A century of futurist architecture

• Futurism is the first internationally recognized modern art movement

• It had inclination towards high speed, advancement in technology, role of youth in society
and associated violence
• The introduction of transportation features like cars and aircraft into society brought
fascination into lives
• It gave the idea of life around such compelling mediums in the form of industrial cities
• “we affirm that the world’s magnificence has been enriched by a new beauty: beauty of
speed
• Sant’Elia worked on futurist architectural principles and exhibited them
 Futuristic architecture
• The new generation of futurist hypothesized about the vision for new metropolises
and megalopolis with flexible and more useful urban environment
• Futurism as an artistic movement repudiated use of traditional forms and adopted
the revolutary impulse regrading possibilities that technology could revive and
amplify culture, dilapiadated lifestyle and the condition of cities
• Sant’Elia worked at the core of a fast-paced metropolis that was experiencing some
cardinal developments which created mass issues of industrial and population
growth
• The city of his ideas comprised of monolithic and Herculean skyscrapers along with
bridges and pedestrian walkways that bisected the sky
 Dynamism of bodies in motion
• The Futurists were particularly excited by the works of late
19th-century scientist and photographer Étienne-Jules
Marey, whose chronophotographic (time-based) studies
depicted the mechanics of animal and human movement.
• A precursor to cinema, Marey’s innovative experiments
with time-lapse photography were especially influential for
Balla. In his painting Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash, the
artist playfully renders the dog's (and dog walker's) feet as
continuous movements through space over time.
 Evolution from futurism
1. ART DECOR
• Got it’s name from arts decoratifs- the international exhibition of modern
decorative and industrial modernism with eloquent materials and fine
craftsmanship
• Under the influence of dauntless geometric patterns of cubism and sharp colors of
fauvism
• Considered as futuristic style in 1920s and 1930s due to its streamlined use of
delicate forms
• The clean lines and minimal decoration of this style was associated with
entertainment and glamour
• Eg: Chrysler building
• Entranced by the idea of the “dynamic,” the
Futurists sought to represent an object’s
sensations, rhythms and movements in their
images, poems and manifestos. Such
characteristics are beautifully expressed in
Boccioni’s most iconic masterpiece, Unique
Forms of Continuity in Space
• The choice of shiny bronze lends a
mechanized quality to Boccioni's sculpture, so
here is the Futurists’ ideal combination of
human and machine. The figure’s pose is at
once graceful and forceful, and despite their
adamant rejection of classical arts, it is also
very similar to the Nike of Samothrace.

Nike of samothrace
 Chrysler building
Significance of an art deco building:
• Streamlining
• Bold shapes
• Colour
• Decoration
• Geometric shapes
 Bauhaus
• It was originated in Germany in 1920s under Walter Gropius and gained monument
later in US in 1930
• Due to Nazi influence the pioneers of Bauhaus like Gropius, Mies van der Rohe and
others moved to US and since the American style Bauhaus was accepted as
international Bauhaus movement
• Tel Aviv holds the richest collection of international style Bauhaus building in entire
world
 Bauhaus
Characteristics of International Bauhaus Style of
architecture:
• It avoids ornamentation and focuses on the
functionality of the building.
• Prefers asymmetrical forms and shapes over
regularized symmetry.
• It draws the contrast between space and mass
in architectural context.
• Buildings adopt a cubic form.
• Prefers right angles (as opposed to Sant’Elia’s
other notion).
• Smooth and curvilinear finishes are induced.
 Googie architecture
• Soon after the second world war, the fascist version of futurism was brought down
and futurism as a whole lost its monument
• It was favored in design of moving-public utilities such as a gas station, motels,
restaurants, cafes, etc.
• It earns it name from café in Hollywood designes by archtects John Lautner in 1999
• Googie speaks of exaggeration and use of dramatic angles with materials like steel
and plastic coupled with fascination of neon
• Googie is produced by architects, not by ambitious mechanics, and some of these
architects strave for it
 Googie architecture
Significance of a Googie building:
• Cantilevered roofs
• Starbursts
• Roofs sloping at an upward angle
• Hard angles

Ships coffee shop by Martin Stern Jr.

 Neo futurism
• To create a clear distinction between the futurist architecture, futurism was renamed
as “neo futurist” by French architect Denis Laming, who designed Futuroscope (a
theme park rich in multimedia, cinematography and audio-visuals.)
• It speaks of all futurist architecture
• According to Jeans- Louis Cohen, neo futurism is a repercussion of technology, which
uses most advance available resource to make future possible
 Neo futurism
Significance of Neo-futurism in Architecture:
• The style is based on precision to fortify the maximum degree
of flexibility and frivolousness within the materials.
• It uses the architect’s determination to bring abstract and
decorative sense in the design.
• Futuristic buildings are supposed to last only for a short period
of time as the style believes in the idea that all generations must
dream and build their own cities. This idea goes parallel with the
original impulse of Sant’Elia.
• Futuristic buildings can be called futuristic as long as they are
updated regularly with the latest and most suitable technology.
• Advanced use of materials in design elements like a glass
cladded façade, lightweight aluminum construction, and Jockey club innovation tower
structural steel supports for enhanced and durable performance.
• The variety of buildings in this realm is unrestricted and
minutely uncharted. Hence, it offers an abundance of exploration
for Architects.
 Deconstructivism
• It is originated in 1982 through a competition entry by Jaccques
Derrida and Peter Eisenman
• Neo futurism and deconstructivism are linked with eachother in such
a way that it become difficult to determine where to draw the line of
their differential aspects.
• It relies on Computer aided design to visualizes various forms and
tendencies of materials and design elements
 Deconstructivism
Characteristics of Deconstructivism:
• It proposes fragmentation in design.
• Utilizes the exterior of the building.
• Curvilinear and pointeds shapes are dominant, which
are expected to keep the skeleton in a dynamic state.
• The building structure has an organized order of chaos
and restorative unpredictability.

Royal Ontario museum