Architectural Post Modernism - Term Paper Example

Architectural Post Modernism xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Name xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Course xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lecturer xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Date Architectural Post Modernism Postmodernism is a general and wide term that is applied to art, philosophy, literature, literary and fiction, among others. It is a reaction to certain assumption of objective or scientific efforts to explain reality. Essentially, it stems from the recognition that the reality is not mirrored in human understanding but is constructed when the mind tries to comprehend its own personal and particular reality. Post modernism does rely on concrete experience over principle knowing the outcome of an individual’s experience will be relative and fallible rather than universal and certain. It is described as post as it denies the existence of ultimate principle (Butler 2010). This term is most meaningful and specific when used in relation to architecture. In this, it designates the international movement that emerged in the late 1960s and later became prominent in the late 1980s. The movement is said to be a reaction to the formal, austerity and orthodoxy absolutism of the International Style. Therefore, post modernism was a vital development in both the development of the contemporary architecture and criticism of modernism. It is important to note that the movement sought to renew the process of designing and building. It is obvious that post modern architecture is mainly characterized by incorporation of specific historical details in more of a hybrid rather than a pure style, using decorative elements and an exaggerated and personal style. In addition, reference may be made to various trendy modes of building. It has been noted that practitioners of the post modern architecture emphasize elements of symbol, metaphor and content in their work and credos. Shared interest is obvious in surface texture, colors, mass and use of unorthodox building materials. Indeed, the post modern architects have relatively vague ideology. However, the style is evidently varied (Treib 2002). After the millennium, post modernism in architecture is seen to have returned with a vengeance in all but a name. During the 1990s transition, when Neo-Modernism became the style of choice, the plural tradition then flowered again with ornamental and iconic building in architecture (Jencks et al. 2011). According to (Malpas 2005) various introductions to postmodernism start with the discussionon of the role it plays in architecture. Reasons for this include; architecture style has impact on people’s lives; the need for architects to gain in from completion of the projects, theories of architectural postmodernism are theorised by writers who use non-specialist and accessible language to give clear definitions of its ideals, aims and forms; the post modern movement has a precise and clear notion of a modenism that is post. According to (Lang, 2002) post modernism was argued to be a form of architecture that resisted the flattening out of the observed differences that did occur in modernism by reasserting materials, traditions and regional forms. Drolet (2004) asserts that Venturi critique of architecture modernism is said to have provoked rage as it did fail to engage the architecture field in a wider social critique by not criticizing the competitive instinct, commercial advertising or the gambling interests. According to the theorist, post modernism architecture was mainly about awakening the architects to an offer by the commercial strip. Despite the fact that this provoked a barrage of criticism, Venture critique of the architectural modernism continued to remain profoundly influential and indeed laid foundation for a vigorous theorization of the post modern architecture in the exertion of Charles Jencks (Drolet 2004) Architecturial modernism is seen to have maifested itself in a form of international Style after the First World War and indeed, became pervasive post- Second World War. This new architecture was then organised and functionally used the up to date material for instance, concrete, steel and glass and refuse to emloy ornaments. As the new industries cities required new forms of organisation and accomodation, Internatioal Style of the modernist architecture was set to provide them. According to Malpas (2005) Jencks, one of the most influential theorist post modernism in architecture, gives a clear and lively account of the transation from the International Style modernism to the post modenism. The theorist simply explains that the modern architecture disappeared with a bang and its death was evident in St. Louis Missouri where the infamous Pruitt-Igoe scheme was given the final coup by a dynamite. One may argue that the precision of the timing was edffective in masking the cover of modernism. Jencks endorsed the work done by Venturi and he argued that the post modern architecture seems different from otherv disciplines that mixed architecture styles and traditions. His idea on post modernism did mature throughout the 1980s and periodise potmodernism into thre stages; electic, classical and pluralist. The theorist concluded that the postmodernism culminated into free style classicism a world consensus in architecture and art. Indeed, this exposed the shortcomings of modernism (Higgott 2007). According to Lu (2010) the theorist observed that the Pruitt-Igoe scheme was the type of development