Modernism in America

Some of the main architects during this movement were Irving Gill and Frank Lloyd Wright. They both designed some amazing buildings that I will post below. Irving was a Californian architect with a Spanish California mission influence. His interiors were simple and unornamented. His best known work is the Dodge House.

The Dodge House to me looks very simple and sleek. I love the sharpness of it.

Frank Lloyd Wright didn't produce as much work in this movement as he had in the past. He returned from Japan in 1922. One of his designs he is known for during this time is the Hollyhock House in Los Angeles California. It was constructed for Aline Barnsdall. It had an extensive garden and highly ornamented terraces.

Another main design he is known for is Falling Water in Bear Run, Pennsylvania. It is designed as one with nature almost. He wanted to bring the outdoors in and he definitely achieved that goal. The large windows and waterfall in the house really exemplify his style.

Another architect that really caught my attention with his designs was Richard Neurta. I thought the Kaufmann House was phenomenal and a really great design. It is so simple yet you can tell a lot went into planning and designing this space.

Current Applications:

Reviews: I reviewed Flor's blog and I loved how she talked about all the houses and what stood out to her in each one. It really helped in breaking down each design and its characteristics. I also reviewed Katie D's blog and I liked her furniture and building examples of this period. I now have a clear picture of what Modernism looks like.

Here is a video that talks about Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater house. It is really interesting and talks about the history behind it!

Art Deco

The Art Deco period came to the U.S at the beginning of World War II and was strongly influenced by the Art Nouveau design period. Art Deco had skyscraper furniture and many decorations in its designs. The furniture was made of ebony, leather, metals and even glass. Jean Dunand was a major furniture designer during this time. He moved more toward the geometric forms in his furniture. In his factory he produced cabinets, chairs and tables. He also decorated for the wealthy with his own furniture which I thought was pretty cool! Another designer I liked was Eileen Gray. She had a long career in France and after the war she designed screens and furniture. Her furniture was very original and cubist.

Bibendum Arm Chair by Eileen Gray

Another thing I really liked about this period was the textile design. Carpets generally had a lot of zig zag, stripes and plaid designs.

One interior designer/furniture designer I really liked from the PowerPoint shown in class was Joseph Urban. He came to America as a stage designer and designed the New School for Social Research. He also designed a theater that was later demolished called the Ziegfeld Theater. 

New School for Social Research

Current Applications:

I looked at Emily's blog and I liked her examples of the period. They gave a really good picture of what Art Deco stands for. I also looked at Justine's blog and was really intrigued by the video she posted. It clarified all the questions I had regarding the difference between Art Nouveau and Art Deco.

Here is a quick clip that gives you tips on how to design using Art Deco inspirations!