Modern architecture diverse and surprising, it is difficult to place it in a clear framework and give it an exact definition, but it is alive and rapidly developing, like technological progress and, perhaps, that is why it is so difficult to comprehend and is not always loved by critics. But we will still try to formulate its main trends, principles and goals.
Text: Diana Muromtseva
The German philosopher Friedrich Schelling called architecture frozen music, and, probably, we will not be mistaken if we add that this is jazz improvisation, always unique, with history, mood and soul. No two cities are identical, just like no two individuals are identical, and just like people, we may fall in love with some cities and hate others. And architecture is something more than art, because it is what creates the spaces and scenery in which our lives take place. She dresses each era in a specific style, reflecting the values, priorities and aspirations of humanity. Walking through cities, we can read this chronicle of the world from the facades of old buildings, and this is how our cultural traditions, taste and ideas about the familiar. But life does not stand still, it is constantly changing, improving, and with it our needs and demands are growing. The frozen melodies of the past gradually fade into history, becoming the foundation of a new architecture that is relevant to modern reality, which can create the best spaces for work, leisure and human life.
Architecture of our days
When it comes to modern architecture, the question immediately arises of how it changes the existing appearance of cities and improves the lives of their inhabitants. Architect and designer, winner of many professional awards, Hadi Tehrani, believes that modern architecture fails when it does not correspond to human existence and its integrity. It should give a person all the components of his well-being in life, which, like a puzzle, is made up of various and equally significant details, such as ecology, economic aspect, adequate living space, light, texture of materials, form and emotions. Mr. Teherani also notes the importance for people of such a factor as identifying an architectural structure with its utility, not only from the point of view of comfort, but also aesthetics. And indeed, it is quite difficult for buildings made in the ultra-modern style, like anything new, to gain universal love and recognition. U modern buildings An urban area always has its fans and opponents, so they are obliged to justify their existence with benefits, functionality and beauty.
But if we talk about the commercial demand for residential properties, then managing partner of SESEGAR Investment Group Irina Zharova-Wright puts aesthetics a step higher: “The question of the dependence of the external appearance of a building on its demand initially assumes a positive answer. After all, aesthetics “sells”. You can talk for a long time about the beauty of the soul, and in the case of real estate, about its functionality, but people are greeted by their clothes and appearance.” It is also interesting that a new building, attractive in its architecture, will not become beautiful in our eyes if it is dissonant with the surrounding landscape. Therefore, in addition to functionality and aesthetics, the architecture of our days must be skillfully and harmoniously integrated into the existing style of the area and at the same time look fresh and attractive.
“I believe that contemporary urban architecture becomes exciting when it incorporates both innovative design and respect for historical context, while also building on the architecture of the future,” says architect and managing director of HBA Architectur Jeffrey Michael Williams. By the way, such successful architectural compromises can be seen in the examples of new and popular city hotels. “The fact is that the main trend in the architecture of modern city hotels is the creation of full-fledged iconic objects within the urban context,” explains Jeffrey Michael Williams. “It is also important to fully comply with the lifestyle of the guests and reflect it in every detail, because positive and vivid impressions depend on this, forming the future demand for a temporary place of residence.”
All of the above tasks must be performed by the architecture of private houses, even if they are located outside the city. But there is another task here - to realize the client’s wishes and not destroy the established appearance of the area. “An architect always tries to integrate his project into an already existing environment. Sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn’t. The balance can be maintained through continuous and joint work between the architect and the client,” comments Svetlana Lagutina, head of the Svetlana Lagutina Architectural Bureau.
Who creates trends?
Whatever one may say, trends always exist in everything, but if architecture is designed to serve humanity, creating the most comfortable and prosperous environment for all aspects of life, then it is interesting to understand how fashion is born here. "IN globally new global trends are determined by generally recognized architects, Pritzker Prize laureates and, of course, world heritage, says Svetlana Lagutina. – It is impossible to say which country has the greatest influence on the development of architecture. If we talk about the architecture of private houses in Russia, then certain elements and principles are borrowed from France and Italy, where design is given close attention unity of interior spaces and harmonious planning of the area around the house.”
Hadi Teherani says the following about the birth of trends: “For a long time, humanity has been concerned about issues such as energy saving and environmental friendliness. And in this area, German architects now occupy leading positions in the world. Irina Zharova-Wright believes that guidelines depend on the specific situation in each city: “If chief architect city is a fan of everything German, then we will see the embodiment of his taste in stone, glass and concrete,” explains Irina. “If you are interested in the classics, then Italian architects will participate in the development of project concepts.”
And if we talk about trends in the hotel business and its demand, Jeffrey Michael Williams notes that the design standards for city hotels around the world are always set in countries with the greatest economic growth.
