International Style

For other uses, see International style.
International Style architecture
Lovell House in Los Angeles (1927–29), by Richard Neutra
Villa Savoye in Paris (1928–31), by Le Corbusier
Equitable Building in Atlanta (1966–68), by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Loews Philadelphia Hotel in Philadelphia (completed 1932), by George Howe and William Lescaze
Seagram Building in New York City (1955–58), by Mies van der Rohe
Paimio Sanatorium in Finland, (1929–1930) by Alvar Aalto
Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta (completed 1978), by Friedrich Silaban
Years active1920s–1970s
LocationWorldwide

The International Style is a major architectural style and movement that began in western Europe in the 1920s and dominated modern architecture until the 1970s.[1][2] It is defined by strict adherence to functional and utilitarian designs and construction methods, typically expressed through minimalism.[2][3] The style is characterized by modular and rectilinear forms, flat surfaces devoid of ornamentation and decoration, open and airy interiors that blend with the exterior, and the use of glass, steel, and concrete.[4][5]

The International Style is sometimes called rationalist architecture and the modern movement,[1][6][7][8] although the former is mostly used in English to refer specifically to either Italian rationalism or the style that developed in 1920s Europe more broadly.[9][10] In continental Europe, this and related styles are variably called Functionalism, Neue Sachlichkeit ("New Objectivity"), De Stijl ("The Style"), and Rationalism, all of which are contemporaneous movements and styles that share similar principles, origins, and proponents.[11]

Rooted in the modernism movement,[5] the International Style is closely related to "Modern architecture" and likewise reflects several intersecting developments in culture, politics, and technology in the early 20th century.[5] After being brought to the United States by European architects in the 1930s, it quickly became an "unofficial" North American style, particularly after World War II.[5] The International Style reached its height in the 1950s and 1960s, when it was widely adopted worldwide for its practicality and as a symbol of industry, progress, and modernity. The style remained the prevailing design philosophy for urban development and reconstruction into the 1970s, especially in the Western world.[4]

The International Style was one of the first architectural movements to receive critical renown and global popularity.[5] Regarded as the high point of modernist architecture, it is sometimes described as the "architecture of the modern movement" and credited with "single-handedly transforming the skylines of every major city in the world with its simple cubic forms".[5][12] The International Style's emphasis on transcending historical and cultural influences, while favoring utility and mass-production methods, made it uniquely versatile in its application; the style was ubiquitous in a wide range of purposes, ranging from social housing and governmental buildings to corporate parks and skyscrapers.

Nevertheless, these same qualities provoked negative reactions against the style as monotonous, austere, and incongruent with existing landscapes; these critiques are conveyed through various movements such as postmodernism, new classical architecture, and deconstructivism.[13]

Postmodern architecture was developed in the 1960s in reaction to the International Style, becoming dominant in the 1980s and 1990s.

  1. ^ a b Khan, Hasan-Uddin (2009). El Estilo Internacional (in Spanish). Köln: Taschen. pp. 7–11. ISBN 9783836510530.
  2. ^ a b "International Style | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  3. ^ "International Style 1930 – 1950 | PHMC > Pennsylvania Architectural Field Guide". www.phmc.state.pa.us. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  4. ^ a b "International Style | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "International Style – Overview". The Art Story. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  6. ^ Turner, Jane (1996). The Dictionary of Art. 26 Raphon to Rome, ancient, §II: Architecture. London: Grove. p. 14. ISBN 1-884446-00-0.
  7. ^ Poletti, Federico (2006). El siglo XX. Vanguardias (in Spanish). Milan: Electa. p. 101. ISBN 84-8156-404-4.
  8. ^ Baldellou, Miguel Ángel; Capitel, Antón (1995). Summa Artis XL: Arquitectura española del siglo XX (in Spanish). Madrid: Espasa Calpe. p. 13. ISBN 84-239-5482-X.
  9. ^ Frampton, Kenneth (2007). Modern Architecture: A Critical History. New York: Thames & Hudson. p. 203. ISBN 9780500203958.
  10. ^ Bussagli, Marco (2009). Atlas ilustrado de la arquitectura (in Spanish). Madrid: Susaeta. p. 176. ISBN 978-84-305-4483-7.
  11. ^ "International Style – Overview". The Art Story. Retrieved 2024-08-13.
  12. ^ Tate. "International style". Tate. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  13. ^ "International Style – Overview". The Art Story. Retrieved 2024-08-13.