American buildings to Americans in 1910

[Onieros]

A true sense of this topic can be obtained by reading contemporary accounts of buildings built during the first decade of the 20th century. There are various angles to this research topic, notwithstanding the "How the Other Half Lives" approach to addressing urban growth that was popular in the 1890s; a viewpoint which retained significant influence in the the early 20thC.

The emergent Art Nouveau movement which really came into its own in the 1910s created a more monumentalist type of commercial architecture. This trends is reminiscent of how Gothic was an 'extension' of Romanesque cathedral architecture in the 12thC. The buildings built during this time (ie, Grand Central Station) most have evoked a certain sense of zeitgeist and wonder because of their grandeur and utility.

The press often portrayed buildings built in the 1900s-10s as a departure point from the 'old' into the 'modern'. The codex that seemed to dominate much of the 'epochal' buildings from that period is a deliberate attempt to project a sense of 'enlightenment' and sophistication.

One must also remember that, while the US was on the verge of becoming a preeminent 'power' on the global scale, many other countries were also experiencing rapid growth and an accompanying idealism (WWI notwithstanding). That idealism can be seen in many buildings of the era, particularly the explosion of industrial complexes, libraries and learning centers that arose in Europe during that decade.

All in all, I would submit that...rather than appearing gaudy in the Baroque sense to those citizens a century ago...the new buildings and architectural trends appeared forward-looking and cutting edge, evoking a sense of wonder, pride and sublimity. Of course, this 'newness; would become a matter of major upset to art conservatives, and the 1920s quickly became a battleground for such aesthetic conflicts.