Trends
Contemporary
Contemporary Art Movements
If the difference between modern and contemporary is blurred for the neophyte who confuses the two styles, know that the first initially designates a current whose golden age includes all the works produced between 1850 and 1945, while the second
by contrast, encompasses everything that has been produced since the end of the Second World War, without regard to style or genre, even if contemporary architecture is frequently of modern inspiration!
And besides its historical roots, “modern” and “contemporary” do not mean the same thing from a formal and aesthetic point of view.
Contemporary architecture turns heads
Contemporary architecture is a competitive work environment, which requires creativity, resourcefulness and constant innovation. Each year, many national and international prizes are awarded to the designers of the most impressive constructions. The most prestigious of these prizes, nicknamed the "Nobel of architecture", is the Pritzker Prize, created in 1979 by Jay Pritzker, American businessman and contemporary architecture lover.
Large-scale projects are also subject to competition: for example, in 1956, an international competition is launched for the construction of the new Sydney Opera House. As we know, it was Jørn Utzon who won the prize for his impressive shell-shaped plans.
In the 21st century, the issues that most preoccupy architects are those of the environment, social housing, and the harmony of urban decor. The various movements of contemporary architecture have positioned themselves in favor or in disagreement with these various issues, which have a considerable influence on each element (materials, plans, locations, shapes, colors) of the construction process.
