CIVILE-311

POSTMODERNISM
LECTURE’S
CONTENT
POSTMODERNISM

DECONSTRUCTIVISM

POSTMODERNISM IN CONTEXT OF
URBAN PLANNING.
POSTMODERNISM
POSTMODERNISM IS MODERNISM WITH THE OPTIMISM TAKEN

POSTMODERNISM
OUT.

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POSTMODERNISM
• Postmodern architecture is a style or
movement which emerged in the 1960s
as a reaction against the austerity,
formality, and lack of variety of modern
architecture, particularly in the
international style advocated by Philip
Johnson and Henry Russell Hitcock.

• Post modernity in architecture is said to

be heralded by the return of “WIT,
ORNAMENT AND REFERNCE” to

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architecture in response to the formalism
of the international style of modernism.

• Postmodern architecture has also been

described as “neo-eclectic”, where
reference and ornament have returned to
the façade, replacing the aggressively
unornamented modern styles.

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POSTMODERNISM
BRIEF:

• It started in response to the formalism of

international style.
• Functional and formalized shapes and
spaces of modernist styles replaced by
diverse aesthetics.
• Rejected the functional, minimal use of
materials and lack of embellishment

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adopted by modernist designers.
• Rediscovery of expressive and symbolic
value of architectural elements.
• This style is also known as the neo-
eclectical style of architecture.

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POSTMODERNISM
CHARACTERISTICS:

• The characteristics of post modernism

allow its aim to be expressed in diverse
ways. These characteristics include the
use of sculptural forms, ornaments,
anthropomorphism and materials.
• These physical characteristics are
combined with conceptual characteristics

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of meaning.

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DECONSTRUCTION
• One of the most well-known postmodernist
concerns is "deconstruction," a theory for
philosophy, literary criticism, and textual
analysis developed by Jacques Derrida.

• According to Derrida ,language is a system of

signs, and words only have meaning because

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of the contrast between these signs.

• Derrida's method frequently involves

recognizing and spelling out the different, yet
similar interpretations of the meaning of a
given text.

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DECONSTRUCTION
• Derrida's philosophy inspired a postmodern
movement called deconstructivism among
architects, characterized by the intentional
fragmentation, distortion, and dislocation of
architectural elements in designing a
building.

Famous Deconstructivism Architects:

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• Daniel Libeskind.

• Peter Eisenmann.

• Zaha Hadid.

• Frank Gehry.

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FA M O U S D E C O N S T R U C T I V I S M
ARCHITECTS

• Daniel Libeskind.

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FA M O U S D E C O N S T R U C T I V I S M
ARCHITECTS

• Peter Eisenmann.

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FA M O U S D E C O N S T R U C T I V I S M
ARCHITECTS

• Zaha Hadid.

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FA M O U S D E C O N S T R U C T I V I S M
ARCHITECTS

• Frank Gehry.

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POSTMODERNISM IN URBAN
CONTEXT
• Jane Jacobs was a theorist on urban planning
issues, having no formal training in architecture
or urban planning.

• Through her keen sense of observation, she

analyzed the problems with American cities of
her time, planned along the lines of the

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modernist theories on urban planning.

• The book, “The Death and Life of the Great

American Cities” was a reaction to these
observations.

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L I F E A N D D E AT H O F G R E AT
AMERICAN CITIES
The book is composed of four parts

Part 1 – Orthodox Planning Theories v/s

Existent City Life.

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Part 2 – Factors Required to create diversity.

Part 3 – Failure of Cities.

Part 4 – Tactics to Improve City Performance.

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O RT H O DOX C I T Y P L A N N I N G V / S E X I S T E N T
CITY LIFE

Orthodox Urban Planning Theories

Howard’s Garden City, City Beautiful

Movement and Radial City were modernist
theories on urban planning, ideal for all but
those with a plan for their own lives.

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O RT H O DOX C I T Y P L A N N I N G V / S E X I S T E N T
CITY LIFE

Existent City life

Composed of three elements

1. Sidewalks

2. Parks and Open Spaces

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3. Neighborhood

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O RT H O DOX C I T Y P L A N N I N G V / S E X I S T E N T
CITY LIFE
Sidewalks
There are three main uses of sidewalks:
Safety – Pavements define public/private
separation and allow for the surveillance of
street.
Contact – Being the main contact venue,
pavements create trust amongst neighbors
over time
Assimilating Children – Allow for activities for

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children under the surveillance of
surrounding building and “self appointed
public characters”.

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O RT H O DOX C I T Y P L A N N I N G V / S
EXISTENT CITY LIFE

Parks and Open Spaces

Successful, functional parks are those under
intense use by a diverse set of companies and
residents
Such parks usually possess four common
characteristics:
•Intricacy - is the variety of reasons people use
parks

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•Centering - a zone or element for orientation in
the surroundings
•Sun - shaded in the summer, pleasant in the
winters
•Enclosure – through buildings, to define its
extent

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D I V E R S I T Y A N D R E S P O N S I B L E FA C T O R S

1. Districts must serve more than one primary

function; to ensure presence of people using the
same common facilities at different times
2. Blocks should be short; to increase path options
between points of departure and destinations,
and therefore enhance social and as a result
economic development
3. Buildings should be of varying ages,

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accommodating different people and businesses
which can afford different levels of rents.
4. There should be a dense concentration of
people, including residents, to promote visible
city life.

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D E C L I N E A N D R E G E N E R AT I O N O F C I T Y
1. Successful diversity as a self-destructive factor –
As a district gets affluent due to the presence of
diversity, less affluent residents and businesses are
ousted, thus resulting in homogeneity and self-
destruction.
2. Deadening influence of massive single
elements in cities – such as railroad tracks,
enormous parks and college campuses create
vacuums around them. Jacobs suggest to blend

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the border, simultaneously maintaining the
integrity of both.
3. Population instability as an obstacle to diversity
growth – A bond is required between the
residents and the neighbourhood, which results in
ownership of the space, thus contributing to its
progress.

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D E C L I N E A N D R E G E N E R AT I O N O F C I T Y

In SLUM DWELLING, such bonds are absent.

Residents move out as soon as better options
become available. Thus, the solution is not slum
shifting through renewal projects, but rather make
slum dwellers desire to stay and develop
neighborhoods.
4. Effects of public and private money – the ease

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of acquiring large sums of money as loans results
in cataclysmic rather than gradual changes in
cities.

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TA C T I C S TO I M P R OV E C I T Y P E R F O R M A N C E

1. Subsidized dwellings, as opposed to

“Subsidized Projects” where the government acts
as a landlord, where part of the rent is subsidized.
2. Attrition of automobiles as opposed to erosion
of cities by cars – the importance of transportation
should not overshadow those of land use and
sidewalks and an appropriate percentage be
devised for each of the functions.

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3. Improvement of visual order without sacrificing
diversity – Visual cohesiveness is not the goal.
Rather, creating a diverse street life is important.
However, endless, repetitive diversity also results
in monotony. Thus, irregular street patterns with
bends and special buildings is suggested.

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 T H A N K YO U

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