News Modernist architecture: steel, wrought iron and glass Modernist architecture, as we normally know it, is one of the most eclectic and striking currents. It had its moment of greatest expansion between the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century and, among its greatest representatives, we find architects as renowned as Víctor Horta or Antoni Gaudí. Surely we agree that modernist architecture is very complex, and not only because of its irregular forms and detailed ornamentation, but because, among the different variations of style, we can have problems to label a building as modernist or not. In this post we will review the origins of the style in the English Art & Crafts movement and the expansion of the style throughout Europe. We will meet its most prominent figures and still have time for a few hidden gems. Main characteristics Modernism was born, as is often, as a response to the prevailing trends of its time. In this case, in the face of growing industrialization and the architectural academicism typical of other styles. The postulates of the famous architect Eugéne Viollet-le-Duc regarding the use of the constructive possibilities of new materials (steel, wrought iron, etc.), served as inspiration for the development of the style. For his part, William Morris, of whom we will speak later, was another of the fundamental pillars of Modernist architecture, emphasising the need for utility and aesthetics in production and design. As such, modernist architecture seeks to give objects and buildings their own personality, to distance them from industrialising and consumerist currents through unique and complex forms. It is inspired by nature, for which it takes the materials and constructive elements of the time. It is an urban and bourgeois style that ranges from the building’s façade to its interior layout, structure, furniture and decoration. Common elements Despite the different currents and their peculiarities, there are a number of common elements that we can list, and they are: Importance of nature in the forms and decorative elements, where we find flowers, animals, feminine forms and curves, etc.Use of period materials. Wrought iron, concrete and glass, among others, are the main features of Modernist buildingsRisky ways. On many occasions the symmetry is broken in any element. In spite of forming an aesthetic whole and manifesting continuity, the lines and materials adopt complicated and striking silhouettes. Origins: the Arts and Crafts movement Arts and Crafts is the name of the movement that served as the driving force behind the arrival of Modernism. It was led by the English architect William Morris, who opposed industrialisation and mass production by virtue of craftsmanship and respect for materials. Thus, the Arts and Crafts movement, deeply socializing, strives to bring craftsmanship to the domestic world, producing furniture and household items with profound detail and inspired by natural forms while being practical. William Morris ” Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful “William Morris William Morris was a 19th century English architect. In fact, he was much more, as he worked as a poet, designer, political activist, etc., but, above all, he has gone down in history as the head of the movement that gave rise to modernism. In his aim to bring beauty to everyday objects, he surrounded himself with craftsmen and artists in his company Morris & Co, which remained active from its foundation in 1861 until its closure in 1940. With a multifaceted vision, Morris & Co was in charge of stained glass, upholstery, metalwork, carpets, etc., following the postulates of the movement led by William Morris. Today, his tapestries are still widely popular and reproduced on all kinds of objects. The movement led by Morris served as a precursor for the modernist style to develop and expand, with its own personality in each country, to the rest of Europe and America. Red House, the first Arts & Crafts building The Red House, was the house designed between William Morris and his friend and architect Philip Webb. The Red House, which takes its name from the brick on its façade, was the meeting place for many of the movement’s companions. Practically all the decorative elements were designed between Morris and Webb, including furniture, tapestries, crockery, candlesticks, etc. Even the garden was designed, equally, seeking its integration with the house. However, Morris’ stay in the house lasted only 5 years, for various reasons including its expensive maintenance or the expense of travel. He is currently a member of The National Trust, which is responsible for the preservation of England’s heritage. In his invoice we can highlight Morris’ admiration for the Middle Ages. Some of the original, handmade furniture, which the architect could not transport during his move, is still preserved inside. Red House, William Morris’s project Internationalisation of style Returning to Modernism after discovering its common points and origins, Belgium is now considered to