Prose
Plays
Recognition
About
Contact

colophon

The body typeface is set in Minion Pro, designed in 1990 by Robert slimbach.

Minion is A modern font inspired by late Renissance-era type, it has a simplified structure and moderate proportions.

This site is edited by Linda Stewart-Oaten.

All text is copyright 1995-2017.
 

Linda Stewart-Oaten Select Work

Feb 16
Feb 16 Monolithic Modernity

Linda Stewart-Oaten
Modernism

From low-income housing to luxury condominiums, the high rise building has been a consistent staple in modern architecture.

Feb 9
Feb 9 Rough Highways & Revolving Towers

Linda Stewart-Oaten
Neomodernism

The road to neomodernism was rife with rebellion and regard, but ultimately, it represents our globalized world.

Feb 2
Feb 2 The Introduction of Organic Shape

Linda Stewart-Oaten
Sustainable, Neofuturism

Technology has allowed us to create habitats instead of buildings. Now, it is about expressing ethics and emotion.

Jan 26
Jan 26 Only an Obtuse Facade

Linda Stewart-Oaten
Modernism

Modernism was about glorifying the straight line, but only the greats could use them to play with our perception.

Jan 19
Jan 19 Visions of the Future from Our Past

Linda Stewart-Oaten
Futurism

The industrial revolution allowed architects to move away from history and religion and more towards the future.

Jan 12
Jan 12 Ritual Reprise

Linda Stewart-Oaten
Postmodernism

As with any new movement, Postmodernism took a step backwards so that it could properly question its predecessor.

Jan 5
Jan 5 Uncover the Weimar

Linda Stewart-Oaten
New Objectivity

Prior to the second world war, germany had adopted almost puritan ideals about functionality and moderation.

Dec 29
Dec 29 On Preservation vs. Evolution

Linda Stewart-Oaten
Neofuturism, Sustainable

By balancing organic shape with clean design, today’s architecture proves that innovation can be both aspirational and sustainable.

Dec 22
Dec 22 The Case for Useful, Uniform Lines

Linda Stewart-Oaten
Neomodernism

What postmodernism paused, neomodernism continued. With greater humility, it has moved us into the age of productivity.

Dec 15
Dec 15 The Formula for Wonder

Linda Stewart-Oaten
Postmodernism

While it was not Postmodernism’s goal to create emoting structures, I can’t help but feel awestruck by their valiant experimentation.

Dec 8
Dec 8 From Modernism to Tomorrow

Linda Stewart-Oaten
Neofuturism

Modernism was borne from industry. Neofuturism is a child of technology. Forms once impossible are now our reality.

Dec 1
Dec 1 Engineering the Skyscape

Linda Stewart-Oaten
Neomodernism

Steel, concrete, and glass, all stretching toward the heavens. Neomodernism was about evoking power and order, none of which would be possible without engineers.

Nov 24
Nov 24 The Return of The Rainbow

Linda Stewart-Oaten
Sustainable

Though color is not often considered by contemporary architects, the emergence of recycled materials heralds its return.

Nov 17
Nov 17 The 99th Year

Linda Stewart-Oaten
Futurism

It’s been ninety-nine years since the decline of futurism, but those long, aggressive lines still find themselves in today’s buildings, some of which evoke an other-worldly presence.

Nov 10
Nov 10 A More Holistic Approach to Landscape

Linda Stewart-Oaten
Postmodernism

Modernists were criticized for not considering the pre-existing skyline. Whether we’ve learned from those mistakes is questionable.

Nov 3
Nov 3 The Estate: Behind The Semantics of Wealth and Class

Linda Stewart-Oaten
New Objectivity

Words change meaning over time, but a building’s design will always hold true to its intent and representation.

Oct 27
Oct 27 Unapologetic Art, V. III

Linda Stewart-Oaten
Futurism, Sustainable

When you look at any building, you automatically know what function it serves and who it’s meant for. Architecture needs no explanation.

Oct 20
Oct 20 Australian Functionality

Linda Stewart-Oaten
New Objectivity

Some residential buildings in Sydney were modeled after those of the Weimar Republic. Timeless, they serve a larger public.

Oct 13
Oct 13 Nature's Curve

Linda Stewart-Oaten
Neofuturism

Sharp futurist lines had a huge impact on society and the shapes of buildings today.

Oct 6
Oct 6 Living Inside Sculpture

Linda Stewart-Oaten
Postmodernism, Futurism

Like art, architecture is subjective. It’s no wonder commercial buildings have more Futurist elements while residential ones are often embellished.

 

Based in Santa Barbara, California, Linda writes short fiction and nonfiction. She is currently at work on a sprawling, tragi-comic road trip novel. A member of the Wiyot Tribe, she lives with her Aussie husband and a Cairn terrier who flunked out of obedience school.


 
Prose
Plays
Recognition
About
Contact