The document provides information about Postmodern architecture. It emerged in the late 1960s as a reaction against Modernism, which had faced criticism for its rigid doctrines, uniformity, and lack of cultural context. Postmodernism incorporated historical elements and references to vernacular architecture in a way that Modernism had rejected. It embraced complexity and contradiction over the simplicity of Modernism.

1. POST MODERNISM
AKSHATA BHISE
18fap2ar002
5th sem 3 rd. year
B.ARCH

2. POSTMODERN ARCHITECTURE, ALSO KNOWN AS
POSTMODERNISM (OR ‘POMO’), IS AN
ARCHITECTURAL STYLE THAT EMERGED IN THE
LATE-1960S AS A REACTION AGAINST
MODERNISM.
•MODERNIST ARCHITECTURE HAD FACED
INCREASING CRITICISM FOR ITS RIGID
DOCTRINES, UNIFORMITY AND PERCEIVED LACK
OF LOCAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT. THERE
WERE ALSO THOSE WHO DERIDED THE
MODERNISM OF LE CORBUSIER AND LUDWIG
MIES VAN DER ROHE FOR BEING TOO BLEAK,
FORMAL AND AUSTERE.

4. MICHAEL
GRAVES(1934)

5.  DATE OF BIRTH : APRIL 1934
 PLACE OF BIRTH : INDIANAPOLIS IN INDIANA, U.S.A
 NATIONALITY : AMERICAN
 EDUCATION :
 RECEIVED ARCHITECTURAL TRAINING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI &
HARVARD UNIVERSITY.
WON “THE ROME PRIZE” IN 1960 & STUDIED FOR 2 YEARS AT
“AMERICAN ACADEMY” IN ROME.
 PROFESSION :
BEGAN HIS PRACTICE IN 1964 IN PRINCETON, NEW JERCY.
FIRM- MICHAL GRAVES & ASSOCIATES, 1964.

6. philosophy

7. •GRAVE’S LANGUAGE OF ARCHITECTIRE OPERATES ON A NUMBER OF LEVELS. IT IS
MEANT TO BE LEGIBLE & A PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE.
•
•SECONDLY, & CERTAINLY NO LESS IMPORTANT, ALTHOUGH ADMITTEDLY MORE
UNDERSTANDABLE TO THE TRAINED EYE, IS A PASSIONATE & SOMETIMES PLAYFUL
INTEREST IN REWORKING THE COMMONLY ACCEPTED LANGUAGE OF
ARCHITECTURE INTO A UNIQUELY PERSONAL EXPRESSION OF WHAT IT MIGHT
BECOME, WITHOUT LOSING IT’S IDENTITY. THE REWORKING OF WHAT EXISTS INTO
WHAT IS UNKNOWN BUT STILL RECOGNIZABLE IS THE GOAL.
•GRAVE’S LANGUAGE OF ARCHITECTIRE OPERATES ON A NUMBER OF LEVELS. IT IS
MEANT TO BE LEGIBLE & A PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE.
•SECONDLY, & CERTAINLY NO LESS IMPORTANT, ALTHOUGH ADMITTEDLY MORE
UNDERSTANDABLE TO THE TRAINED EYE, IS A PASSIONATE & SOMETIMES PLAYFUL
INTEREST IN REWORKING THE COMMONLY ACCEPTED LANGUAGE OF
ARCHITECTURE INTO A UNIQUELY PERSONAL EXPRESSION OF WHAT IT MIGHT
BECOME, WITHOUT LOSING IT’S IDENTITY. THE REWORKING OF WHAT EXISTS INTO
WHAT IS UNKNOWN BUT STILL RECOGNIZABLE IS THE GOAL.

8. WALT DISNEY
WORLD RESORT
FLORIDA

9. ■ LOCATION : WALT DISNEY
WORLD RESORT, FLORIDA
■ DESIGN STARTED : 1987
■ DESIGN COMPLETED : 1990
■ AREA : 2- MILLION SQ. FEET
■ STRUCTURE : REINFORCED
CONCRETE &
STEEL SUPERSTRUCTURE
■ MATERIAL : EXTERIOR
INSULATION & FINISH SYSTEM
WITH PAINTED MURALS

10. THE 1,500 ROOM WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT DOLPHIN
FACES ITS COMPOSITION PROJECT,THE 758-ROOM WALT
DISNEY WORLD RESORT SWAN HOTEL, ACROSS A LARGE
CRESCENT SHAPED ARTIFICIAL LAKE
BOTH HOTELS CONTAIN EXTENSIVE CONVENTION FACILITIES,
RESTAURANTS, AND RETAIL SHOPS.

