Postmodern architecture challenged Modernist principles, embracing complexity and contradiction. Robert Venturi's influential books critiqued simplicity, advocating for historical references and symbolism. This shift celebrated vernacular architecture and rejected the idea of architects as heroic figures imposing order.

Postmodernism embraced plurality, rejecting the notion of a universal architectural truth. It encouraged diverse approaches, often within a single building. Double coding allowed designs to communicate on multiple levels, appealing to both popular tastes and high culture, while incorporating irony and playfulness.

Postmodern Architectural Theory

Challenging Modernist Principles

• Robert Venturi's book "Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture" (1966) critiqued the simplicity and purity of Modernist architecture
  • Argued for a more complex, ambiguous, and contradictory approach to design
  • Embraced historical references, ornament, and symbolism
• "Learning from Las Vegas" (1972) by Venturi, Denise Scott Brown, and Steven Izenour studied the vernacular architecture of the Las Vegas Strip
  • Celebrated the "ugly and ordinary" architecture of commercial strips and signage
  • Challenged the Modernist notion of the architect as a heroic figure imposing order on the built environment
• Postmodern theorists criticized Modernism's rejection of history, context, and ornament
  • Argued that Modernist architecture was abstract, placeless, and disconnected from human experience
  • Called for a return to architecture that communicated meaning and engaged with its surroundings (contextual design)
• Semiotics, the study of signs and symbols, became a key concept in Postmodern architectural theory
  • Buildings were seen as communicating meaning through their form, materials, and ornament
  • Architects used historical references, pop culture imagery, and irony to create multi-layered, complex designs (Piazza d'Italia, New Orleans by Charles Moore)

Embracing Plurality and Contradiction

• Postmodern theory embraced pluralism, the idea that there is no single, universal truth or style in architecture
  • Encouraged a diversity of approaches and styles, often within a single building
  • Rejected the Modernist notion of a singular, ideal solution to design problems
• Double coding, a term coined by Charles Jencks, referred to the use of multiple references and meanings in Postmodern architecture
  • Buildings could communicate on multiple levels, appealing to both popular tastes and high culture
  • Allowed for irony, wit, and playfulness in design (AT&T Building, New York by Philip Johnson)
• Complexity and contradiction were seen as positive qualities in Postmodern architecture
  • Embraced ambiguity, tension, and the juxtaposition of seemingly incompatible elements
  • Sought to create rich, layered, and engaging architectural experiences (Vanna Venturi House by Robert Venturi)

Key Postmodern Architects and Concepts

Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown

• Robert Venturi (1925-2018) was a leading theorist and practitioner of Postmodern architecture
  • His books "Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture" and "Learning from Las Vegas" were influential in shaping Postmodern thought
  • Designed buildings that embraced complexity, contradiction, and historical references (Vanna Venturi House, Guild House)
• Denise Scott Brown (b. 1931) was a partner and collaborator with Robert Venturi
  • Co-authored "Learning from Las Vegas" and other influential texts
  • Advocated for a more inclusive, contextual approach to urban planning and design (National Gallery Sainsbury Wing, London)
• Venturi and Scott Brown's firm, Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates (VSBA), became known for its Postmodern designs
  • Incorporated pop culture references, historical allusions, and irony into their buildings (Fire Station No. 4, Columbus, Indiana)
  • Challenged the Modernist notion of the architect as a solitary genius, emphasizing collaboration and multidisciplinary approaches

Pluralism and Double Coding

• Pluralism, the idea that there is no single, universal style or truth in architecture, was a key concept in Postmodern theory
  • Encouraged a diversity of approaches and styles, often within a single building
  • Rejected the Modernist notion of a singular, ideal solution to design problems
• Double coding, a term coined by Charles Jencks, referred to the use of multiple references and meanings in Postmodern architecture
  • Buildings could communicate on multiple levels, appealing to both popular tastes and high culture
  • Allowed for irony, wit, and playfulness in design (Piazza d'Italia, New Orleans by Charles Moore)
• Postmodern architects often combined high and low cultural references, historical allusions, and contemporary imagery
  • Created complex, layered designs that engaged with multiple audiences and contexts
  • Challenged the Modernist notion of a universal, timeless architecture (Portland Building by Michael Graves)

Postmodern Design Principles

Historicism and Contextualism

• Postmodern architects rejected Modernism's ahistorical approach and embraced historicism, the use of historical references in contemporary design
  • Drew inspiration from a wide range of historical styles, from classical to vernacular
  • Incorporated historical elements as quotations, allusions, or ironic commentaries (Neue Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart by James Stirling)
• Contextualism, the idea that architecture should respond to its physical and cultural context, was another key Postmodern principle
  • Buildings were designed to engage with their surroundings, both built and natural
  • Incorporated local materials, forms, and cultural references (Sainsbury Wing, National Gallery, London by Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates)
• Postmodern historicism and contextualism were often combined in eclectic, hybrid designs
  • Juxtaposed elements from different historical periods and cultural contexts
  • Created complex, layered compositions that challenged Modernist notions of purity and consistency (Piazza d'Italia, New Orleans by Charles Moore)

Eclecticism and Ornament

• Eclecticism, the combining of elements from different styles and sources, was a hallmark of Postmodern architecture
  • Architects drew from a wide range of historical and cultural references, often within a single building
  • Created complex, layered compositions that challenged Modernist notions of purity and consistency (Portland Building by Michael Graves)
• Ornament, which had been largely rejected by Modernist architects, was embraced by Postmodernists as a means of communication and expression
  • Used ornament to convey meaning, evoke historical associations, and engage with popular culture
  • Incorporated ornament as an integral part of the building's design, rather than as an applied decoration (Vanna Venturi House by Robert Venturi)
• Postmodern eclecticism and ornament were often used to create playful, ironic, or subversive designs
  • Challenged the seriousness and austerity of Modernist architecture
  • Sought to engage with a broader public and to communicate multiple meanings and messages (AT&T Building, New York by Philip Johnson)