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In its heyday, modernism was taught in architecture schools as a moral
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09 Feb 2023, 22:59
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In its heyday, modernism was taught in architecture schools as a moral imperative. Architectural form was supposed to embody the spatial, structural, and mechanical demands of the building. Implanted in every student’s mind were two terse aphorisms: “Form follows function” and “Less is more.” All new structures, from incinerators to cathedrals, commanded equal respect as products of our advanced technological culture. People began to complain that churches and banks looked alike; only very gradually did large numbers of architects acknowledge that such objections might be well founded. Eventually, a substantial proportion of architects lost faith in the modernist movement, and many embraced a body of architectural principles identifiable as postmodernist.
Postmodernist is a reaction against the characteristic modernist style. In typical modernist buildings of the 1950s, differences between interior and exterior, top and bottom, and back and front—or, indeed, between portions serving different functions—were deliberately minimized. Surrounding structures and local precedents were almost invariably ignored. Detailing was made to look as uncomplicated as the surfaces and joints of the architectural model, no matter what design and construction effort it took to achieve that effect. While modernist architecture is moralistic and exclusivist—based on a set of “Thou shalt nots”— postmodernist architecture is amoral and inclusivist, based on contextualism, allusion to other design, and ornament.
Postmodernist contextualism demands that whatever is built acknowledge its setting. In the 1950s, modernism conditioned architecture students to assume that surrounding construction was obsolescent and soon to be replaced by “improved” modernist work; more sensibly, postmodernist architects see a building as an incremental change in an existing environment. Contextualism means that architects adopt the visual axes and prevailing roof lines of existing buildings, or promote correspondences in form, scale, and materials between new and old buildings. Postmodernists allude to historical styles in various ways: they may borrow spatial organization from the Italian Baroque style or incisive abstract lines from early modernist European architecture of the 1920s or decorative motifs from movie palaces and diners of the twenties and thirties, thus encouraging the very impurity and heterogeneity the modernist movement condemned.
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71% (01:55) correct
29% (01:09) wrong based on 21 sessions
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1.The author is primarily concerned with
(A) describing the elements of a once-popular architectural style (B) comparing two approaches to architectural design (C) resolving a debate about the relative merits of two architectural styles (D) summarizing the accomplishments of architects of the 1950’s (E) explaining the cause of changes in architectural design since the 1950’s
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2. It can be inferred from the passage that, because Modern architects of the 1950’s believed that “Less is more”, buildings they designed were NOT likely to
(A) feature contrasting materials such as stone and glass on their facades (B) contain spaces serving only one purpose (C) use complicated design and construction techniques (D) employ unusual materials to express an architectural concept (E) emphasizing purely decorative elements of building design
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3. Which of the following best describes the organization of the first paragraph?
(A) A particulier set of principles is described and the consequences of challenges to that set of principles are stated. (B) A theory is explained and modifications of that theory are listed. (C) Specific examples of the application of a theory are given and reactions to those examples are detailed. (D) Two opposing sets of principles are described and the merits of one over the other are explained. (E) Criticism of a theory is elaborated and the sources of that criticism are mentioned.
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4. Which if the following buildings would be most compatible in design with the principles of Postmodernism, as described in the passage?
(A) A cubical hight-rise apartment buildings with a glass facade that is located in a neighborhood of single-family brick houses (B) A school in which classrooms, play areas, and offices all have identical design features (C) A government office building that has brightly painted columns similar to those used in classical Greek architecture (D) A movie theater that is faced with smooth white concrete (E) A renovated warehouse in which the original pipes and ducts are obscured by featureless ceilings and panels
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5. The author uses all of the following in discussing architecture EXCEPT
(A) a contrast (B) an explanation of terms (C) a literary analogy (D) a generalization (E) a value judgment
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6. The author suggests that some of the general public’s objections to Modern architecture were based on the public’s
(A) moralistic and exclusivist ideas about architectural design (B) desire to see architectural differences in buildings with different functions (C) preference for architectural designs that directly allude to the history of a building (D) inability to adapt to new ideas (E) failure to respect buildings as products of an advanced technological culture
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7. The author views the attitude toward existing buildings that was conveyed to architecture students in the 1950’s with
Re: In its heyday, modernism was taught in architecture schools as a moral
[#permalink]
16 Feb 2023, 21:02
1
For the first question:
The answer is: (B) comparing two approaches to architectural design
Explanation: The passage discusses the characteristics of modernist and postmodernist architecture, highlighting the differences between the two approaches and how postmodernism is a reaction against modernism. The passage does not focus on describing the elements of a once-popular architectural style or summarizing the accomplishments of architects of the 1950s. The passage also does not seek to resolve a debate about the relative merits of the two architectural styles or explain the cause of changes in architectural design since the 1950s.
