In the world of architecture, modern post architecture shows on something of process or activity and can be classified as post-modern style symbols.

The appearance of modern post can not be separated from the previously applicable aspects of modern architecture. Modern architecture which has been running for over half a century began reaching saturation point. Concepts that are too logical and rational as well as the lack of attention to social values​​, environment and emotions that exist in society will have a variety of criticisms and responses means that modern architecture is more likely to pay attention to how humans should live and the lack of attention to actual human life (nature unilateral). His works were very stiff, boring and has no identity, because it has the same style on almost all types of buildings in various places.

A group then determined a new architect to establish a basic philosophy and the new wider format for design. In his quest for a new architectural vocabulary, then the architects of this new turn to the sources of diverse nature formerly avoided, as Rennisance-Italian, baroque-German, Las Vegas and others.

Post Modern is characterized by the reemergence of classical forms, traditional building process (the vernacular) and improve its function. The characteristics of the modern post include:
· Aspects of unification with the environment and history, is also adjusting to the situation around
· The elements included not only the function itself but also as an ornamental element
· The use of geometric elements, seen as a simple form that is not functional, but highlighted as enhancer elements in the composition or harmony of decor.
· The color tends bright and erotic, which is dominated not by color but by the color base mix is heavily influenced pastel, yellow, red and blue violet.
· Relying on a hybrid composition that justifies people to take the elements that exist to be modified as a rich college.

Modern architecture in Indonesia doesn`t have its develpoment in the country. As other architectural style that is imported from the western countries, This style coming to Indonesia because of influence of globalization the modern architecture style developed as an international style that has similar appearance and concept in all coutries. At least modern style keep having a similarity that function as the beginning of design. In Indonesia, modern style is considered as a style wheere functionality is also the beginning of design

In the modern lifestyle, the society seems to like things that are easier and quicker because of many tools are made industrially. The basic character of modern lifestyle is a demand to move faster, and do everything faster, that is supported by technology and industrialization.

Technology is developed to make work and daily life easier like the development of information technology that enable people to communicate using devices like telephones and computers.

Quality and speed have become important factors in modern lifestyle. There is an intention to see the value of devices based on the function value or how many function that a device has, and based on its support to modern lifestyle that demand easier and fuctional devices.

In architecture, the modern lifestyle has its impact to the will to own simple building, clean, and functional as a symbol of modern spirit. But this kind of lifestyle {in Indonesia} can only be owned only by high class, especially they who live in big cities, where life demands faster lifestyle, functional and efficient.

In Indonesia, modern lifestyle that is implemented sometimes still has aesthetic ornaments that is brought from classic or ethnic style, while other parts of the building is designed in pure modern design. It is often for us to hear `modern classical architecture`, `ethnic modern architecture`, `modern traditional architecture`, `modern Balinese architecture`, etc. In Indonesia, it seeems to be obvious that ornaments is still implemented in modern design, but this will make this kind of architecture to be `blurr`, whether it is modern or postmodern?

To call this modern architecture style that has ornaments as pure modern style, is not appropriate, beside the process of development of this kind is not happening in Indonesia. To call this as postmodern style, nonetheless, in Indonesia this term is often avoided to anticipate a misunderstanding in society. So this `modern` architecture style in Indonesia will appear as `Indonesian modern architecture style` with characters as follows:

It pays big attention to function, based on the activity pattern of the dweller or user
It has a big attention to building materials that are used to bring the desired aesthetic
It has the analogy of machine in the arrangement and development of space
It avoid ornaments {if it is modern style}, or use ornaments {if postmodern}, or being called `modern ethnic architecture`, `modern Balinese architecture`, etc.
It simple shape and ornamentation or vanishing `unnecesssary`d details as far as desired by the designer or the owner of the building

The glass and metal appeal of modern homes and commercial buildings came into popularity in the years following World War II. Originally, modern architecture was more a social movement rooted in political rhetoric; form and function were more statement than artistry. Amid the ruins of war torn Europe in the 1920s and 1930s, there came into being the Bauhaus, a school for artist that included architectural pursuits. The “school motto” was Start from Zero.

