Reyner Banham: Theory and Design in the First Machine Age (1960)

Fig1: Designs in Machine Age
Screenshot from the movie Metropolis (1927)
Photo credit: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0017136/mediaviewer/rm62934784

Through the article, Banham tries to understand and analyze designs and products of the machine age in terms of paintings, sculptures, industrial designs and architectural projects (Fig1). Since there was a completely different understanding of art at that time, some architects and artists wanted to adapt themselves to new machines. They aimed to modernize their strategies and designs by the help of machines and also wanted to create an International Style in architecture. Banham wanted to analyze this new movement and architects’ perspectives to architecture in this 'New Century', referring to the twentieth century because people started using machines in their daily lives and in professional fields for the first time. Additionally, Banham pulled apart the "form follows function" norm that became the stereotype of modernism, arguing instead that formalism (with style and aesthetics) should become an important concern of Modern architects. He believed that form never really followed function.

Banham blames the modernists for inadequately transforming architecture and wants us to ultimately return to old modes of thought and composition. He claims that change in construction methods was inadequate to transform modes so deeply rooted. The modern movement fell short of transforming architecture at a structural level, maintaining the conventions of pictorial representation and of line, plane and volume as compositional elements. It’s revolution was both social and aesthetic, but failed to change the way we conceive and describe our buildings. One might argue that technologies of digital representation have already allowed us to conceive of an architecture of points, an architecture no longer based on mere two dimensional drawings but on descriptions as complex as the three dimensional buildings themselves.

Though it is quite clear that architecture and technology have maintained their delicate balance since Banham wrote these words, change has come in recent years to representation, not just realization. As one may have observed, the modern movement was brought on by a critical mass of advancements to construction, but the technology of representation remained the same throughout. Like construction technologies, the digitization of drawing had a revolutionary effect on architecture.

High-Tech Architecture

High Tech architecture can be described as late modern architecture from the 1970s also knows as Structural Expressionism. The aim is to combine high end technology with building design. Main features include :

1. Steel and glass
2. Flexible interiors
3. Expressed construction
4. Colour used for pipework and services
5. Lightweight materials

This is similar to Banham's approach; combining modernist principles with technological advancements. (Fig2a&2b)

Fig2a: Bloomberg European Management building
Foster + Partners, 2017
Photo credit: https://www.curbed.com/2017/10/18/16496990/bloomberg-london-office-sustainable-design

Fig2b: Bloomberg European Management building
World's most sustainable building with a score of 98.5%
Photo credit: https://www.curbed.com/2017/10/18/16496990/bloomberg-london-office-sustainable-design

Early examples of high tech architecture includes the Pompidou Centre (1977) whose structure is designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers. It carries a different architectural attitude from the generic elements of modernism in terms of technology. It has exposed skeleton of brighly colored tubes for mechanical systems. For instance, the service strips are placed along the perimeter of the building that can be seen from outside unlike other modernist buildings. This is a reflection of taking the function into consideration as it is easier to repair them in this placement. But it may also be considered as a combination of technology and functionalism (Fig3a&3b).

Fig3a: Pompidou Centre, Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers
Photo credit: https://en.parisinfo.com/what-to-do-in-paris/info/guides/exhibition-at-the-centre-pompidou

Fig3b: Pompidou Centre, Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers
Photo credit: https://en.parisinfo.com/what-to-do-in-paris/info/guides/exhibition-at-the-centre-pompidou

High-tech buildings are often called as 'machine-like'. They are aimed to give everything an industrial look without losing its modernist values. Technical elements such as solar cells are considered as modernist ornaments especially in a repetitive form. This strengthens the impact of high-end architecture in terms of functionalism and aesthetics just like how Banham argued. In conclusion, it seems fair to say that Banham's claims in his article have been incorporated in architecture over the years and seems to be in consideration even today.