Modern Architecture or Modernism was a product of the mid-20th century.

Famously coined as the International Style by Reyner Banham, the Modern style was linked notably with Le Corbusier and central European and generally western architecture.

Modernist Architecture eventually made its way to the Developing World and also to colder climates in the North where the white concrete didn’t always weather so well.

The Modern movement – also referred to controversially as a ‘style’ by some – bound morality, technology and art together.

Morality in that there was an aim to improve humanity’s lot, notably whole scale demolition of slums to make way for clean modern housing. This was called comprehensive redevelopment and in the UK one of the most notorious examples is Glasgow: slums were cleared but so were communities. The modern city was strangled by a motorway that divided residential areas and mostly lower social classes were transferred to huge developments on the edge of town or beyond.

Modern Technology was invoked with the admiration for emerging development of planes, cars, ships and trains. Modern Architecture was to evoke streamlined looks and some physical technology from these transport types. Famously the Le Corbusier – one of the most famous Modern architects – in ‘Vers une Architecture’ lauded the world of transport for having the courage to use new techology whilst architecture had become lost in the world of style, of mannerism and above all, tradition.

Art because ultimately Modern Architecture was based on stylistic devices that not always totally integrated into the above two aspects. Le Corbusier defined five points, such as fenetre longeur and point columns: essentially the drive was towards clean lines with a sense of lightness. A typical example would be a villa by Le Corbusier – white concrete, large areas of glass, floating mass / cantilevers and lack of ornamentation. But there were other Modernist Architects who did not use much white-rendered or painted concrete and even Le Corbusier was later to leave this light functionalist style for a more expressive architecture.