Glossary of MidMod Mid Century Modern Terms
adaptive re-use
method of preservation where a building retains its signature visual elements, but the structure is used for a purpose other than originally intended
Art Deco
style from the first few decades of the 20th century; styles within this period include Moderne, Streamline and Zigzag among others and was a natural predecessor to the clean Modern style
barrel vault
curved roofline
Bauhaus
progressive school of arts and architecture founded in 1919 Germany and birthplace of the European Modernist movement that emphasized bold experimental geometric visuals and typography
boomerang
popular parabolic or amoeba-shaped design motif
“building as sign”
building where the shape, size or color provides identification as much as signage does
bungalow
small house or cottage usually with a small front porch popularized in Southern California
cantilevered
structure that projects or hovers in space seemingly without support from beneath
Case Study Program
considered a high point in architectural innovation, this program developed by Arts and Architecture magazine solicited housing solutions, encouraging architects to explore new design and construction techniques, and to expand Modernist principles
clerestory
windows which are above normal ceiling height and project into roofline
De Stijl
design style that uses asymmetry and rectangles, term derived from 1930s Netherlands school of decorative arts
dingbat
term derived from typographic characters that extend beyond the normal alphabet: +@#* and used to describe buildings (usually apartments) that sport characters and symbols as decorative elements
folded plate
a back and forth folding of a surface, whether roof or walls
folk art environment
art originating among the “common man”
Garden City
Pre-War urban planning movement that promoted decentralized and collective living patterns in a green environment advocated by such Modernists as Frank Lloyd Wright and Richard Neutra
Googie
coffee shop Modern architectural style characterized by space-age graphics, widely angled lines, fanciful motifs; term derived from Googie’s coffee shop, designed by John Lautner
International
style characterized by clean, bold lines and geometric forms; lack of ornamentation or texture; and steel, glass or reinforced-concrete construction
jet-age
see space-age
kinetic
refers to signage with motion
Miesian
minimalist geometric shape, term is derived from the sparse style of architect and designer, Mies Van der Rohe
Moderne vs. Modern
Moderne refers to an Art Deco style which has a streamline look and pre-dates Modern; Modern refers to mid-century postwar style
Mondrian
broad flat areas of color reminiscent of the Modern painter, Piet Mondrian, who used color similarly
open-air plan
style that advocates space and breezeways between buildings in a complex
parabolic
curved in a way that is not symmetrical
porte cochere
covered or sheltered entryway for vehicles or pedestrians
portico
exterior building element that is supported by columns
post-and-beam
construction method that emphasizes vertical and horizontal elements
Post-Modern
style from the end of the 20th century that built upon and expanded the principles of Modernism
PostWar
historic period after the end of World Ward II in 1945, usually extended to the 1960s
programmatic
buildings which reflect the contents within: from the obvious hot dog-shaped stand that sells hot dogs to the sublime derby hat that symbolizes a “classy” place to eat
roadside structures, signage or other elements that are designed primarily to attract the passing motorist
space-age
also called jet-age, technology innovation in air travel, satellites and eventually moon travel translated into Modern motif
sputnick
popular space-age design embellishment that looks like starburst with wheel spokes and balls on the ends; associated with progress and named after the Russian satellite launched in the late 1950s
stone screen
concrete architectural element (usually a wall) that uses repeating patterns as a design motif; term derived from its originator, Edward Durell Stone
theme environment
building or complex that uses a thematic decorative approach, such as space-age, tiki, western, etc.
tiki / Polynesia
design motif first popularized by GI’s stationed in the South Seas during World War II; just before and immediately after Hawaii first became the 50th state in 1959, a Polynesian frenzy took place often reflected in postwar architecture and motif
WPA (Work Projects Administration – later Works Progress Administration)
government program designed to create jobs that often included cultural and artistic works.