Such notables as Mies Van der Rohe and Walter Gropius came to represent the modern architectural movement. The politics behind the movement were a complex weave of anti-war sentiments, socialism and machine age glorification.

These sentiments were embodied in basic materials such as concrete and stone, glass and metal. The function of space was to function as space, providing only that which man needed. The styling of traditional architecture, from gabled roofs to corbels to stained glass windows were eschewed. Windows were designed to allow in light and heat. Roofs were designed to protect the inhabitants from the elements. Any ornamentation was superfluous. Basic spaces to meet basic needs.

After World War II, the basic rectangular form that functioned as modern architecture became more appealing to the populations of the now super industrialized West. All things modern were considered desirable, and modern architecture as seen today came into its own.

Though still lean in design, current forms of modern architecture have become more stylized, particularly in residential design. Roofs with one-sided slopes to encourage passive heat flow, rectangular structures with interior curved walls to encourage air distribution throughout, and honest materials of reclaimed wood, concrete and stone all find their way into modern architecture.

The form of the structure itself becomes the ornamentation of the style. Though originally boxy and cubicle in nature, modern design now follows the land’s contours while still retaining basic geometric structure. The results are decidedly non-traditional, yet are decidedly different from the intentions of the founders of Bauhaus.

The idea behind their rally cry of Start from Zero was one of a deconstructionist ideal. The founders wanted to take apart all that had come before and reconstruct architecture, and indeed societies, to suit a leaner, more streamlined way of living.

The simplification of living spaces by eliminating ornamentation and making no effort to hide the origins of materials and craftsmanship was, and remains, the primary characteristic of modern architecture. But that modern architecture has become a stylish and exclusive design for those who can afford such homes would surely disturb the socialist thinking of Walter Gropius and the followers of Bauhaus design.

Canal rings houses
The old centre was formed by rings of canals with unique mostly 17th century residences of wealthy merchants, financiers, craftsmen, doctors, lawyers, politicians and artists. Because of lack of space, these houses were mostly narrow, not more than 30ft wide (9 meters). They are are characterized by big narrow windows, decorative gable tops, very narrow stairs inside and pulley outside to transport larger objects to upper floors. Very often the residences served also as businesses. Merchant’s houses had their storage in attics and cellars. Sometimes the lift was installed in the middle of the house plan, to transport the goods between floors. The office of the merchant was usually on the ground floor. Like in Venice the canals were the main way of transporting the goods.

Classicism
At the end of the 18th century classicism produced in Amsterdam several monumental buildings, with probably the most interesting called Felix Meritis by Jacob Otten.

Historicism and Art Deco
The development of Amsterdam into the modern city at the end of the 19th century resulted in construction of the several landmark city buildings as Central Station, Central Post Office (today rebuilt into a shopping mall Magna Plaza), Rijksmuseum (State Museum), Stedelijk Museum (Municipal Museum), Stadsschouwburg (City Theater), Concertgebouw (City Philharmonic)and St. Nicolaaskerk. The foremost architect of this was P.J.H.Cuypers. Architecture of these building was searching for the historical inspiration, using elements of gothic and renaissance.
Art Deco popular at the turn of the 19th century in the whole Europe, left several interesting buildings in Amsterdam with the American Hotel as its foremost example with wonderful interior of the café and lunch room.

Hendrik Petrus Berlage
At the beginning of the 20th century an important milestone has been a vast plan of the expansion of Amsterdam into the dimension of the European metropolis, called Plan Zuid (Plan South – 1915) by an architect H.P.Berlage, often regarded as the Father of the Modern Dutch architecture.
Located just near the Dam square the Stock Exchange building (1903, now called Beurs van Berlage and used as exhibition and concert hall) also by the architect Berlage precedes the Amsterdam School style and is often regarded as influential to the whole Dutch architecture of the first half of the 20th.

