Post Modernism Miasma - Term Paper Example

Post Modernism Miasma Customer Inserts His/ Her Name Customer Inserts Course Customer Inserts Tutor’s Name 17th October 2012 Post Modernism Miasma Architectural modernism presented itself as a form of an international style with prescribed rules and procedures that took effect in the post WWI era and would later become pervasive in the reconstruction of Europe in the aftermath of the World War II (Pelli, 1999). It sought to create new building and design forms that were based on a universally accepted architectural vocabulary, whereby buildings and house developments would adhere to some prescribed rules. In that case buildings developed in Manchester or in Massachusetts, Bangkok or Berlin would be similar. This form of new architecture would have a rational organization and function, would utilize up-to-date construction materials and would not utilize what many modernists considered unnecessary ornamentation. They would thus utilize the developments that occurred in the technological and engineering industries of the time. Such aspects of engineering developments as new building materials including concrete, steel, iron and glass compelled architects to develop new building designs. Such principles limited the ornamentation and actually made the aspect of adequacy to be everything (Ellyard, 2011). It relied on scientific doctrines and approaches which, according to the author can be considered to be unchanging but continuously uses advancement in technology. Additionally, the modern era was founded on the language of the information age which actually triggered the redefinition of the identities of states and nations. Subsequently, modern era came along with it erosion or disintegration of national, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic identities of societies. In this essay, we will illustrate the positive and the negative effects of postmodernism on architecture and how postmodernism succeeded in criticizing the modernism. We will also demonstrate that actually its apparent rejection of architecture’s commitment to higher art and the commitment to avant-garde was indeed justifiable, though it did not stick to it. Finally we put into perspective how postmodernism actually influenced architectural thinking globally and in Australia. Modernism We can refer to modernism in architecture as the high rising buildings made of glass in modern centers that emerged Post World War I (Pelli, 1999). The major tenet of modernism was one that follows function, which actually implies that the importance of form was lost with the emergence of modernism (Pelli, 1999). This era was influenced by the machine age which made architectural work focus more on utilizing the new construction materials that were developed at the time. In summary, the modern era architectural designs can be described as having simple frontages with large glass windows, flat, definite structural systems, abstract interiors and open plan schemata (Kahl, 2008). The designs presented a denial of tradition, rejection of historical forms of the society and objective. More so, the designs were machine like and had analytical design approach. The modernist are criticized for failing to realize that the forces of social life are active and they reflect mass cultures, hierarchy, centralized control, order, cultural differentiation in which there is dichotomy in high or low culture, mass consumption, reality, embrace totality and master progress through science and technology (Jencks, 1996). Modernism from the architectural sense may be seen as the architecture aimed at departing from the existing customs, norms, procedures and methods (traditions) that have been established in the long term and passed down to generations by predecessors. Modernity is actually dependent, transitory and temporary since it focuses only on the present state of affairs (Ellyard, 2011). Since states of affair are always changing and that there is no one thing that maintains in its quality for a lifetime, something can only be considered to be modern relative to a particular place and time (Colquhoun, 2002). That is it has both a temporal and spatial aspect. However, since the traditions of the people are passed on through generations they appear to be eternal and immovable. Modernity on the other hand is variable. Thus, there appear to be a dichotomy between these two variables with modernity being changeable and tradition being continuous. Nonetheless, these two combined constitute social practices since they appear to change although they do so in a continual context. Criticism of modernism from a postmodernism perspective Defining postmodernism, just like modernism has proved hard. It can only be studied in relation to modernism. Postmodernism is understood as a movement that comes in to correct modernism. According to Lloytard (1984), postmodernism can be seen as a historical or cultural condition whose foundations are dissolution of greater narratives which actually presents itself in time of crisis in ideology in the event that there is no transparency in ideology. In sum, the fundamental aspects of the postmodernism art can be enumerated to include emergence of new kinds of texts combined with forms, history, categories and various other forms of cultures of a society. Through postmodernism, ornamentation was refreshed, symbolism and articulation were returned, metaphors and imitations were rediscovered while historism and eclecticism were embraced in architecture. Additionally, it provided a way to critically deconstruct the modernist tradition by replacing it with modern and post modern traditions and forms using newer concepts so as to reflect societies and