Terminological Issues in Defining Modernist Architecture of the Early 21st Century
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The wave of modernist architectural design, which became dominant in Ukraine since the 2010s, remains an understudied phenomenon, lacking a sufficient theoretical foundation for its positioning within the complex landscape of contemporary design trends. Although this type of architecture has been the subject of numerous studies, their results often present contradictory perspectives, complicating the structuring of this phenomenon within architectural theory. This specificity is also characteristic of the terminology, which is marked by significant diversity and variability in interpretations. The article provides a list of key terms used to define the wave of modernist architecture at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, offering an analytical characterization and evaluation of their correspondence to the nature of the phenomenon they describe. As a result, several fundamental approaches to addressing the issue of terminological diversity are outlined, and the most appropriate definitions with universal applicability are identified. The proposed approach is based on the recognition of two main methods of generalization: a) attempts to find a meta-term capable of encompassing all existing concepts, thereby resolving the issue of terminological dispersion; b) efforts to construct a clear chain of sequential phenomena interconnected by dialectical cause-and-effect relationships. The article also focuses on such concepts as neomodernism, hypermodernism, and altermodernism, whose defining characteristics most fully correspond to effective paths of terminological generalization. Furthermore, the discussed theoretical issues are linked to narrower directions, including the wave of new modernism in various Ukrainian cities, such as Dnipro, Lviv, and Kyiv. A scientifically motivated qualification of terminology opens the possibility for a clearer definition of criteria for evaluating the value of these structures and design solutions, with the potential for their future recognition as heritage objects and authentic testimonies of generational uniqueness.
Author: T.V. Andrushko
Language: English
Subfield: Architecture
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4409107304