Modernism Reconsidered: Revisiting the Movements Complex Relationship with SustainabilitySave this picture!Unite d' Habitation / Le Corbusier Gili Merin. Image Gili MerinModernism emerged in the early 20th century as a revolutionary movement that rejected historical styles, prioritizing functionality, innovation, and rationality. Grounded in the promise of industrial progress, architects like Walter Gropius, Le Corbusier, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe championed using new materials and construction methods, striving for a universal architectural language. Their work introduced radical ideas: open floor plans, expansive glazing for natural light, and pilotis that elevated structures, symbolizing a new architectural era. However, alongside its groundbreaking ideas, modernism's relationship with sustainability has sparked ongoing debates.While modernist architects sought to address social and economic challenges through affordable housing and efficient design, their reliance on energy-intensive materials like concrete and steel created unintended environmental consequences. The large-scale industrialization celebrated by modernists often disregarded local climates and ecological systems, leading to inefficiencies. Yet, the principles of functionality and adaptability embedded in modernist architecture laid the groundwork for what we now recognize as sustainable practices. From Le Corbusier's rooftop gardens to Frank Lloyd Wright's integration of nature, the seeds of environmentally conscious design were undeniably present, albeit limited in their execution.In today's climate-conscious world, architects and scholars revisit the ideals of modernism to address the environmental challenges of the 21st century, reinterpreting its principles in the context of sustainability. Exploring the complexities of Modernism's relationship with sustainability its successes, controversies, and ongoing influence reveals how its original ideals are being adapted to shape contemporary architecture. Understanding this evolution makes it evident how modernism continues to guide efforts to balance aesthetics, function, and ecological responsibility. Related Article Exploring the Legacy of Modernism in Landscape Architecture Modernism and Sustainability: Foundations and ControversiesModernism is often celebrated for its functional principles and innovative designs, but its connection to sustainability remains a point of contention. On one hand, the movement introduced concepts like efficiency, adaptability, and integration with nature, which align with contemporary sustainable practices. On the other, its reliance on industrial processes and energy-intensive materials, like the innovative use of steel, glass, and concrete, has drawn criticism, raising questions about whether modernism was inherently sustainable or merely a product of its time.Save this picture!The foundations of modernist architecture include notable gestures toward environmental responsibility. As the Docomomo Journal 44 highlighted, early modernist buildings often prioritized functional layouts, maximizing natural light and ventilation. Le Corbusier's Five Points of Architecture championed pilotis to minimize ground disruption, ribbon windows for daylighting, and rooftop gardens to integrate greenery a precursor to today's green roofs. Projects like the Unit d'Habitationimprove air quality, and provide communal areas, reflecting a commitment to holistic design.Save this picture!Similarly, Frank Lloyd Wright'sFallingwater (19361939) seamlessly integrated architecture with its natural surroundings, highlighting harmony with the landscape. Wright's principles of organic architecture inspired a generation of architects to consider the ecological context of their designs. Likewise, Alvar Aalto'sPaimio Sanatorium (19291933) employed design strategies that prioritized patient comfort and natural ventilation, demonstrating a sensitivity to both environmental and human needs. These examples illustrate that while not explicitly sustainable, modernism established a foundation for eco-conscious design.Save this picture!Yet, these examples stand alongside modernism's less sustainable aspects. The widespread use of concrete and steel, celebrated for their strength and versatility, required significant energy to produce and often neglected the embodied carbon they carried. These concepts were rarely executed to their full ecological potential, as the focus remained on aesthetics and industrial advancement rather than environmental impact. Structures like Mies van der Rohe'sFarnsworth House (1945-1951), while aesthetically striking, relied on large expanses of single-pane glass, leading to poor thermal performance and high energy consumption.Save this picture!Another example is Mies van der Rohe'sSeagram Building (1958), with its sleek glass faade offering minimal insulation, which results in significant heating and cooling demands. Though groundbreaking, these material and design choices were frequently ill-suited to regional climates, prioritizing universal aesthetics over environmental responsiveness.Save this picture!Save this picture!The controversies surrounding modernism and sustainability are further complicated by its global reach. As modernist principles spread across continents, particularly to post-colonial regions, their adaptation often overlooked local climates and resources. In regions like Africa and South Asia, modernist designs imposed by colonial powers frequently failed to address the realities of extreme heat or humidity, leading to energy inefficiencies. TheInternational Style, with its emphasis on uniformity, was critiqued for imposing a Western architectural language on diverse cultural contexts. This homogenization sometimes led to designs that were both culturally and environmentally unsuitable, undermining modernism's potential to engage meaningfully with its surroundings.Save this picture!Despite these shortcomings, the movement's focus on efficiency and rationality has influenced sustainable architecture today. Modernism's emphasis on modular construction and prefabrication anticipated current approaches to reducing waste and material use. The work of architects like Jean Prouv, who designedmodular housing systems, demonstrated the potential of prefabrication to address housing shortages while minimizing resources. Contemporary architects build upon these ideas, merging modernist methods with advancements in green technology and materials.Save this picture!Modernism in Landscape Architecture: A Sustainable Legacy?Modernism in landscape architecture emerged alongside the architectural movement, driven by the belief that design could improve human interaction with the environment. Architects and landscape designers embraced modernist principles such as simplicity, functionality, and integration with nature. This approach sought to harmonize human needs with the surrounding landscape, fostering a sense of ecological awareness even before "sustainability" became a mainstream concept. Designers like Garrett Eckbo and Roberto Burle Marx championed spaces