Delve into the drama of Postmodern architecture
A new book by historian and curator Owen Hopkins and publishing house Phaidon delves into the drama and thought behind architecture's postmodernism movement through case studies and a catalogue of examples from across the globe
When Postmodern Architecture first rose to prominence at the end of the 1970s and 80s, the sputtering indignation of the modernist establishment was heard loud and clear. PoMo was declared flippant and frivolous, it broke all the architectural ‘rules’ in its reckless embrace of colour and decoration. And as for the dumpster-diving through archaic historicist features, the less said the better. Yet many ignored the critics and persisted with this seemingly perverse path. ‘Postmodern Architecture: Less is a Bore’ shows us why we should be grateful that they did.
Written by historian and curator Owen Hopkins (currently at Sir John Soane’s Museum in London), ‘Less is Bore’ presents the heavy hitters of the movement and a strong selection of buildings erected over solid intellectual foundations. The significant names include the American cadre headed up by Michael Graves, Robert Stern, and Venturi Scott Brown, but there also examples from all over the world, including James Stirling, Terry Farrell and John Outram in the UK, the playful form-making of early Gehry, FAT and Site, or the serious place-making of Aldo Rossi and Mario Botta.
Postmodernism’s giddy eclectism shines through. Although the featured buildings aren’t underpinned by a single manifesto, they all demonstrate a shared ethos, with architecture treated as a spiritual balm and decoration and colour used to impose a more human scale.
Admittedly, the reasons for the style’s modern revival are largely aesthetic; just as Brutalism enjoyed a social media upswing thanks to the photogenic properties of angular concrete, so the pastel hues and bold shapes of PoMo have found favour amongst the Insta generation. ‘Less is a Bore’ (Robert Venturi’s spirited rejoinder to Mies’s pious prononoucement) is a welcome catalogue of a more innocent world, back when a building’s image meant a lot more than its suitability for mass reproduction.
INFORMATION
Postmodern Architecture: Less is a Bore, by Owen Hopkins, published by Phaidon, £29.95, phaidon.com
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.
-
First look: Western Mongolia meets Kew Gardens in John Pawson and Oyuna Tserendorj’s cashmere throws
Architectural designer John Pawson and cashmere designer Oyuna Tserendor have collaborated on a cashmere throw collection inspired by Pawson’s 70m Lake Crossing in the Royal Botanical Gardens
By Scarlett Conlon Published
-
How to buy art: the accessible new market
Thanks to a growing pool of art advisers, digital intelligence and collector groups, buyers are better equipped than ever
By Annabel Keenan Published
-
The coolest design-led coffee shops in Seoul
Seoul counts more coffee shops per capita than any other city in the world – cut straight to our six must-visit spots
By Robert Schneider Published
-
'Tropicality' explored in Indonesian architect Andra Matin’s first monograph
'Tropicality' is a key theme in a new book on Indonesian architect Andra Matin, whose work blends landscape, architecture and living
By Harriet Thorpe Published
-
‘A Time ⋅ A Place’ is a lovingly compiled photographic portrait of cars and architecture
‘A Time ⋅ A Place’ is a celebration of the European Car of the Year and changing perceptions of modern design, pairing the best buildings of the age with their automotive contemporaries
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Álvaro Siza’s new monograph through the lens of Duccio Malagamba is impactful and immersive
Álvaro Siza and photographer Duccio Malagamba collaborate on a new monograph by Phaidon; ‘Before / After: Álvaro Siza Duccio Malagamba’ celebrates the Portuguese architect's work
By Michael Webb Published
-
Marcio Kogan’s Studio MK27 celebrated in this new monograph from Rizzoli
‘The Architecture of Studio MK27. Lights, camera, action’ is a richly illustrated journey through the evolution of this famed Brazilian architecture studio
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
‘Interior sculptor’ Christophe Gevers’ oeuvre is celebrated in new book
‘Christophe Gevers’ is a sleek monograph dedicated to the Belgian's life work as an interior architect, designer, sculptor and inventor, with unseen photography by Jean-Pierre Gabriel
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Flick through ‘Brutal Wales’, a book celebrating concrete architecture
‘Brutal Wales’ book zooms into a selection of concrete Welsh architecture treasures through the lens of photographer Simon Phipps
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Architecture books to inspire shelf love
Here at Wallpaper*, we’ve got architecture books piling up; among them, these are the photographic tomes, architects’ monographs and limited editions that we couldn’t resist
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Pioneering modernist Henry Kulka's life and career tracked in limited-edition monograph
Czech-New Zealand architect Henry Kulka, a man who spread modernist ideals half way around the world, is celebrated in Giles Reid and Mary Gaudin’s richly illustrated monograph
By Jonathan Bell Published