The Amsterdam School style
At the beginning of the 20th century, the new housing law in the Netherlands started the boom of the low cost housing for the working class. Most of these quarters were built in a new distinctive style called the Amsterdam School (Dutch: Amsterdamse School). It was first applied by Michel de Kerk is a housing block called Het Schip (The Ship) – today regarded as a monument, with the museum of this architecture style in a former post office.

Functionalism (1920-1970) and after
As in many other European countries Dutch architecture after 1920 has been influenced by the ideas of the French architect Le Corbusier. New technologies – use of concrete, prefabrication, standardization as well as strongly emphasized function of the building are characteristic for architecture of this movement. The most imprtant architects were Gerrit Rietveld, Jacobus Oud, Johannes Duiker, Cornelis van Eesteren, Michiel Brinkman and Leendert van der Vlugt. The finest examples of functionalism were, still influenced by the Amsterdam School style housing district Betondorp (1921-1928) and Van Gogh Museum, by Gerrit Rietveld (1963-1973).
Later years (before 1990) brought several different streams in Dutch architecture. The most interesting architects of the 1960-1990 in Amsterdam were Aldo van Eyck, Herman Hertzberger. Still, it may seem that functionalism has been heavily influencing new projects.

The exact characteristics and origins of Modern architecture are still open to interpretation and debate.

Some historians see the evolution of Modern architecture as a social matter, closely tied to the project of Modernity and hence to the Enlightenment, a result of social and political revolutions.

Others see Modern architecture as primarily driven by technological and engineering developments, and it is true that the availability of new building materials such as iron, steel, concrete and glass drove the invention of new building techniques as part of the Industrial Revolution. In 1796, Shrewsbury mill owner Charles Bage first used his ‘fireproof’ design, which relied on cast iron and brick with flag stone floors. Such construction greatly strengthened the structure of mills, which enabled them to accommodate much bigger machines. Due to poor knowledge of iron’s properties as a construction material, a number of early mills collapsed. It was not until the early 1830s that Eaton Hodgkinson introduced the section beam, leading to widespread use of iron construction, this kind of austere industrial architecture utterly transformed the landscape of northern Britain, leading to the description, “Dark satanic mills” of places like Manchester and parts of West Yorkshire. The Crystal Palace by Joseph Paxton at the Great Exhibition of 1851 was an early example of iron and glass construction; possibly the best example is the development of the tall steel skyscraper in Chicago around 1890 by William Le Baron Jenney and Louis Sullivan. Early structures to employ concrete as the chief means of architectural expression (rather than for purely utilitarian structure) include Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unity Temple, built in 1906 near Chicago, and Rudolf Steiner’s Second Goetheanum, built from 1926 near Basel, Switzerland.

Other historians regard Modernism as a matter of taste, a reaction against eclecticism and the lavish stylistic excesses of Victorian Era and Edwardian Art Nouveau.
Whatever the cause, around 1900 a number of architects around the world began developing new architectural solutions to integrate traditional precedents (Gothic, for instance) with new technological possibilities. The work of Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright in Chicago, Victor Horta in Brussels, Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona, Otto Wagner in Vienna and Charles Rennie Mackintosh in Glasgow, among many others, can be seen as a common struggle between old and new.

Modernism as dominant style
By the 1920s the most important figures in Modern architecture had established their reputations. The big three are commonly recognized as Le Corbusier in France, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius in Germany. Mies van der Rohe and Gropius were both directors of the Bauhaus, one of a number of European schools and associations concerned with reconciling craft tradition and industrial technology.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s career parallels and influences the work of the European modernists, particularly via the Wasmuth Portfolio, but he refused to be categorized with them. Wright was a major influence on both Gropius and van der Rohe, however, as well as on the whole of organic architecture.