Re: In its heyday, modernism was taught in architecture schools as a moral
[#permalink]
16 Feb 2023, 21:04
1
For the second question:
The answer is: (E) emphasizing purely decorative elements of building design
Explanation: The passage describes the architectural principles of modernism, which emphasized functionalism, simplicity, and efficiency. Architects of the 1950s were taught that "less is more" and that form should follow function. They sought to minimize the differences between interior and exterior spaces and to make detailing look as uncomplicated as possible. Therefore, it can be inferred that buildings designed by modern architects of the 1950s were NOT likely to emphasize purely decorative elements of building design, which would contradict the principle of functionalism and the maxim "less is more."
Re: In its heyday, modernism was taught in architecture schools as a moral
[#permalink]
16 Feb 2023, 21:07
1
For the third question:
The answer is: (A) A particulier set of principles is described and the consequences of challenges to that set of principles are stated.
Explanation: The first paragraph introduces modernism as a set of principles taught in architecture schools that were considered a moral imperative. It describes the aphorisms that were implanted in students' minds and the respect that all new structures commanded as products of advanced technological culture. The paragraph also notes that people began to complain about the uniformity of modernist buildings, and that many architects eventually lost faith in the movement. This organization describes a set of principles and the consequences of challenges to those principles.
Re: In its heyday, modernism was taught in architecture schools as a moral
[#permalink]
16 Feb 2023, 21:11
1
For the fourth question:
The answer is: (C) A government office building that has brightly painted columns similar to those used in classical Greek architecture
Explanation: As described in the final paragraph, postmodernism advocates for contextualism and alludes to historical styles. The use of columns from classical Greek architecture is an allusion to history and context of the surrounding area.
Re: In its heyday, modernism was taught in architecture schools as a moral
[#permalink]
16 Feb 2023, 21:13
1
For the fifth question:
The answer is: (C) a literary analogy
Explanation: The passage discusses the principles, characteristics, and changes in modernist and postmodernist architecture, but does not use a literary analogy to explain or illustrate any point.
Re: In its heyday, modernism was taught in architecture schools as a moral
[#permalink]
16 Feb 2023, 21:15
1
For the sixth question:
The answer is: (B) desire to see architectural differences in buildings with different functions
Explanation: The author suggests that some of the general public’s objections to Modern architecture were based on the public’s "preference for architectural differences in buildings with different functions." This is evident in the passage when the author states that "People began to complain that churches and banks looked alike." (in the first paragraph)
Re: In its heyday, modernism was taught in architecture schools as a moral
[#permalink]
16 Feb 2023, 21:17
1
For the final question:
The answer is: (B) disapproval
Explanation: The author views the attitude toward existing buildings that was conveyed to architecture students in the 1950s with disapproval. This is evidenced in the passage by the statement, "In the 1950s, modernism conditioned architecture students to assume that surrounding construction was obsolescent and soon to be replaced by 'improved' modernist work." (in the final paragraph)
Re: In its heyday, modernism was taught in architecture schools as a moral
[#permalink]
05 Sep 2023, 06:45
1
Summary:
Para 1: modern architecture was opposed Para 2: contrast between modern and postmodern architecture Para 3: contrast between modern and postmodern architecture
A1: (B) - para 2 A2 (E) - Since its an inference question, so it is not implied in the paragraph. Postmodern architect have ornaments, so modern art won’t A3: (A) - a principle was introduced and its opposition views were addressed A4: (C) - refer to the answer of Q3 A5: (C) A6 (B) - para 1 A7 (B) - “Architectural form was supposed to embody the spatial, structural, and mechanical demands of the building.” - The author states that something was supposed to mean BUT it doesn’t mean in that way, in this way he is showing his disapproval
gmatclubot
Re: In its heyday, modernism was taught in architecture schools as a moral [#permalink]