Zeitgeist
The term ‘zeitgeist’ is German for ‘spirit of the age’ and refers to the general moral, intellectual, and cultural climate of a particular period in time.
Architecture is influenced by and reflects the zeitgeist, in that architectural movements and individuals have tried, predominantly during the 20th century, to create building designs that are representative of changing societies.
A prominent movement of this kind was Futurism, which developed in Italy after the First World War, when the Fascist Party led by Mussolini came to power. Futurism was predominantly artistic but also overlapped with architectural theories.
Antonio Sant’Elia was the driving force behind Futurist architectural theory. His vision embraced the post-war machine age, centred around ‘the world of work, factories and machines.’ In 1914, at a show for the Nuove Tendenze group, Sant’Elia made the definitive statement of Futurist architecture through a series of studies called ‘Citta Nuova’ and a published text distributed as the ‘Manifesto of Futurist Architecture’ later that year.
The Futurist manifesto, as conceived Sant’Elia, was to reject historicism as a constraining force on architects that held them back from finding a language that was expressive of their age. Futurists saw the pace of change becoming faster, as new technologies made possible architecture that would facilitate new and more modern ways of living.
Architects were inspired by modern innovations such as automobiles and ocean liners, and tried to incorporate features into their building designs, in what would become known as Art Deco.
Other periods of ‘zeitgeist’ that can be seen reflected in architecture include Brutalism, with its austere functionalism and social utopianism that developed in the post-Second World War period when national economies were in a state of turmoil and people began to live in urbanised areas in ever greater numbers.
Other examples include the high tech architecture of Richard Rogers, and the modernist towers of Mies van der Rohe, both of which were representative of their respective zeitgeists; a move towards computerisation and financialisation on the part of high tech, and the burgeoning urbanism on the part of modernism.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Architectural styles.
- Concept architectural design.
- Design.
- Design methodology.
- Form follows function.
- Genius loci.
- Modernist architecture.
- Monument and context.
- Phenomenology.
- Place.
- Placemaking.
- The architectural profession.
- Urban design.
[edit] External resources
- University of Chicago - ‘A Dictionary of Modern Architecture’
Featured articles and news
C20 Society; Buildings at Risk List 2025
10 more buildings published with updates on the past decade of buildings featured.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme and certifications consultation
Summary of government consultation, closing 11 June 2025.
Deputy editor of AT, Tim Fraser, discusses the newly formed society with its current chair, Chris Halligan MCIAT.
Barratt Lo-E passivhaus standard homes planned enmasse
With an initial 728 Lo-E homes across two sites and many more planned for the future.
Government urged to uphold Warm Homes commitment
ECA and industry bodies write to Government concerning its 13.2 billion Warm Homes manifesto commitment.
From project managers to rising stars, sustainability pioneers and more.
Places of Worship in Britain and Ireland, 1929-1990. Book review.
The emancipation of women in art.
Call for independent National Grenfell oversight mechanism
MHCLG share findings of Building Safety Inquiry in letter to Secretary of State and Minister for Building Safety.
The Architectural Technology Awards
AT Awards now open for this the sixth decade of CIAT.
50th Golden anniversary ECA Edmundson awards
Deadline for submissions Friday 30 May 2025.
The benefits of precast, off-site foundation systems
Top ten benefits of this notable innovation.
Encouraging individuals to take action saving water at home, work, and in their communities.
Takes a community to support mental health and wellbeing
The why of becoming a Mental Health Instructor explained.
Mental health awareness week 13-18 May
The theme is communities, they can provide a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and a sense purpose.
Mental health support on the rise but workers still struggling
CIOB Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025 shows.
Design and construction material libraries
Material, sample, product or detail libraries a key component of any architectural design practice.