What is postmodernism in architecture?

Postmodernism is the architectural movement that from the 1960s onwards deliberately broke with the austerity of modernism, readmitting ornament, colour, symbolism and references to architectural history.

Modernism had rested on a handful of hard rules: form follows function, no ornament, honest use of materials, the plan as the starting point. Postmodernism set against that the idea that a building may also mean something — that it may refer, delight and, if it wants to, make a joke.

The turning point

The shift is usually dated to Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture (1966) by the American architect Robert Venturi, with its famous riposte to Mies van der Rohe’s less is more: less is a bore. Venturi’s Learning from Las Vegas (1972) added the argument that the commercial strip has something to teach architecture. The critic Charles Jencks gave the movement its name and its theory with The Language of Post-Modern Architecture (1977).

Characteristics

• The return of ornament — cornices, pediments, keystones, columns, often detached from their original function
• Quotation and irony — classical motifs in new materials and unexpected sizes
• Colour — after decades of white, grey and concrete, pink, ochre and turquoise
• Emphasis on the facade as an independent, communicating surface
• Contextualism — responding to the form and scale of the existing city rather than standing apart from it
• Recognisable silhouettes — the roof as a defining element, in place of the modernist flat roof

Well-known examples

• Piazza d’Italia, New Orleans (Charles Moore, 1978)
• Portland Building, Portland, Oregon (Michael Graves, 1982)
• AT&T Building, New York (Philip Johnson, 1984), crowned like a Chippendale cabinet
• Neue Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart (James Stirling, 1984)
• No. 1 Poultry, London (James Stirling, completed 1997)

Points to watch in maintenance

1. Much of the detail is not stone. Cornices and columns from this period are often coated board, rendered insulation or glass-reinforced plastic. Do not treat them as natural stone.
2. Colour fades. The strong colour is an essential part of the design. Research the original scheme before reaching for a neutral shade when redecorating.
3. The detailing is often vulnerable. Projecting cornices without proper drainage, and thin cladding panels with many joints, are the typical weak points. Check the sealant joints and the junctions.

Related terms

• Modernism
• Post 65
• Architectural style
• Ornament
• International Style
• Memphis style

Want to learn more about construction terms? Visit our knowledge base at fredsdiyplans.com.