The advancement of the modern day society leads to the assumption that the field of architecture has also developed accordingly. However, there are differing views in this respect, with some scholars supporting this view while others view a lack of a fresh perspective to the field. According to Le-Corbusier, architects are usually limited in the extent to which they can adopt new ways of thinking (92). According to him, there is a sense of conformity in the approaches that architects employ in their trade. This sense of limitation is brought about by the insistence on customary approaches to architecture. According to Hitchcock Jr. and Johnson, however, architecture has developed over time, and there are considerable changes to the field (40). A point to note here is in the use of internal support in the form of metal or reinforced cement. The use of skeletons in building skyscrapers is a testament of the revolution observed in the architecture field.
The products of modern day architecture, according to Le-Corbusier mirror the traditional forms of architecture (92). This is unlike the arguments made in regards to the use of skeletons. The modern day architects in using internal support go against the traditional and conventional practices in regards to architectural volume and mass (Hitchcock Jr. and Johnson 41). Unlike in the past whereby practice required big architectural projects to show the appearance of support, the modern day practice allows the use of internal skeletons that are immensely different from support used in the past (Hitchcock Jr. and Johnson 43).
In an analysis of the architectural plans adopted by two architects Palladio and Le Corbusier, an argument can be made that the adopted plans are geared towards the realization of the natural beauty of the villas (Rowe 9). The insistence on aesthetics can also be seen in the international style postulated by Hitchcock Jr. and Johnson. According to them, modern architecture adopts the principle of the surface of volume, whereby the buildings are expected to have surfaces with an unbroken effect (43). This can be viewed from the same perspective Rowe’s natural beauty. The challenge of such a system comes with the installation of windows which need to be internally fitted.
A major factor in analyzing the modern approaches to architecture is the elasticity in their approaches. In the case of the use of internal; skeletons for support, the international style offers a wide variety of ways through which it can be done (Hitchcock Jr. and Johnson 49). In the comparison of the Capra-Ratonda by Palladio and The Savoye House by Le Corbusier, Rowe notes that the two villas were different in major characteristics, but some similarities can also be seen. Both plans have the goal of achieving natural beauty, but follow different routes to get there. Palladio’s plans are seen to support the repetition of a particular plan at different levels, while Le Corbusier’s plans are more flexible (Rowe 6). All this points at the elasticity of the new approaches to architecture.
An important aspect to consider in the modern day approaches to architecture is the fact that the field stands at an important age of change. There is the need for the development of new perspectives to construction by architects (Le-Corbusier 102). While some arguments point at advancements, especially in internal support, critics who point to similarities in traditional and modern day approaches to architecture are also valid. Le-Corbusier notes that the roofs still remain to be wretched while the basements are still cluttered (94). The primary fact, however, is that architecture needs to take advantage of the big number of opportunities available for exploration.
Works Cited
Hitchcock Jr., Henry Russel and Philip Johnson. The International style : architecture since 1992. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1997. Print.
Le-Corbusier, Jeanneret. Towards A New Architecture. . New York: Dover publications, 1920. Print.
Rowe, Colin. "The mathematics of the ideal villa." The architectural review (1947): 1-27. Print.
