International Architecture

International style or International Architecture was a major architectural style that was developed during the 1920's and 1930's this decade was when modern architecture was beginning to form. International architecture was coined from the book by Henry Russell-Hitchcock and Philip Johnson.

For me International architecture is a great period in the history of architecture. It revealed only the essential, it showed that even with just simple lines and curves there is still beauty that can be seen and felt.  It was modern and even though it is decades old, it still looks as modern now as it was long ago.

International Architecture was mostly characterized by;

• Utilitarian materials
• Flat roof
• Flat, smooth, untextured surfaces; flat unornamented planes
• Rounded corners
• Ribbon windows often meeting at corners
• Metal casement windows 

Even though it was not ornamental the honesty in design brought out beauty from within. Honesty in a way that skeleton can be seen. Color was subtly used and black, grey and white were the ones mostly used. The greatest strength as well as the greatest weakness of international style was that its design was indifferent to the location, site and climate. Strength because the style doesn't make reference to its surroundings however it is also it's weakness since sometimes the design does not suit. But, for me it really doesn't matter since architecture is an ever evolving art and I think we as aspiring architects should not be limited to just one or two styles. We should be more open - minded and explore every possibility of  design that we might encounter.  

Rise of Europe

The rise of Europe especially Western Europe was largely accounted to the growth of European nations with access to the Atlantic and especially with nations that engage in ocean trade and colonialism.

Atlantic trade and colonialism had the largest impact on Europe both directly and indirectly. The most significant growth can be noticed on nations who checked the scope of power of the monarchy they didn't allow the monarchy to fully control the overseas trading activities this enabled more merchants to benefit from the Atlantic trade. This unprecedented growth of Europe was called the "The First Great Divergence". In a nutshell the growth of Europe is credited to the Atlantic Traders who were directly involved in the trade and colonialism. The Atlantic trade also induced major institutional changes among Atlantic nations and the rest of Europe this was because the profits made from the trade strengthened merchant groups and this paved the way for changes in political institutions this changes in turn encouraged commerce and production for the market and this enabled the emergence of new organizational forms and technologies

Colonial and Pre - Colonial American Architecture

Pre - Columbian  or Pre - Colonial American architecture consists mainly of Mesoamerican architecture and Incan architecture. The architectural character of this period varies from region to region this was due to the exchange of cultures all throughout the period. It was constantly evolving and changing since this was a span of at least a thousand years.   

American Colonial Architecture is not necessarily one period but it is named as such to summarize all sub periods under it. Since there were several design types that were developed during this period and those period were named after the colonizers. These periods were the French Colonial, Spanish, Georgian, Dutch, Saltbox, Cape Cod, Southern, New England, Garrison, Federal also there the New Colonial styles which are the Colonial Revival and Neo - Colonial.

Each of these sub periods have their own architectural character. French Colonial homes have stucco-sided homes with expansive two-story porches and narrow wooden pillars tucked under the roof line. The porch was an important passageway because traditional French Colonial homes did not have interior halls. Spanish Colonial were most commonly sided in adobe or stucco. The roofs were flat or slightly pitched and finished with red clay tiles. Some Spanish Colonial homes featured a Monterey-style, second-story porch. Georgian Colonists built sophisticated brick and clapboard homes that imitated British architectural fashion. Georgian Colonial homes were highly symmetrical with multi-pane windows evenly balanced on each side of a central front door. This façade was modestly ornamented with dentil moldings or decorative flat pilasters. Garrison Colonial homes imitated the houses of medieval England. Many of these homes had steep gabled roofs, small diamond paned windows, and a second story overhang across the front facade. Garrison Colonials usually were sided in unpainted clapboard or wood shingles. New England Colonial homes were two stories high with gables on the side and an entry door at the center. To conserve heat, a massive chimney ran through the center and sidings were not painted. Southern colonial homes were symmetrical in shape. The siding, however, was often brick and the chimneys were placed at the sides instead of in the center.
Cape Cod colonial houses had one-story or one-and-a-half stories with no dormers. They usually were sided with shingles or unpainted clapboards. Dutch Colonists  often built brick or stone homes with roofs that reflected their Flemish culture. Sometimes the eaves were flared and sometimes the roofs were slightly rounded into barn-like gambrel shapes. Colonial Revival Style is as is a revival of the Colonial styles while Neo Colonial was like mash up of the Colonial Styles but with improvements

Art Nouveau

In this period of architecture many European artists, architects and the like rebelled against the practice of art at that time which they believed to be formal and classical, they believed that true art can be found in nature and in nature can be found the greatest beauty.

"Art Nouveau" is actually French for new art, and it was popularized by the "Maison de l'Art Nouveau", a Paris art gallery operated by Siegfried Bing. Art Nouveau flourished in Europe between 1890 and 1914.
In the United States, Art Nouveau can be seen in the works of  Louis Comfort Tiffany, Louis Sullivan, and Frank Lloyd Wright.