be the cradle of the style itself, with Victor Horta and Henry Van de Velde as its main exponents. With its country-specific peculiarities, Modernism received different names, such as Art Nouveau in France and Belgium, Modern Style in England, Sezessionstil in Austria or Jugendstil in Germany. In the case of Spain, Modernisme triumphed especially in Catalonia, with Antoni Gaudí at the forefront, who added Islamic elements to his style. In other cities such as Madrid, Valencia and Ceuta there are also numerous examples of Modernista buildings. Belgium In Belgium, Art Nouveau was created by Victor Horta and Henry Van de Velde. The starting point was the construction of the Tassel house in 1893 in Brussels. With the design of this house, Victor Horta aims to respond with a new style to the eclectic and neoclassical trend that was so popular during the 19th century, and which, according to Horta, is limited to copying classical styles by adapting them to new buildings. Art Nouveau prevailed in architecture and in the other arts influenced by the style, despite the divergences that arose within it as opposed to the floral motifs of Horta. Soon architects arrived from other countries who took the modernist ideas with them, initiating the expansion of the style. Víctor Horta Educated as an architect in Paris, he returned to Belgium in 1880, where he worked in Alphonse Balat’s studio. However, it would be more than 10 years before he designed his first truly innovative work: the Tassel House. For the design of the Tassell Horta House he was a total artist, dealing with both the exterior and the interior, using the key elements of Modernist architecture: iron and glass. His taste for curves was most profusely manifested in his subsequent works, the Solvay House, the headquarters of the Belgian Socialist Party, considered his masterpiece. Tassel House, Víctor Horta’s Project Henry Van de Velde Van de Velde was another forerunner of the style. Belgian architect, industrial designer and painter, in his work we find elements of German expressionism. Like Horta and Morris, Van de Velde was a total artist and designed his works down to the smallest detail, guided by a line that combined utility with beauty. Some of his most representative works are his own house, which he named Bloemenwerf, in the last years of the 19th century; the Belgian pavilions for the 1937 Paris and 1939 New York exhibitions or the Hohenhof House. He was also responsible for decorating the Maison Art Nouveau gallery in Paris, which gave the style its name, and the main building of the Bauhaus University in Weimar. Austria In Austria, the leading role is taken by the Secessionsstil movement, the Viennese Secession, led by such illustrious artists as Gustav Klimt, among others. Although the movement is related to modernism, it has its own characteristics, such as sobriety, geometric models and the simplicity of the figures, which we find in architecture as well as in painting or design. Within Modernist architecture, Joseph Olbrich stands out and the construction of the Secession Pavilion in Vienna in 1898, where the members of the movement held their exhibitions. Otto Wagner Otto Wagner was one of the pioneering architects of the Secession style, adding iron as a decorative element to his buildings, which include tram stations, bridges, pavilions and institutional buildings. Along with Morris and most modernists, his socialist tendencies led him to concern himself with the welfare of workers, which is reflected in his design of garden city style housing. Joseph Olbrich A disciple of Otto Wagner, he worked with him for five years until, after travelling around Europe, he returned to Vienna to found the Secessionsstil movement, whose pavilion he designed. He also designed the Darmstadt Artists’ Cologne in response to the call of the Duke of Hesse and delved into other fields of design such as ceramics, furniture design and bookbinding. Josef Hoffmann Another of Wagner’s disciples was the architect Josef Hoffmann who, like Olbrich, was also one of the founders of the Vienna Secession. Hoffmann was one of the most prolific architects of the movement. His style became increasingly defined and more geometric and rigorous, and he took an interest in the design of furniture and household objects. His works include the Purkersdorf Sanatorium, the Palais Stoclet and the Villa Skywa-Primavesi. Throughout his career, he designed numerous villas and buildings, as well as being a teacher to, among others, the famous architect Le Corbusier. Secession Pavilion, Joseph Olbrich’s Project France As in Belgium and, as we shall see, in Spain, in France modernism leaned towards wavy lines, loaded with asymmetries and giving a sense of movement. One of the cities where Art Nouveau was most successful was Nancy, where Modernist architecture merges with Baroque and Renaissance works. In fact, Nancy had its own school and was a great influence on Modernism, with the artist Émile Gallé at its head. However, when we talk about French Art Nouveau, it is unavoidable