By:

Astha Kulshreshtha
Suhail Anjum Usmani
Yasmeen

The International style is a major architectural

style that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s, the
formative decades of Modern Architecture.

Modern movement
Represents a dramatic shift in the design of buildings,
away from the traditional forms and construction
techniques and towards a new era of design.
In the mid 19th century the architects of Europe and
United States were emphasizing radically new
designs, abandoning past building precedent and
exploring new materials and technology in their
works.

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Before International Style

Before the use of the term International Style, the same
thought towards simplification, honesty and clarity are
perceptible in US architects, Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd
Wright in Chicago as well as the west-coast residences of
Irving Gill.
Form follows Function Louis Sullivan
Functionalism in architecture, is the principle that architects
should design a building on the purpose of that building.
Early modern architecture began with a no. of building styles
with similar characteristics (simplification of form and
elimination of the ornament) which first arose around 1900.
By 1940s these style had largely consolidated and been
identified as the International Style.
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International Style
Originated from the name of a book by Henry Russell
Hitchcock and Philip Johnson, The International Style, that
identified, categorized upon characteristics common to
modernism across the world.
The book was written to record the International Exhibition of
Modern Architecture held at MOMA, New York city in 1932.
All the works in the exhibition were carefully selected only
displaying those that strictly followed the rules/principles of
Modern Architecture.
The aim was to define a style that would encapsulate the
Modern Architecture.
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Principles
The expression of Volume rather then Mass
The emphasis on Balance rather then Symmetry
The expulsion of applied ornaments

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Characteristics
Simplification of Forms
Rejection of ornament
Adoption of glass, steel and concrete as preferred
materials
Acceptance of industrialized mass-production techniques
Horizontal emphasis
Geometrical forms
Bands of windows
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Examples
The Bauhaus Building
Architect: Walter Gropius
Location: Dessau, Germany
Year: 1926
Architectural Features:

Simple geometry and use of rectangular shapes

Use of modern material i.e. glass and steel
Smooth surfaces and plain facade
Linear and horizontal elements
No ornamentation and less detailing
Band of simple rectangular windows
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Villa Savoye

Architect: Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret

Location: Poissy, France
Year: 1931
Architectural features:
Support of ground-level pilotis
Functional roof, serving as a garden and terrace
Free floor plan, relieved of load-bearing walls
Long horizontal windows
Emphasis on the horizontal feeling of the house
Horizontal ribbon windows

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The Seagram Building

Architect: Mies Van Der Rohe
Location: New York, United States of America
Year: 1958
Architectural features:

Simple rectangular form

Open, flexible plan and multi-functional spaces
Widespread use of glass to bring the outside in
Mastered steel and glass construction
Exposed and very refined structural details
Became model of skyscraper design throughout the
world
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Criticism
The
unornamented
appearance
of
the
International Style met with criticism and is still
criticized by many.
Especially in larger and more public buildings, it
is said to be ugly, in human, sterile and elitist.

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Introduction
Real name - Frank Lincoln Wright
Born
- June 8, 1867
At Richland Centre, Wisconsin
Died
- April 9, 1959 (Aged 91)
At Phoenix, Arizona
Parents - William Carey Wright (Father)
Anna Lloyd Jones (Mother)
Nationality - American
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 Famous American Architect, Interior Designer, Writer and

Educator.
Designed more than 1000 structures of which 532 have
been completed.
Has the credit of doing numerous residential projects along
with offices, churches, schools, sky scrapers, hotels and
museums.
Authored 20 books and a number of articles and was a
popular lecturer in the United States and in Europe.
Wrights Organic Architecture was a radical departure
from the traditional architecture of his days, which was
dominated by European styles that dated back hundreds of
years.
Recognized as the greatest American architect of all time
by the American Institute of Architect in 1991.
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Philosophy
Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony
with humanity and its environment, a philosophy is called
Organic Architecture. The best example to understand his
philosophy is Falling Waters (1935), which has been called
the best all time work of American architecture.

Organic Architecture According To

Wright

Integral to Site
Integral to Environment
Integral to Individual
Integral to material
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Inspirations Of Wright
1.
2.
3.
4.

Louis Sullivan
Nature
Music
Japanese art

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Major Features
Use of natural materials like bricks, stone and
wood
Use of textured concrete
Design that blend well in its environment
Truthness with material

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Prairie Style
Houses designed during 1900-1901 at Oak Park
marked the beginning of Prairie Style
Initial Prairie Style Buildings:
Wrights Studio(1898) at Chicago
Nathan G. Moore House (1895) at Oak Park

Public building in the Prairie Style:

Unity Temple at Oak Park

Later Examples:
Robbie House, Chicago
Avery and Queene Coonley house in Riverside, Illinois
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Features of Prairie Style

