Modern Architecture
Explore icons of the recent past
What is Modernism? In architecture, it’s defined as a design language with an emphasis on form rather than ornament; structure and materials rather than picturesque constructions; and the rational and efficient use of space.
The modern movement in architecture in the United States flourished beginning in the 1930s and encompassed individual design movements that expressed modern ideals in different ways, including the International, Expressionist, Brutalist, New Formalist, and Googie movements. Technical innovation, experimentation, and rethinking the way humans lived in and used the designed environment, whether buildings or landscapes, were hallmarks of modern architectural practice.
While the highest-style examples of modern architecture in the United States typically date to the early- and mid-20th centuries, Modernism continued to influence everyday and vernacular design well into the late 20th century. Famous Modernist architects include Frank Lloyd Wright, Philip Johnson, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Eero Saarinen, and more.
You’ll also see stories here about buildings and landscapes from the recent past -- a moving window encompassing places constructed or designed in the past 50 years. Because federal, state, and local preservation programs typically exclude properties less than 50 years old from historic designation programs and review processes, many historically and culturally significant properties are left vulnerable to demolition, neglect, and other threats.
Fortunately, places both from the Modernist era and the recent past still have tremendous power to inspire, which is why we at the National Trust are using all the tools at our disposal -- from our network of historic sites to our 11 Most Endangered List to our National Treasures portfolio -- to raise awareness and support. (Even our headquarters reflects our commitment -- you can find us in the famed Watergate complex, a masterwork of Italian Modernist Luigi Moretti.) Read on to learn more about these inventive and meaningful places.
Modern Architecture Stories
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Preservation Magazine Photo Essay: Discover Milwaukee's Dazzling But Endangered Mitchell Park Domes -
Preservation Magazine A Modernist House in Norman, Oklahoma, Connects to the Surrounding Landscape -
Preservation Magazine Take in a New View of Pearl Harbor's "Sacred Battleground" -
Preservation Magazine A Key Piece of L.A.’s Barnsdall Art Park Thrives Again -
Preservation Magazine Preservation Magazine's Final Frame -
Saving America's Historic Sites Every Line is a Decision: Honoring Lord Peter Palumbo at the Edith Farnsworth House -
Preservation Magazine A Revamped Service Station Brings Midcentury Nostalgia to the Bay Area -
Preservation Tips and Tools 10 Tips to Preserve Places from the Recent Past
Join us in protecting and restoring places where significant African American history happened.
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