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The Meaning of 'Modern' Architecture
It’s actually quite simple — in form and ornamentation.
BY
Dan Webster, Webster Architects
PHOTOGRAPHY
Courtesy of Webster Architects

For as long as I can remember, I have always been teased about “inventing” the dictionary. Even though I would explain that it was Noah Webster and not Daniel who authored the dictionary, I have always been proud that possibly someone in my heritage was smart enough to produce such magnanimous work. However, even the dictionary falls short when it comes to defining Modern architecture. “Modern” is sort of like the word “dude” — it can have numerous meanings depending on your point of reference.

In A Field Guide to American Houses  (the residential architect’s bible) by Virginia and Lee McAlester, modern architecture is defined as most of the houses built in Johnson County since 1935 (actually, that’s my paraphrasing of it). It includes minimal traditional, ranch, split-level, contemporary and shed — basically any house that doesn’t have a whole lot of applied ornament such as shutters, quoins or fancy trim.

I think what most of us think of as Modern is actually a derivative of the International style, which started in the early 1920s. Henry Russell Hitchcock in his book “The International Style” defines the characteristics of the International style as: Emphasis upon volume — space enclosed by thin planes or surfaces as opposed to the suggestion of solidity;     regularity as opposed to symmetry or other kinds of obvious balance; and dependence upon the intrinsic elegance of materials, technical perfection and fine proportions, as opposed to applied ornament.

In layman’s terms, I think this means walls of glass, open floor plans, patterns that repeat but are not symmetrical, and the rejection of decorative trim on either the interior or exterior.

Modern Movers
Early pioneers of American modern residential design were Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (famous for his dictum ‘less is more’), who designed the Farnsworth House in Plano, Ill., in 1946, and Philip Johnson who designed the Glass House in New Canaan, Conn., which was built in 1949. Basically, both of these houses were steel-framed glass boxes and the first one mentioned is on stilts. They looked like works of art, but not many people wanted to live so exposed.

Another notable architect was Richard Neutra, who was famous for his Lovell House in Los Angeles, which was finished in 1929, and his Kaufmann Desert House in Palm Springs, constructed in 1946. His work had a major influence on me deciding to become an architect.

Evolution of the Style
Modern architecture is actually a set of building styles with similar characteristics, primarily the simplification of form and the elimination of ornament. Many Modernists disliked the International style label, believing they had arrived at an approach to architecture that transcended “style,” along with any regional, national or continental identity. The most commonly used materials include glass for the “siding,” steel for exterior support, and concrete for the floors and interior supports. Floor plans are functional and logical.

Detractors of the Modern movement claimed that its stark, uncompromisingly rectangular geometry was dehumanizing. (Translated, that means cold and boring.) Since the early 1980s, many architects have deliberately sought to move away from rectilinear designs and toward more eclectic styles. Many of today’s Modern homes tend to take shapes more in harmony with their site, utilizing the size, shape and topography of the lot.

While most houses have specific details, rules or patterns that define their style, I think the lack of rules is why so many architects love the Modern style. It opens the door to creativity and invention. With Modern homes today, it seems that there are two different types (or extremes, some might say). One type would be a very sleek home with a monotone color (including the trim, if any), an open floor plan, lots of glass and no exposed structure. The other type tries to display the “beauty” of an exposed steel or wood structure and its connections, raw concrete or sheet steel, and an aluminum storefront window system. It takes a skilled architect to pull this off because there is a fine line between a house that looks like an unfinished    basement and one that is an architectural masterpiece.

While Modern residential architecture is definitely more prevalent on the West Coast, it is beginning to become more popular in Kansas City. Last year our firm designed and built a home that was a mixture of the two types mentioned above, and it received positive responses from visitors and media. Even though Kansas City is considered a Traditional market, we feel confident that there is pent-up desire for something different.