College of Engineering Department of Architecture History of Architecture 4th year – 1st Semester M.S.C. Madyan Rashan Academic Year 2018-2019 Lecture Information Course name History of Architecture Lecture’s title Post Modernism Lecturer Madyan Rashan Lecturer’s Information [email protected] [email protected] +9647703315409 The objective This lecture explains the idea of post-modernism, and how it shaped the 2nd part of the 20th century’s architecture. Previous Lecture Oscar Niemeyar Critiques of Modernism Postmodernism The Modernist Architectural aesthetic was based on the principle of “Form follows Function.” Instead of designing a structure around some pre-existing meaning or form, the function of the building should have priority. For instance, as those who worshiped in traditional (cross-shaped) churches were always reminded, worship is a matter of being gathered into his cross. The modernist approach to church design would first ascertain the practical functions the building needed to fulfil – accommodate a certain number of worshippers, classrooms for Sunday school, etc. Postmodernism Postmodernism was a wide architectural movement that started in the 1960s. It was a reaction against the modernism or the modern creeds. It started as reaction against the international style (the style without a specific identity) and called for a bigger role for “the place”. It also wanted to give more attention to symbolic function of architecture, trying to give meaning to buildings; something that adds value to the building beyond its physical appearance. The international style, according to the postmodernists produced lifeless rigid buildings without identity. Postmodernism So, postmodernism can be defined as a challenge to (or rejection of) modern truth claims about language, culture, history and identity, even truth itself. In Architecture, the idea of post modernism began as a response to the perceived flatness and failed utopianism of the modern movement. Definitive postmodern architecture rejects the notion of a pure form or perfect architectonic detail, instead evidently drawing from all methods, materials, forms and colors available to architects. Postmodernism The postmodernists, by adding the cultural factor and the semiotic component to a building would give it life, and help the architecture survive longer. The postmodern movement aimed to strengthen the connection between the building and its context. The movement was wide and contained various styles within it. In postmodern we started to see colors again after decades ruled by concrete elevations, and neutral colors. Robert Venturi, Michael Graves, Aldo Russi, Frank Grave, Charles Moore, James string and Ricardo Bafil consider as the most prominent faces among designers and architects of postmodern architecture. Postmodernism Disillusioned with the modernist dogma that the present is always the best, architects and the public they serve rediscovered the value and beauty of the past. They started restoring old buildings, whereas modern architecture is abstract, postmodern architecture is referential. Two of the earliest advocates of Postmodernism, Robert Venturi and Aldo Rossi, each offered a different “solution” to the shortcomings of Modernism in their books, Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture (1966) and The Architecture of the City (1966). Postmodernism While Venturi’s solution was about the revival and repurpose of past architectural styles, Rossi’s solution was about designing based on the surroundings, accounting for the history and traditions of the local city context. Robert Venturi Robert Venturi is an American architect. He is one of the lead architects to start the postmodernism movement. He triggered the movement by publishing his famous book: “Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture”. He is also known for his famous maxim: “Less is bore”. Robert Venturi In his revolutionary book, Venturi suggested the new complex system in architecture, where the structure of the systems is not easily understood. The complexity does not necessarily mean that the shapes are complex, but the design principles that arrange them must be complex. His designs are simple in their outer appearance. He also sometimes used some impure forms, irregular shapes and elements, or altered regular ones. Robert Venturi vision “I like elements which are hybrid rather than ‘pure’, compromising rather than ‘clean’, distorted rather than ‘straightforward’, ambiguous rather than ‘articulated’, boring as well as ‘interesting’, conventional rather than ‘designed’, accommodating rather than excluding, redundant rather than simple, vestigial as well as innovating, inconsistent and equivocal rather than direct and clear”. Robert Venturi vision In 1972, Venturi and his wife began a study of Las Vegas architecture-their effort was to categorize and classify architecture. Learning from Las Vegas was a criticism of orthodox modernism and its elite style. The project studied Las Vegas architecture and the role its signs played in creating the urban landscape. It became a call to reintroduce symbolism into architectural design. Robert Venturi Vanna house, USA It is one of the earliest postmodern buildings. Here Venturi exposed his ideas of complex system with simple shapes, and contradiction in architecture by using altered classical elements. Robert Venturi The five room house stands only about 30 feet (9 m) tall at the top the chimney, but has a monumental front façade. A non-structural applique arch and "hole in the wall" windows, other elements, were challenge to modernist orthodoxy. The house is designed around a chimney that is centralised and goes all the way to the top of the house. Externally, they house is built symmetrical. Venturi has distorted this idea of symmetry. There is also a basement underneath the house that is often not covered by people. Robert Venturi THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE HOUSE ARE A REACTION AGAINST STANDARD MODERNIST ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS: PITCHED ROOF RATHER THAN FLAT ROOF, EMPHASIS ON CENTRAL HEARTH & CHIMNEY, CLOSED GROUND FLOOR Robert Venturi Sainsbury Wing, National Gallery, London. North Penn Visiting Nurses Association, USA. .