Deconstructivism & Contemporary PPT Ashish D & MD Ayazul - 1

Deconstructivism
Prepared & submitted by :

Ashish Dwivedi
Md Ayazul Q Khan
Abstract
“When we deconstruct anything, we simply do not destroy, dissolve and cancel the
legitimacy of what we will be constructing.”
-Jacques Derrida(Algerian-French philosopher)
Then, what is deconstruction......?

Introduction
Introduction
 Philosophy
 Historical Background
 Design Characteristics
 Critiques
Introduction- What?
 it is an architectural movement that began in early 1980s.

 It is influenced by the theory of “Deconstruction”.
 It is characterized by Fragmentation and interest in Manipulating a structure’s surface or skin
through Transformation of the basic volumes of architecture (Cube, Cuboid, Pyramid and Sphere)
in order to Recombine it in a new hybrid spaces.
 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

Introduction- Why?
 Deconstructivism rejected the post-modern acceptance of the historical references, as well as the
idea of ornament as an after thought or decoration.

Introduction- Why?
 Deconstructivism attempts to move away from supposedly constricting rules of modernism such as:
“Form Follows Function” “Purity Of Form” “Truth To Materials”

Historical Background
 Deconstructivism came to public notice with the 1982 Parc de la Villette architectural design
competition .
 Especially the entry from Jacques Derrida and Peter Eisenman and Bernard Tschumi’s wining
entry.

 The Museum of Modern Art’s (MoMA) 1988 Deconstructivist

Architecture exhibition in New York, organized by Philip Johnson
and Mark Wigley.
Philip Johnson Mark Wigley

 And the 1989 opening of the Wexner Center for the Arts in
Columbus, designed by Peter Eisenman.

 The New York exhibition featured works by Frank O Gehry, Daniel Libeskind, Rem Koolhaas,
Peter Eisenman, Zaha Hadid, Coop Himmelb(l)au, and Bernard Tschumi.

 Since the exhibition, some architects associated with Deconstructivism have distanced
themselves from it.
 Nevertheless, the term has stuck and has come to embrace a general trend within
contemporary architecture.

Philosophy

Philosophy
 Deconstruction is a literary theory and philosophy of language derived principally from Jacques
Derrida’s 1967 work of Grammatology.

Philosophy
 Deconstruction as the name suggests, intends to disarrange the architectural styles, refusing
modernism and post-modernism references.
 For example
In Post-modern style, ornamentation of the building was to decorate the architectural
structures in regards to functional characteristics and using appropriate geometrical shapes and
lines. However,
Deconstructivism works exactly opposite to this. It believes in removing the ornamentation
of the building from the functional aspects and instead using irregular geometrical shapes,
complicating the exterior features and yet attaining the functional and structural characteristics
needed by a building.

Philosophy
 Deconstruction, after all is literally concerned as Derrida insists with written texts. his attacks
are specially focused on subjects such as:
1. Metaphysics
2. Clarity
3. Logocentrism
4. Meaning
5. Feelings

Philosophy
1. Metaphysics
It is the age old search for “truth” and the “essence of being” that has been the
center of various philosophies.
Derrida this, that is the search through centuries for the ultimate truth, for reason of
our existence and idea that there should be some kind of “Absolute Knowledge”,
“Prime Mover”, “God”.

Philosophy
1. Metaphysics
This is relevant to architecture in a manner that, for Derrida, there is no “one
best way”, no “International style”, no roots from which all architecture has grown.
So there are no truth- Classical, Modernist or other.
Absolute Absolutes in
Knowledge Architecture

Philosophy
1. Metaphysics
To “deconstruct” at all program form or structure is
to demonstrate one’s view that there are no absolutes in
architecture, that attempts, such as Heidegger’s(in
philosophy) or Le Corbusier’s, Wright’s and other’s(in
architecture) to find such absolutes are doomed to
failure.
Church of the year 200, Rome by Eisenman

(Deconstruction itself rejects the existence of God )

Philosophy
2. Clarity
Clarity in Structuralist predecessors is to write simply, directly, clearly and
unambiguously. Derrida is part of Post-Structuralist movement that strongly reacted
against the clarity.