that embraced local contexts, used native vegetation, and explored water management techniques that echoed modernism's pragmatic and resource-efficient ethos.Save this picture!Roberto Burle Marx, often referred to as the pioneer of sustainable landscape design, exemplified this ideology in projects like the Copacabana Beach promenade and Flamengo Park in Rio de Janeiro, integrating biodiversity with human recreation to create adaptable spaces for evolving cityscapes. Burle Marx advocated for native plants and resilient ecosystems, showcasing how landscape design could both preserve ecological balance and meet urban needs.Save this picture!Another notable figure, Dan Kiley, brought modernist ideals to North America, designing public and private spaces that exemplified clarity and order. Projects like the Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis represent Kiley's commitment to functional simplicity and the seamless blending of built and natural environments. The Gateway grounds, with their geometric patterns and sweeping vistas, embody modernism's emphasis on abstraction and its potential to enhance spatial awareness. Furthermore, the park's ability to adapt to climate-resilient strategies over the years underscores its role as a forward-looking design, aligning with contemporary sustainability practices.Save this picture!However, the sustainable aspirations of modernist landscape architecture were often constrained by the tools and knowledge of their time. While figures like Burle Marx and Kiley demonstrated the potential for ecological awareness in design, other projects prioritized formal innovation over ecological balance, revealing a tension between aesthetics and environmental stewardship. Revisiting these landscapes today offers an opportunity to rethink modernism's legacy, applying its principles of simplicity and functionality to contemporary challenges such as biodiversity loss and climate resilience. These historic projects serve as both inspiration and cautionary tales, reminding us that design must continually evolve to address the complexities of the natural world.Save this picture!From Modernism to Modernity: Contemporary Sustainability and Its LessonsModernism's influence on contemporary architecture extends beyond its aesthetic and functional innovations. While its principles of simplicity, openness, and technological progress remain celebrated, its limitations such as a lack of adaptability to diverse climates and insufficient consideration of ecological systems have shaped the ways architects today approach sustainability.Save this picture!Take Bjarke Ingels Group's (BIG) and Landscape Architects SLA, CopenHill (Amager Bakke) in Copenhagen, for instance. The project embodies modernism's technological ambition and sculptural clarity while addressing ecological shortcomings. A waste-to-energy plant topped with a fully accessible green rooftop, CopenHill functions as both infrastructure and public space. This project recalls Modernist ideals of integrating utility and design, akin to the Bauhaus principle of uniting form and function. However, CopenHill goes further, actively mitigating environmental impact by converting waste into clean energy while promoting urban biodiversity through its rooftop park and ski slope.Save this picture!Bosco Verticale, designed by Stefano Boeri Architetti and Studio Laura Gatti reinterprets modernism's integration with nature in a thoroughly contemporary manner. While Le Corbusier's vision for Villa Savoye sought harmony with its rural surroundings, it relied on mechanical systems for comfort and neglected ecological sustainability. Bosco Verticale, in contrast, transforms the concept of living in harmony with nature into a performative architectural feature. Its faade incorporates over 800 trees and 20,000 plants, improving urban air quality and reducing energy consumption, merging Modernist clarity of design with environmental responsibility.Save this picture!Adaptive reuse projects also highlight how contemporary sustainability builds upon modernist ideals. The High Line in New York City, by James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, exemplifies the transformation of an abandoned railway into a lush urban park that echoes modernism's focus on rethinking spatial possibilities. Yet, unlike modernism's tendency to impose rigid order, the High Line embraces ecological restoration and community engagement. It fosters biodiversity and promotes organic growth, integrating sustainability into an adaptive model of urban renewal.Save this picture!Save this picture!Francis Kr's architectural approach embodies modernism's core principles of functional design, modularity, and efficiency while addressing its historical blind spots regarding local contexts and environmental limitations. By prioritizing the use of local materials and integrating passive cooling systems, Kr achieves designs that are both sustainable and deeply rooted in their surroundings. His projects minimize carbon footprints and foster community empowerment through participatory construction processes. A prime example is the Gando Primary School in Burkina Faso, where Kr reimagines modernist innovation by incorporating vernacular techniques and materials to create a climate-responsive, socially inclusive learning environment.Save this picture!Bridging Eras: Modernism's Legacy in Contemporary SustainabilityThe relationship between modernism and sustainability is complex and layered, marked by both forward-thinking principles and critical shortcomings. Modernism's focus on efficiency, innovation, and universal design planted the seeds for many of today's sustainable practices, even as its limitations revealed the necessity of deeper ecological and contextual sensitivity. Contemporary architecture has learned from these lessons, evolving to prioritize adaptability, equity, and environmental stewardship without losing sight of the creativity and optimism that defined the movement.By revisiting and reinterpreting modernist ideals, architects today are forging a path where sustainability is not an afterthought but an integral part of the design process. This ongoing dialogue between past and present reminds us that architecture's role is to reflect the needs of its time, anticipating and shaping a better future.Save this picture!This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: 100 Years of Modernism. Every month we explore a topic in-depth through articles, interviews, news, and architecture projects. We invite you to learn more about our ArchDaily Topics. And, as always, at ArchDaily we welcome the contributions of our readers; if you want to submit an article or project, contact us.Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorDiogo Borges FerreiraAuthorCite: Diogo Borges Ferreira. "Modernism Reconsidered: Revisiting the Movements Complex Relationship with Sustainability" 31 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1025961/modernism-reconsidered-revisiting-modernisms-complex-relationship-with-sustainability&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream