This podcast dives into Tom Wolfe's critique of modern architecture, questioning why it took over despite public disdain. It explores the rise of the Bauhaus movement and its disconnect with everyday needs, along with the playful distortions of postmodern architecture. The discussion covers Venturi's complex architectural philosophy and the evolution of styles post-Venturi, emphasizing the clash between minimalism and diversity. Ultimately, it calls for a rethinking of modern architecture to prioritize community needs and aesthetics.
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Modern Architecture's Unpopularity
Tom Wolfe criticizes modern architecture's preference for concrete boxes over ornate designs.
He explores how this style gained popularity despite public dislike.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession, formed in 1897, wasn't particularly modern in style.
However, it cultivated the image of the artist as a transgressive genius.
insights INSIGHT
Bauhaus and Socialist Art
The Bauhaus movement aimed to create socialist art from scratch, rejecting capitalist influences.
This led to a rejection of ornamentation and an emphasis on functionality.
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In *From Bauhaus to Our House*, Tom Wolfe critiques the modernist architecture movement, particularly the International Style, which emerged from the Bauhaus school. Wolfe argues that this style, characterized by its avoidance of ornamentation and emphasis on function over form, has resulted in buildings that are visually unappealing and fail to provide a pleasant environment for their occupants. He traces the evolution of this style from its European origins to its dominance in North American cities and criticizes it for being driven more by Marxist ideology and intellectual prestige than by practical needs. The book is known for its entertaining and satirical style, which includes vivid descriptions and gossipy anecdotes, typical of Wolfe's writing[3][4][1].
Like most people, Tom Wolfe didn’t like modern architecture. He wondered why we abandoned our patrimony of cathedrals and palaces for a million indistinguishable concrete boxes.
Unlike most people, he was a journalist skilled at deep dives into difficult subjects. The result is From Bauhaus To Our House, a hostile history of modern architecture which addresses the question of: what happened? If everyone hates this stuff, how did it win?
How Did Modern Architecture Start?
European art in the 1800s might have seemed a bit conservative. It was typically sponsored by kings, dukes, and rich businessmen, via national artistic guilds that demanded strict compliance with classical styles and heroic themes. The Continent’s new progressive intellectual class started to get antsy, culminating in the Vienna Secession of 1897. Some of Vienna’s avante-garde artists officially split from the local guild to pursue their unique transgressive vision.
The point wasn’t that the Vienna Secession itself was particularly modern…
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