Needs
If we talk about the demand for real estate among buyers, Irina Zharova-Wright notes that the liquidity of the property and the feasibility of investing in it are important for people: “Order architecture or classics is the best-selling form of architecture in urban areas and in the Moscow region. Muscovites explain their choice by saying that if you invest money in real estate, then only in something eternal, like Rome, and this is only a classic.
Svetlana Lagutina, in turn, adds that in addition to the classics, such styles as modern, chalet and minimalism are becoming popular among Russian customers: “Bold experiments with forms, materials and a mixture of styles have been replaced by a pragmatic calculation and the desire to create a house that is not just memorable, but convenient and comfortable for life.” And this is in tune with the global trends of modern architecture, about which Hadi Teherani says the following: “The main trend of our time is the creation of the best and most comfortable environment for human life. And this is achieved through the implementation of its basic needs: functionality, competent organization of space, emotionality, aesthetics, economy and concern for the environment. All this creates a positive perception environment, be it a home, a hotel or an office, and does not cause the need to leave it in search of something better.”
In conclusion, I would like to add that modern architecture is absolutely new philosophy, whose global meaning is based not on the creation of eternal monuments to someone’s Ego, but on the service of Humanity and its needs, which represent a complex quintessence of functionality, comfort, convenience, beauty, emotionality, economy and environmental friendliness. Now, both in design and in architecture, the definition of “beautiful” has received an additional meaning, namely the expediency of its existence in each element. That is, the beautiful is the ingenious, and everything ingenious is simple and not littered with unnecessary details. Therefore, ideal works of modern architecture are intended to be not just beautiful monuments, but vessels for our life, turning it into “the unbearable lightness of being.”
Read the full material in issue of Elite Interior magazine No. 05/101 May 2014.
Since ancient times, when people learned to build the first dwellings, they proceeded from the functional features of the building, the required strength, building materials, available to them and aesthetics. And today, by looking at the building, we can determine what era it belongs to and in what style it was made. As for modern architecture, it is diverse, not homogeneous and eclectic. Among the many styles and trends, there are those that are the most independent. We will consider them below.
1. HI-TECH (from the English high technology - high technology)
How the style originated in the 60s, based on scientific achievements and the ideas of pop art: art as a product of a consumer society. Its theorists and practitioners were Norman Foster, Richard Rogers, Nicholas Grimshaw, J. Nouvel, D. Paxton, and the Pompidou Center in Paris became the landmark first building (Richard Rogers, Renzo Piano, 1977)
Early high-tech is characterized by irony and an emphasis on technical achievements. Now the decorative elements are utility lines and supporting structures, which are shown to the viewer whose gaze is drawn to the façade of the building. There is no attempt to hide them, as the style is firmly based on pragmatism and functionality. This is no longer a reverence for scientific and technological achievements, but an ironic game that the architect proposes to play. Favorite materials used in steel style: metal, plastic, glass. Preference in color scheme given to monochrome and bright pure colors.
At first I received high-tech widespread, but already in the late 80s - early 90s due to the development high technology and the rejection of irony in favor of harmonious form, it became a symbol of prestige and invariable in the creation of commercial and public buildings. This is a businesslike and strict style that does not tolerate negligence, based on a combination of space and light. 
High-tech is opposed to bio-tech. Its popularity dates back to the early 90s. The style evolved from bionics, the science that studies wildlife in order to use the acquired knowledge in practical human activities. That is, bio-tech is a “neo-organic” architecture that does not argue with nature, does not contradict it, but is its continuation.
The founder of the style was Antonio Gaudi. His Casa Batllo (1907) can change shade in different lighting and is associated with natural, biological forms: balconies like shells, columns and balusters in the form of bones, and the decoration of the house - mosaics - resembles fish scales.
The main features of bio-tech: asymmetry, forms borrowed from nature (zoomorphism, anthropomorphism, phytomorphism). Preference is given to materials similar to natural structures.
Most projects of this style are only in theory due to the recent emergence of bio-tech.
2. POSTMODERNISM
Postmodernism is a set of trends in architecture that replaced modernism. The style set itself the task of harmonizing architecture in accordance with the natural and artificial environments. The main component of postmodernism was the emphasis on the aesthetic appearance of buildings and their originality. The ban on decorative elements, as it was in modern times, has been removed.
The practitioners of postmodernism were: Robert Venturi, Maurice Culot, Leon Krier, Aldo Rossi, Antoine Grumbach. As such, postmodernism does not bring a new idea. Style is based on imitation historical monuments and creating architectural objects using simplification classic shapes and their chaotic use. Logic and simplicity have faded into the background. Art as a “temple of culture” is denied and a merger occurs fine arts and mass culture. As in high-tech, the approach to the implementation of a building is ironic. 
