the events leading up to the international style of architecture being used in america

One common criticism of modern architects such as Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius is that
while their goals might have been laudable, the execution and physical manifestation of their
beliefs is somehow disconnected from the culture in which it grew out of. As 'ineffective' as
critics might say this style was, there is great importance in the entire movement made in
architecture during the mid-twentieth century. Understanding where the International Style came
from, who was involved and what accomplishments were made will allow us to appreciate the
architecture we see around us everyday.
The International Style began as a movement in architecture known as 'Bauhaus'. This was a
German expression used for 'house for building'. 'Bauhaus' became an institution from which a
new social order would arise. Walter Gropius was the head of this institution, but once the Nazis
shut down the school, the 'Functionalists' as they were known, emigrated to the U.S. The
Functionalists included Gropius, Mies van der Rohe and others. The term 'International Style' was
used to describe the American form of 'Bauhaus' architecture. Common characteristics of
International Style buildings are rectangular forms that have been completely stripped of applied
decoration, visually weightless qualities, open interior spaces, and an stimulating association with
geometry. Glass, steel, and reinforced concrete are the characteristic materials of construction.
The International style grew from three phenomena that architects had to deal with. The first
problem was the incorporating mix of decorative elements from different architectural periods that
had little or no relation to the building's functions. The second was the development and use of
iron, steel, glass, and reinforced concrete, and thirdly the economical creation of mass numbers of
office buildings. These three phenomena basically outlined the search for an economical
architecture that would use the new materials and still appeal to the people's taste.
This kind of new architecture embodied the classic and simple shapes of geometry, and followed
the idea that every item would serve a function. Thus there would be absolutely no decorations.
Bauhaus buildings have flat roofs, smooth facades and cubic shapes. Simple metals were used,
such as steel and iron, and basic colors of black, white, and grays were used. This 'International
Style' came to embody capitalism, since it favored huge glass and steel office buildings, such as
the Seagram Building (1957) pictured below, by Mies van der Rohe along with Phillip Johnson.
He developed a building with an internal steel structure, surrounded by a non-bearing "curtain" or
covering, usually made of glass, thus the glass-box skyscraper.
(Seagram Building, 1952)

This building was quite a piece of work. It is generally recognized as the finest skyscraper
designed and built in the International Style. The building has very elegant proportions. It is set
ninety feet away from the main road, with thirty feet of space on either side. It is thirty-eight
stories high. The tinted-glass and bronze 'I-beams' give the building its character. The 'I-beams'
were attached to mullions to emphasize the height and verticality. Another example we have of the
'office buildings' is the Lever House, also on Park Avenue in New York. Although it was not
designed by one of the Functionalists, it is one of the first high-rise buildings in the International
Style. It was designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP, and completed in 1952. It sits on
the north side of corporate Park Avenue, and embodies the International Style with its
functionalist form of steel and glass. It was also the first skyscraper to be built despite the new
zoning regulations of the city and was the first curtain wall structure in the city. It was thus the
'curtain-wall pioneer' of New York City.
(Lever Building, 1952)
Considered to be in the transitional period of architecture, between Streamline Moderne and
International Style, comes the McGraw-Hill building. The building is on 42nd Street in New York
City, was designed by Raymond Hood and completed in 1931. To some it is considered to be the
first building in the International Style, while to others it still holds onto characteristics of
Streamline Moderne. In can be considered to be in the International Style primarily because of its
lack of decoration and regularity in geometric shapes. As we can see from the picture below, it
does hold true to the geometric shapes and simple cubic design.
(McGraw-Hill Bldg, 1931)
While skyscrapers were making its way to the top, there were other avenues of the International
Style that were becoming very popular, and one of these was the furniture. A principle of the
Bauhaus was to cater to the development of contemporary housing. The Bauhaus designers were
infatuated with metal. Metal was cheaper, lighter, less bulky and more hygienic. The furniture
designed in the International Style followed the same criteria as the buildings did, in that
everything was functional. The designs were very smooth and made great use of geometric shapes
and plain colors. Van der Rohe's furniture designs are closely connected to his architectural
designs and have the same functionalist concept. His furniture compliments the interiors of his
buildings. One infamous piece of furniture from this period of time is his Barcelona chair. It made

its debut at the 1929 International Exhibition in Barcelona, Spain.
(Barcelona chair) (Brno Flat Chair)
The Barcelona chair is a wide armless chair with leather quilted cushions, sitting atop a double X -
shaped frame made of steel. It became the symbol for the elegance of the avante-garde lifestyle.
Today, this piece of furniture is still as captivating as it was at its debut. A similar piece of
furniture is Van der Rohe's Brno Flat Chair, pictured above. It has a flat steel frame in polished
chrome with a leather sit and back. It is his characteristic conference chair. This is classic furniture
at its best.
One of the most unique pieces of furniture was designed by Marcel Breuer, called the 'Wassily
Chair'. It was made in 1928, and carries the name of Breuer's friend and teaching colleague,
Wassily Kandinsky.
(Wassily Chair, 1928)
This chair is the most modern-looking massive 'grandfather chair' and is made possible by using
steel and leather. The best use of the specific character of material and form of each element is
used in order to obtain both minimal weight and maximum strength. The tubular frame resists
compression, and the leather straps resists traction. This chair is functional, linear and solid in
space. It is luxurious at the same time, and holds true to the Bauhaus tradition of functionality.
One more chair that is important to note is Le Corbusier's 'Grand Confort'. It was designed in 1928
and also has a chrome-plated tubular steel frame with loose leather-covered cushions that fit
snuggly into the frame. It is no wonder it is called the 'Grand Confort'. The revolutionary idea of
exposing the steel frame transformed a traditional club chair into a modern object destined to
become a classic design.
(Grand Confort, 1928)
As we can see, the International Style is one of the purest forms of Modernism. It holds to
geometric designs with flat roofs and uniform arrangement of windows. The materials are steel,
iron and metal, making it affordable and malleable in the eyes of the Bauhaus designers. The
furniture from this period reflects the same concept. Smooth frames and the use of leather make
them classic pieces that are still in high demand today. From the examples we have covered, we
can see how International Style became a movement in the architectural world. With its
'Functionalists', Mies van der Rohe, Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier among others, it has left a

distinguishing mark not only in history books, but in our minds because we see the physical
accomplishments of this architectural style everyday.