Post Modernism Architecture

Introduction-
• Postmodern architecture is a style or movement which emerged in the 1960s.
• It emerged as a reaction against – Modernism
I. the perceived shortcomings of modern architecture,
II. sense of monotony or uniformity,
III. its lack of ornament,
IV. its habit of ignoring the history and culture of the cities where it appeared.

• The style flourished from the 1980s through the 1990s.

• In the late 1990s it divided into a multitude of new tendencies, including High-tech
Architecture, De-Constructivism and Futurism.
• Architects who pioneered the movement:

• Robert Venturi
• Michale Graves
• James Sterling
• Philip Jhonson
• Frank Ghery
• Robert A M Stern
• Charles Moore
Characteristics of Post Modernism Architecture-
“Less is Bore” – Robert Venturi

Modernism : The Farnsworth House, Illinois by Mies Van Der

Rohe.

Post Modernism : Vanna Venturi House

- by Robert Venturi.
By reintroducing elements traditionally
associated with houses – from a gabled
roof to an arch-framed entrance – but
stripping them of their original functions,
he laid the foundations for the entire
Postmodern movement.
Rejected formal & functional
designs of Modernism…

Modernism : The Seagram Building, New York,

by Mies Van Der Rohe.

Post Modernism : The Duck & Decorated Shed - by

Robert Venturi.
Rejecting the whole idea of uniform glass boxes gave
way to pop whimsy rendered in plaster.
Use of colours…

Modernism : The Bauhaus School building in Dessau by

William Morris.

Post Modernism : The Portland Building- by Michale Graves.

As Graves explains of his architecture: it’s “a symbolic gesture, an
attempt to re-establish a language of architecture and values
that are not a part of modernist homogeneity.”
Breaking the box of Modernism…

Modernism : The Seagram Building, New York, by Mies Post Modernism : The AT & T building, New York, by
Van Der Rohe. Philip Jhonson. His client has said emphatically that the
company did not want another glass box.
Form is adopted for its own sake…
Modernism : The Assembly Building, Chandigarh by Le
Corbusier.

Post Modernism : The City hall, Mississauga, by Jones

& Kirkland Architects.
Architect rediscovered the expressive and symbolic value
of architectural forms that had evolved through
centuries of building.
The return of Ornamentation…
Post Modernism : Walt Disney World Swan
and Dolphin Resort, Florida - by Michael
Graves .
Disney's famous collection of "entertainment
architecture“ consist of –
• Postmodern colorful style
• perfect choice for the playful theme park
• whimsical design decisions and
• statues of grandeur ornamentation
Accept historical style with new style…

Post Modernism : Royal Ontario Museum - Canada, by Studio Daniel Libeskind.

It provides a wonderful opportunity for dramatic new architecture and retaining the old structure as well.
Asymmetry and new heights of innovation…

Bank of America, by Philip Jhonson The Burj Khalifa, by Adrian Smith of Skidmore,
Owings & Merrill (SOM) Architects.
Post Modernism Architecture in India-
 Post Modernism Architecture in India-
• Post independence, inspired by the Nehruvian vision, Indian architectural thought sought
inspiration from the United States and Europe.
• Also, a significant number of Indian architects received their training abroad and started

employing the new approaches learnt from their international exposure.

• This new generation included Habib Rahman, Achyut Kanvinde, and Charles Correa, to
mention only a few.

• However, it should be noted that several modernist works went beyond the principles of modernity,
and continued to display a respect to the cultural context, like -
I. Joshep Allen Stein’s India International Centre, New Delhi.
II. Kahn’s use of brick almost resonates with the post-modern neo-vernacularism.
III. Uttam Jain’s design for Jodhpur University, where traditional materials are presented in a modern expression.
Characteristics of Post Modernism
Architecture in India-
Abstractionism-
• Expression in post-modern architecture through the use of abstracted traditional forms.
• Several instances of Indian abstractionism have religious associations.
• In the  Mazhar of President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, designed by Habib Rahman, the architect uses an
abstraction of the shapes of the Taj Mahal.
Ornamentation -
• Ornamentation re-emerged in postmodernism.
• The employment of sculptures and murals was an integral part of traditional Indian architecture.
• The ISCON Temple, New Delhi, designed by Achyut Kanvinde, show elements of ornamentation which
may well be identified as post-modern.
Neo-Traditional and Modern Indian Vernacular -
• The use of “pitched roofs, chunky detailing, picturesque massing and brick” was the hallmark of a neo-
vernacular post-modernism.
• Traditional Indian building practices came in various forms: materials, building technology, settlement patterns,
and aesthetic values.
• Laurie Baker’s works, like St. John’s Cathedral, Tiruvalla, display the use of traditional building forms,
vernacular technology, and materials.
Symbolism -
• Symbols and metaphors become increasingly important elements when architecture intends to convey meaning.
• Treatment of architecture as symbolic sculpture is observed in project like the Lotus Temple, New Delhi, by
Fariburz Sahba.
Narrative -
• The post-modern sense of concept, context and continuity is reflected in the building up of narratives, real or
pretended, through architectural spaces.
• Charles Correa designed Cidade de Goa as a city with virtual imagery and real dwellings, narrating the life and
culture of an Indo-Portuguese town.
Cosmology -
• The Indian Vaastu-shilpa tradition was intrinsically linked to Hindu cosmology, astrology, and mythology, and
was considered superstitious and degenerating by the modern architectural fraternity.
• Post-modernism rendered it with a layer of unconventional and intellectualism.
• The layout of Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur, by Correa, were inspired by the Navagraha Mandal.
Deconstructvism -
• Building technology and skill available in India is probably not favorable to such architecture; indeed, very few
designs have been realized even in the affluent western world.
• The gravity-defying structures by Hafeez Contractor at Infosys Mysore may indicate that deconstruction has
finally arrived.