What is Mid-Century Modern Architecture?

Mid-Century Modern Architecture is an architectural, interior and product design form that generally describes mid-20th century developments in modern design, architecture, and urban development from roughly 1933 to 1965. Mid-century architecture was a development of Frank Lloyd Wright's principles of organic architecture combined with many elements reflected in the International and Bauhaus movements - including the work of Gropius, Le Corbusier, and Mies van der Rohe. Mid-century modernism was much more organic in form and less formal than the International Style. Mid-Century Modern Architecture was frequently employed in residential structures with the goal of bringing modernism into America's post-war suburbs. This style emphasized creating structures with ample windows and open floor-plans with the intention of opening up interior spaces and bringing the outdoors in. Many Mid-century houses utilized then-groundbreaking post and beam architectural design that eliminated bulky support walls in favor of walls seemingly made of glass. Function was as important as form in Mid-Century designs, with an emphasis placed specifically on targeting the needs of the average American family. Examples of residential Mid-Century modern architecture are frequently referred to as the California Modern style.

Pioneering builder and real estate developer Joseph Eichler was the one who brought Mid-Century Modern Architecture ("Eichler Homes") to subdivisions in the Los Angeles area and the San Francisco Bay region of California and select housing developments on the east coast. George Fred Keck, Henry P. Glass and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created Mid-Century Modern residences in the Chicago area. Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House is extremely difficult to heat or cool, while Keck and Keck were pioneers in the incorporation of passive solar features in their houses to compensate for their large glass windows. The characteristics of Mid-Century Modern Architecture was implementing design using the old or antique elements mixing with modern and sleek designs.

Scandinavian design was very influential at this time, with a style characterized by simplicity, democratic design and natural shapes. Glassware (Iittala - Finland), ceramics (Arabia - Finland), tableware (George Jensen - Denmark), lighting, and furniture were some of the genres products were created in.

Furniture

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  Egg chair by Arne Jacobsen
 
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  Grand Prix by Arne Jacobsen
 
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  Eames Lounge Chair byCharles and Ray Eames
 
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  Diamond chair by Harry Bertoia
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Architecture

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  Main Terminal at Dulles Airport in Northern Virginia, by Eero Saarinen
 
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  Palacio da Alvorada, byOscar Niemeyer
 
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  National Congress of Brazil, Oscar Niemeyer
 
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  MIT Chapel by Eero Saarinen
 
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  North Christian Church, Columbus, Indiana, US, the final work of Eero Saarinen
 
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  Stahl House, designed byPierre Koenig
 
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  Helsinki, Finland - University of Technology - Auditorium, by Alvar Aalto.
 
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  Hotel Casino de la Selva, Cuernavaca, Mexico, byFélix Candela
 
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  Cal Poly Pomona College of Environmental Designby Carl Maston
 
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  The 360 at Founders Plaza in Oklahoma City