The most common building style worldwide, standard modernism has evolved from utilitarian forms introduced in the 19th century. Modernist buildings are generally simple in design and lack any applied ornament. Their architecture is basically a modification of the International Style but is less spare in its geometry.

After about 1960 modernism began to play more freely with shapes and structures, producing a wider variety of designs including cylindrical buildings, sloping roofs, and unusual shapes. This trend runs parallel to Postmodernism, which rebelled against the strictness of modernism by reviving historical tropes; but during this period the aesthetic and economic advantages of simplicity kept modernism alive in all parts of the world.

Approximate Dates: 1940 to the present