07/15 07 — Industrialization and the Origins of Modern Architecture Free Online FlashCards

What did industrialization change about production?

Industrialization shifted production from handcraft in workshops and households toward mechanized, machine-aided production in factories.

Which technologies enabled modern office buildings?

The elevator made upper floors commercially usable, while the structural frame allowed exterior walls to become lighter and less structurally important.

What is a curtain wall?

A curtain wall is a non-load-bearing exterior wall attached to a structural frame; the frame carries the building’s weight.

Why was the Crystal Palace architecturally significant?

The Crystal Palace used repeated structural bays, factory-made iron components, and large glass panels, creating a rapidly assembled modular system.

How did the Eiffel Tower demonstrate prefabrication?

The Eiffel Tower demonstrated industrial prefabrication: components were prepared in a factory and assembled on site using standardized parts.

Why did steel matter to modern construction?

Steel is an iron alloy with controlled carbon content; its strength, flexibility, and standardized shapes supported frames, bridges, industrial buildings, and high-rises.

Which building helped establish the modern skyscraper?

The Home Insurance Building, designed by William Le Baron Jenney and completed in 1885, used a metal-frame structural system that helped establish the modern skyscraper.

What did the Arts and Crafts movement value?

Arts and Crafts emphasized handcraftsmanship, honest materials, visible workmanship, integrated design, and the social value of well-designed everyday objects.

What practical problem challenged Arts and Crafts ideals?

A central contradiction was that handmade objects required substantial time and labor, making them expensive and difficult to provide for a mass public.

What characterized Art Nouveau?

Art Nouveau sought a new visual language through organic lines, flowing curves, integrated arts, and modern materials rather than direct historical imitation.

How did the Fagus Factory express industrial purpose?

The Fagus Factory expressed industrial purpose through broad windows, thin-looking walls, and an emphasis on light and functional organization.

What did the Bauhaus seek to unite?

The Bauhaus sought to unite art, craft, architecture, and industrial design through new materials, skeleton construction, glass façades, functional planning, and social reform.