that Paris is the city that comes to mind and, specifically, the metro stops, the work of Hector Guimard. Hector Guimard Guimard was a French architect representing Art Nouveau who, nevertheless, is not associated with any particular school. His preference for modernism came after a trip to Brussels, where he was captivated by the work of Horta. Among his most outstanding works, in addition to the Paris subway stations, is the Castel Béranger, in 1898, which brought Guimard to the height of his popularity. The building, located in the 16th district of Paris, perfectly represents the modernist style. Its profuse decoration, the use of glass and iron and its naturalistic approach make it an example of the movement. However, it is the subway entrances, designed for the 1900 Universal Exposition, that have made Guimard’s work transcend. Nowadays, 86 of these entrances are still standing, combining iron with glass, showing vegetable and animal forms, typical of the style. Spain. The Escuela Provincial de Arquitectura Modernist architecture in Spain is traditionally associated with Catalonia, which had the most famous artists of the current. However, great examples of the style can be found in many cities, such as Cartagena, León, Valencia, and Ceuta. The origin of modernist architecture in Spain can be found in the Escuela Provincial de Arquitectura of Barcelona, inaugurated in 1871 and which has, among its most illustrious students, characters of the stature of Gaudí, Enric Miralles or Puig i Cadafalch, among others. Elies Rogent i Amat Rogent i Amat was director of the Escuela Provincial de Arquitectura and one of Doménech i Montaner’s teachers. Amat is considered one of the forerunners of Modernism in Spain. A follower of medievalism, one of the currents to be claimed by the modernists, his work includes the prison in Mataró and the General Stores of Commerce in the port of Barcelona, as well as homes on Passeig de Gràcia and Madrid. Doménech i Montaner Domenech i Montaner mixed rationalism with modernism in his works, becoming one of the key architects of the style, to which he added a curious ornamentation inspired by Arab motifs. As for its importance, it shares with Gaudí the recognition as the main figure of Modernist architecture in Spain. The Palau de la Música, with its large windows and profuse decoration with mosaics, stained glass and wrought iron, is one of his most outstanding works. It is also worth mentioning the Hotel España, in the centre of Barcelona, whose interior perfectly represents the Modernist style due to the large number of details and ornamental motifs. Josep Puig i Cadafalch Josep Puig i Cadafalch held the title of Municipal Architect of Mataró before becoming a professor at the Escuela de Arquitectura of Barcelona. A disciple of Montaner, he moved from initial modernism to rational idealism in order to finish his career within the monumentalist movement. He is the author of the famous houses Amatler, Martí and les Punxes, all in Barcelona, together with the design of the Plaza de España, in the same city, which he designed for the 1929 International Exhibition. Within his work, the houses designed in his Modernist period, between 1895-1905, stand out, without a doubt, for which he was inspired by traditional Catalan architecture. Palau de la Música Catalana Antoni Gaudí Antoni Gaudí is recognised as the greatest exponent of Modernist architecture in Spain. His works are among the most monumental and prestigious. Fleeing from straight lines and inspired by Mudejar art, Gaudí gradually perfected his style, which started from a historicist position to reach a great creative freedom that can be found in works such as Parc Güell or La Sagrada Família. Gaudí’s work, together with that of his contemporaries, contributed to making Barcelona the city it is today. He worked with plant forms and ceramic mosaics, understanding the works as a whole. Latvia: Riga, the hidden gem of modernist architecture The hidden jewel of the style is a city far from the great European capitals that were the protagonists of the movement. This is Riga, whose historic centre has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. At the time when modernism triumphed, Riga was counted as one of the most important ports in Europe. Its population grew at such a rate that the medieval walls surrounding the city were demolished to expand the city with boulevards and gardens. There are hundreds of Art Nouveau buildings in Riga (up to 800) but the most prominent bear the same signature, that of the Russian architect Mikhail Eisenstein, who had moved to Riga to work in the Ministry of the Interior. In his outstanding works in the centre of Riga we find a heterodox modernism, supported by a neoclassical structure with wrought iron elements and floral decoration. We reach the end of this post on modernist architecture. If you have found it interesting don’t miss our entry on architectural styles or, if you prefer architecture in general, our gallery of projects, where you will find buildings of all kinds.
