Modern architecture today embraces minimalism and avoids ornamentation. This style emphasizes horizontal and vertical lines. It is a minimalistic style that is free from ornamentation and is characterized by its use of honest materials. The main aim of modern architecture is to create buildings that are both functional and beautiful.
Modern architecture embraces minimalism
Minimalism is a style of architecture that focuses on simplicity and functionality. Minimalist buildings are simple, often without ornamentation, and feature clean lines and minimal materials. The result is a space that is both open and airy. Minimalist buildings also feature simple colour palettes, usually white and neutral tones, which gives them a modern, clean look. But some people find these styles of architecture to be bland and boring.
Minimalism is a design aesthetic that has been influencing structures for over a century. It began as an art movement aimed at rejecting ornamentation and emphasizing function and rational use. Today, this aesthetic is found in graphic design, interior design, and the visual trades. Initially inspired by Cubist architecture, minimalism began by removing all excess decoration and using only the rudiments necessary for function. Architects such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe believed that the true substance of a space was its functionality, not its decoration.
It embraces vertical and horizontal lines
Modern architecture is a type of architecture that embraces vertical and horizontal lines in a minimalistic way. It is also distinguished from traditional architecture by the absence of ornamentation. Instead of using ornate details, modern architecture emphasizes rectangular forms and horizontal and vertical lines. Materiality and shapes are often well defined in these forms.
The movement’s roots can be traced to the Art Nouveau movement, which started in Europe around 1900. Its main objective was to eliminate ornamentation in favor of streamlined, geometric forms. This style of architecture was influenced by the designs of Belgium’s Crystal Palace, which was the first building to support glass panels with structural metal. This design foreshadowed the development of Modernist architecture. It also adhered to Louis Sullivan’s famous precept that ornamentation should be minimal.
It embraces honest materials
Unlike traditional architecture, modern architecture embraces honest materials, geometric shapes, and vertical lines. It leaves very little room for the imagination and focuses on function and material honesty. The resulting structures are geometric, sprawling, and feature few ornamental features. They also emphasize the importance of the site, which is often a natural landscape.
It rejects ornamentation
Throughout history, architecture has embraced ornamentation to add aesthetic value to its buildings. In the past, ornamentation was confined to specific styles and was implemented through inconsistent methodologies. In modern architecture, ornamentation has transcended its material realm and often takes the form of digital technology. In addition to being digital, ornamentation in modern architecture often seeks to create surface effects.
However, some architects still choose to incorporate ornament. Some of these architects are neo-classicists, while others are corporate fanboys who prefer ornamentation. These architects include AHMM, Peter Markli, Dixon Jones, and the Burntwood School, which revives the traditional decoration of the 1960s.