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The Forerunners of Modern Architecture

            Although art nouveau was a short lived movement in the architecture world its influence is something that cannot be ignored. The roles of Victor Horta, Hector Guimard, and Henry Van der Velde were essential, by playing of their knowledge or art, history, materials, and industrial techniques these men helped shaped much of the architectural style we are familiar with today.

            Possibly one of the most influential of the three Victor Horta, is considered by some to be a founding member or modern architecture. Victor was inspired by the artist of the times such as Monet and Cèzanne, whose works consisted of mostly paintings reinterpreted through paint on canvas. Despite his education of architecture Victor rejected historical precedents and also embraced new materials such as iron and new forms of glass. One of his greatest works and most influential works was his exocution of the Hotel Tassel.

Hotel Tassel - Deviantart.com

This building was filled with organic ornamentation, these linear floral elements painted on in a way that made the building seem alive almost as if it were filled with living plants. This building was also one of the first, if not the first, to introduce an open floor plan design, in which one space flowed from one to the next. This established the importance of ornamentation and floor planning in a building, establishing its importance to the Art Nouveau movement.

Despite having a great role in the introduction of Art Nouveau Victor Horta eventually abandoned his new found style, in favor of a more rationalized geometrical design form, although he still continued his exploration of the open floor plan.

            Hector Guimard was a French architect who looked up to Victor Horta, especially his design of the Hotel Tassel. Because of this Hector adopted the practice of floral “whiplash” ornamentation. His work at the Castel Beranger expressed this but also showed his education of the architect Viollet -le-Duc. He addressed relationships between the geometrical old style of design to the new Art Nouveau movent, placing floral ornamentation on steel doors and other decorative areas, as well as some structural elements.

            One of Hector’s greatest achievements was his exploration into world of what would now be considered Industrial Design. This goal was to introduce distinct architectural elements, such as iron fencing to manufacturing techniques for large scale production and distribution. This would eventually become his downfall because his products remained beyond a considerate price range for the general public, highly limiting its use. The styles or Art Nouveau also changed so frequently that by the time items were prepare they were no longer in style. It is difficult to see the works of Hector Guimard but one of his few works that remain are the entrances to the Paris metro systems. 

Paris Metro Entrance Railing - slrobertson.com

His introduction of industrial design helped influence the way that modern architects would consider elements within their design, such as the design of specific pieces of furniture to complete a building’s design, making it part of the overall design.

Henry Van der Velder was an interior designer and an industrial designer who changed the way in which architects address the design of a building. Due to his lack of a formal education in architecture, Henry would view a design as though it were a piece of furniture. By doing this he would have considered the whole greater than its parts. This influenced the role of industrial elements of a building and how the effect the overall design of a structure.