11. HUMANA BUILDING
PLACE : LOUISVILLE,KENTUCKY,HUMANA
DESIGN STARTED :1982
DESIGN COMPLETED:1985
STRUCTURE MATERIAL USED: STEEL FRAME & GRANITE
NO. OF STORIES : 26

12.  HUMANA BUILDING IS THE HEADQUATERS OF
WELL-KNOWN AMERICAN COMPANY
SPECIALIZING IN HEALTH CARE.
 THE MODERN BUILDINGS SURROUNDING THE
SITE ARE SET BACK FROM THE STREET ON
PLAZAS, ERODING THE HISTORICAL URBAN
STREET WALL PATTERN.
 IN CONTRAST, THE HUMANA BUILDING OCCUPIES
ITS ENTIRE SITE AND RE- ESTABLISHES THE
STREET EDGE AS AN ESSENTIAL URBAN FORM.
 THE 525,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING INCLUDES
TWO PARKING LEVELS, RETAIL SHOPS ON THE
FIRST FLOOR, AND OFFICES AND CONFERENCE
CENTER ABOVE.

13. Humana building
 THEBUILDING’S FORMALORGANISATIONREFLECTSITS
DEVISIONINTOTHESE SIGNIFICANT PARTS
 THE LOWER PORTION, SIX STORIES HIGH, IS DEVOTED
TO PUBLIC SPACE AND TOHUMANA’SEXECUTIVEOFFICES.
 GENERAL OFFICES ARE LOCATED IN THE BODY OF THE
BUILDING.
 THE CONFERENCE CENTER OCCUPIES THE 25TH FLOOR,
WITH ACCESS TOA LARGE OUTDOOR PORCH OVERLOOKING
THE CITY AND THE RIVER BEYOND .

14. LIKE ELEMENTS WHICH ARE HYBRID RATHER THAN
„PURE‟, COMPROMISING RATHER THAN „CLEAN‟,
DISTORTED RATHER THAN „STRAIGHTFORWARD‟,
AMBIGUOUS RATHER THAN „ARTICULATED‟,
PERVERSE AS WELL AS IMPERSONAL, BORING AS WELL
AS „INTERESTING‟, CONVENTIONAL RATHER THAN
„DESIGNED‟, ACCOMMODATING RATHER THAN
EXCLUDING, VESTIGIAL AS WELL AS WELL AS
INNOVATING, INCONSISTENT AND EQUIVOCAL RATHER
THAN DIRECT AND CLEARI LIKE ELEMENTS WHICH ARE
HYBRID RATHER THAN „PURE‟, COMPROMISING
RATHER THAN „CLEAN‟, DISTORTED RATHER THAN
„STRAIGHTFORWARD‟, AMBIGUOUS RATHER THAN
„ARTICULATED‟, PERVERSE AS WELL AS IMPERSONAL,
BORING AS WELL AS „INTERESTING‟, CONVENTIONAL
RATHER THAN „DESIGNED‟, ACCOMMODATING
RATHER THAN EXCLUDING, VESTIGIAL AS WELL AS
WELL AS INNOVATING, INCONSISTENT AND
EQUIVOCAL RATHER THAN DIRECT AND CLEAR
ROBERT VENTURI

15. ROBERT VENTURI
CONCEPT

16. •ROBERT VENTURI WAS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE POSTMODERN MOVEMENT.
•HIS BOOK, COMPLEXITY AND CONTRADICTION IN ARCHITECTURE (PUBLISHED IN 1966),
WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN OPENING READERS EYES TO NEW WAYS OF THINKING ABOUT
BUILDINGS, AS IT DREW FROM THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE—BOTH HIGH-STYLE
AND VERNACULAR, BOTH HISTORIC AND MODERN—AND CRITICIZING OVERLY SIMPLISTIC
FUNCTIONAL MODERNISM.
•VENTURI'S SECOND BOOK, LEARNING FROM LAS VEGAS (1972) FURTHER DEVELOPED HIS
TAKE ON MODERNISM. CO- AUTHORED WITH HIS WIFE, DENISE SCOTT BROWN, AND STEVEN
ISENHOUR, LEARNING FROM LAS VEGAS ARGUES THAT ORNAMENTAL AND DECORATIVE
ELEMENTS “ACCOMMODATE EXISTING NEEDS FOR VARIETY AND COMMUNICATION”
•He explains this and his criticism of modernism in his complexity and
contradiction in architecture by saying that Architects can bemoan or try to
ignore them (referring to the ornamental and decorative elements in buildings)
or even try to abolish them, but they will not go away. Or they will not go away
for a long time, because architects do not have the power to replace them (nor
do they know what to replace them with).

