Examples of Good (or even decent) modern architecture (houses, construction, mansion)
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Lots of threads discuss how awful modern residential architecture is. I think that pretty much everyone agrees tha the McMansion trend was a horrid trend that we will be glad to see pass away. However it is not all bad. I know of at least one area (New Point in Beaufort S.C.) where they applied at least decent architectural design and planning to a modern subdivision. I have not been to Beaufort in a decade or more and I understood architecture a lot less than I do now, but I remember the newpoint subdivision very positively. Front oriented houses with porches, mature trees left in place and designs based on (not representative of or reminiscent of) classic architeture.
Also in the not bad category is Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga CA. While it has some hideous aspects (like being surrounded by huge parking lots), it is still a pretty neat idea, and reasonably well executed. If you have to live in modern cr@p, that would not be a horrid place.
Climbing into the "you almost got it" category are the Santiago Street Lofts in Santa Ana California. For that style of living, it is a pretty neat concept. Unfortuantely, it has a little bit too much facade orinetation and too many elements "representative" or "reminscent" of true architecture. Still it is an attempt in the right direction.
Are there other examples of modern homes, condos, subdivisions or communities that make you say "Look, they can still design something decent"?
I keep seeing this mentioned on these forums in post after post and it's starting to irritate me a little bit.
A lot of the opinions expressed here are obviously coming from people who are more traditional and value older architecture, layouts, construction techniques, etc... and I often see those values expressed here in a way that I think is a little bit on the elitist side.
But all of this is opinion. Modern architectures isn't "awful" it's "awful" in your opinion, there is a very clear distinction there. There are plenty of people in the world (including myself) who think that modern houses look great, and think that the open floor plans and layouts of those houses are far superior to the chopped up and segmented floor plans that were built in years past.
That doesn't mean either group is wrong or right, or either architecture or design style better or worse, it just means that architectural and design trends have changed over the years and different people are going to gravitate towards different periods of construction based on their own personal design aesthetic, lifestyles, need of space, etc...
There is no clear cut and objective "better" style of house.
I'll try to take a picture at lunchtime, but I work near this one building in Denver, CO that was converted into condos. It's basically a blocky cement building that never had a lot of character, but the developer worked modern-looking balconies into the design that look like steel and natural wood (this probably isn't the best way to describe it) and it looks great, considering the fact that the building itself didn't have a lot of character to begin with. I like this type of architecture -- re-use, but at the same time, something that was uninteresting prior to the renovation now has a little bit of architectural interest, even if the features aren't original to the building.
I haven't really been a fan of "modern" style architecture but my wife and I toured these model homes one Saturday for something to do and I really liked them, especially "plan C".
The room porportions were good, the materials all worked well together, the home never tried to be something it wasn't just naturally felt very pleasant to be in.
Unless it's done VERY well, I don't like classical elements in current construction.
From what I can see, this is a nice looking community. They have at least some setback (unusual for a beach community) and appear to be forward facing designs (no garage door as the primary front elevation feature). The pictures do not show a lot of the street view. I love the outlook rooftop porch thingy on the one house. That must be really nice.
I keep seeing this mentioned on these forums in post after post and it's starting to irritate me a little bit.
A lot of the opinions expressed here are obviously coming from people who are more traditional and value older architecture, layouts, construction techniques, etc... and I often see those values expressed here in a way that I think is a little bit on the elitist side.
But all of this is opinion. Modern architectures isn't "awful" it's "awful" in your opinion, there is a very clear distinction there. There are plenty of people in the world (including myself) who think that modern houses look great, and think that the open floor plans and layouts of those houses are far superior to the chopped up and segmented floor plans that were built in years past.
That doesn't mean either group is wrong or right, or either architecture or design style better or worse, it just means that architectural and design trends have changed over the years and different people are going to gravitate towards different periods of construction based on their own personal design aesthetic, lifestyles, need of space, etc...
There is no clear cut and objective "better" style of house.
Well actually I was discussing architecture, not space planning and interior usage. That was discussed on a different thread.
While there is no clear cut "better" style. There are clear cut examples of garbage architecture. And there are definitely buildings that are accepted as archtiectully relevant and buildings that are not. Although it is partially a matter of opinion, architecture is a combination of art and engineering. Even many of the architects who design homes for the big builders agree that these modern monstrosities have no architectural value. Much of so called modern architecture is not architecture at all. They just take design elements from a pre-published catalogue and piece them together. However that was not the point of this discussion either. I did not ask about the failings of modern architecture, I was asking for examples of quality architecture in modern homes. If you have examples that you love, post them. It is interesting to see what people like. It is unlikely that you love every example of modern homes. Which do you find appealing and why?
What I am curious about is which homes are going to be the classics of tomorrow. It is probably not the mass produced McMansions (at least some of them are designed to last only 30 years so that they can be torn down and replaced). So what from todays inventory are the equivalent of an Eichler home, or a Frank Lloyd Wright home? or a craftsman home that will be the really cool examples of architecture from our century?
There is a very cool neighborhood in Longmont, CO (near Boulder) that's been featured in tons of articles on "new neighborhoods". I lived there for awhile and the only downside is that it is sort of in the middle of nowhere. Otherwise, it had some of the most interesting modern residential architecture I've ever seen.
Welcome to Prospect New Town! (http://www.prospectnewtown.com/index.html - broken link)
But, that's not an example of "modern architecture", it's regurgitated old architecture. Yes, done very well, as you noted.
I'm having a bit of a problem with the semantics of this thread. As an art and architecture history geek, Modernism actually is a style. Outstanding classic examples would include work by Mies van der Rohe, Philip Johnson, Eliel Saarinen.
There are architects today, still working in the same "less is more", "form follows function" vein. Just pick up a copy of Dwell magazine for some examples.
Young architects such as Bjark Ingels are doing some pretty amazing things. You might want to bookmark archdaily.com if you are interested in this sort of thing. Here's a great starting point: Icon: 20 essential young architects | ArchDaily
I think the confusion, for me, is that most people seem to be discussing "Contemporary Trends in Residential Housing" NOT "Modern Architecture".
Last edited by plaidmom; 04-09-2011 at 04:38 PM..
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