Rationalism & Expressionism

Flashcards covering key concepts, works, and figures related to Rationalism and Expressionism in architecture.

Rationalism

An architectural movement that emphasizes reason and functionality, often associated with industrial design.

Behrens: AEG Turbine Factory

A significant work from the 1900s in Berlin, showcasing monumentality with steel and glass.

Adolf Loos: Steiner House

A minimalist house from the 1910s in Vienna that promoted the idea that ornament is a crime.

Werkbund Pavilion

Designed by Walter Gropius in the 1910s; emphasized the merging of craft and industry and served as a model factory.

Industrial focus in Germany

The prioritization of quality over quantity in the context of design and manufacturing.

Ornament = crime

A foundational concept by Loos suggesting that decorative elements have no place in modern architecture.

Fagus Factory

A groundbreaking design featuring a curtain wall, representing modern industrial architecture.

Expressionism

An architectural style that emphasizes emotional experience and often incorporates organic forms.

Taut: Glass Pavilion

A notable work from 1914 that exemplified expressionist ideals through its extensive use of glass.

Mendelsohn: Einstein Observatory

A design from the 1920s showcasing expressionism with dynamic forms and structures.

Werkbund after WWI

Focused on standardization in industrial design following the impact of the First World War.

Bauhaus

An influential school founded by Gropius, emphasizing the integration of crafts and industry using curtain walls.

Closure of Bauhaus in 1933

The result of Hitler’s regime when the Bauhaus school was closed, leading to the emigration of many designers.