1. APRIL 2015 47
Bulletin Design classics
Words Abi Grogan
1DeStijl
Spearheaded by the Dutch painter Piet Mondrian
(mondriantrust.com) and architect Gerrit Rietveld (+31
20 571 1600; rietveldacademie.nl),De Stijl is characterised by
pared-down,geometric forms and primary colours.The only
building made to the movement’s exact specifications is the
Rietveld Schröder House; it comprises only squares,rectangles
and lines at 90° angles,all in red,yellow,blue,white and black.
Rather than adhering to such purist stipulations,you could
introduce accents of primary colour in large,slim-framed
windows,as seen here in Casa Chinkara near Guatemala City,by
Solis Colomer Arquitectos (+502 2313 9797; soliscolomer.com).
architectural styles
Iconic
GD explores the defining elements of contemporary construction movements,
from the harsh facades of Brutalism to the white render of Modernism
APR15_Architecture styles_SP.indd 47 02/02/2015 15:21

2. Bulletin news
APRIL 201548
BrunoHelblingFotografie;JimStephenson;TaiyoWatanabe
Modernist
A firm GD favourite,the
white planar surfaces of
the Modernist era ushered in an age
of homes built to function around how
people live and work.Its poster boy
was Le Corbusier (+33 1 4288 4153;
fondationlecorbusier.fr),who compiled
a list of architectural principles called
the Five Points.One requirement was
an uninterrupted ribbon of large,slim-
framed widows – a Modernist feature
that can help you to bring natural light
into your project.These boxy structures
are prone to cracking and warping,
however,so choose an architect with
previous Modernist experience,such as
Selencky Parsons – its River House
project,near Oxford,is pictured here.
(07775 863 854; selenckyparsons.com)
2
APR15_Architecture styles_SP.indd 48 02/02/2015 15:22

3. Bulletin Design classics
Essentialist
This movement is epitomised
by the famous Fallingwater
house by Frank Lloyd Wright (+1 480
860 2700; franklloydwright.org).The
style was inspired by the traditional
American prairie home,which centred
on the dominant communal area of the
living room; you can bring this element
into your project by arranging rooms
with various levels around central social
areas.For inspiration,take a closer look
at Marbletecture’s new-build Tattuplex
in LA,California (pictured above),which
emulates Wright’s signature design by
including generous,cantilevered roofs
and thick,overhanging balconies.
(+1 323 222 1933; tommarble.com)
Artdeco
Inspired in part by the curved,
technology-defined shapes
of luxury ocean liners,aeroplanes and
cars,art deco straddles modern and
traditional design,combining rich
embellishment with hard-edged
symmetry and minimalist forms.It grew
in tandem with the re-establishment of
Paris as an artistic Mecca during the
Twenties,and today the movement still
represents glamour and exuberance.
You can avoid mere pastiche by
integrating bold shapes and rectilinear
edges into your architectural features.
The battlements of Los Limoneros in
Spain (pictured left) by Gus Wüstemann
Architects is a great example,giving
a modern update to the geometry found
in the opulent facades of theatres and
cinemas built in the art deco style.
(+34 93 221 5095; guswustemann.com)
4
3
APR15_Architecture styles_SP.indd 49 02/02/2015 15:22

4. APRIL 201550
5Deconstructivist
Thanks to cutting-edge computer
modelling and engineering,
architecture is braver and more abstract
than ever.The organic,fluid forms of
Zaha Hadid (020 7253 5147; zaha-hadid.
com) characterise this style – structurally
complex,with undulating shapes.Current
icons include buildings commissioned by
the commercial sector,such as London’s
Serpentine Gallery extension (020 7402
6075; serpentinegalleries.org).Work
a simpler version into your project
with expanses of glass overlaid with
angled facades,as in KLab Architecture’s
Paradox House in Athens,pictured here.
(07553 223 875; klabarchitects.com)
APR15_Architecture styles_SP.indd 50 02/02/2015 15:22

5. April 2015 51
Bulletin Design classics
6Brutalist
A controversial and misunderstood
movement,Brutalism flourished in
the Fifties and Sixties and is characterised by
stark,slab-like forms – famous examples include
London’s Barbican and the sprawling,raw-
concrete cultural centres of the South Bank.The
rough appearance was partly a rejection of the
white,crisp rendering of Modernism,but there
was also a practical element: these buildings
needed to fill large spaces left behind after the
Blitz.The style is often associated with concrete,
but some of the early designs were actually
constructed from steel,glass and brick.
For a nod to Brutalism, incorporate just
one aspect, such as its impenetrable, blunt
silhouette.The Luker House in London
pictured here uses sandstone brick to great
effect, and won Jamie Fobert Architects the
RIBA regional and national awards in 2014.
(020 7553 6560; jamiefobertarchitects.com)
OlivierHess
APR15_Architecture styles_SP.indd 51 02/02/2015 15:50