American Architecture 1875-1945
The Chicago School, Prairie Style, and beyond... The final installment of the series concludes with a study of American architecture in the early 20th century. Perhaps the most influential period of American architecture, this guide will help provide a concise means to identify the styles and architecture of the era.
Chicago School 1875-1910
Named for a group of Chicago area architects and engineers who utilized new construction materials and methods to produce commercial buildings of unprecedented height. No longer limited by the weight and massiveness of masonry construction, the new buildings featured cast-iron structural frames, fireproofing, large glazed openings, and elevators to define a new architectural language. Led by Louis Sullivan, the Chicago School had a profound effect on the urban landscape of America's cities.
- tall, rectangular forms of six to twenty stories
- three distinct parts: one or two story base with large display windows, multi-story shaft housing identical floors of office space, elaborate cornice
- steel structural skeleton with grid-like exterior
- large areas of glass, terra cotta, or similar cladding material
- vertical piers between window openings which emphasize height
- simple exterior skin
Prairie Style
1900-1920
Identified with the master of American architecture, Frank Lloyd Wright, the Prairie Style also found its roots in Chicago and the midwest. Primarily a residential style, the Prairie Style emphasized a harmony between the building and the prairie landscape. The style is characterized by strong horizontal forms rendered in earthen colored materials that reach toward the horizon.
- low, horizontal silhouette
- wide overhanging eaves
- porches, walls, and terraces which reinforce horizontal lines
- low pitched roof, often hipped
- low, plain rectangular chimney
- wall surfaces finished in light colored brick, stucco, and wood
- horizontal ribbons of casement windows often with stained glass details in stylized floral and other geometric plant motifs
- rectilinear plan
Art Deco
1925-1940
A style that derives its name from the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes held in Paris, Art Deco was the first popular American style to break from the tradition of reviving historic styles. Also called Art Moderne or Modernistic, Art Deco sought inspiration in the artistic expression of the machine age: streamlined, simplified, and stylized. Influencing everything from furniture, jewelry, and clothing to appliances and automobiles, Art Deco became a harmonious collaboration of architects, designers, painters, sculptors, and other craftspeople.
- streamlined forms
- smooth exterior finishes of stucco, stone, or metal
- facades typically organized in a stepped series of setbacks
- crisp, low relief designs of stylized figures or geometric floral motifs
- terra cotta, aluminum, or glass accent materials
- exuberant multicolored designs
International Style
1920-1945
Named for the exhibition organized by Phillip Johnson at the Museum of Modern Art, the International Style is recognized by stark simplicity and functionalism expressed with modern structural principles and materials. Examples of the style can be seen in the works of some of the most famous 20th century architects including Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Walter Gropius, Richard Neutra, Rudolph Schindler, and Marcel Breuer.
- concrete, glass, and steel construction
- emphasis on structure
- absence of ornament
- balanced compositions featuring repetitive order and horizontal emphasis
- flat roof
- smooth, uniform finish for wall surfaces
- horizontal bands of metal sash windows set flush to the exterior
This concludes the final installment of the series on American architectural styles and periods. While there are many more "minor" styles and variations of American architecture, I hope the series has provided a brief, but helpful introduction to the most significant and influential styles. In the future, I hope to examine other facets of American architecture, including the Bungalow style, Pop Architecture, Post-Modernism, and Deconstructivism. If you have any other ideas you would like to explore, just let me know!
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