International Style

The International Style is an architectural style that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s, primarily linked to the Bauhaus and De Stijl movements. It emphasizes volume over mass, uses lightweight, industrial, mass-produced materials, rejects superfluous ornamentation, and celebrates functionalism. The term “International Style” was popularized by a 1932 Museum of Modern Art exhibition curated by Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Philip Johnson. The title reflects a shift from national architectural styles to a universal aesthetic applicable globally. Key principles include regularity rather than symmetry, radical simplification of form, and visual expression of structure.