Mid-Century Modern vs Modernism

ミッドセンチュリー・モダン / モダニズム

Mid-Century Modern comes from Retro and Modernism from Functionalism. Both are read here as style. They are reached for with some of the same intent, which is where they get confused.

Mid-Century Modern

Mid-Century Modern — Charles and Ray Eames《Lounge Chair》1956 — Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0Mid-Century Modern — Charles and Ray Eames《LCW》1945, ホノルル美術館 — Wikimedia Commons / CC0Mid-Century Modern — Case Study House #21（Pierre Koenig）— Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

Adds hand-felt curves and warmth to rational geometry.

Modernism

Modernism — Le Corbusier《サヴォア邸》1931 — Wikimedia Commons / CC0Modernism — Mies van der Rohe《バルセロナ・チェア》とバルセロナ・パヴィリオン — Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0Modernism — Mies van der Rohe《シーグラム・ビル》1958 — Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Replaces ornament with reasoned form and aims at universality.

Mid-Century ModernModernism
Era1940s–1960s1920s–1970s
FamilyRetroFunctionalism
KindStyleStyle
CuesOrganic shapes / Calm warm colors / Succinct illustration / Diagonal movementSimplification / Clear hierarchy / Function first / Universal forms
Best used forBalancing friendliness with intelligence · Building contexts of living, furniture and cultureBuilding a brand foundation that lasts · A vessel that never gets in the content's way
TypeA rounded sans-serifA sans-serif with few quirks
CompositionAsymmetric yet stable balanceLogical hierarchy and generous white space
MaterialMustard, teal, textures of wood and paperBlack and white with a single accent color
CautionDon't pile up retro props. Fit the forms to today's information structure.Blandness is not universality. Hold clear intent in every ratio and interval.

Put these two together

Retro ／ Functionalism

IndexStyle