Opus 11

Moving to America. Here in the United States at the turn of the 20th century, American society was still trying to lay its roots. What is American? What is our history? Do we continue to create classical revivals or move design in a new direction? Two key groups were working to define the American Style for our country, Arts and Crafts and The Chicago School.

The Arts and Crafts movement developed in America painting its own picture of what American design should be. Unlike European Arts and Crafts, American designers embrace technology but use it in different ways. Three distinct styles come into play, but all emphasize holistic design, horizontal orientation, natural elements and inspiration. Although stripped of classical ornamentation, Arts and Crafts buildings are rooted in materiality and highlight craftsmanship in their detailing, furniture design and construction. It was "the firm belief that all parts of the modern house had to germinate from a single design idea, there there be unity throughout the whole." (Roth, p. 494) that coincided the Arts and Cradts ideals with those of the Chicago School. Form follows function.

Alternately in more urban areas a new structural system utilizing iron and concrete, and new technological advances in industry such as the elevator, allowed for larger buildings on a smaller footprint when built vertically. Removing the envelope from the interior structural system allowed for a free flowing building plan, lightening the structural components and creating more options in terms of leaseable space on the interior. These early skyscrapers struggled with vertical expression and used heavy horizontal banding related back to Romanesque design to compress the building back toward the horizon. Sullivan, of the Chicago School analyzed this new building type's form and proposed that "the new office blocks were decidely vertical buildings and ought, therefore, to emphasize and celebrate that character." (Roth, p.508)

After the Great Fire of Chicago, the city needed to be rebuilt. Due to limited land area, high land value and ever increasing population, building vertically became a necessity. The Chicago school began to lighten the envelope further by using larger proportions of glass on the façade and removing classical detailing in favor of less ornate designs. The Chicago school differentiates itself from the rest of the design community in America by embracing the new technologies and freeing themselves from classical design elements. They accept and celebrate their building’s verticality and release the skyscraper heavenward. The race for height begins.

Arts and Crafts designer Frank Lloyd Wright applies a new concept to building design – opening up the interior for the occupant, while Louis Sullivan creates new building types with the first multi-use building in America. Both abstract natural elements geometrically for design inspiration and surface detailing. In Wright’s Larkin Building, he moves the building’s core to the periphery to open up a central atrium for habitation and bring light to the general building’s population. Sullivan’s Auditor Building combines multiple building types under one roof creating community spaces and increased habitation in relation to the proximity of amenities. These elements begin to push the American Style in a new direction and create congruency between the movements.

Designers at the turn of the 20th century were searching to define both the American Style and modern design. The Arts and Crafts emphasis on holistic design and interior spaces were strongly rooted in horizontal expression on the landscape while the Chicago School highlighted the verticality of their skyscrapers. As continues to be the case, both compete for their relevance in American society and the future of design. But most importantly, both challenge traditional design ideals and search for new meaning, new representations for a new society.

It is their challenges and triumphs that have paved the way for today's designers. As the "Green Initiative" moves forwards, more people are being educated about our impact on the environment. It seems the progession is dangerously slow, but living in the moment makes analyzation almost impossible. It is clear, however, that the design community has the ability to take a stand and make a difference. As designers have shown the middle class what to desire in the past, so they can for the future. While our society strives toward wealth, they disregard their impact along the way. Continued education and, more importantly, action will begin to alter these trends.