Design and Modernism

Modernism: The range of ideas and style that have sprung from modernity and the re-instigation of order and structure. Resonding to the qualities of the modern world.

Modernism in Design:

• Anti-historicism: disregards the past and always involves improving and modernising for the future. (Can reference 'Ornament is Crime lecture' by Adolf Loos 1908.)
• Truth to materials: Using new materials for design (concrete, tech.)
• Form follows function: Solving the problem first which will create a thing of beauty as a result.
• Internationalism: A universal visual language of design, for example IKEA.

If you try to make your work stylish or follow current trends, it will quickly go out of fashion. To make something timeless you give it pure functionality and strip it of everything else.

Skyscrapers are considered modernist as they optimize the small space of land they are given in order to build upwards. The glass is the best way to let the light into the sometimes shaded plot and it is only possible to construct because of modernist materials.

Seagram building.

Additionally for the Bauhaus concrete was considered a material of beauty and was a big contributor to the beginning of the modernist era. Harry Beck's London Underground Map is another example of modernism, as it is purely a thing of function, not realistically recording the distance between locations but helping direct you to them. It is all about communication and legibility. This is a from of internationalism as it can usually be understood by anyone and similar systems have been replicated across the world.

After the Russian revolution, the country hyper-modernised. The revolution needed to be communicated to everyone in the country; including the illiterate peasants who made up 50% of the country. This was the reason for Rodchenko to create the 'Books!' poster, which followed a modernist approach in its simple communication.

Books! by Rodchenko.

One of the main modernists of the time was El Lissizky who created a poster called Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge, 1919. The use of shape here is timeless and worked to signify the power of the revolution to everyone.

Beat the Whites the the Red Wedge, 1919. El Lissizky.

He was also famous for creating photograms which was a modernist approach to photography, without actually using a camera.

El Lissizky photogram of pliers.

Another result of the Russian revolution was the plan to make a monument to the Third International in 1919. This was to be 3x as big as the Eiffel tower and revolve at separate speeds on different levels. Although this was never made, the complexity and ambition the piece signified was incredible of the time and shows modernist initiative.

The Third International 1919

Stepanova and Popova were also key female constructivists in the Russian revolution and were behind some strong and dynamic pattern design that were a symbol of progression and empowerment.

Stepanova and Popova textile design.

Finally, it is important to consider that an entirely modernist city could potentially lack a feeling of humanity, for there is no history. Le Corbusier Plan Voisin was an utopian dream that all the buildings in Paris would appear the same. This was a early communistic drive that shows a overtly modernist approach. Although this would be practical it would have no culture or individuality, it would serve function before anything else. As humans we needed to be reminded of our roots and our potential constantly.

Le Corbusier Plan Voisin