Postmodern

Architecture
Emergence of Post- modernism
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 Le corbusier and Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe
Postmodernist architecture rejected the formal and functional designs
of modernism
Postmodernist architecture tends to be highly decorative and
somewhat whimsical, focusing on design over function.
Its most defining feature, however, is the refusal to draw inspiration
from a single source. Postmodern architects incorporate design
elements from several different architectural styles into a single
structure, breaking down the boundaries between styles. Thus, it is one
of the most eclectic forms of architecture, focused on the joy of design
and rejecting formal rules of style.
 The movement was given a doctrine
by the architect and architectural
theorist Robert Venturi in his 1966
book Complexity and Contradiction
in Architecture. The style flourished
from the 1980s through the 1990s. In
the late 1990s it divided into a
multitude of new tendencies,
including high-tech architecture neo-
classicism and deconstructivism

“Less is bore

Robert Venturi
Influential Architects
The Postmodernist movement began in America around the 1960s - 1970sand then it
spread to Europe and the rest of the world. Some of the best-known and influential
architects in the Postmodern style are:
Michael Graves
Philip Johnson
Rem Koolhas
Frank Gehry
Zaha Hadid
Bernard Tschumi

Peter Eisenmann
Characteristics
 Postmodernism saw the comeback of columns and other elements of
premodern designs, sometimes adapting classical Greek and Roman
examples, but not simply recreating them.
 Another return was that of the “wit, ornament and reference” seen in
Beaux-Arts and Art Deco periods. This was achieved by placing
contradictory quotes of previous building styles alongside each other,
and incorporating furniture stylistic references at a huge scale.
 Contextualism influences the ideologies of the postmodern style. It is
centered on the belief that all knowledge is “context-sensitive”.
Modern architecture responded both subtly and directly to their
physical context while postmodern architecture often addressed the
context in terms of the materials, forms and details of the buildings
around it—the cultural context.
Characteristics
 Return of "wit, ornament and reference" to
architecture in response to the formalism of
the  modernist style.

Architects rediscovered the expressive and

symbolic value of architectural elements.

 Examples of early postmodern architecture

are Michael Graves' Portland Building ,
Philip Johnson's Sony Building etc which
borrows elements and references from the
past and reintroduces color and symbolism to
architecture.
Portland building:Michael Graves
Strongly defined top, middle
and bottom, Introduction of colour
Characteristics
Also described as "neo-eclectic",
where reference and ornament have
returned to the facade, replacing the
aggressively unornamented modern
styles. This eclecticism is often
combined with the use of non-
orthogonal angles and unusual The State Gallery of Stuttgart

surfaces. The Neue Staatsgaleri stands as James Stirling's

Eg: The State Gallery of Stuttgart
by James Stirling and the Piazza
d'Italia by Charles Moore, The
celebration of architecture as a combination of many
styles and elements from the 19th Century- there are
columns, gables, architraves, and designed stone
facings-- into a modern piece of architecture that
connects the public with its culture.

Scottish Parliament Building. Parts of the outer facade have boasted an intriguing
juxtaposition of colours - pink, sky blue and moss
green. .“
Characteristics
 Re- introduction of
traditional gable roof, in
place of the iconic flat roof
of modernism.
 Robert Venturi's Vanna
Venturi House(1964)
breaks the gable in the
middle, denying the
functionality of the form.

Vanna Venturi House

The house represents the fundamental aspects of shelter – gable roof, chimney,
door and windows.
The house was completed in 1964, over a decade before Postmodernism got into
full swing. It is perhaps best known for its facade – a monumental gable with an
oversized chimney in its centre and an assortment of mismatched windows.
 However, these traditional elements were applied in unconventional ways.
Firstly, the gable has a vertical opening in its centre, and is located on the long
rather than the short side of the building, completely distorting its scale. There is
also no matching gable at the back – the element is purely decorative.
A square opening creates a sheltered doorway in the centre of the facade, yet the
door itself stands to one side. There is also an arch that serves no purpose.

 Another alternative to the flat roofs of

modernism was exaggerating a
traditional roof to call even more
attention to it, as when Kallmann
McKinnell & Wood's American
Academy of Arts and Sciences in
Massachusetts(1981), layers three tiers
of low hipped roof forms one above
another for an emphatic statement of
shelter. American Academy of Arts and Sciences in
Massachusetts
 Abteiberg Museum
Use of sculptoral forms. Eg: Hans
Hollein’s Abteiberg Museum . The
building is made up of several
building units. These forms are
sculptural and are somewhat playful.
They are built and shaped for their
own sake. The building units all fit
together in a very organic way.

