Reading Comprehension 6: IAR 222

1.) Art Nouveau was seen widely across many countries, mainly throughout bigger cities. This form of architecture was specifically influenced by the fine arts of that time which was around the 1880's. Art Nouveau was seen in Spain during this time, specifically in Barcelona because this area was an industrial center. This style of architecture sports the line, whether curving or straight. The lines in Art Nouveau create dynamic movement throughout the inside and outside of a space, depending on where the main focus is. The buildings that showcase Art Nouveau in Barcelona so well are the buildings that include a lot of decoration on the outside by making the surface of that building interesting to look at, which makes you want to go inside.

http://www.spain-holiday.com/luxuryapartments-barcelona.html

http://www.universpain.com/Spanish/Barcelona.php

Another country that displays Art Nouveau well is Belgium. This style came about in Brussels because King Leopold wanted to change the city's

http://artnouveau.pagesperso-orange.fr/en/villes/brussels.htm

appearance with something fresh and new, but at the same time elegant. The main design goal I have noticed with this era of architecture is that it all seems to be integrated from the outside in to the lines all being cohesive with each other. Iron work also became very popular in Belgium on railings and just simply as decoration.

2.) Modern, to me, is clean simple lines, with little decoration, and the bare minimum needed for functionality. The idea of "machine for loving" is a great annotation for modernism, because many architects started designing buildings and homes with the idea of modernism. No evidence of historical style is typically present in modernism. Flexibility is also a key feature of modernism. When I think of modernism a specific chair comes to mind, which is the ZigZag chair. It shows how one material can be

http://www.mediabistro.com/unbeige/design-dealer-claims-rietveld-chairs-at-the-corcorans-modernism-show-were-knock-offs_b3673

used to make a useful and functional item, with only four lines needed. This is one of the best examples of "less is more" and form follows function.

3.) http://www.channel4.com/4homes/architecture/our-favourite-buildings/george-clarke-s-five-favourite-buildings-08-10-22_p_5.html

This interior was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. This is a spitting image of how our first thought of a modern interior consists of mostly black and white. Although it is appealing to the eye it does not look very livable but only by the most minimalists standards. The dividing wall is also a key aspect I think of when I think of a modern interior.