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International
Style 1920-Present
By
Stephen
After
World War 1, a style of architectural emerged in Germany, Holland
and France that was so similar that it was tabbed the International
Style. Architects fleeing Europe during WWII began working in
the United States and teaching at American universities. Their
influence was profound, and their work laid the foundation for
modern architecture, as we know it today.
Le
Corbusier is considered to be the most influential architect
since WWII. His architecture was considered to be coolly classical
and composed. He worked with reinforced concrete. He felt a
structure should be functional, not decorative, and should meet
the daily needs of the inhabitants. The International Style
attempted to do just that. It is certainly without ornament.
An example of Le Corbusier architecture is the Lovell House.
This
style was evident in the old Clinton High School formerely located
on Church Street. The plain white stucco walls were interrupted
only by bands of ribbon windows that were flush with the wall
surface. Windows from the corner of the building, reemphasizing
that they are merely part of the fabric of the wall surface.
In other places, large floor-to-ceiling panes of glass form
part of the exterior walls. Roofs are flat and have no eves.
The basic plan of the building is asymmetrical, with cantilevered
balconies and portions of the roof extending out from the central
mass. Heavy pillars support the ground floor, giving the impression
that the school hovers above the ground.
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Clinton
High School Library and Administrative Office
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Main
Entrance - Old Clinton High School |
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