The design is considered to complement the
land around Chicago.
Extended low building with shallow roofs and
sloping also.
Windows are long and low, allowing
connection between interior and nature
outside, which is due to influence of Japanese
architecture.
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Usonian Houses
During the period of 1940-1950, Wright conceived a
new type a dwelling that came to be known as Usonian
Houses.
Designed on a gridded concrete slab that integrated the
houses radiant heating system, the house featured new
approaches to construction, including sandwich walls.
Small kitchen (workspaces) adjoining the dining spaces.
Living areas outfitted with built- in- seating and tables.
Bedrooms were isolated and relatively small.
Highly practical houses for middle class families.
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ROBIE HOUSE

Location
Chicago III
Construction
1908 to 1910
Building Type
Residence
Owner
Fredrick C. Robie
In term of material this house is different from the earlier
Prairie Houses which was built from cement stucco, wood and
tiles.
The Robie House had the Prairie Houses characteristic
horizontal, low lines, overhanging flat roofs and asymmetrical
plan.

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 The distinguishing features included the openness of

its plan and huge chimeny, whose vertical emphasis
balances the horizontal masses of the rest of the
composition.
The southern side of the main living space has a
continuous wall of art glass doors.
Wright also designed furnishings and fittings for the
Robie House.
Ornamental features beyond the leaded- glass
windows with delicate geometric patterns that were
another feature of the Prairie House.

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FALLING WATER
MATURE EXPRESSIONS OF ORGANIC
ARCHITECTURE

Location
Construction
Building Type
Owner

Mill Run, Pennsylvania

1934 to 1937
Residence
Mr. & Mrs. Edger J. Kaufmann Sr.

One of Wrights most famous private residence was falling

water at Pennsylvania.
It was one of the most congenial and positive commission of
Wright, he described the contribution element : The Inspiration of a site, the co- operation of an intelligent,
appreciative client.
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 It was constructed over a 30 feet waterfall, the house may look very
big on the outside but on the inside it is quite small, which surprises
some visitor.
A series of soaring, smooth, cantilevered balconies anchored in solid
rock and woven together by roughly textured native sandstone wall
laid up in alternating course, Falling water is constructed on three
levels with cantilevered terraces of reinforced concrete extending far
out in four direction.
The lowest of the great cantilevered balconies form the main floor
of the house, open living room, which serves as combined dining
and sitting space, reception & library.
The ideal example to understand the philosophy of Organic
Architecture of Wright.
It has been considered as the best all-time work of the American
Architecture .
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WAX BUILDING

Name
Location
Construction
Building Type
Owner

Johnson Wax Building

Racine, Wisconsin
1936-1939 ; 1944-1950
Headquarter
Herbert Johnson

Johnson Wax Building was designed and constructed in two stages:

First Between 1936-39, came the main Administration Building
Second- Between 1944-50, The research Tower was added, intended
for larger laboratory experiments.
Herbert Johnson wanted his companys new administration building
to be one that kept its workers attention focused on the work in
hand, not on what went on around them.
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 The main illumination for the open-plan, galleried office space

was a glass roof , or skylight, supported on mushroom-shapes
columns, each designed to withstand a maximum of 12 tons
and set 9m apart.
Throughout the Johnson Wax complex are spaces with curving
forms, soft colors, and filtered light from the Pyrex tubing.
He designed a handsome, contoured furniture especially for
the building, including steel and wood desks and chairs that
harmonized with the restful, terracotta color of the file
cabinets.

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Guggenheim Museum
TEMPLE OF SPIRIT

Name
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Location
Manhattan, New York, NY
Construction 1943 to 1959
Building Type Museum
functionalism does not agree with non objectivity.... I want a temple of
spirit, a monument! And your help to make it possible. Rebay appealed to
Wright.
This was the last of Wrights many innovative buildings to be virtually
completed in his lifetime (just months before its official opening).
The Guggenheim building demonstrates Wrights constant awareness of the
geometric forms in architectural design.
Seen from the front, the main section of the building looks like a snail shell
that has been set upside down on Fifth Avenue.
His plan was for visitors to be taken to the top of the ramp by lift, and then
walk down it, viewing the exhibits as they went.

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 It was based on the module of the circle similar the hemi-circle

house.
This can be seen in plan, fencing, dome ceiling, flooring
pattern, and with curving ramps for circulation around central,
rather than exterior courtyard.
The huge skylight would provide an unusually generous
abundance of natural light, while the outward sloping walls
approximated, so Wright said, the angle at which a canvas
slopes when standing on an easel to be painted.
At the southern end of the site, the second level spreads out
and flows across the frontage, creating a fixed space for the
Guggenheims permanent holdings, while at the northern end,
subsidiary unite nestles against the cone and houses staff
offices.
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NOTABLE WORKS

Robbie House
Price Tower
Falling Water
Johnson Wax Head Quarters
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Taliesin
Darwin D. Martin House
Nathan G. Moore House
Gammage Auditorium
Beth Shalom Synagogue
Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio
Unity Temple
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