architectural styles

Modern architecture, or modernist architecture, is a term

applied to a group of styles of architecture which emerged
in the first half of the 20th century and became dominant
after World War II. Modernism is the single most important
new style or philosophy of architecture and design of the
20th century, associated with an analytical approach to the
function of buildings, a strictly rational use of (often new)
materials, an openness to structural innovation and the
elimination of ornament.
Postmodern architecture is a style or movement which emerged in
the 1960s as a reaction against the austerity, formality, and lack
of variety of modern architecture, particularly in the international
style advocated by Le Corbusier and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
Postmodern architecture, also known as postmodernism (or
'pomo'), is anarchitectural style that emerged in the late-1960s as
a reaction against modernism. Modernistarchitecture had faced
increasing criticism for its rigid doctrines, uniformity and perceived
lack of local and cultural context.
Mid-century modern (MCM) is the design movement in interior,
product, graphic design, architecture, and urban development
from roughly 1945 to 1975.
Contemporary architecture is the architecture of the 21st
century. No single style is dominant; contemporary architects are
working in a dozen different styles, from postmodernism and
high-tech architecture to highly conceptual and expressive styles,
resembling sculpture on an enormous scale. Unlike
modern architecture, which is defined as the building style during
the early to mid-twentieth century, Contemporary
architecture refers to present-day building style. Because
today's architecture styles are numerous, it is difficult to come up
with a formal or precise definition of contemporary architecture.
Brutalist architecture flourished from 1951 to 1975, having
descended from the modernist architectural movement of the
early 20th century. The term originates from the French word for
"raw", as Le Corbusier described his choice of material béton
brut, meaning raw concrete in French. Aesthetically, it is most
frequently characterized by monolithic and fortress-like concrete
structures. The style was first developed by French-
Swiss architect Le Corbusier, and was a major movement from the
1950s to 1980s. It was especially popular in
government buildings, appreciated for its solid, strong
appearance.
High-tech architecture, also known as Structural Expressionism, is
a type of Late Modern architectural style that emerged in the
1970s, incorporating elements of high-tech industry and
technology into building design.
Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by
the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century. In
its purest form, it is a style principally derived from
the architecture of classical antiquity, the Vitruvian principles, and
the work of the Italian architect Andrea Palladio.
The International Style is the name of a major
architectural style that was developed in the 1920s and 1930s
and was closely related to modernism and modern architecture.
In architecture, the term "International Style" describes a type
of design that developed mainly in Germany, Holland and
France, during the 1920s, before spreading to America in the
1930s, where it became the dominant tendency in American
architecture during the middle decades of the 20th century.
The International Style of modern architecture was defined by
its iconic steel, glass, and concrete forms.
Deconstructivism is a movement of postmodern architecture
which appeared in the 1980s, which gives the impression of the
fragmentation of the constructed building. It is characterized by
an absence of harmony, continuity, or symmetry.
Expressionist architecture is an architectural movement in Europe
during the first decades of the 20th century in parallel with
the expressionist visual and performing arts that especially
developed and dominated in Germany. They tended toward
abstraction, which means the designs weren't based on objects or
structures seen in the real world. Expressionist architecture was
designed to evoke inner feelings and extreme emotions. Buildings
created in this style made a statement and stood out from the
structures around them.
Classical Gothic buildings of the 12th to 16th Centuries were a
source of inspiration to 19th-century designers in numerous
fields of work. Architectural elements such as pointed arches,
steep-sloping roofs and fancy carvings like lace and lattice
work were applied to a wide range of Gothic Revival objects.
The Gothic Revival style is part of the mid-19th century
picturesque and Romantic Movement in architecture, reflecting
the public's taste for buildings inspired by medieval design. This
was a real departure from the previously popular styles that drew
inspiration from the classical forms of ancient Greece and Rome.
Islamic architecture encompasses a wide range of both secular
and religious styles from the early history of Islam to the present
day. What today is known as Islamic architecture was
influenced by Roman, Byzantine, Persian and all other lands
which the Muslims conquered in the 7th and 8th centuries.
Classical architecture usually denotes architecture which is more
or less consciously derived from the principles of Greek and
Roman architecture of classical antiquity, or sometimes even
more specifically, from the works of Vitruvius. Classical
architecture may also refer to architecture of later periods that
employs Greek or Roman forms.
Art Deco, sometimes referred to as Deco, is a style of visual arts,
architecture and design that first appeared in France just before
World War I. Art Deco influenced the design of buildings,
furniture, jewellery, fashion, cars, movie theatres, trains, ocean
liners, and everyday objects such as radios and vacuum cleaners .
Vernacular architecture is an architectural style that is designed
based on local needs, availability of construction materials and
reflecting local traditions. At least originally, vernacular
architecture did not use formally-schooled architects, but relied
on the design skills and tradition of local builders.
Sustainable architecture is architecture that seeks to minimize
the negative environmental impact of buildings by efficiency and
moderation in the use of materials, energy, and development
space and the ecosystem at large.
Ancient Roman architecture adopted the external language of
classical Greek architecture for the purposes of the ancient
Romans, but differed from Greek buildings, becoming a new
architectural style. The two styles are often considered one body
of classical architecture.
Baroque architecture is the building style of the Baroque era,
begun in late 16th-century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary
of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and
theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic
Church.
Organic architecture is a philosophy of architecture which
promotes harmony between human habitation and the natural
world. Organic architecture is living architecture in the sense that
designs share a symbiotic relationship with the surrounding
landscape and with the inhabitants living within them. Frank Lloyd
Wright was the first to develop the concept into a philosophy of
design that stressed simplicity and a totally, integrated design.
Functionalism is the principle that buildings should be designed
based solely on the purpose and function of the building. This
principle is less self-evident than it first appears, and is a matter
of confusion and controversy within the profession, particularly
in regard to modern architecture.
Renaissance architecture is the European architecture of the
period between the early 14th and early 17th centuries in
different regions, demonstrating a conscious revival and
development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman
thought and material culture.
The formal vocabulary of ancient Greek architecture, in
particular the division of architectural style into three defined
orders: the Doric Order, the Ionic Order and the Corinthian
Order, was to have profound effect on Western architecture of
later periods.
Byzantine architecture is the architecture of the Byzantine Empire,
also known as the Later Roman or Eastern Roman Empire.
Byzantine architecture was mostly influenced by Roman and
Greek architecture.
Art Nouveau is an international style of art, architecture and
applied art , especially the decorative arts , that was most
popular between 1890 and 1910. A reaction to the academic art
of the 19th century, it was inspired by natural forms and structures,
particularly the curved lines of plants and flowers.
Japanese architecture has traditionally been typified by wooden
structures, elevated slightly off the ground, with tiled or thatched
roofs. The introduction of Buddhism in Japan during the sixth
century was a catalyst for large-scale temple building using
complicated techniques in wood.
Italianate was reinterpreted to become an indigenous style. It is
distinctive by its pronounced exaggeration of many Italian
Renaissance characteristics: emphatic eaves supported by corbels,
low-pitched roofs barely discernible from the ground, or even flat
roofs with a wide projection.
Medieval architecture simply refers to architectural styles in
medieval Europe during the middle ages. In fact, architecture
during these times had gone through several changes and phases
such as from Romanesque style to Gothic style.