17. •PROJECT NAME:
VANNA VENTURI HOUSE
•CONSTRUCTION YEAR:
1964
•ARCHITECT:
ROBERT VENTURI
•PROJECT CATEGORY:
RESIDENTIAL
•LOCATION:
8330 MILLMAN ST,
PHILADELPHIA, USA
VANNA VENTURI HOUSE
VANNA VENTURI HOUSE

18. §THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE HOUSE ARE A REACTION AGAINST STANDARD MODERNIST
ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS:
PITCHED ROOF RATHER THAN FLAT ROOF,
EMPHASIS ON CENTRAL HEARTH & CHIMNEY,
CLOSED GROUND FLOOR "SET FIRMLY ON GROUND" RATHER THAN MODERNIST COLUMNS & GLASS
WALLS WHICH OPEN UP THE GROUND FLOOR.
§THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE HOUSE ARE A REACTION AGAINST STANDARD MODERNIST
ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS:
PITCHED ROOF RATHER THAN FLAT ROOF,
EMPHASIS ON CENTRAL HEARTH & CHIMNEY,
CLOSED GROUND FLOOR "SET FIRMLY ON GROUND" RATHER THAN MODERNIST COLUMNS & GLASS
WALLS WHICH OPEN UP THE GROUND FLOOR.
§THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE HOUSE ARE A REACTION AGAINST STANDARD MODERNIST
ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS:
PITCHED ROOF RATHER THAN FLAT ROOF,
EMPHASIS ON CENTRAL HEARTH & CHIMNEY,
CLOSED GROUND FLOOR "SET FIRMLY ON GROUND" RATHER THAN MODERNIST COLUMNS GLASS
WALLS WHICH OPEN UP THE GROUND FLOOR.
Architectural features

19.  ON THE FRONT ELEVATION THE BROKEN
PEDIMENT OR GABLE & A PURELY ORNAMENTAL
APPLIQUE ARCH REFLECT RETURN TO
MANNERIST ARCHITECTURE AND A REJECTION
OF MODERNISM.
 ON THE FRONT ELEVATION THE BROKEN
PEDIMENT OR GABLE & A PURELY ORNAMENTAL
APPLIQUE ARCH REFLECT RETURN TO
MANNERIST ARCHITECTURE AND A REJECTION
OF MODERNISM.

21. • INSIDE THE HOUSE CERTAIN ELEMENTS ARE “TOO
BIG,” SUCH AS THE SIZE OF THE FIREPLACE AND
THE HEIGHT OF THE MANTEL COMPARED TO THE
SIZE OF THE ROOM.
• DOORS ARE WIDE AND LOW IN HEIGHT, ESPECIALLY
IN CONTRAST TO THE GRANDNESS OF THE
ENTRANCE SPACE.
• VENTURI ALSO MINIMIZED CIRCULATION SPACE IN
THE DESIGN OF THE HOUSE, SO THAT IT
CONSISTED OF LARGE DISTINCT ROOMS WITH
MINIMUM SUBDIVISIONS BETWEEN THEM.
• INSIDE THE HOUSE CERTAIN ELEMENTS ARE “TOO
BIG,” SUCH AS THE SIZE OF THE FIREPLACE AND
THE HEIGHT OF THE MANTEL COMPARED TO THE
SIZE OF THE ROOM.
• DOORS ARE WIDE AND LOW IN HEIGHT, ESPECIALLY
IN CONTRAST TO THE GRANDNESS OF THE
ENTRANCE SPACE.
• VENTURI ALSO MINIMIZED CIRCULATION SPACE IN
THE DESIGN OF THE HOUSE, SO THAT IT
CONSISTED OF LARGE DISTINCT ROOMS WITH
MINIMUM SUBDIVISIONS BETWEEN THEM.

