This section will look at the history of modernism and modernist theory and will explore how gender affected the story of modernism. The modernist movement can be seen to lie in the emergence during 1900 - 1914. The late 19th century saw Neo Gothic and Neo Baroque begin to lose their definition degenerating into an elaboration, which demonstrated little capacity for achieving architectural expression. .
At the turn of the century Art started to analyse its own forms especially in architecture in response to the collapse of cultural, spiritual and moral order and the increase of science and technology and modernism. Architectures set out to endow architecture with a controlling power so it could create its own destiny as well as its inhabitants. Sparke,P (1995). Architectural modernism according to Sparke,P (1995) .
"Set out to control not only the material chaos and fragmentation that resulted from the process of modernisation but also the alienation of the modern man (women were rarely discussed in this context" .
One could suggest evidence for the movement's essential masculine perspective being the repeated emphasis upon rationalisation, standardisation, objectivity and functionality, which ran through modernist propaganda. Modernist architecture presupposed a standardised society with standardised needs, an example of this theory is found in le Corbusier theory of the functional needs of a dwelling.
"A shelter against the heat, cold, rain a certain number of cells one to wash yourself in and one to sleep" Sparke,P (1995).
Le Corbusier could be said to be reasonable for the decline in the decorative arts according to some women and his open condemnation of female amateurism and praise of male professionalism revealed his ideas of two gendered systems of atheistic, with the masculine being seen as superior to the feminine. However Le Corbusier cannot be solely responable for the masculinisation of architecture and design even thou one could say he articulated the principles of modernism Sparke,P (1995).