Philosophy
2. Clarity
Deconstructivist architecture is
ambiguous as deconstructivist texts,
whereas clarity is what we see when
analyzing Modern architecture, simplicity in
its structure, coherence in its programme.

Philosophy
Diffuse in
coherent
Ambiguous
Struggle to
Understand
Give up
Accept as
it is

Philosophy
2. Clarity
Robert Venturi, who supported the idea
of post modernism had demonstrated a
parallel kind of thinking in architecture when
in “Complexity and Contradiction” (1966) he
attacked “Modernist transparency”.
Outside of a building should not be molded

according to it’s inside logic

Philosophy
3. Logocentrism
Analyzing the structure of our language in the believe that language is what
allows us to think to unveil the structure of our thoughts and thus arrive at those “
Ultimate truth”.
Derrida despises Logocentrism and even rejects any relationship between a
word and it’s meaning.
Word/building ≠ single meaning

Philosophy
3. Logocentrism
Derrida sees Deconstruction as an attempt
to recover from the Tower of Babel the builders
of that tower sought political domination by
imposing on the world their universal language
and their universal architecture, exactly as
Modern architecture.
Tower of Babel

Philosophy
3. Logocentrism
According to Derrida, our aim should not
have been to find another “only absolute” view
but to seek a diversity of views. This is a view
clearly contrary to that of Modernism.
Some architects took literally the notion of no single

meaning and tried to create buildings with no
meaning at all, organized according to pure
geometric rules that would convey no meaning

Philosophy
4. Meaning
• Thing, action, or feeling that words represent; special importance or
purpose of something.
• Denial of meaning from Derrida was taken by Deconstructivist
architects and translated as an architecture of pure “syntax” without
any relation to meaning.

Philosophy
4. Meaning
• Eisenman’s aim when designing most of his buildings was this, he
used extremely pure, geometric “syntaxes” with no semantic
reference of the kind we loosely call meaning.

Philosophy
4. Feelings
• Peter Eisenman says: people have been concerned with relating
themselves to their physical environment as a source of security. I believe
that if physical environment makes them anxious they might turn inward
and the true source of security is internal. The physical environment can
never provide that, it can provide physical comfort but it can never provide
psychological shelter.
• When it comes to Eisenman’s buildings he creates really disturbing spacing
completely dislocated and every time you don’t know where you are or at Eisenman is concerned
in causing an
what level you are, you never know. uncertainty in people

Design Characteristics
Classification

Common features
• No physical pure basic volume.
• Fragmented mass.
• New Material (Metals, Glass, Concrete).
• Complicated structure and thus advance structural systems.
• Relatively high Void percentage.
• Open plan.
• Distinguishing from Context.

Design Characteristics - Layering
• Definition: essentially based on fragmenting pure basic volumes

into vertical and horizontal planes which create different layers.

Notable architects:
• Name: Richard Meier
• Nationality : United States of America.
• Born : 1934
• Qualifications : BCS of Architecture degree from Cornell university(New York)

Richard Meier
• Straight parallel lines and arch.
Getty center California USA

Richard Meier
• Corners right angle.

Richard Meier
• Appearance of original basic
volumes : Still visually

Richard Meier
• Articulation : Through relation
between Layers and Masses.

Richard Meier
• Openings : by Subtraction and
Additions.

Richard Meier
Burda Museum, Germany

Richard Meier
international center for possibility thinking, USA

Richard Meier
Church of 2000, Italy

Peter Eisenman
House III Connecticut, USA

Zaha Hadid
Rosenthal center for contemporary art, Ohio, USA

Design Characteristics - Angular
• Definition: essentially consists of complicated composition of

hybrid volume with acute angles.

Notable architects:
• Name: Daniel Libeskind
• Nationality : United States of America.
• Born : 1946
• Qualifications : BCS of Architecture degree from university of Essex(England)

Daniel Libeskind
• Lines : Almost Straight non Parallel lines.
Denver Art Museum, Colorado, USA

Daniel Libeskind
• Corners : Acute angles.

