The Problem With an "International Style"
- up2198805
- Mar 18
- 5 min read
Updated: 9 hours ago
In the book “The International Style”, Hitchcock asserts the existence of a “single new style… which exists throughout the world” (Hitchcock, 1932), and use the book to catalogue what they consider to be the essential principles of the emerging new International Style of architecture sweeping across Europe and America. The principles themselves are fairly broad - “volume of internal space, flexibility and regularity, and the expulsion of applied ornamentation” (Hitchcock, 1932) - and speak to abstract ideals that can be incorporated in many ways, rather than a strict checklist of elements that always create an identical outcome. However, despite this, I still feel that it is restrictive to champion adherence to a single style or claim that one style is superior worldwide. I feel that this hierarchical ranking of different styles worldwide is not only frequently Eurocentric/Western focused, but also misses the importance of creating architecture that is firmly rooted in, and responsive to, its environment. I feel that the best way of designing a building is to learn from vernacular architecture - architecture that is indigenous or local to a particular area and constructed using techniques unique to the region. In evidence of this, I want to explore two buildings that are completely different, yet perfectly suited to their environments, to demonstrate how adherence to a single general style can often hinder more than it helps.
The first building I want to explore is the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Centre in Liberia, designed by Atelier Masōmī (Fakharany, 2023). The building is deeply connected to its environment and takes inspiration from local palava huts which were important locations for peacebuilding in communities (Pallapothu, 2025). This inspiration can best be seen in the extremely pitched roofs used to ensure that the frequent and heavy rainfall the region experiences runs straight off, instead of collecting on the roof. Additionally, skylights and windows allow natural light to flood in at every opportunity in order to combat electricity problems, natural ventilation is used in place of AC, and solar panels help to generate electricity for the buildings, reducing energy use (Fakharany, 2023). Each of these considerations shows how clearly the architects at Atelier Masomi thought about the challenges and opportunities provided by the surrounding environment. They chose to work with it, instead of designing a building separate from the location and then filling it with AC units and other methods of dealing with rain in order to force it to operate acceptably.
On top of these design considerations, the materials pitched for construction include local resources such as rubber wood, woven palm leaves, and raw earth bricks (Fakharany, 2023) - these were chosen in order to provide work to local builders and lessen the environmental impact of the building by reducing the distance materials need to travel. This building is very clearly influenced by Mariam Issoufou Kamara’s design philosophy which involves learning about “who is [in a project site] and what they know how to do”, “understanding the practices that are currently thriving” (Wainwright, 2024), and using these to inform the final design. Additionally, the incorporation of raw earth bricks is a key component of Kamara’s other designs, as they are well suited to desert climates as they store heat in the day and keep interior cool, before releasing the heat in the night to warm the interiors again. However, despite how suitable earth bricks are for the region, Kamara often struggles to convince clients of their utility, as the prevailing attitude is that mud/earth constructed buildings are archaic and not as sophisticated as other methods of building. She claims that she has to “show them examples of earth architecture in Europe” (Wainwright, 2024) before they agree, once again pointing to the Eurocentric standards that still govern a lot of the design world, frequently to the detriment of the design and the outcome. In short, The ELJS Centre is incredibly well-suited to its environment, and if the building had been designed in accordance with a prevailing international style or standard it may have found itself lacking the necessary elements to work well in its surroundings.
Another example of vernacular architecture that is well-suited to its environment is the Varden warming hut, built by SPINN Arkitekter in order to accommodate hikers visiting the mountain of Storfjellet in Norway (Ott, 2019). The organic cross-laminated timber structure is designed to mimic a rock-like shape, and its curved design helps it to withstand harsh wind conditions and arctic storms. The building’s shape also ensures that the entrance will always be free of snow, as the door is set slightly into the curve of the wall (Ott, 2019). The designs take some inspiration from log houses that have been constructed across Northern Europe for about 1000 years, which were designed to withstand harsh temperatures by using piled up logs to insulate the interiors (Savolainen, 2024). Additionally, the natural thickness of the logs frequently ensures that the cabins meet “modern energy performance requirements” (Savolainen, 2024), perfectly encapsulating how well-designed vernacular architecture can meet the needs of its inhabitants during harsh conditions without any unnecessary or energy-intensive additions.
As the effects of climate change become more and more apparent, and the extremes of weather mean that countries are plunged into sweltering heat or biting cold, it is more important than ever to be inspired by designs that are incredibly in tune with their environments. Both the EJS Centre and the Varden hut take inspiration from vernacular architecture that was designed to withstand the harsh conditions of the surrounding environment, and for these reasons they are able to create well-designed and habitable environments in difficult conditions and avoid energy-intensive additions like ACs or heating units. These incredibly opposing buildings are united by a deep understanding of their surroundings, demonstrating the importance of building architecture informed by its site, and proving that the most important thing about architecture is not blindly following a particular architectural style for its own sake.
This post's thumbnail was inspired by The JB Conspiracy's "Propagation House" (2024) album cover, as the EP's final song, "Newspaper Window", laments the ubiquity of mass-production and automation in modern society, much like this blog post laments the idea of a mass-produced and ubiquitous style of architecture that leaves no room for unique approaches to its surroundings.
Sources:
Fakharany, N. (2023, April 20). Atelier Masōmī Designs the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development in Liberia. ArchDaily. https://www.archdaily.com/999753/atelier-masomi-designs-the-ellen-johnson-sirleaf-presidential-center-for-women-and-development-in-liberia
Hitchcock, H-R. (1932). The International Style. W. W. Norton & Company.
Ott, C. (2019, January 23). Hammerfest Hiking Cabins / SPINN Arkitekter. ArchDaily. https://www.archdaily.com/909952/hammerfest-hiking-cabins-spinn-arkitekter
Pallapothu, V. (2025). Subversion Diaries: The Palava Peace Huts. Gender Security Project. https://www.gendersecurityproject.com/subversion-diaries/the-palava-peace-huts
Savolainen, P. (2024, July). Lessons From the Arctic Vernacular. E-Flux Architecture. https://www.e-flux.com/architecture/after-comfort/618625/lessons-from-the-arctic-vernacular/
Wainwright, O. (2024, September 2). ‘There’s a lot to be built still’: the architect Mariam Issoufou on excavating the past to build Africa’s future. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/article/2024/sep/02/nigerien-architect-african-mariam-issoufou
Figures:
Figure 1 - Kroll, A. (2010, October 27). Architecture Classics: Villa Savoye / Le Corbusier. ArchDaily. https://www.archdaily.com/84524/ad-classics-villa-savoye-le-corbusier
Figure 2 - Fakharany, N. (2023, April 20). Atelier Masōmī Designs the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development in Liberia. ArchDaily. https://www.archdaily.com/999753/atelier-masomi-designs-the-ellen-johnson-sirleaf-presidential-center-for-women-and-development-in-liberia
Figure 3 - Fakharany, N. (2023, April 20). Atelier Masōmī Designs the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development in Liberia. ArchDaily. https://www.archdaily.com/999753/atelier-masomi-designs-the-ellen-johnson-sirleaf-presidential-center-for-women-and-development-in-liberia
Figure 4 - Ott, C. (2019, January 23). Hammerfest Hiking Cabins / SPINN Arkitekter. ArchDaily. https://www.archdaily.com/909952/hammerfest-hiking-cabins-spinn-arkitekter
Figure 5 - The JB Conspiracy. (2024). Propagation House [Album]. Everything Sucks Music.
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