Features commonly seen in Art Nouveau Architecture are Asymmetrical Shapes, Extensive use of Arches and Curves Curved Glass, Plant like embellishments, Mosaics, Stained Glass and Japanese Motifs. Structures that used the Art Nouveau Style are The Wainwright Building by Louis Sullivan, Parque Guell by Antoni Gaudi, Majolika Haus by Otto Wagner, The Marquette Building by William Holabird and Martin Roche and The Municipal House.

Art Deco

The term Art Deco was coined from the Exposition des Arts Decoratifs held in Paris in 1925. Robert Mallet-Stevens helped art Deco thrive in Europe and in the United States, Art Deco was practiced by Raymond Hood. At its best, Art Deco represented elegance, glamour, functionality and modernity.

Art Deco is loosely based on the Geometrical shapes, zigzags, trapezoids and jumbled shapes, influenced by a lot of sources, and was a form for stylish and elegant modernism. However I think Art Deco was mostly influenced by Egyptian Art and Architecture. Since most Egyptian art told stories about the past, Art Deco Style imitated this and designers often put symbolic images in their structures or their works. One good example of this is the Chrysler Building designed by William Van Alen. The skyscraper was adorned with abstract images such as cars, hubcaps and eagle hood ornaments.

Art Deco was basically and ornamental style and the lavishness was probably because of imposition made by World War I. Art Deco had many distinctive styles however its significant feature probably is the dependence on the use of a range of ornaments and motifs.

The Bauhaus

"Staatliches Bauhaus" or most commonly known as Bauhaus, a school in Germany that was for the crafts and fine arts. The school was founded by Walter Gropius. It was a union of Grand Ducal School of Arts and Crafts and the Weimar Academy of Fine Art. The roots of Bauhaus lay in the arts and crafts school founded by the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach in 1906, this school was directed by a Belgian Art Nouveau architect namely, Henry van de Velde. However since de Velde was Belgian he was forced to resign in 1915. De Velde suggested Gropius, Hermann Obrist, and August Endell as would be successors. In 1919, after the delays cause by World War I and the lengthy debate on who should head the institution and socio-economic meaning of a reconciliation between the fine arts and the applied arts. Walter Gropius was chosen to head the institution. Gropius integrated the two ideas into which is now known as Bauhaus. Bauhaus was originally meant to be combined architecture school, crafts school and an arts academy.

The entry of Johannes Itten in the ranks of Bauhaus during 1919 to 1922 shaped the school according to his ideas and philosophies. He thought "Vorkurs" or preliminary course which was the introduction to the ideals of Bauhaus. Bauhaus even though its main aim is creativity through building was not offering architecture courses until 1927.

The National Museum (Former Legislative Building)

The National Museum
Brief History and Information

The national museum is not originally a museum. It was originally the former home of the Congress of the of the Philippines and before that it was originally planned to be the national library. It was originally designed by Antonio M. Toledo in 1918 and was the future home of the National Library according to the plan of Daniel H. Burnham. However, the Philippine Legislature decided to move in the building in 1926 so changes to the building's layout was done by Juan M. Arellano, so the building came to be known as the Legislative Building. During the WWII the building was damaged by Japanese bombardment and most of it was beyond repair however in the inauguration of the Republic of the Philippines, the building was reconstructed to be the home of the Congress. The senate used the building until May 1997 the building is know today as the National Museum and houses the National Art Gallery

Design Analysis

The national museum is Neocolonial inspired. Neocolonial is like a mashup of the other American Colonial styles. It is rectangular in plan, the facade has a temple like entrance, the wings of the building also feature pilasters, or flattened columns that is common to neocolonial architecture. A pediment is also present, most of the windows used in the structure are palladian windows. Dentil mouldings were also used and can be seen throughout the exterior of the building. While on the interior, a large open space is dedicated for the entrance, the hall of masters is also neocolonial in design since it features dentil moulding and pilasters.

Architect's Profile

Th architects of the National Museum is Ralph Harrington Doane and Antonio M. Toledo both membes of the now defunct Bureau of Public Works. I wasn't able to dig up much more information about them aside from that. Since they were not really renowned architects and their structure was just a government building.

Trivia  

The national museum is right now free of charge

There are three national museums, the former legislative building, finance building and tourism building

The legislative building houses the National Art gallery, The finance building is the Museum for the Filipino People, and the tourism building will be the Museum of Natural History

The building was rebuilt mostly from memory

Manuel L. Quezon swore on its front steps as the President of the Commonwealth

Why choose this building?

At first I chose this building because I thought it would be a piece of cake because it would be related to my report and I thought I would not have a hard time. However it proved to be the exact opposite since I had hard time finding information about its history. I had to buy a 110 pesos worth of brochures which was nothing short of being useless. However this does not mean I regretted my decision, I learned that the impression that the americans have left us made a mark not only in our history but in our culture as well. Choosing this building was a good decision for me since not only did I experience my report first hand but I also learned more about our culture and art. It was the first time I saw the spolarium and it conveyed a lot of different emotions. I also got to see different artworks that were made by fellow Filipinos. Ultimately I thought I chose this building because it would make it relatively easy for me and that it was a catch since I already have a background in American architecture but maybe subconsciously I was really interested in seeing American architecture for myself.