A Modern Identity (1970)

[Music] the United States is a land of change skyscrapers seemingly shoot out of bare soil replacing the buildings of the [Music] past whole city blocks are are being torn down and built up again proceeding at a faster Pace than any nation in [Music] history the old witness of our diverse Heritage is [Music] Vanishing the United States is a land of contrast from the picturesque to commercial sections offending the sense of beauty to skyscraper images revealing the nation's resourcefulness which is the true identity skyscrapers were the first typically American creation when New York City Rose upward the world identified the soaring skylines with the Ingenuity of a young forceful country it was a bold Modern Way of building a Triumph of man's new skill but even those early skyscrapers were not freed from tradition 19th century ornaments still decorated facades colums Rose over several stories a building invention of ancient Rome construction methods progressed materials could be assembled molded and poured on the [Music] spot but the modern form the Contemporary style had not yet been found it should be a precise and simple form to identify with the Machine Age dictated by mass production methods of machined [Music] materials with the Advent of the freestanding steel frame heavy stone walls were no longer needed the Contemporary style was born when walls turned into picture windows made of glass sheer Glass Walls reflecting the surrounding City in the early 1950s Manhattan's lever house presented an unconventional form a rectangular slab with Slender sides a simple broad [Music] front and All Glass Walls for decoration equally revolutionary was Manhattan seum building designed by me vandero a few years later it also featured a splendidly conceived Tower a simple rectangular slab what a classic [Music] solution from e east to west across the country the new skyscraper form modernized skylines incredibly slender auster and streamlined the all glass wall opened up the view the play of light created changing patterns reflecting the rhythm of today's City Life continually awake day and night [Music] the cube building followed the trend setting slab form modern man could identify with a Simplicity of rectangles and squares expressing the unadorned realism of Technology [Music] then concrete was utilized again to vary the new look it was a geometric look and gave American architecture for the first time an identity of its own the simple use of horizontals and verticals was pioneered by Picasso's Cubist movement in 193 when modern artists envisioned the city as a dynamic Force soaring [Music] upward 50 years later architecture Rose to this artistic Vision yet all art requires a balance the angular forms of modern sculpture are balanced by curving features great painters such as szan presented a formula in art straight lines are carefully arranged to emphasize circular shapes now that Architects broke with tradition they went beyond the geometric look to imaginative forms and shapes the pure circular shape A New Concept of design yet returning to the round form of Rome's great Landmark the Coliseum it is as old as man's quest for Beauty with the flowing Circle the graceful curve the United States has discovered its creative genius [Music] recent Styles range from unconventional circular shapes to the very opposite the strictly geometric slab Architects no longer copy historic Styles which were created by other cultures and reflected ideals of the past a modern concept of simple beauty is in the making proven old forms are utilized but given new shape columns first built around Greek temples once again surround buildings but appear in a newly Creative Design creative Styles they are stone images of man's dream and aspirations 500 years ago in Florence man awakened to the concept of Pride and dignity a powerful architecture was created which gave rise to the Renaissance new American skyscrapers with their bold forms repeated in sculpture have a modern identity symbolic of the space [Music] age different times different ideals an 18th century classic seene in salsburg OSP a contemporary walkway should be as pleasing as Renaissance Landscaping has pleased generations of VIs visitors great works stand for centuries medieval Cathedrals this one in Germany perfectly reflect the faith of the gothic age our age is mirrored in the architect's concept of Elegance and function barok fountains in [Music] Rome The Fountains of the new Los Angeles County Museum satisfying man's thirst for beauty the round arches of ancient rusans are reborn in the arches of our times slender elongated presenting a modern image New Vista has opened and IT projects the hope for an environment of dignity and Delight [Music]