Materials used in the style: stainless steel, neon tubes, anodized aluminum, etc. Preference in choosing colors is given to bright colors.
3. DECONSTRUCTIVISM
The style is inextricably linked with postmodernism, but it is customary to separate these two directions. It is based on constant variability and the search for new forms of self-expression. The main difference from postmodernism is its distance from the mass consumer and a closer connection with the architectural theories of the early 20th century.
The development of deconstructivism was influenced by Russian constructivism of the 20s of the twentieth century. But his main differences from modernity and constructivism to a radical position in relation to the customer, which is expressed in the denial of the functionality of the room. In the vision of deconstructivism, architecture does not solve problems, but creates them. A striking example is the Peter Eisenman Museum, where it is impossible to hang paintings. Also, a big difference from postmodernism can be considered ideological - the old is swept away and the new is created.
The shape of the buildings is chosen to be complicated and broken, so the structures look aggressive. Deconstructivism positions itself as architecture for the elite.
4. METABOLISM
Originated in the late 50s of the twentieth century. in Japan. Kionori Kikutake became the main ideologist of the trend. The gaze of the pioneers of this style was turned, as in the case of bio-tech, to nature. The concept of metabolism is to transfer principles individual development a living organism into architecture. The world is changing quickly, and in order to keep up with the times, architects solved this issue by rebuilding the structure and replacing its components according to the given requirements. A sign of such an architecture is cellularity and modularity. And the peculiarity was incompleteness and understatement. Thus, the buildings look dynamic. And unfilled spaces force attention to be focused on themselves and the entire architectural object is in dialogue with the surrounding world. 
5. MINIMALISM
Originated in the 40s. The heyday of the movement occurred in the 60s of the twentieth century. Guided by the principle “Less is more,” Mieswan der Rohe develops the concept of the universal home and becomes the founder this direction. A feature of the style was the avoidance of decor and decorations, monochrome, the simplest straight lines with minimal bending, openness, blurring the boundaries between internal space and the environment. Preference is given to such materials as: metal, glass, concrete, wood. If a house is created in the minimalist style, then it is functional, laconic, filled with light, where all engineering and household structures are carefully hidden. Minimalism received a second wind at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries. And at the moment it is extremely in demand. This applies not only to individual construction, but also to public buildings. Because of its rigor, conciseness and extreme functionality, it is similar to high-tech and is popular in the construction of office centers and skyscrapers.
One of the modern architectural masterpieces Barcelona (Spain) can easily be called the Forum building (“Edifici Forum”), built specifically for the Forum of Cultures in 2004. Currently, it occupies a place of honor in the visual appearance of the big city.
The design has an original appearance- an equilateral triangle with sides of 180 meters and a height of 25 meters. The building was designed by famous Swiss avant-garde architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron. The complex with its adjacent territory occupies an area of about 16 hectares. It is worth noting that part of this territory is formed by a dam artificially placed in the sea. Upon completion of the Cultural Forum, the two buildings (Edifici Forum and the International Congress Center of Barcelona (CCIB)) were connected by an underground gallery and today form an integral architectural complex that hosts various representative congresses, exhibitions and many other notable public events . 
In 2004, Spain initiated a global cultural event of a completely new type - the World Cultural Forum, which took place over several months and was dedicated to the theme of cultural diversity and the creation of conditions for the harmonious development of the entire world culture. The Forum included debates, many performances, festive concerts and other events. 
The forum was a great success: about 3.5 million people visited it! You can estimate the scale by referring to statistical data, and also taking into account the fact that this idea was continued in 2007 by the Mexican city of Monterey, and in 2011 by one of the following cities: Amsterdam, Durban, Fukuoka or Suwon. Under the auspices of the Forum, 47 congresses were held around the main problems of humanity. In total, more than 67,000 people took part in the discussions, a third of whom were representatives of other countries. Among the almost two and a half thousand speakers, it is worth noting Mikhail Gorbachev, Salman Rushdie and Adolf Perez Esquivel. The forum became a project with which Barcelona once again surprised the entire cultural world. 
Speaking now about the past Forum, we mean a special tradition, born in Barcelona, and designed to raise new level the idea of diversity of cultures, their mutual tolerance and fruitful dialogue. According to the Forum organizers who conducted the survey, most participants consider it successful, and the tradition itself worthy of continuation in the future! 
It is worth emphasizing the invaluable value that the Forum of Cultures has left to the architectural heritage of Barcelona. Objects of such heritage, without any doubt, include the International Congress Center, the building of the Edifici Forum itself and the stunningly beautiful square adjacent to it. By the way, Forum Square was awarded Venice Festival Biennale for a very successful connection of urban infrastructure with the natural space of the environment. Well done Spaniards! 
