Why Modern Buildings Look So Plain

The sleek, glass-filled skyscrapers we see today were defined by a movement that banned all decoration. By prioritizing pure utility over beauty, architects stripped buildings of character to favor rigid, minimalist shapes.

Emerging in the 1920s, the International Style sought to create a universal look that could work anywhere on the planet. Architects abandoned traditional carvings and moldings, believing that a building's structure should be its only ornament. This led to the widespread use of steel, concrete, and large glass windows. While it defined modern city skylines for decades, critics often argue that this approach turned our urban environments into cold, repetitive spaces.