Characteristics Of Mid-Century Modern Architecture

Frank Lloyd Wright is Americas’ best known and most influential architect and arguably the greatest architect of the 20th century from anywhere in the world. Wright is known and respected throughout the world for his innovative and modern designs. As an architect Wright developed an organic and what became known as a distinctively American style throughout his work. Many believe that Frank Lloyd Wright changed the way we build and and live in the modern world. This essay will examine and evaluate Wrights life, career, influences and impact on the way we see American architecture.

Frank Lloyd Wright once said, “Every great architecture is-necessarily-a great poet. He must be a great original interpreter of his time, his day, his age.” In other words, movements of architecture become movements because of individuals who fabricate their own new styles. Wright states this by saying every architecture reflects his/her time period with originality.Throughout history there have been many great architectures who have worked in many different styles of architecture, such as Gothic, Byzantine, Craftsmen, and Prairie. Many architectural styles such as Romanesque and Gothic went from being a style of architecture to defining a whole period in history. For example, the Craftsmen style of architecture, which originated from the Arts and Crafts movement, went on to define that time in history. Frank Lloyd Wright and the Greene brothers both have exquisite styles of architecture with many similarities and differences in which they pioneered themselves. Wright and the Greene brothers both share similar ideals of architecture in which can be found in their different styles today.

Frank Lloyd Wright was a very influential designer and architect who inspired the next century of builders to go beyond their normal standards and break free from the confines of the current building barriers. He used aspects of nature to compliment his buildings, and knew how to perfectly arrange the complex angles and structures to set his projects apart from all others. Frank Lloyd Wright changed the future of architecture with his high attention to interior design, detail, simplicity, and environmental influences.

Another notable building is also located in Melbourne, on Little Collin St, the Yule House. As one of the earliest modern architecture in Australia, its style that features bands of glass set in geometric patterns of fixed and opening panes, a terracotta surface and dominant spandrels extending well beyond the surface.  (Johnson, 2002) Both buildings were constructed under the Great Depression and their completion incorporating new material, new technology and new style signified “the clouds of financial gloom were already lifting” (“History - Manchesterunitybulding.com.au” n.d.)  and boosted the morale fighting against the depression.The two building are well preserved and still in function in 21st century.

Without a doubt, Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the greatest architects in American history and the greatest architect of the 20th century. Nature was his muse and his architectural structures embodied organic qualities. He took full advantage of the technological advances of the 20th century but redirecting the concept of space and employing new techniques; Wright was known for his modern and innovative designs. He believed that, “architecture was not just about buildings, it was about nourishing the lives of those sheltered within them”. Wright is not only one of the most well known architects in America but he is also thought of as one of the most influential architects in the world.

Two architects who works needs to be recognized too are Frank Lloyd Wright and Frank O’Gehry. Both great architects with creative designs that seem to incorporate with their surroundings. Who contributed so much to our modern designs and buildings that we still visit today. Both architects who came up with new ideas and designs instead of the traditional like houses and buildings but added new concept to what we see today.

Modernist approach as almost completely dominated the Western world for the past decade; a great example is the building of the new Toronto City hall. Its futuristic a design with all glass and a lower chamber the size of a large dish has amazed many.

Writers, painters, and other artists produced some of the greatest work in the nation's history. During the 1920s, the main styles of architecture that emerged were Art Deco and Modern architecture. The Art Deco development began in Paris, however rapidly spread around Europe and over to America. The style was created at Bauhaus, a school in Germany that got to be acclaimed for its approach to the motif.

There were many new types of architecture styles because of the current form of buildings around. People had wanted a change, so they decided to be different from others and built all kinds of different buildings. Architects had wanted to build sturdier buildings as well because there are more and more chances of something happening to your property. It is mainly because of the oil drilling, new weather conditions, and more people coming into the U.S. and many more children being born. There is a big threat to the urban society with more people in there, there are more chances of crime, like theft, arson, and many other things. Buildings had to be sturdier and were changed because of the new building codes issued from the state it's in, and the price changed drastically as well. “$41,300 the median price of (single-family) houses and $35,600 the average, only one out of five American families has the estimated $21,170 income to buy them” (Kay). Houses were not in demand as much as apartments because of their high-cost value. Not many people could afford to buy a house because of the struggles of finding a well paying-occupation (Kay). Many things had affected architecture, however, the price of buildings had affected the architecture the

At birth, it was his mother dream for him to become an architect and he indeed exceeded his mother’s wildest dreams by successful becoming one of the most amazing architects in the world. He was an architect for seventy-two years. He was the architect of in surplus of 800 homes, churches, museums, and office building and numerous still stand today. He retained brilliant skills in being creative. His originality grew throughout his lifetime. He demonstrated what an architect was and is. He was an aficionado towards nature and used organic materials to smear through his style. Frank Lloyd Wright was a self-taught architect, he was want they call one of the most well known architects and the greatest in the United States; he had his own reputations: not only was he an architect, he was a designer, educator and writer. “He remains the single greatest influence on twentieth-century design in America, and was the first American to exert significant influences on the internal scene” (Hart 1). Frank Lloyd Wright asserted architecture differently than the American way; throughout his early years, by learning to create his own style through changes and research, started to work with an organic style, and exploiting Japanese art.

Frank Lloyd Wright was an influence to today’s world of architecture. This is because he had helped free America from traditional European-style architecture. He had designed more than 1,100 structures separate from European style. He was a large influence in making American architecture

It is the new decade after the end of world war two and modernism is a well-established

Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect and interior designer. He designed more than one thousand structures, 532 of which were completed. He coined the term Organic Architecture which described structures that were built in harmony with humanity and its environment. An example of this is his work Fallingwater (1935), which has been noted as the best all-time work of American architecture. Wrights work involved a lot of original designs of many types of buildings, including churches, schools and hotels. He also designed the interior of his buildings, such as furniture and stained glass windows. He wrote numerous books on his work and was a popular lecturer. In 1991 he was recognized as the greatest American architect of all time.

Although, most post-modernist architects had been associated with modern architects in terms of training during the twentieth century, they refused most their teachers ideas. In addition, today's architects cannot deny the modern architecture ways of designing any building. Their design, for instance, has many philosophical meaning such as constructional, environmental, sociological, commercial and metaphorical meaning.

Frank Lloyd Wright, an American architect that was considered to be one of the greatest in the 20th century. He was a pioneer in the modern style of architecture. For more than 70 years, frank showed his countrymen ways to build their homes and see the world around them. He created some of the most monumental, and some of most intimate space in America. He has designed everything from banks and resorts, office buildings and churches, a filling station and a synagogue, a beer garden and an art museum.