With the various styles of architecture that has come up over the years, the confusion between the terms modern and contemporary have prevailed. Most of the times, one doesn't know when and where to use the correct term. They are often used interchangeably. So do they mean the same? Absolutely not. Although these terms often overlap one another in the expression of their characteristics, the two are very different genres of design. 

Modern architecture manifested the concept of "Less is More”. It rejected the traditional concepts of neoclassic designs and focussed more on functionality. Open floor plans, clean facades are symbolic of the modernistic approach. Whereas modern architecture is simplistic, contemporary architecture is parametric. With more and more complexity in design, the aid of computers has taken designing to another level. The interesting shapes, difficult angles and composite facades that we see today are all contemporaries. It also uses sustainable and natural approaches to cater to human comfort