History
The Moderne style (sometimes called the Art Moderne style) is closely related to the Art Deco style which developed just before it. Both are part of the Modern Movement in architecture, a conscious break with traditional design in pursuit of a new aesthetic free from the styles and forms of the past. Both the Art Deco style and the Moderne style are sometimes referred to as "Modernistic" for this reason, although the two styles are of distinctly different appearance. The Art Deco style with its smoothly finished wall surfaces and distinctive ornamentation of chevrons, zigzags and other geometrical motifs, led to the development of a new, more streamlined, less ornamented style of architecture, the Moderne style of the 1930s. Influenced by advancements in the industrial design of ships, planes, railroad engines and automobiles, the Moderne style featured smooth walls with little surface ornamentation, rounded corners and curved glass. Moderne buildings have flat roofs, and bands of windows with a horizontal emphasis. Some buildings of this style have simple pipe balustrades, panels of glass block windows, curved canopies, or aluminum or stainless steel detailing.
The Moderne style is not widely represented in Pennsylvania or the country in general. It enjoyed a relatively brief period of popularity and was quickly eclipsed by the development of the International style for large commercial buildings. Its curvilinear form makes it easy to spot and most surviving examples served commercial or public purposes. Residential Moderne buildings, especially single houses are more rarely seen.
Common Building Types
- commercial buildings and offices
- public buildings
- theaters, gas stations
- apartment buildings
- houses
Identifiable Features
- Smooth wall surface, usually stucco
- Flat roof
- Horizontal emphasis
- Curved corners or windows
- Aluminum or stainless steel detailing
Photos
Click the thumbnails for larger images.
Note
This is a static, archived version of the PHMC Pennsylvania Architectural Field Guide website which will not be updated. It is a snapshot of the website with minor modifications as it appeared on August 26, 2015.
Pages in this Section
- Overview
- Architectural Styles Categories
- Traditional/Vernacular Mode
- Colonial Period
- Early Republic Period
- Mid 19th Century Period
- Late Victorian Period
- Modern Movements
