A design philosophy that emerged in [[Europe]] in the early 20th century, championing "form follows function," clean lines, and the honest use of industrial materials like steel, glass, and concrete. Key institutions and figures include the [[Bauhaus]] ([[Walter Gropius]], [[Ludwig Mies van der Rohe]]—whose [[Barcelona Pavilion - Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1929)|Barcelona Pavilion]] is an icon of modernist architecture), [[De Stijl]], and [[Le Corbusier]]. It rejected the ornamental excess of [[Art Nouveau]] and historicist decoration, seeking a universal, democratic design language suited to the modern industrial age.