22. DUCK AND
DECORATED
SHED

24. •IN ESSENCE, “DUCKS” ARE BUILDINGS
THAT EXPLICITLY REPRESENT THEIR
FUNCTION THROUGH THEIR SHAPE
AND CONSTRUCTION. THIS TYPOLOGY IS
DEFINED IN OPPOSITION TO “DECORATED
SHEDS,” WHICH ARE GENERIC STRUCTURES
WITH ADDED SIGNS AND DECOR THAT
DENOTE THEIR PURPOSE (THINK: BIG-BOX
CASINOS, ROADSIDE HOTELS OR
RESTAURANTS WITH BIG SIGNS).
• “DUCK” VERSUS “DECORATED SHED,
WITH BIG DUCK IN LONG ISLAND (UPPER
RIGHT)
•THE DUCK TYPOLOGY TAKES ITS NAME
FROM AN ACTUAL DUCK-SHAPED BUILDING:
THE BIG DUCK LOCATED ON LONG ISLAND
IN NEW YORK. THE STRUCTURE WAS BUILT
TO HOUSE A SHOP SELLING DUCKS AND
DUCK EGGS. THE FORM OF THE BUILDING
ITSELF EXPLICITLY TELLS PASSERS BY WHAT
THEY WILL FIND INSIDE.
•DUCKS: “WHERE THE ARCHITECTURAL
SYSTEMS OF SPACE, STRUCTURE, AND
PROGRAM ARE SUBMERGED AND DISTORTED
BY AN OVERALL SYMBOLIC FORM.”
•DECORATED SHEDS: “WHERE SYSTEMS OF
SPACE AND STRUCTURE ARE DIRECTLY AT
THE SERVICE OF PROGRAM, AND ORNAMENT
IS APPLIED INDEPENDENTLY.”

25. LEARNING
FROM LAS
VEGAS

26. •Where other Modernist professionals saw a wasteland of kitsch and pseudo-historical decor,
Venturi and Scott Brown found rich layers of meaning in the symbolism applied to otherwise-
boring buildings.
In a way, Sin City represented a return to pre-modern architecture; attached signs conveyed the
purpose of everyday buildings and ornamentation enriched the visual expression of special
structures.
•“The commercial strip, the Las Vegas Strip in particular…challenges the architect to
take a positive, non-chip-on-the-shoulder view. Architects are out of the habit of looking
nonjudgmentally at the environment, because orthodox Modern architecture is
progressive, if not revolutionary, utopian, and puristic; it is dissatisfied with existing
conditions. Modern architecture has been anything but permissive: Architects have
preferred to change the existing environment rather than enhance what is there.” –
Learning from Las Vegas
Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown and Steven Izenour published their findings and
opinions in Learning from Las Vegas. The book was controversial, galvanizing other
contemporary architects to stake out sides in the ensuing years in
the battle between Modern and (what would come to be seen as) Postmodern approaches

29. PHILIP
JOHNSON

30. ACCORDING TO PHILIP JOHNSON ‘CRUTCHES’ BY WHICH
ARCHITECTS EVADE THEIR REAL RESPONSIBILITIES ARE-
HISTORY – I.E. JUSTIFYING ELEMENTS WHICH ARE EARLIER
USED.
UTILITY- I.E. IF UTILITY OF A BUILDING OVERCOMES ARTISTIC
INVENTIONS ,THEN IT IS MERELY AN ASSEMBLAGE OF USEFUL
PARTS
PHILOSPHY

31. •PHILLIP JOHNSON HELPED MIES VAN DER ROHE
DESIGN THE SEAGRAM BUILDING IN THE 1950S,
BUT IN THE ’70S HE DID THE OPPOSITE WITH
THE AT&T BUILDING (NOW CALLED THE SONY
BUILDING)
•INSTEAD OF A BUILDING MADE OF SLEEK GLASS
AND METAL, THIS BUILDING IS PREDOMINANTLY
MASONRY (ONLY 30% OF THE OUTSIDE IS GLASS)
AND REVIVES A CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURAL
VOCABULARY…
•JOHNSON & HIS ASSOCIATES DIVIDED THE
BUILDING INTO THREE PARTS, REMINISCENT OF
THE THREE ELEVATIONS OF A GREEK TEMPLE –
BASE, COLUMN AND PEDIMENT.
•PHILLIP JOHNSON, THE AT&T BUILDING (NEW
YORK), 1984.
T&T BUILDING

32. • THE TOP SLOPES DOWN LIKE A PEDIMENT,
INCLUDING A SPACE IN THE MIDDLE KNOWN
AS AN ORBICULUM (SIMILAR TO THE LOOK OF
18TH CENTURY DRESSERS)
• THIN STRIPS OF MASONRY THAT MAKE UP THE
CENTER RESEMBLES THE FLUTING OF
COLUMNS
• THE ENTRANCE INCLUDES A MASSIVE ROUND
ARCH, SIMILAR TO A TRIUMPHAL ARCH OR A
ROMANESQUE PORTAL.
FEATURES

33. FEATURES

34. THANK YOU