Philip Cortelyou Johnson Architectural Style

Architecture is the art or practice of designing and constructing buildings. It includes the complex and carefully designed structure of something. Architects are people who practice this art in which they mostly design buildings and homes that are suitable for people to be in and use for everyday needs. Throughout history there have been many influential architects who have designed world famous structures that are located all across the world. One of these architects is Philip Cortelyou Johnson, who designed major buildings in the United States of America. Like most architects, he has an interesting history of how he became what he is, his own architectural style, and his accomplishments.

Philip Cortelyou Johnson was an American architect born on July 8, 1906 in Cleveland,

Ohio. He died on January 25, 2005 in New Canaan, Connecticut while he was sleeping. In his early life, Johnson attended Hockey School in Tarrytown, New York. Later he would become an undergraduate at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1930, “Johnson became the founder and director of the Department of Architecture and Design of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the first museum-affiliated program in the United States devoted to the study and exploration of architecture as an art.” In 1979 Johnson won the Pritzker Architecture Prize and was the first winner of this prize for his Glass House.
Philip Johnson's architecture style was the International Style and later he had a role in defining postmodernist architecture.

The International Style developed in Europe and the United States in the 1920s and 1930s. Common characteristics of the International Style of architecture include "rectilinear forms; light, taut plane surfaces that have been completely stripped of applied ornamentation and decoration; open interior spaces; and a visually weightless quality engendered by the use of cantilever construction." The materials used are commonly a combination of glass and steel with reinforced concrete that is usually less visible. I like that the International Style of architecture uses very few major materials in its design and construction yet the buildings of this style look stunning. For example, the Crystal Cathedral is a building of the International style. Its design looks incredible even though it was only built from few materials such as glass, steel, and reinforced concrete. I also like how the use of glass and steel in this type of architectural style makes the building stand out. The glass surrounded by the steel frame presents a stunning appearance to those who observe

it.
One of Philip Johnson's most notable works of architecture is the Glass House. This house was built in 1949 and is located at 798-856 Ponus Ridge in New Canaan, Connecticut. This was a residential building and its style of architecture is the modern movement. This building has an interesting design since it is made of glass and almost completely transparent. However the building's design allows for little to no privacy because of its primary composition of glass. An interesting fact about this building is that Philip Johnson lived in this building and was found dead in it while he was in his bed sleeping.
Another of his famous architectural designs includes the Crystal Cathedral which was founded in 1955 and completed in 1981. It is a sacral building that is located in Garden Grove, Orange County, California, in the United States and its architectural style is classified under postmodern architecture. The use of glass and steel spiked pillars give the building a unique design that makes it stand out from the surrounding buildings. The interior design is not as appealing as its external appearance since the inside of the building has too many steel beams that are visible which gives the impression that the interior has yet to be completed or lacks a creative design. This building is notable for the fact that it is the largest glass building in the world.
One final famous piece of Johnson's architectural works is the Seagram Building. Built in 1957, it is located at 375 Park Avenue between 52nd and 53rd street in Midtown Manhattan of New York. This is a commercial building of the International Style of architecture. The building's design is very standard in terms of its rectangular shape since most buildings are rectangular. However, the black steel frame with the dark tinted glass differentiates it from the surrounding buildings. The use of the yellow colored light throughout the building adds to the building's unique appearance. Johnson worked on this building with German architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Johnson's contributed mainly to the interior design of this building while Ludwig was responsible for its structural design. Not surprisingly, this building has the worst Energy Star rating of all the buildings in New York as it is rated 3 out of 100.
Philip Johnson's legacy lives on through his architectural works of art. His famous building designs, such as the Glass House, Crystal Cathedral, and the Seagram Building, are constantly admired by many all over the world.