Daniel Libeskind
• Appearance of organic basic volumes : disappear.

Daniel Libeskind
• Articulation : through relation between masses.

Daniel Libeskind
• Openings : mainly by Subtraction

Daniel Libeskind
palazzo dell'edilizia of alessandria, Italy

Daniel Libeskind
Royal ontario museum, Canada

Daniel Libeskind
The villa Libeskind signature series,

Germany
Office of metropolitan Architecture
CCTV Headquarters, Beijing, China

Terry Farrell
The deep aquarium, Hull, UK

Design Characteristics - Organic
• Definition: essentially consists of complicated sculptured volumes

with curvy lines.

Notable architects:
• Name: Dame Zaha Mohammad Hadid
• Nationality : Iraqi-British
• Born : 1950
• Qualifications : BCS of Architecture degree
from Architectural Association in London.

Dame Zaha Mohammad Hadid

• Lines : Curve lines.
Heydar aliyev center, Baku 1033, Azerbaijan


• Corners : Almost no corners but curves.


• Appearance of basic organic volumes: Disappears.


• Articulation : Sculpturing.


• Openings : Mainly by Subtraction.

Mixed use building, Belgrade, Serbia

Galaxy Soho, Beijing, China

Ron Arad Architects
Design museum, Holon, Israel

Brooks + Scarpa
Architects
Interfaith chapel proposal, Florida, USA

10 design Architects
Dalian planning museum, Dalian, China

Design Characteristics - Chaos
• Definition: essentially consists of complicated composition of

hybrid volumes with wide variety of lines and angles.

Notable architects:
• Name: Frank O Gehry
• Nationality : Canadian-American
• Born : 1929
from Architectural University of Southern
California

Frank O Gehry
Lines : Both straight and Curve lines.
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

Frank O Gehry
Corners : Both Right & Acute angles
and curves.

Frank O Gehry
Appearance of Organic basic
volumes : Disappears.

Frank O Gehry
Articulation : Through relation between masses.

Frank O Gehry
Openings : By Subtraction and Addition.

Frank O Gehry
Vitra design museum, Germany

Frank O Gehry
The lou ruvo center, Nevada, USA

Frank O Gehry
Walt disney concert hall, Los Angeles, California, USA

Frank Gehry, Vlado Milunić
Dancing House, Prague, Czechia

Frank Gehry
Hotel Marqués de Riscal, Spain

Notable architects:
• Name: Peter Eisenman
• Nationality : American
• Born : 1932
• Qualifications : Ph.D. of Architecture degree
from Architectural University of Cambridge.

Notable architects:
• Name: Bernard Tschumi
• Nationality : American
• Born : 1944
• Qualifications : Ph.D. of Architecture degree
from ETH in Zurich.

Notable architects:
• Name: Helmut Swiczinsky
• Nationality : Polish
• Born : 1944

Notable architects:
• Name: Rem Koolhaas
• Nationality : Dutch
• Born : 1944

Critiques

Deconstructivism & Contemporary PPT Ashish D & MD Ayazul - 1

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Deconstructivism

Prepared & submitted by :

Then, what is deconstruction......?

 it is an architectural movement that began in early 1980s.

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

“Form Follows Function” “Purity Of Form” “Truth To Materials”

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 The Museum of Modern Art’s (MoMA) 1988 Deconstructivist

Philip Johnson Mark Wigley

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

Church of the year 200, Rome by Eisenman

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

Outside of a building should not be molded

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

Word/building ≠ single meaning

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

Some architects took literally the notion of no single

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

• Definition: essentially based on fragmenting pure basic volumes

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

Getty center California USA

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

Getty center California USA

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

Getty center California USA

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

Getty center California USA

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

Getty center California USA

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

Burda Museum, Germany

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

international center for possibility thinking, USA

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

Church of 2000, Italy

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

House III Connecticut, USA

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

Rosenthal center for contemporary art, Ohio, USA

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques

• Definition: essentially consists of complicated composition of

 Introduction Philosophy Historical Background Design Characteristics Critiques