In 1932 came the important MOMA exhibition, the International Exhibition of Modern Architecture, curated by Philip Johnson. Johnson and collaborator Henry-Russell Hitchcock drew together many distinct threads and trends, identified them as stylistically similar and having a common purpose, and consolidated them into the International Style.
This was an important turning point. With World War II the important figures of the Bauhaus fled to the United States, to Chicago, to the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and to Black Mountain College. While Modern architectural design never became a dominant style in single-dwelling residential buildings, in institutional and commercial architecture Modernism became the pre-eminent, and in the schools (for leaders of the profession) the only acceptable, design solution from about 1932 to about 1984.

Architects who worked in the international style wanted to break with architectural tradition and design simple, unornamented buildings. The most commonly used materials are glass for the facade, steel for exterior support, and concrete for the floors and interior supports; floor plans were functional and logical. The style became most evident in the design of skyscrapers. Perhaps its most famous manifestations include the United Nations headquarters (Le Corbusier, Oscar Niemeyer, Sir Howard Robertson), the Seagram Building (Ludwig Mies van der Rohe), and Lever House (Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill), all in New York. A prominent residential example is the Lovell House (Richard Neutra) in Los Angeles.

Detractors of the international style claim that its stark, uncompromisingly rectangular geometry is dehumanising. Le Corbusier once described buildings as “machines for living”, but people are not machines and it was suggested that they do not want to live in machines. Even Philip Johnson admitted he was “bored with the box.” Since the early 1980s many architects have deliberately sought to move away from rectilinear designs, towards more eclectic styles. During the middle of the century, some architects began experimenting in organic forms that they felt were more human and accessible. Mid-century modernism, or organic modernism, was very popular, due to its democratic and playful nature. Alvar Aalto and Eero Saarinen were two of the most prolific architects and designers in this movement, which has influenced contemporary modernism.

Although there is debate as to when and why the decline of the modern movement occurred, criticism of Modern architecture began in the 1960s on the grounds that it was universal, sterile, elitist and lacked meaning. Its approach had become ossified in a “style” that threatened to degenerate into a set of mannerisms. Siegfried Giedion in the 1961 introduction to his evolving text, Space, Time and Architecture (first written in 1941), could begin “At the moment a certain confusion exists in contemporary architecture, as in painting; a kind of pause, even a kind of exhaustion.” At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a 1961 symposium discussed the question “Modern Architecture: Death or Metamorphosis?” In New York, the coup d’état appeared to materialize in controversy around the Pan Am Building that loomed over Grand Central Station, taking advantage of the modernist real estate concept of “air rights”, In criticism by Ada Louise Huxtable and Douglas Haskell it was seen to “sever” the Park Avenue streetscape and “tarnish” the reputations of its consortium of architects: Walter Gropius, Pietro Belluschi and the builders Emery Roth & Sons. The rise of postmodernism was attributed to disenchantment with Modern architecture. By the 1980s, postmodern architecture appeared triumphant over modernism, including the temple of the Light of the World, a futuristic design for its time Guadalajara Jalisco La Luz del Mundo Sede International; however, postmodern aesthetics lacked traction and by the mid-1990s, a neo-modern (or hypermodern) architecture had once again established international pre-eminence. As part of this revival, much of the criticism of the modernists has been revisited, refuted, and re-evaluated; and a modernistic idiom once again dominates in institutional and commercial contemporary practice, but must now compete with the revival of traditional architectural design in commercial and institutional architecture; residential design continues to be dominated by a traditional aesthetic.

Characteristics
Modern architecture is usually characterized by:
• a rejection of historical styles as a source of architectural form (historicism)
• an adoption of the principle that the materials and functional requirements determine the result
• an adoption of the machine aesthetic
• a rejection of ornament
• a simplification of form and elimination of “unnecessary detail”
• an adoption of expressed structure
• Form follows function