Postmodern Architecture:

Characteristics and Prominent

Buildings.
Professor Khaled Mohamed Dewidar.

Postmodernism’s emergence and proliferation was a direct response to the rise of art
movements like modernism, a style that discouraged the use of historical reference in
architecture. As modernism grew in popularity, notable structures in major cities underwent
extensive renovations. This often resulted in historic buildings being demolished and replaced
with stilted versions that held little regard for the artistic characterizations of surrounding
buildings. In the 1960s, architects began fighting back against the demise of history and
culture that they saw taking place in areas such as New York and Chicago. As explained by
Denise Scott Brown and Robert Venturi in their book, Learning From Las Vegas,
“Postmodern artists created an eclectic movement that fully represented the constantly
changing landscape of today’s modern world.”
Here, we take a deep dive into the characteristics of postmodern architecture, explore how
modernism influenced this trend, and showcase some of the most iconic buildings that
emerged from the movement.

What is Postmodern Architecture?

Postmodern architecture was an international movement that focused on free-thinking design
with conceptual consideration to the surrounding environment. These considerations included
integrating the design of adjacent buildings into new, postmodern structures, so that they had
an element of cohesiveness while still making an impact. This careful consideration can be
seen in The Neue Staatsgalerie by James Stirling and Michael Wilford, who fused
neoclassical elements with a touch of postmodern flare.
While postmodern buildings were meant to serve a function—as with modernism—
postmodernism encouraged creativity and strayed from the rigid rules of modern ideals that
dictated simplicity, abstraction, and simple shapes. By mixing a variety of architectural
motifs and elements from the Arts and Crafts movement, classicism, neoclassicism, and

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many other architectural styles, postmodern architecture looked to create buildings that not
only honored their local history, but had a unique visual appeal as well.
One of the main criticisms of postmodern architecture is that the work does not fully integrate
with its surroundings, as the architects rarely designed buildings to work cohesively with
nearby structures. This remained a reason that many refrained from celebrating postmodern
work; however, the idea of what constituted acceptable design began to shift over time.
Eventually, postmodernism began to take hold, and the cosmopolitan ideals of the movement
were touted as those that celebrated the future, rather than paying homage to the past. This
shift in public opinion helped propel postmodernism into a widespread phenomenon.

Postmodern Architecture Characteristics

With so many variations of postmodern buildings, the criteria for what defines postmodern
work is slightly blurred. Historian Mary McLeod defined the movement as “a desire to make
architecture a vehicle of cultural expression.” Postmodernism abandoned the idea of adhering
to a specific set of rules and instead encouraged artists to get creative and ornate with their
designs.

1) Contradiction:

National City Tower in Louisville, KY.

In direct response to the stifling techniques of modern design—including simplistic design
and geometric shapes, postmodernism was a contradiction of all the movements that came
before it—borrowing inspiration from a wide range of cultures and design elements to create
work that had never been seen before. In the case of the Humana Building in Louisville,
Kentucky, designer Michael Graves integrated techniques from a variety of movements to
make a statement about preserving history, while encouraging a progressive approach to
design.

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 2) Asymmetry:

Groninger Museum in Groningen, Netherlands.

Asymmetry was a pillar of the postmodern movement because of its ability to capture
attention and create unique buildings that stood out. Sloping pillars, walls, and contrasting
structures were commonplace in postmodern works and offered new perspective on what it
meant to be a functional building. The juxtaposition of these angles and lines captivated
audiences and helped establish postmodernism as a movement to watch. The Groninger
Museum showcases this asymmetry through its use of varying shapes, colors, and mediums
throughout each of its three main pavilions.

3) Humor:

Hotel Dolphin in Disney World.

Both humor and camp, an ironic movement of gaudy art that was perceived as beautiful, were
used interchangeably throughout the postmodern era, particularly in the United States. And
while the postmodern movement began as a rebellion against the rigidity of modernism, camp
postmodern work took rebellion to new levels. Theatrical buildings, like Hotel Dolphin
(1987) in the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, were famous for their use of
humor and overindulgence. By reaching the extremes of what a building could look like,
camp architects challenged formality and encouraged creativity in new construction and
design.

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 4) Fragmentation:

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain.

Postmodern architects were known for creating fragmented buildings that, while still
connected as one building, took on the appearance of several different buildings that served
various functions. This is epitomized by the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, as titanium, the
medium used to create this work, changes color depending on the surrounding light. This
helped bring new life to the building depending on the time of day that the structure is
viewed, offering a totally different aesthetic in daylight than in the evening.

5) Complexity:
Complexity can be used to describe all postmodern works, as the integration of a variety of
colors, textures, shapes, and themes construct the framework of these unique buildings.
Complexity was used to pivot away from the uniformity of modernism and establish a new
style of design. Frank Gehry’s Dancing House is the perfect example of complexity in
postmodern architecture; the use of varying mediums and lines helped to create an
otherworldly structure.

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 Noteworthy Examples of Postmodern
Architecture

1) Piazza D’Italia (1978):

Piazza D’Italia in New Orleans.

Charles Moore’s Piazza D’Italia was constructed in 1978 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This
public square is home to a variety of outlandish Italian architectural landmarks including
fountains, canopies, and columns. Hailed as an architectural masterpiece, the structure was
restored in 2004 to correct deterioration that had occurred due to lack of development in the
surrounding area.

2) Bank of America Center (1984):

Bank of America Center in Houston,

Drawing on both gothic and postmodern elements, the Bank of America Center (formerly
known as the NationsBank Center) was built in 1983 by Johnson-Burgee Architects in
Houston, Texas. The building is fragmented into three towers, topped with gable roofing and
spires to create a medieval-inspired theme as well as to keep birds from gathering on the
building’s many ledges. By blending function with exuberant design, this building serves as a
reminder of the varying styles that postmodern design drew inspiration from.

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 3) The Neue Staatsgalerie (1984):

Neue Staatsgalerie in Stuttgart, Germany.

Often touted as the “epitome of postmodernism,” this building by architects James Stirling
and Michael Wilford has neoclassical ties with industrial finishes. In order to keep the overall
framework of the building in harmony with its surroundings, traditional elements such as
warm colors and natural textures were used. The postmodern spin comes from the industrial
and neon elements incorporated throughout. This mixture made for a groundbreaking
structure that could stand with historic buildings while having its own touch of flare.

4) Wexner Center for the Arts (1989):

Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio.

An excellent example of postmodern ideals of fragmentation and contradiction, the Wexner
Center for the Arts was designed by Peter Eisenman and Richard Trott. Commissioned for
Ohio State University in 1989, the building serves both the visual and performing arts. By
using a plethora of materials and styles, the building took on a multidimensional look and
helped to define American architecture during this period.

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 5) SIS Building (1994):

SIS Building in London, England.

Standing on the grounds of Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, the SIS building was built in 1994 by
Terry Farrel and serves as the home base for the United Kingdom’s foreign intelligence
agency, the Secret Intelligence Service. As the United States served as the primary breeding
ground for the postmodernist movement, the SIS building is one of the most notable
examples of postmodern architecture in Europe. By combining various shapes, mediums and
themes, the SIS is a daunting and jaunty building that stands apart from other structures in the
U.K.

Conclusion:
The postmodern movement granted designers permission to draw inspiration from a variety
of genres and eras, influencing the diversity of modern skylines. The innovative leaders of the
postmodern era encouraged architects to step away from traditional rules and experiment with
what a structure could look like, which serves as the basis for many artistic expressions
today.