Portland building

Postmodern buildings sometimes

utilize trompe l'oeil, creating the
illusion of space or depths where
none actually exist. The Portland
Building has pillars represented on
the side of the building that appear
to be real, but not.
Characteristics
 Symbolism: Eg: Robert Venturi’s Vanna Venturi
House .The façade is a symbolic picture of a house
of 18th century. This is partly achieved through the
use of symmetry and the arch over the entrance. Vanna Venturi House

Sony Building
 Double coding is another important feature. It
means the buildings convey many meanings
simultaneously. Eg: The Sony Building in New
York . The building is a tall skyscraper which brings
with it connotations of very modern technology. Yet,
the top section conveys elements of classical
antiquity.
Deconstructivism: Appeared in the late modernist style.

Deconstructivists deny completely

everything. Even the orthogonal
Dancing house, Frank Gehry
geometry that was so obvious for the
whole history now breaks down and is
completely irrelevant .
The term de-construct-ivism describes
what happens in someone's head; the
basic idea of an object is smashed
[=deconstructed] into smallest possible
pieces, each of them is carefully thought
over and then re-constructed back with
new logic.
The main advocates of this style are
Frank Gehry, Bernard Tschumi, Zaha
Haid, Rem Koolhas etc.
Postmodernism is a design-driven style, drawing inspiration from a wide
number of sources. This has led to a trend of metaphoric architecture, in
which structural designs are based on non-architectural forms. One of the
most famous examples is the Lotus Temple of New Delhi, India. This
religious structure is based on the shape of a lotus flower, with the form of
the building defined by petal-like components.
Other famous examples include Australia's Sydney Opera House (based
on the sails of ships) and the TWA Flight Center in New York (based on a
bird's wing).
Characteristics of Postmodern Architecture

The prominent features of postmodern architecture are mainly adapting diverse aesthetics which
gives emphasis on unique forms.
The principle of “anything goes” is applied in this type of architectural movement. There is no
room for structural ideas and conventional designs when speaking of postmodernism.
Diversity of expression defines the core philosophy of postmodern ideals. Buildings are
designed not only to deliver conventional function but also combined with characteristics of
meaning such as pluralism, irony, paradox, and contextualism. For example, postmodern
skyscrapers are adorned with non-conventional ledges or classical columns, something unusual
for a skyscraper to have.
Colors of postmodern architecture do not necessarily follow the “color wheel law” but there is a
certain harmony that exudes from it. Often, colors are irregular, though following a theme. An
example for this is the Team Disney Buildings designed by Michael Graves in 1991. Snow
White’s Seven Dwarves are the main attraction of the building’s entrance. The “dwarves” were
colored light brown, away from the colorful characters people used to watch.
The Team Disney Buildings, as a great example for postmodern architecture are just few of the
buildings built nowadays (Bird’s Nest in Beijing and LaSalle SIA Art College also belong to the
same category). Along with the designs, sustainability issues are likewise addressed in
postmodernist designs. The quality and origin of the materials are assured to be sustainable.
Creating a structural definition
and fixed characteristics for
postmodern architecture may be a
rather difficult task, as the designs
do not necessarily follow a
principle.
 An important aspect of
postmodern architecture is that it
uplifts the architecture as both
functional and artistic in nature.
 The intentional discontinuity of
designs and conscious irony best
defines the movement as a whole.
  The "Philharmonie" in Berlin, (2005)  Ar Hans Scharoun

LaSalle College of Arts,

Singapore(2007)
RSP Architects Planners &
Engineers 
 Bird’s Nest –Beijing National
Olympic(2008) Stadium
Location – In the olympic green Bejing China
Number of floors – Three, but it is almost 20
stories (of an ordinary building high),
reaching 226 feet.
Architect – Herzog & De Meuron
Holds seating arrangement for over
91,000 spectators

By building the stadium in

two separate parts, including
a steel lattice structure and a
concrete bowl separated by
50ft. the designers were able
to create a structure flexible
enough to handle seismic
activity up to magnitude 8 on
the Richter Scale
 In spite of the lack of significant events, the stadium appears to be quite
profitable, drawing some 20,000 to 30,000 people a day at the price of a 50
yuan admission.