environmental sustainability. The approach reaffirmed the strengths of old approaches and means of viewing the world. According to postmodernism, paying attention to the traditional and pre-modern practices would enrich the world and make it a better place to be (Ellyard, 2011). Thus, people rejected modernism as it was viewed as a set of rules and a part of high art as opposed to postmodernism which people viewed as an aesthetic way that would accept anything (Kellner, 1988). Modern architecture was highly criticized in the 1950s for its sterility, anonymity in terms of the structures and paying little or no attention to the regional building traditions of a particular area. In his influential manifesto Learning From Las Vegas, Robert Venturi noted that unlike the modernism, postmodernism presented itself as a typical kind of architecture that showed aesthetic populism. Other scholars described it as the artistic and stylistic eclecticism which basically presented different genres and forms of art in a hybrid form, combining different styles of different times and cultures while at the same time de-contextualizing or re- contextualizing designs and styles in architecture (Jencks, 1996). It also integrated visual arts and literature in the design. Additionally, postmodernism is credited for putting emphasis on cultural diversity, racial, images and capital globalization as well as products in the era of information. As suggested by Ellyard (2011), postmodernism aims at amalgamating the best forms of the traditional art with the best of the modern art in architecture. For instance in postmodernism, there is retrofitting a 19th century building with a building in the 21st century instead of demolishing or replacing such building (Kahl, 2008). However, this may be one of its major shortfalls. Although it emphasizes traditional aspects, it only focuses on combining the best of old with the best of the new era. This way some aspects may be lost. In fact, as modern commentators put it, it is just a deconstruction of the modernism. Another aspect of the modernism that postmodernism aimed to criticize was lack of expression (Jencks, 1996). Modernism never presented people with an opportunity to express their history, and thus it lacked what can be referred to as historical relevance. It is from this notion that Venturi supported the work of Philip Johnson who was a modernist (Hughes 1979). According to Johnson, history acted as a binding unit and bound all people together. Venturi would later incorporate the concept of people’s history into his postmodern architecture. In his own view, Venturi believed that successful architecture should be taken up by people who understand their history. Venturi further argued that Modernism is criticized for having been lifeless, lacking vitality, featureless and to many people, it held no significance (Anderson 1990). Further, modernism is criticized as being a minimalist approach that never offered any opportunity for historical symbolism to be integrated in the modern-style buildings. Venturi provided the field of architecture with a great deal of relevance. He varied his designs from project to project and thus there was not any design that would be considered to be having a right or wrong ornamentation. Basing on variation in historical, environmental, local building traditions, site of the building and locally available materials, Venturi’s building varied from each other significantly (Giovanni, 1983). In fact none of his buildings were the same as he sought to attain symbolism in his designs. It is through these aspects and elements of art that came into Venturi’s mind to come up with a unique form of hybrid architecture which many people referred to as postmodernism. To this effect, many people were able to understand his perspective and his building that were inspired by traditional aspects of people (Jencks, 1996). This can be viewed as having been one of the major aims of postmodern architecture: integrating people’s views of life, history, symbolism and using the local materials in designing and building. Architects following in Venturi’s school of thought also appreciated that symbolism is an important element of people’s lives and should thus be incorporated in buildings. Pilli (1999) argued that it is through postmodernism that we were reminded that aesthetic composition of a building may be of less significance as compared to its character. Additionally, he argued that indeed, buildings have a symbolic role to play in human societies and lives. He further submitted that we not only perceive buildings with our eyes but also with our memory. To this effect postmodernists emphasize that history and tradition are very important components of architecture. By linking to people’s history, individuals who are the everyday users and judges of architectural works are able to relate to any works of architecture. When time comes; they have to make comparisons between old and new, people are able to decide if indeed they like the building or not. Pelli (1999), just like Venturi (1977) did understand the role of symbolism, tradition and history in architecture. This acted as another major aspect of the postmodernists’ designs that was very helpful in criticizing modernism. Modernist architectures are also criticized for building for themselves rather than for the entire society. Critics such as Venturi note that modernism became a symbol in itself since it had submerged all remnants of symbolism (Venturi 1977). To the modernists, creation of space was essential and paramount. They therefore applied symbolism by using I-beams, sheets of glass and repetitive window patterns covering massive skyscrapers. To this effect, Venturi