that marked the culmination of modernist movement in the field of architcture with its principles of universally, human and rationality engineering (Sim, 2004). Indeed, people were not malleable as the modernism movement assumed. In contrast, post modernist architectural designs focus on the critical engegament with existing styles and spaces while acknowledging the regionals identities and ocal traditions. The theorist continues to argue that the post modernism architecture is a double coding as it appeals to the elite and their popular taste, to the users and designers, through a process that is as a result of borrowsing styles from different eras and other aspects from various other building. It is then obvious that post modernism in architecture is a return of the past while moving forward (Jenck 2002). However, the return of tradition is simply described as a returfn with a difference with intervention of the modern world. As such, history is treated with classical arches that are being reproduced. This double code cities the earlier traditions and it acknowledge the contemporary context in the utilisation of design and materials in order to establish an environment that refers to a range of epochs and styles to create a diverse space for the inhabitants (Drolet 2004). Images from (Jenckset al., 2011) Radical post-modernism: Architectural design. In the development of post modernism various critics of modernism played a role in the nurturing post modernism. Actually, the breakthrough was to clearly portray the publication made by Jane Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great America Cities. Jacobs had in mind that planning of the cities should not only seek to simply the city structure but to organize a well complicated structure (Wendt 2009). Post modernists’ answer to Jacob thesis and the profound questioning of the urban development and politics values in 1961, was either to conserve everything or change it to be new but imitate the same context with a fitting-in architecture or a neo-neo classicism. Essentially, the real radicalism of 1980 community action would then be suffocated. In other words, the subversion of post modernism at that time would ensure that the real issues would not be dug underground (Martin 2010). According to (Jenck 2012) post modernism may not be described as the disavowal of modernism. It is however, a continuation of modernism under different conditions and armed with novel weapons. Malpas (2005) asserts that postmodernism architecture seeks to radicalize modernism that utilizes new materials but resist the state-organized and uniformity engineering that the International Style was based. Its citation of ancient styles does not mark a go back to the pre-modern. However, its quotes the pre-modern elements in a way that acknowledges traditions from where the contemporary is seen to have spring and in a way does reincorporate the traditions into a futuristic design. However, it is important to note that this does not imply that the pre-modern has indeed disappeared into today’s society (Rawes 2007). Indeed, post modernism in seen as a vital development in the criticism of the contemporary and modernism architectures. Postmodernism was seen to expose the weaknesses of modernism revealing that it could offer solution in the architecture field. The postmodernism challenged modernism therefore, liberating a generation of architects from the rigid ideological constraints. In addition, it offered the architects with a new wealth of interest and diversity. It has brought great progresses in revealing the true role of architecture giving the architecture novel ideas to work with. This placed a new emphasis on complexity, expression and meaning which is the founding design principle of contemporary architect. Postmodernism has several core values therefore; displaying its outmost significance. Various theorists played a major role in designing and advocating the post modernism architectural. Venturi was one of the pioneers to criticize modernism architectural. His work was later supported by Charles Jencks who did various publications on post modernism. In the 21st century post modernism has continued to be dominant. References Butler, C 2010, Modernism: a very short introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Presss Drolet, M 2004, The postmodernism reader: foundational texts. New York: Routeldge. Higgott, A 2007, Mediating modernism: architectural cultures in Britain. London: Routledge Jenck, C 2002, The new paradigm in architecture: the language of post-modernism. London: Routledge. Jenck, C 2012, The story of post-modernism: five decades of the ironic . London: Wiley & Sons, Inc. Jencks, C., Griffiths, S., & Holland, C 2011, Radical post-modernism: Architectural design. New York: Wiley & Sons, Inc. Lang, J 2002, A concise history of modern architecture in India. Delhi: Permanent Black. Lu, D 2010, Third world modernism: architecture, development and identity. New York: Wiley & Sons, Inc Malpas, S 2005, The postmodern. London: Routledge. Martin, R 2010, Utopia's ghost: architecture and postmodernism, again. New York: Wiley & Sons, Inc. Rawes, P 2007, Irigaray for architects. New York: Routledge. Sim, S 2004, The Routledge companion to postmodernism. London: Routledge. Treib, M 2002, The architecture of landscape, 1940-1960. Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press Wendt, M 2009, The importance of death and life of great American cities (1961) by Jane Jacobs to the profession of urban planning. New Visions for Public Affairs , 1-28. Read More