Before exploring and going into detail about Mid-Century Modern architecture, let’s have a look at what ‘Mid-Century Modern’ actually means.
When talking about the Mid-Century Modern era, we are usually roughly looking at the time between 1945 and 1965/1970. During that particular period, the United States went through a lot of social, political, cultural, and technological changes and developments.
The beginning of the Mid-Century Modern era was marked by the end of World War II. With the return of many soldiers making use of the G.I. Bill passed in 1944, enrollments now tripled and universities grew extensively. Moreover, building projects that had been put on hold during the Great Depression and World War II were completed and a new construction boom emerged. Due to post-war prosperity that boom did not only affect the institutional and commercial construction plans but also included residential sites.
However, the end of World War II also ushered in the era of the Cold War. The United States and the Soviet Union were constantly competing for supremacy in the world. That fight was carried out militarily, culturally, ideologically, as well as technologically. When the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I in 1957, the Space Race officially started. Space-age themes became omnipresent and influenced design, architecture, commercials, literature, and television, just to name a few.
Politically, two figures are especially significant and prominent for that time and probably most likely to be associated with the Mid-Century-Modern era: John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. President Kennedy stood for the ‘new spirit’ of America. Young, modern, open-minded, confident, and successful, he was the perfect embodiment of a thriving nation that had every faith in the future and progress. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was the voice of the Civil Rights movement that peaked in his “I have a dream” speech.
Looking at how people’s everyday life changed through the Mid-Century Modern era it can be observed that the focus was more and more on leisure, recreation and family activities. In order to meet the needs of those new interests, the design of residential houses changed and famous features like kidney-shaped pools and patios became common characteristics of private homes built at that time. But Americans did not just love to spend time with their family at the pool. Another great passion became the automobile. The impact that car culture had can be seen in inventions like drive-ins and new, spectacular roadside signs that were supposed to attract the drivers’ attention.
So, to find out how all those developments of the Mid-Century Modern era influenced architectural styles and construction processes, get on our Apollo-11-shaped time machine and embark on a journey that will take you to Laramie in the 1950s and 1960s.
When talking about the Mid-Century Modern era, we are usually roughly looking at the time between 1945 and 1965/1970. During that particular period, the United States went through a lot of social, political, cultural, and technological changes and developments.
The beginning of the Mid-Century Modern era was marked by the end of World War II. With the return of many soldiers making use of the G.I. Bill passed in 1944, enrollments now tripled and universities grew extensively. Moreover, building projects that had been put on hold during the Great Depression and World War II were completed and a new construction boom emerged. Due to post-war prosperity that boom did not only affect the institutional and commercial construction plans but also included residential sites.
However, the end of World War II also ushered in the era of the Cold War. The United States and the Soviet Union were constantly competing for supremacy in the world. That fight was carried out militarily, culturally, ideologically, as well as technologically. When the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I in 1957, the Space Race officially started. Space-age themes became omnipresent and influenced design, architecture, commercials, literature, and television, just to name a few.
Politically, two figures are especially significant and prominent for that time and probably most likely to be associated with the Mid-Century-Modern era: John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. President Kennedy stood for the ‘new spirit’ of America. Young, modern, open-minded, confident, and successful, he was the perfect embodiment of a thriving nation that had every faith in the future and progress. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was the voice of the Civil Rights movement that peaked in his “I have a dream” speech.
Looking at how people’s everyday life changed through the Mid-Century Modern era it can be observed that the focus was more and more on leisure, recreation and family activities. In order to meet the needs of those new interests, the design of residential houses changed and famous features like kidney-shaped pools and patios became common characteristics of private homes built at that time. But Americans did not just love to spend time with their family at the pool. Another great passion became the automobile. The impact that car culture had can be seen in inventions like drive-ins and new, spectacular roadside signs that were supposed to attract the drivers’ attention.
So, to find out how all those developments of the Mid-Century Modern era influenced architectural styles and construction processes, get on our Apollo-11-shaped time machine and embark on a journey that will take you to Laramie in the 1950s and 1960s.