The Technological Essence Of Modernist Architecture

The developing of science and technology, especially after the Industrial Revolution, opened up the greatly possibility of a human world that is fully constructed. However, when people waked from the myth of science and technology, people have to revalue all spiritual production in the past, In the architecture area, people begin to rethink modernism architecture in all aspects. But most of them criticize modernism and internationalism on the style or form, not analyze modernism architecture in the macro-background of science and technology time. Thus, these critiques cannot concern the core of modernism architectural thought. It is exceptional that people consider modernism architecture from the philosophy of technology. In this condition, this paper expands to analyze modernism architecture philosophically on the framework of the complex relation of technology and space, tectonics, function, style.In addition to the introduction, this paper is divided into six main parts. In the first part, this paper summarizes the history of Modernism thought, abstracts the basic connotion of Modernism thought by comparing and analyzing variety of architectural theory, from deeply analyzing the effect of modern technology and its development to the forming of modernism architecture, the author try to dissect the technology penetrates architecture on all aspects: space, tectonics, function, style, so as to bringing out the technological essence of modernism architecture.Technology and space has been done in the second part and by this analysis the modernism architecture space concept, on the basis of the three-D rectangular coordinate theory presented by Renal Descartes, was developed from the physical space concept of Newton's Classical Dynamics. Through analyzing the relation of technology and science, it points that modern technology not only chooses and effects specific tectonics of the modernism architecture space, but also influences formation of the modernist architecture space concept.In the third part, this paper analyzes that technology as a means, which through a factor of "hardness" relates to architecture in the traditional architecture. While modern technology offers the new material, new craftwork and engineering theory to architecture, technology as a means is unfolded; the course of construction turns to the course of technology, and tectonics turns to technology itself.In the fourth part, Modernism thought emphasizes the function, especially the material function, but in the traditional architecture which was forgotten, now which is unfolded, andbecomes the first aim of architecture. Yet, technology makes the function have more utility meanwhile; Functionism compares the human beings and need to the machine, so architecture function turns to the technology function.In the fifth part, this paper analyzes that technology influence the architecture style. Style, which is the first aim in the traditional architecture, gives way to the space, tectonics and function on the basis of technology. From the tectonics and function of neo-architecture, modernism architects find the spring of New Style, and architecture aesthetic of the traditional architecture style turns to the technology aesthetic.In the last part, through the analyzing upwards, this paper summarizes the historical achievement of modernism architecture, and thinks about the questions caused by technology.