What is supermodernism?
Supermodernism is an architectural movement from the mid-1990s in which buildings are neutral, smooth and formally strict, without references to place, history or symbolism. The term was coined by Dutch architectural historian Hans Ibelings in his book Supermodernism: Architecture in the Age of Globalization (NAi Publishers, Rotterdam, 1998; enlarged edition 2002).
Ibelings placed supermodernism after modernism and postmodernism. Where postmodernism played with meaning and quotation, supermodernism is about the experience of the building itself: simple volumes, continuous skins of glass, metal or panel material, and few visible details. He linked this to anthropologist Marc Augé’s idea of “non-places”: airports, stations, motorways and shopping centres that people simply pass through. The movement suits a world of international travel and interchangeable buildings.
In the Netherlands the term is also used more loosely for striking, landmark commercial buildings from the same period, such as office towers and theatres. That meaning overlaps with Superdutch but differs from Ibelings’ definition.
In practice
- Recognise the features. Crisp boxes or one continuous form, a smooth skin with no visible structure, and little or no ornament.
- Mind the facade skin. Continuous glass and panel facades usually hang in front of the structure as curtain walling or a rainscreen. Repairs need matching, often project-specific parts; request detail drawings early.
- Think about comfort. Lots of glass means a risk of overheating and cold downdraughts. Solar shading and good climate control are essential in such buildings.
- Use the term carefully. Do you mean Ibelings’ neutral architecture or an eye-catching icon? Say which, to avoid confusion.
Common mistake: confusing supermodernism with high-tech. High-tech puts the technology on show; supermodernism hides it behind a smooth skin.
Related terms
- Superdutch
- Neomodernism
- High-tech architecture
- Postmodernism
- Deconstructivism
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