Based on materials from checkonsite.com
Let's talk about architecture. The first thing that surprises you in Lithuania or Poland is the modern architecture. For the most part, it is of quite high quality, very organically adjacent to the historical buildings and does not argue with it. In Russia, good architecture is rare event. We need to look for her. And if in Moscow or St. Petersburg there are good projects, then in the regions it’s completely sad. And the Kaliningrad region is no exception.
Modern Russian architecture has several distinctive features.
An attempt at stylization. This is generally our big problem. In Russia, they believe that if there are historical buildings around the 19th century, then new buildings must be built in a similar style. But since no one knows how to build in this style, various freaks appear. This approach is wrong. Architecture is not just a box of buildings decorated in a certain style. Architecture, like any other art, reflects cultural characteristics our time, technology, current events. Gothic, Art Nouveau or Constructivism appeared for a reason; they appeared as a reaction to a specific time, to specific events occurring in the society of that time. When someone tries to build today with reference to the past, most likely the result is ridiculous and unsightly crap.
Fear of materials and colors. In Russia they are very afraid to make, for example, black buildings. For some reason, people associate the color black with the crematorium. Although black buildings look beautiful and stylish. In addition, we, for example, rarely use rusty metal and other unusual materials. They also evoke negative associations in people.
Lack of attention to detail. It used to be that the architect designed not only the house, but even the door handles, since every detail in the building matters. In modern Russian architecture, attention to detail has been completely lost. What kind of door handles are there? In our country, no one thinks about doors and windows at all. It's scary to get close to the building.
Let's look at the provincial architecture of Lithuania and Poland and compare it all with the Kaliningrad region.
01. The center of Lithuanian Kaunas... There is a black house, it doesn’t bother anyone. 
02. Moreover, it stands right in the center of the old city, among historical buildings. And in my opinion, it looks very organic. 
03. In general, black houses are often built in Lithuania. How do you like it? 
04. This is already the Lithuanian resort of Palanga. A lot of housing has been built here, and all of it is quite stylish. 
05.
06. Restaurant on a pedestrian street (not bad, by the way). 
07. The simplest housing. 
08. Everything seems simple, but pay attention to the details and materials. The building looks completely different from how it would have turned out with us. 
09. Residential building 
10. I would not make the egg glossy. It would be nice to use wood here, it would be really cool. 
11.
Project "Border": Russia - Lithuania
In 2016, ten large cultural institutions according to the designs of the bureau of famous architects.
Musical theater and exhibition hall in Rike Park, Tbilisi. Studio Fuksas
The impressively shaped building that Massimiliano Fuksas is building in the capital of Georgia is made up of two cylinders that together form the letter V. The “sleeves” of shiny metal will be positioned accordingly. exhibition hall And musical theater with a hall for 566 seats.
Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg. Bureau Herzog & de Meuron
Glass building concert hall rose above the waters of the Elbe and above the brick volume of the warehouse for storing cocoa beans and tobacco in the city harbor. The added part increased the height of the old building by 30 m. The soaring silhouette of the roof symbolizes the vibration of sound waves.
Cultural Center of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Athens. Bureau Renzo Piano
On a plot of land empty after the 2004 Olympics in Athens by Renzo Piano, containing National Library and two halls - one for Greek National Opera for 1400 seats and a second one, for 450 seats, intended for experimental theater and performances.
Faena Forum, Miami Beach. OMA Bureau
On the Atlantic coast of the USA it is a cylindrical volume auditorium under a dome just over 12 m high. Temporary exhibitions and concerts will be held here.
EUR Congress Center building, Rome. Studio Fuksas
An impressive facility, the work of Massimiliano Fuksas, the new congress center is located in Rome's EUR district. Hidden inside the building is an autonomous structure - made of a translucent membrane and steel, suspended on an orthogonal grid of beams. It contains a hall with 1,760 seats, covered with wood.
Exhibition hall Schaudepot at the Vitra campus, Weil am Rhein. Bureau Herzog & de Meuron
The creation of the architects Herzog and de Meuron is an expansion of the exhibition space of the Vitra Design Museum.
King Abdul Aziz Cultural Center, Dhahran. Snøhetta Bureau
In the oil capital Saudi Arabia In Dhahran, the Norwegian bureau Snøhetta is completing the construction of a building where a museum, exhibition hall, cinema, public library and archive will soon be opened. The impressive futuristic structure is a composition of monolithic volumes that look like a pile of huge stones, above which an 18-story tower rises.
International Youth Cultural Center, Nanjing. Bureau Zaha Hadid Architects
The construction of an architectural complex in Nanjing, the capital of the Chinese province of Jiangsu, is nearing completion. The youth center consists of a pair of skyscrapers resting on a five-story multi-use podium with a glazed façade clad in a grid of diamond-shaped fiber-concrete panels.
