Post-modernism

Post modernism

This movement one of the most controversial movements on the 20th Century. The style Post Modernism started on March 16th 1972. Modernism had the idea to create a better word and thought there was always room for improvement, they stuck to the saying ‘’Less is More’’ by Mies van der Rohe but Post Modernists thought of it differently, they though ‘’Less was Boring’’. Post-modernists wanted a new type of style with freedom. This was not just a movement of style but even from a philosophical point of view. This style was visually exciting and adventures. Postmodernism art was all over the place with many different styles of art. Post modernists rebelled against perfection that was created by the previews movement ‘’ Modernism’’. They wanted to challenge people, and get them to question everything around them. And why things are the way they are and why they aren’t.

Characteristics of post-modernism

Colourful

Sculptural forms

Ornaments

Pastiche

Collage

Irony

Playfulness

Black Humour

Architecture in Post- modernism

This style started as an international style, some of the first architectural post modernism buildings take us back to the 1950’s but it hadn’t become a movement until the 1970s.Decorations and abstract elements started to show in buildings as well. This was a rebellious way to trash modernism architecture. Postmodern architecture was not perfect in form and included a lot of different materials, methods and colours and strived for meaning and expression. Freedom was also seen in architecture and architects were not restricted to modernism objectives. Instead of focusing on getting the work of art close to perfection like modernists they wanted to achieve a new artistic form. Post modernisms architecture is viewed as an American movement, because it’s where it all started and later on moved to Europe.

Famous architects of the movement –

Robert Venturi ‘’Less is Bore’’

Philip Johnson

Michael Graves ‘’Good design should be accessible to all’’

Flat roofs were being replaced with gable roofs, columns also came back but more as an aesthetic and feature, colour was being used again to give life to buildings.

Famous Buildings –

Double Coding

This was a tall skyscraper built for Sony in New York City, designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee. It was not an extravagant building for this movement but it still had postmodernism elements such as ornamental elements, granite cladding, Chippendale roof line that was inspired from furniture, brass and marble in the interior. 

Vanna Venturi House,
This was a house built in Philadelphia by the famous postmodernism architect Robert Venturi. This was a house built for his mother. This was a building that Venturi demonstrated some of the new styles of postmodernism and is known to be one of the first examples of postmodernism architecture. Like many other postmodernism architecture, this house includes some ornamental features like a square opening in the center of the facade and also an arch as decoration. The house had a chimney in the center and a lot of windows which aren’t aligned.

Post-modernism Furniture

The Memphis Group

This was a group of Italian designers and architectures, that designed postmodern furniture and architecture. It was founded by Ettore Sottsass in 1981. He was the creator of some famous works that included the Cartlon bookshelf and Max. This group produced works with bright vivid colours, geometric patterns, different shapes, unique designs with unusual materials. The Memphis group was inspired by the Art Deco and Pop Art movements. Their aim was to create a new way of design and create fun and interesting pieces.

Ettore Sottsass, Carlton Room Divider, 1981. Plastic laminate

Marco Zanini, Dublin (sofa), 1981, made out of plastic laminate, metal, and synthetic fabric

Super Lamp by Martine Bedin for Memphis Milano, 1981

Reference -

Postmodern architecture (2016) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postmodern_architecture (Accessed: 27 May 2016).

550 Madison Avenue (2016) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/550_Madison_Avenue (Accessed: 27 May 2016).

Encyclopedia (2016) Encyclopedia.Com articles about postmodernism. Available at: http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/postmodernism.aspx (Accessed: 27 May 2016).

Postmodern architecture (2016) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postmodern_architecture (Accessed: 27 May 2016).

Robert Venturi (2016) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Venturi#Architecture (Accessed: 27 May 2016).

Vanna Venturi house (2015) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanna_Venturi_House (Accessed: 27 May 2016).

Memphis group (2016) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Group (Accessed: 27 May 2016).

designyourworld (2010) Travel. Available at: http://italychronicles.com/italian-design-focus-on-the-memphis-design-movement/ (Accessed: 27 May 2016).