Point: Explorations

The Explorations unit summarized the design revolutions that masked the twentieth century with periods heavily oriented towards expressionism and the breaking away from classical ideals. With traditional characteristics becoming commonplace and dull, designers desperately clung to any style that was entirely original and without familiarity. Because Art Nouveau and Art Deco provided a way of bringing about new eccentric, artistic designs veiled in theatrics, buildings like Maison & Atelier, Grand Palais, and the Casa Batllo were conceived. Not only did these styles provide a new approach towards design, they sought to incorporate art into everyday life. These styles celebrated any irrational avenue of design that turned away from the classics, using reflective metallic surfaces, asymmetrical proportions, and the unconventional use of curvilinear forms to achieve this purpose. However, the movement lost its momentum with the arrival of the modernist styles.

As people became disenchanted with the irrationality of the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements, the International style quickly became its successor. Seeking to find harmony through functionality and minimalistic design, the style sought to satisfy the needs of everyone. Unfortunately, the style dismissed its human attributes and made no attempt to comfort those whom it catered to. As such, modernism began to adopt more expressive styles to become less passionless. With buildings like the JFK Terminal and the Sydney Opera House, design took to styles that turned architecture into living bodies of art, having inhabitants recognize beauty through movement and guidance. However, the style disregarded the functional aspect of its designs, producing works of art unsuitable for the reasons for which they were originally created.

With the arrival of Postmodernism, the functional and formalized aspects of the modernist movement were replaced by divers aesthetics, with colliding styles, spontaneous form, and new narratives concerning interior spaces and styles. Also, architecture stemming from the postmodern movement made attempts of tributing design to traditional roots, with references and ornament returning to the facade, replacing the minimalistic trait of the modern styles. Instead of producing "one size fit all" type designs, buildings were specifically created with surrounding environments kept in mind. By focusing on regional materials and styles, designs were capable of adopting identities that characterized its inhabitants. Whereas modernism made true use of material as well as the absence of ornament, postmodernism embraced the the complete opposite, rejecting the strict rules set by its predecessor. By seeking meaning and expression through form and stylistic reference, postmodernism sought to give architecture souls (LeCorbusier's "machines for living").

Although short-lived, these modern styles served to reflect periods of instability and desperation. Looking to find new creative outlets that broke from traditional roots, these periods quickly came and went as popular belief evolved. With communication becoming faster and more readily available, the lifespan of design periods are quickly collapsing. Ripples in design are now quickly felt by the entire world with responses spanning the industry within the blink of an eye. Although beneficial in some ways, design has lost much of its luster, quickly disregarding qualitative aspects for the ability to increase output and responsiveness.

Like the image above, truly successful design periods take time and effort to develop. However, with modern times becoming more capable of producing design periods at whim, the quality of said design styles has quickly diminished.