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Fallingwater, (Millrun, Pennsylvania) 1936-38; Modernism, Organic Architecture

Fallingwater and icon of American Modern and Organic Architecture. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built in 1936-38. The Koffman family were looking to build a summer retreat home. Fallingwater was commissioned by the Koffman family thanks to their son Edgar Koffman who was an apprentice studying under Wright. Frank Lloyd Wright was known for his Modern architecture and his love for nature. His organic architectural style had a big influence on how the house would be built. Wright was very fortunate to have these clients who were big into arts and always expanding their horizons to new things. This was possible because of their business that they had. As the Koffman family worked in the city it was a great joy for them to return on weekends to a respite away from the bustling city. Immediately after meeting with the Koffman family he acknowledged that the site was very important to them and figured out a way for it to be part of their stay at the waterfall. The building was constr
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Seagram Building, (Manhattan, New York); 1956-58; Mid-Century Modernism

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The Seagram Building was constructed in 1956-58 by Ludwig Mies Van De Rohe. The Seagram Company was a liquor company which was based in Canada. During the 1950’s they decided that they want to build a headquarters in New York. When they visited New York City they loved the Lever House that was built and wanted something of that nature. As they searched for architects the ended up with commissioning Mies Van De Rohe. He was known for his modernist buildings such as the Barcelona Pavilion and his service as a director in the Bauhaus. This was his first project at this scale as well as an unlimited budget for construction. The Seagram Tower was the first to have a public space in front of the building for the community to hang-out and mingle. This was due to the building being pushed back on the lot in order to give tribute to the racquet and tennis club building. As it featured Romanesque architectural style. As Rohe was a big fan of classical architecture he wanted to preserve and m
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Barcelona Pavilion,(Barcelona, Spain);1929; Early Modernism

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The Barcelona Pavilion became a staple of Modernism and the modern movement. Designed by Ludwig Mies Van De Rohe a German architect. The pavilioned was commissioned by Germany for the Barcelona International Exposition. Spain challenged Germany to build a small pavilion representative of their country. This exposition was to show the world that after the loss of World War I that it was becoming a power house for the coming century. The Barcelona pavilion was made using glass, steel, and various marbles. The pavilion was to accommodate the reception of King Alfonso XIII of Spain. The Barcelona Pavilion was very well received as it used modern design of a flat roof and a harmonious grid system. The marble that was used was Roman travertine, Green Alpine, Ancient Greek from Greece, and Golden Onyx from Atlas Mountains. Rohe choose marble not for their novelty but their purpose for the modern geometric styles of each marble type. One of many innovations that came from the Barcelona Pav
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Hameau de la Reine ( The Queen's Hamlet )

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Aerial site view of Queen's Hamlet Hameau de la Reine, or the Queen's Hamlet was a statement of power. At a time where the royal family was truly the epitome of strength, the move to create a parody of the vernacular was truly detrimental to the relationship between the royal family and the people. Located within the Palace of Versailles, it was a village constructed to depict the lives of the lesser fortunate. It took 5 years to be constructed. It was an attempt to familiarize the people for the Queen but was actually an exacerbation of the poor. The attention to detail was emphasized so that royalty could easily distinguish their fortunes. Size and scale of the Hamlet nodded to striking differences when compared to Versailles. The roofs and windows of the buildings were deliberately made so they would decay over time. The winding, organic nature of the roads contrasted the strict, ordered armature of the palace. The Hamlet was often used as the site for formal events and
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Chateau de Montmusard

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Charles de Wailly Charles de Wailly was a french architect and urbanist. Born in November 1730, he was one of the key players in Neoclassical revival. He proposed "Gout grec" which was the earliest version of neoclassicism. A "..very noble style, far removed from the frippery manner which has reigned so long in our furnishings." was his explanation. He was accepted as first member of the Royal Academy of Architecture in 1771 and continued his focus on his engravings. His work then spread interest throughout Russia but he kept his loyalty to France. In 1772, he was the architect on site for the Chateau de Fontainebleau and worked on the Chateau de Menars. His works continued to be characterized by his growing passion for gout grec and later became the fabric that was Neoclassicism. The Chateau de Montsumard was a fusion of Greek and French style. It was a divided estate located in Dijon, Cote-d'Or. On a plot size of 3 hectares, it was a privately owned es
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S.R. CROWN HALL

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CROWN HALL (1956) " Less is more " S.R. Crown Hall Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe was born in Aachen, Germany in 1886. Growing up, he was brought into his father's stone carving business and eventually started to work at local design firms. Exploring other firms and practices, he eventually crossed paths with greats like Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius. After World War I, he fled to the United States and began practicing his architecture in a different tone. Mies originally was interested in Traditionalism and ornament. His early projects conveyed historical styles and classic facades, but his shift in interest then steered him towards a more modernist approach. Eventually, Mies started to get recognition for his work and was involved in projects like the Barcelona Pavilion which was a part of the Weissenhofsiedlung, Bauhaus, IIT Masterplan and more. The project that really started to showcase Mies' understanding of structure and grid was S.R. Crown Hall, a facil
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E-1027,(Roquebrune Cap Martin, France);1926-29; Early Modernisim

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The E-1027 villa is architectural icon in the modernist style which is attributed to Eileen Grey. The house is commonly listed as Jean Badovici and Eileen Grey as the architects. The house was built in 1926-29 in the south of France in Roquebrune - Cap Martin. It was to be a summer retreat for Eileen Grey and her lover Jean Badovici. Eileen Grey envisioned it to be very in tune with nature and the outside element. Before the construction she carful chose this spot for its views and it would be built into the terrain. She did extensive studies and research on the area’s wind and sun angles at various times and days. The house is attributed to Eileen as she was the one that had the greater influence of the design and oversaw the construction process. As Jean Badovici only assisted her for any of the technical aid she needed. The house was designed with the type of furnishing and materials it used as every piece of the house was tailored specifically built for the E-1027. This is also
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