Po-Mo Architecture

[Mark E Gilpatric]

If anyone has views on Postmodern architecture I would very much like to read
them. The area which especially is of interest to me is the transformation
from so called modern architecture up to the sixties or so to the 'postmedern'
era in building.

What caused the change?
Is postmoderism in architecture really a style of itself?
Does the architecture reflect the 'pop' philosophy of these times,
or is it a more advanced taste?

My feeling is that Po-Mo is a transition phase. People seem uncertain about
the future and are searching for the answers by digging through the artifacts
of all past eras. I think serious artists will find a more meaningful way of
interpreting modern life and put a serious effort into a new defining 'style.'

Am I right or wrong? Is postmodernism trully the expression of today's
life?

--- Mark

[Christopher Mealy]

(I don't know a damn thing about architecture. Don't take this too seriously)
Oops! I deleted the name of the person I'm responding to. Sorry!
> What caused the change?
Modern architecture was just mean and ugly. Everybody hated it. I'm talking
about the Pan-Am building and all those Seagram clones.

> Is postmoderism in architecture really a style of itself?

Yes. Kinda the same way modernism was a style, and not like, say,
"gothic." Modernism wasn't really about what the gargoyles looked like,
it was the attitude, pure, hi-tech, universal. Whether p-m's a style or
not depends on how you define style. If style includes what the building
looks like, then no. Postmodern architecture doesn't all look the same.
(Although there do seem to be an awful lot of pastels ...)

> Does the architecture reflect the 'pop' philosophy of these times,
> or is it a more advanced taste?

If you look at something like Venturi's Chestnut Hill house, then pm is
ultra-intellectual-theoretical. I think p-m can be/may be/is 'pop' too.
Think about Venturi's Seattle Art Museum or that Piazza d'Italie in New
Orleans. They're hilarious. The Stutgart (sorry) Museum looks like
Disneyland. Disneyland looks like Disneyland, too.

>My feeling is that Po-Mo is a transition phase. People seem uncertain about
>the future and are searching for the answers by digging through the artifacts
>of all past eras. I think serious artists will find a more meaningful way of
>interpreting modern life and put a serious effort into a new defining 'style.'

I think p-m is here to stay. I think we'll see more 'fun' buildings in
the future. Yeah, I suspect will see neo-modernist architecture when it's
cost-effective.

> Am I right or wrong? Is postmodernism trully the expression of today's
> life?

hmm ... anything that's been constructed is the expression of reality.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris Mealy
University of Washington moo...@u.washington.edu
Seattle, Washington USA