Frank Lloyd Wright
Modern architecture and the work of Frank Lloyd Wright have a special relationship. Wright designed many iconic buildings and was known for advocating organic architecture, which emphasizes harmony with nature. Although Wright didn’t use the term “green architecture” or “sustainable architecture,” his buildings are often considered “green” and inspired modern architects throughout the world and Europe. Their open plans, the blurring of interior and exterior spaces, and innovative materials are just a few of the elements that distinguish Wright’s buildings.
Wright’s designs were technologically advanced for their time. His engineers had to invent methods to manufacture the materials needed to create his structures. His vision for Chicago included great buildings with unmatched structural ingenuity. Even as he grew older, he was dedicated to undertaking larger projects.
Louis Sullivan
Louis Sullivan studied architecture at MIT. After finishing the course, he left to work in Italy, where he saw some of the finest examples of architecture. After spending a year in Europe, he returned to Chicago and found work as a draftsman for an architect. During this time, he gained a reputation for designing buildings quickly and efficiently, which helped him rise the ranks of the Chicago architectural community. During his time in the city, Sullivan was impressed by the modern American style that was taking shape.
Sullivan wanted modern architecture to be more than a commodity for art lovers and a method of communication. He was also skeptical of authoritarianism and the historical styles that were considered acceptable. As a result, he viewed the time as the end of the feudal era and the dawn of a new era of freedom, and architecture needed to respond to this new age.
Henry Hobson Richardson
The Richardsonian Romanesque style, which Richardson popularized in the United States, was a modern interpretation of the Romanesque style, which emerged in western Europe around the year 1000. These buildings are marked by ornate ornamentation and rounded arches, but differ from earlier Romanesque styles in that they feature polychromatic wall designs. American architects were also influenced by the Richardson style, which is largely characterized by its use of simple, uniform, large scale details.
Richardson studied at Harvard University, where he made many friends. He was nicknamed “Nothing to Wear” by his professor, and was active in the Harvard Porcellian Club, which helped him build important contacts. He was thirty years old when he won his first commission, a church in Springfield, Massachusetts. A couple years later, he married Julia Gorham Hayden, who later became his wife.
Le Corbusier
The minimalist style of Le Corbusier is very influential in modern architecture. It combines the elements of nature with the principles of simplicity and utility. The architect regarded geometry as the language of man, and he aimed to translate this concept into a broad social vision. He was primarily concerned with the metropolis, but this was not the only focus of his work. In 1925, Le Corbusier proposed the Voisin Plan for the city of Paris, a grid plan intended to create precise and harmonious relationships.
Many critics have noted that the design principles of Le Corbusier are compatible with new ideas about the nature of the city. Similarly, the Modular, city grid, and domestic layouts were ideal examples of spatial innovations made possible by the new sciences. These principles allow architects to create homogeneous and cohesive urban environments.