining, which began during the Industrial Revolution around the 1760s. Coal was used as fuel to power machines like steam engines that were able to take on bigger tasks like cutting and shaping metals to aid in the production of iron.
Industrialization also allowed for mass-production that could be achieved with machines like spinning jennies and power looms, which increased the productivity of factories. This led to a shift from home-based production to large factories where all work was done. Agriculturists have been forced off their lands, and people moved towards the cities looking for jobs in these new factories and mills. During this time period, architecture shifted from residential buildings toward commercial buildings such as train stations, warehouses, and office blocks.
The architectural language used during this era consisted mostly of rectangular shapes in which elements like flat roofs and square windows were emphasized. Decorative elements came later when architects became more comfortable with steel structures and wanted to create something that was more pleasing to the eye.
Current Direction of Architecture
While we are seeing a reemergence of classic architecture, the era of modern architecture is gearing towards complexity and sophistication. Modern architecture is an international style based on order, simplicity, functionality, and material expression. It rejects unnecessary ornamentation in favor of functionalist elements found throughout nature like concrete, steel, and glass. However, there are no limits to the creativity of architects and designers, and both styles can be combined to create a new contemporary look.
Towards the end of this era, architects started using new technologies like computers to make buildings more complex without making them look too busy. The International Style wasn’t meant to last forever, though, as advancements in technology made it possible for architects to explore other possibilities through different materials like wood, bricks, stone, and copper.
Today, there are many different types of architecture that can be seen everywhere around the world. People who work as architects today design buildings with cultural influences based on local contexts and histories. In fact, you can also find architects well versed with local building safety standards and conducting due diligence inspections like the 40 year recertification inspection. That’s why you can find highly contemporary structures near ancient monuments like at the Louvre in Paris, France.
Architecture has changed a lot throughout time and is continuing to change as we speak. The first-generation industry was coal mining and during this era building materials shifted from wood and brick towards concrete, steel, and glass. Buildings were mostly rectangular in shape and traditional styles became less popular until more modern building materials allowed for greater creativity leading to lots of experimentation. Today, people design lots of different types of projects based on context with technologies that didn’t exist in the past.
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