Architectural Styles and Movements Quiz

20th Century: Modern Architecture

• 20th century architecture encompasses a diverse range of styles, including Modern, Revivalist, and various "-isms"

Historical Timeline of Architecture

• A timeline of architectural styles, including Egyptian, Pre-Historic, Greek, Roman, Early Christian, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, 18th-19th C Revival and 20th C Modern is presented in a visual format.
• Architectural styles through history are categorized and illustrated.
• Examples of different architectural styles are given.

Influences on 20th-Century Architecture

• Innovations in materials (e.g., curtain walls, steel and plate glass, folded slabs, flat slabs, laminated timber)
• Functionalism in design principles

Revivalist Architecture

• A revitalization of historical styles, using motifs and decorative elements from previous centuries
• Examples include Neoclassicism (Greek and Roman elements) and Gothic Revival (Gothic architecture).

Neoclassicism

• Revival of Greek and Roman architectural orders
• Strong geometric composition
• Simple designs with shallow reliefs on facades

Greek Revival

• Using Greek architectural forms
• Example: the Second Bank of the United States, designed by William Strickland

Romanticism

• Architects adapted past styles with a focus on conveying emotion
• Styles tailored to building type and location

Gothic Revival

• Reviving the spirit and design elements of Gothic architecture
• Churches in the U.S. continued to be styled using Gothic Revival into the 20th century

Beaux-Arts Eclecticism

• Symmetrical plans that use a range of architectural styles
• Creates a dramatic, elaborate, and ostentatious effect
• Reflects the influence of the École des Beaux-Arts in organizing spatial elements

École des Beaux-Arts

• A school of fine arts that taught principles for building organizations
• Emphasized balance among spatial elements and planning.

City Beautiful Movement

• An approach focused on urban planning that features monumental buildings
• Buildings in highly visible locations; promenades
• Spacial plazas and using classical sculpture were also characteristic of this movement
• Examples include The McMillan Plan that planned the monumental core and the park system in Washington, D.C.

Industrial Age

• Industrial revolution created social and economic upheaval
• New building types were needed to accommodate industry, commerce, and transportation
• New construction materials; cast iron, steel, reinforced concrete and affordable glass were widely used

Crystal Palace

• First large-scale cast-iron and glass building
• Emphasized structural innovation and new building technologies

Brooklyn Bridge

• World's largest steel suspension bridge

Eiffel Tower

• Famous tower exemplifying the use of wrought iron.

Skyscrapers

• American invention that utilized technological advancements (elevators, heating, plumbing, etc.)
• Creating accessible and comfortable high-rise spaces

Home Insurance Building

• Considered the first skyscraper, pushing the limits of building height

Wainwright Building

• Innovative use of brick and steel; exemplifies Louis Sullivan's design philosophy.

Louis Sullivan

• "Form follows function" principle - designing buildings to serve their function
• Used nature-inspired decorative elements

Frank Lloyd Wright

• Horizontal building designs & forms
• Prairie houses featuring overhanging rooflines and flowing rooms
• Visionary plan for Broadacre City - a low-density settlement, with small business and one acre of land per person.
• Robie House, Fallingwater, and Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum showcase his design style

Organic Architecture

• Emphasizes harmony between buildings and the natural environment.
• Utilizes natural motifs and ordering, mimicking natural forms.

Art Deco

• Based on geometric and curvilinear designs, often streamlined
• Features bold colours
• Utilized synthetic building materials (plastics)
• The Chrysler Building represents this style.

Art Nouveau

• A return to craftsmanship and a synthesis of art, design, and architecture
• Often features flowing, organic lines that are inspired by natural forms

Antoni Gaudí

• Unique combination of Moorish and Gothic elements, with organically inspired forms

Expressionism

• A European movement that creates jagged and dynamic forms in both painting and architecture

De Stijl

• Focus on primary colours, asymmetry, and rectangular forms in a minimalist style

Constructivism

• Architecture and design should reflect the construction
• Functional machine parts, design should serve a purpose

Bauhaus

• A school of art, design, and craft that emphasized on functional design, where form follows function

International Style

• Architecture devoid of regional characteristics
• Simple geometric forms and a large use of glass, steel, and reinforced concrete

Le Corbusier

• The "machine for living" in his architecture—this is functionalism in architecture
• Five Points of Architecture—pilotis, free plan, curtain walls, ribbon windows, and roof gardens
• Uniquely designed buildings that challenged traditional architectural norms

Mies van der Rohe

• "Less is more" philosophy in architecture and design
• Favored boxy steel and glass structures, with a focus on simple forms
• Barcelona Pavilion & the Farnsworth House are examples of his works.

Postmodernism

• Renewed appreciation for the rich past of architectural styles
• Facades embellished with color, pattern, and ornaments, suggesting the use of traditional decorative features.

Postmodern Architects

• Several key figures exemplified this style (e.g., Philip Johnson, James Stirling, Michael Graves)

Alvar Aalto

• Finnish modernist architect who merged technology with craft
• Humanized designs with curved walls and roofs.
• Emphasized building's orientation to surroundings (earth's contours, and daylight)

Eero Saarinen

• Worked with unique structural systems
• His buildings reflected their site and purposeful design

Louis Kahn

• Architectural form should reflect a building's social purpose, influenced by ancient monuments
• Composed of circles, squares, and triangles, with a massive primal quality, used rough concrete and bricks
• Daylighting played an important role in his buildings

Robert Venturi

• Architect who favoured ambiguity, decoration, and "messy vitality" in building design
• "Less is a bore" philosophy contrasted the minimalist views of some architects
• Believed in a more pluralistic attitude towards architecture

Philip Johnson

• Advocate of International Style, later became a significant proponent of Postmodernism

James Stirling

• Supported New Brutalism and high-tech
• His focus was in conveying solidity in his designs

Michael Graves

• Incorporated decorative and historical references into his abstract designs
• His designs often had a childlike, exaggerated quality

The New York Five

• Leading the modern architectural revival group:
• Peter Eisenman, Michael Graves, Charles Gwathmey, John Hejduk, and Richard Meier

Postmodern Styles

• An overview of different styles in postmodern architecture, particularly Brutalism, High-tech, and Deconstructivism

Brutalism

• Inspired by the use of béton brut (raw concrete) in Le Corbusier's later works
• Showcased the use of rough, textured concrete surfaces

High-Tech

• Characterized by a highly expressive use of building technologies
• Pioneered by Richard Rogers, Norman Foster, and Renzo Piano

Deconstructivism

• Uses bent, angled, and exploded forms to represent uncertainty
• Influenced by Jacques Derrida's literary theories.

Green Architecture

• Design and concepts for sustainability in architecture, including natural land use, energy efficiency and waste reduction.

Pritzker Architecture Prize

• International architectural award presented annually to living architects
• The award demonstrates exceptional talent, vision, and commitment to architecture.
• Includes a cash award and a bronze medallion, and a ceremony.

List of Pritzker Prize Recipients for Each Year

• Specific architects and their contributions to architecture including buildings they designed.

Test your knowledge on key architectural movements and their leading figures with this quiz. Explore concepts ranging from modernism to postmodernism and the unique features that define each style. Perfect for architecture students and enthusiasts alike!