Logo
  • Home
  • Why this blog?
Copyright, 2014
November 8, 2016
Ricardo Cámara
Architecture
0

The Day America Was Not Ready To Be Modern

PreviousNext

Remember how you felt at that last business fair? You may be all too familiar with this load of fancy pop-up architecture and temporary pavilions. You may even have visited an international exposition. But you probably haven’t experienced the kind of months-long mega-blowout as millions did in Chicago in 1893.

columbian-exhibition-modernissimo-blog-map-2

 

You missed a real party at the Columbian Exhibition. It was a massive event that drew over 27 million visitors in the Windy City. Is is estimated that a quarter of the American population paid a visit to the exhibition celebrating the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival on a Caribbean beach.

 

columbian-exhibition-modernissimo-blog-crowd

Crowd waiting at the gates.

 

The great modern disaster

Few would argue today that the Columbian exhibition was an architectural disaster of gigantic proportions. In a showcase of progress and future mechanical innovations, the architecture in contrast was a gigantic Beaux Arts pastiche. In an age of changes in technology and lifestyle, most architects still remained wedded to the glories of the past.

 

columbian-exhibition-modernissimo-blog

Showing the muscle of a nation eager to take its place on the map.

 

Ironically, Chicago was ahead of its time in modern architecture. All eyes were on Alder and Sullivan and the other members of the Chicago school who put the city ahead of New York with the first functional steel skyscrapers.

 

columbian-exhibition-modernissimo-blog-comparation

Same city, same time, different idea. The Chicago World’s Fair and the Wainwright Building, a modern skyscraper by Louis Sullivan.

 

Whether it was a Fine Arts pavilion or the innovations halls, the pompous, wedding-cake neo-baroque architecture was not the best stage to preview the world to come. People got blinded by sham-classical buildings of white-washed plaster and plywood.

 

columbian-exhibition-modernissimo-blog-fine-arts

Guess were Cecil B. DeMille got his inspiration from.

 

columbian-exhibition-modernissimo-blog-austria

The Austrian pavilion: No modern architects need apply.

 

World Columbian Exhibition Exhibit Hall

The Denmark of the future—or so they thought.

 

One insignificant building changed history

Many modern architects at the time, such as Frank Lloyd Wright or Louis Sullivan, were horrified with the exhibition halls. Not one of these great white buildings made history. Instead, 20th-century architecture was changed by a simple gift from the Japanese emperor.

 

modernissimo-blog-japan-chicago-columbian

Small is great.

 

In an island isolated from the rest of the fair was the Ho-o-Den, the Japanese pavilion by Masamichi Kuru. This building inspired the young Frank Lloyd Wright to consider some of the fundamental tenets of architecture for the next century.

Want to know how? Stay tuned to my next post.

 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Share this

The Author Ricardo Cámara

Like millions of people, I consider myself modern, but I felt an urge to explore what lies behind the idea of modernism and its positive attitude toward innovation.

Leave A Comment

Recent Posts

  • Exhibition at Ølstykke Bibliotek
  • I have this thing with stairs
  • 7 reasons why you should be in Denmark for Christmas
  • How Modernism Was Invented In The Japanese Middle Ages
  • The Day America Was Not Ready To Be Modern

Categories

  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Design
  • Digital Media
  • Featured
  • Lifestyle
  • Modernism in my life
  • Technology
  • Uncategorized
  • Urban planning
 
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
 

Loading Comments...