Learning outcomes
This course has been designed to enable you to:
- Recognise a number of different 20th-century architectural styles and understand their position in the chronology of the century
- Compare different styles and identify shared features and differences between them
- Name some of the key architects of the 20th century and their written work on architectural design
Course sessions:
Session 1
The first session introduces the themes of the course and presents an overview of how the various subject areas link together. This segment also introduces the state of architectural design at the beginning of the 20th century
Arts and Crafts, Art Deco and Art Nouveau. In the second talk we examine three styles for the beginning of the 20th century whose focus was of craftsmanship and the importance of the artisan in the creative process. These styles were beautiful in execution, so why were they were so short lived?
Session 2
Bauhaus and its proponents. Bauhaus was a movement which emerged in Germany but faced the wrath of the emerging Third Reich since its belief in the workshop system and a society of creative equals drew comparison with the ideology of communism. The architects of the Bauhaus scattered with the onset of war but the style retained its influence.
Constructivism. An abstract, austere and highly modernistic architectural style, Constructivism flourished in the inter-war period in the Soviet Union. A fascinating style which had political overtones, constructivism prefigures the forms and impact of the later Brutalist style but mixed with the shapes of Art Deco.
Session 3
Italian Rationalism. Architecture is one of the great tools of political ideology as it can be employed both to erase a pre-existing culture and to impose a new visual identity. In the rise of the Fascist party, and its subsequent dominance in Italian politics, the style of Italian Rationalism promoted the Fascism through extraordinary showpiece building projects.
International Modern. Modernism is probably the single most dominant style of the 20th century, emerging before the Second World War and still being employed decades later. Modernism favours clean lines, glass, new materials and new technology and so is the style which ushers in a new age of architectural design not tied to the styles and expectations of the past.
Session 4
New towns and Urban planning. The destruction of the Second World War combined with a rise in population made the provision of new accommodation an important issue. This session examines the various ways this problem was addressed, including the creation of New Towns and the impact of high rise accommodation blocks on established urban landscapes.
Brutalism. The Brutalist style presented a new clean and daring architecture of bold forms and concrete construction to the modern world. It is fascinating that from the outset this style was divisive with many critics railing against its ‘brutality’. Out of favour for some decades, Brutalism is now undergoing something of a rehabilitation yet it retains its power to divide public opinion.
Session 5
Postmodernism and Deconstructivism. As the end of the century approaches architecture becomes more playful, deliberately warping and misusing established forms. Buildings become architectural advertisements for those who designed them and we see the rise of the Starchitect – a concept which suggests that who created the building is its most important feature. Is this true? The subject is discussed in the course of the talk.
Finally a summary of the material covered in the course, to draw all the threads of architectural development together. We conclude with a brief consideration of what next? Has architecture reached its creative pinnacle or does the 20th century mark another step in ongoing architectural development?
Certificate of Participation
At the end of your Winter Festival course(s) a Certificate of Participation will be sent to you electronically.
Non-credit bearing
Courses on our Virtual Winter Festival of Learning are non-credit bearing.
