| |
The International Style (plate 1A & 1C) became a formidable force that wanted to break away from the tradition of heavy architectural ornamentation of Art Nouveau period. The Dutch ‘de Stijl’ movement inspired architects. In 1920s Western Europefound significant contemporary common ground among the de Stijl movement that encouraged exploring the new material and concept of slimmer design. Three stalwart of the modern style of architecture- Le Corbusier (plate 1B) in France, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius in Germany spearheaded the movement, which had focused on- a radical simplification of form, a rejection of ornament, and adoption of glass, steel and concrete as preferred materials. The new material expanded their imagination and generated an elegant plasticity in architecture design. Transparency of buildings, construction (called the honest expression of structure), and acceptance of industrialized mass-production techniques contributed to the international style's design philosophy. The transparency of building created a new feeling of negative and positive space. It created opening of larger space feeling. True to material became a major force of the new design concept. The new material and their possible exploitation clearly led to altogether a new roadmap for the future generation. The lighter and stronger material looked amazingly elegant and smarter (plate 1A).
|
