New Necessities: Modernist Aesthetic Discipline (original) (raw)

Architectural ornament historically represented power in society, with strict codes configured to reflect social status. Modernism emerged as a response to these conventions, focusing instead on utility and functional expression over social representation. Key figures such as Claude Bragdon exemplified the shift towards an approach that regulated architecture in line with liberal modernity's ideals, employing new strategies of ornamentation that reflected evolving social morals. This paper explores how modernist architecture redefined the relationship between societal power structures and aesthetic practices.