Exploring Modernist Architecture in Eastern Europe
Photo: Lukas Reinhardt Location: Estonia
Intro
The "form follows function" principle highlights the importance of utilitarian simplicity in modern architecture.
A key example of this idea is the housing design in the Johnathan Hay Centre, which offered culturally specific living spaces for laborers and migrants from rural areas.
"Fallingwater, with its concrete terraces perched over a real waterfall, symbolizes a rare harmony between architecture and nature." — Helen Marquart
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"The house doesn’t dominate the landscape; it creates the illusion of growing from it, like a natural extension of the rocks and water." — Adrian Kovács
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"Fallingwater is a clear example that modern architecture can be both boldly structural and closely integrated with nature." — Sofia Lindgren
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At the Johnathan Hay Centre, housing was designed to provide migrants from rural areas and laborers with living spaces tailored to their cultural needs.
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At the Johnathan Hay Centre, housing was designed to provide migrants from rural areas and laborers with living spaces tailored to their cultural needs.
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The guiding principle is clear: combine simplicity with ergonomics to minimize effort, maximize comfort, and ensure the design adapts to you and your needs.
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Clear lines and simple forms are more than a style choice—they make spaces feel functional and coherent by giving every element a clear purpose and role.
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Modernism was fueled by Louis Sullivan’s maxim "form follows function," a rallying cry for utility and simplicity. Yet it wasn’t absolute: Art Deco architects like Auguste Perret and Henri Sauvage mixed clean modern geometry with selective ornament, proving design can balance innovation and elegance. They let proportion, rhythm, and new materials—especially reinforced concrete—do the heavy lifting.
After the First World War, architecture as a conceptual field split. Many defended neo-classical and Beaux-Arts traditions, while others pushed for a radical break. Modernists—Le Corbusier and Robert Mallet-Stevens in France, Walter Gropius and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in Germany, and Konstantin Melnikov in the Soviet Union—argued for clarity of form and the elimination of ornament.
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meet the team
Daniel Kraus
Founder, CEO
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HELEN BROOKS
Architect & Researcher
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how it works
01 — Key Figures
India’s modernism was shaped by B. V. Doshi, Charles Correa, and Raj Rewal, each leaving a lasting imprint on its architectural identity.
02 — State Vision
In postcolonial India, modernism gained momentum with strong state support, particularly under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
03 — Global Recognition
Several modernist buildings and ensembles in India are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites, carrying the legacy forward beyond early Art Nouveau.
04 — Preservation Efforts
International organizations such as Docomomo International and the World Monuments Fund continue to promote and protect modernist architecture.
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Starter Plan
$120
A curated intro pack with selected modernist case studies. Ideal for students and newcomers.
Professional access
$180
Access to proprietary datasets, high-res visuals, and essays on modernist legacies—plus a short 1:1 online expert session.
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Research Plus
$350
Detailed reports and cross-country comparisons with archival references. Suited for deeper study.
Premium Collaboration
$120
Custom research and reporting, co-authored publications, and expert support—everything tailored to your brief.
INNOVATION
In 1923, Gropius set out his modernist vision in the essay The Idea and Construction, which became highly influential for the movement.
INNOVATION
In 1923, Gropius set out his modernist vision in the essay The Idea and Construction, which became highly influential for the movement.
Approach
He championed standardized design and advocated large-scale construction of functional apartment blocks for industrial workers.
FORMATION
By 1928, Siemens had commissioned him to design worker housing on Berlin’s outskirts