wanted to come up with designs that did not speak exclusively for some white majority of architects but spoke to the vast majority of the people in the population of a particular region. To do this, he had to use his own architectural symbolism, historism and tradition (Malpas, 2005). We can thus infer that postmodernism also was aimed at coming up architectural designs that are a representation of a vast majority of the people in the population. It aimed at making sure that every aspect of a society can be expressed through architectural designs. This is one of the strengths of postmodernism. A major shortfall of postmodernism is lack of a clear variation from the modernist approach especially if the original intent of its proponents is anything to by. Venturi who is associated with postmodernism and is among its major proponent argues that postmodernism is almost similar to modernism in light of its rigidity and inflexibility (Anderson 1990). Someone from outside these two ideological paradigms would define them as adhering to specific vocabulary and having a distinct unified approach to doing things. This is not what Venturi intended in the first place. To him, he did not exclusively mean that designs should include historic symbolism without relevance. He declared in A view from Campidoglio: Selected essays 1953-1984 (1984), that although architecture can be many things, it should be appropriate. In what looks like he was criticizing the work of Michael Graves and Frank Gehry, he noted that Graves buildings displayed irrelevant symbolism (Ellyard, 2011). Graves, a postmodernist is responsible for the Portland building in Portland, Oregon as well as the Swan and Dolphin Resort at Walt Disney World found in Orlando, Florida. He notes that these buildings as well as numerous others by Graves have the feel of playful cartoons in them. Although they may have history and symbolism in their designs, the symbolisms displayed thereof appear irrelevant. According to him, many of the postmodern architects have just reverted to modernism due to lack of objectivity (Malpas, 2005). Arguing from this point, we can note that actually postmodernism did not actually change modernism, but instead it was just a return to traditional pre-modern architecture. It did not support forward-thinking in architecture. Modernism is seen as having failed to project the needs, desires, values and wants of the society since it never addressed the specific communities. Architecture, according to Jencks, (1996), is supposed to have an immediate impact on people’s day-to-day lives. That is to say, their environments of work and life, which directly affect how they view themselves or relate to each other and experience the world. Venturi and other like-minded architects through postmodern approach took it upon themselves to solve this problem. They viewed architecture as one avenue through which future generations can be communicated to (Kahl, 2008). They argued that architecture speaks of the norms, beliefs and the values held by a society. It is through post modernism that the issues of unresponsive architecture were addressed. Although the tenets put forward by Venturi were not adhered to the later, with some being exaggerated or taken out of context, Venturi’s version of postmodernism is arguably the most successful. The designs he has continued to produce are of exceptional quality and have always exhibited symbolic tradition passed down through cultures. He created unique hybrid architecture every time he began a new project in which he included relevant symbols and traditions through his architectural programs by incorporating them in his designs. He was able to address the ailment s of the society by coming up with architectural designs aimed at the local level and for the locals (Kahl, 2008). He also produced innovative building techniques that make him unique among the contemporary architects. We can thus argue that actually, post modernism was able to successfully critic modernism despite its short falls. Postmodernism and its influence globally and in Australia Postmodernism agitates for critical regionalism as suggested by Frampton (1985). In his own opinion, architecture should pay attention to regional forms as well as to tradition and materials. Charles Moore’s Pizza d’Italia in New Orleans is one such work. It offers a symbolic representation of Italian-American society through the material used (neon, stainless steel), the geographical shape of the country among other features (Malpas, 2005). Another such example is the Die Neue Staatsgalerie, the State Art Gallery, in Stuttgart Germany. According to Jencks (1996), it was the most impressive postmodernism building at least up to 1984 in Germany. The building provides a citation of classical Roman and Egyptian cornices, as well as windows and arches. It also provides a car park that looks like a ruined castle whose walls have holes and its base having loose blocks. Other examples of postmodern architecture include Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. The National Museum of Australia is a typical example of post-modern ideology. It shows a different innovative aspect of the architect and presents a cultural relativity. The post-modernist here more commonly quoted the art deco motifs and classical details. More so, the character and scale of the building’s environment became a major concern. Other examples in Australia include Lovie house in Canberra-area, Moonee Ponds Market, University of Technology, Coopers and Lybrand building in Sydney among others (Kahl, 2008). Conclusion Postmodernism sought to radicalize modernism by using its own new materials while resisting the uniformity and conformity to certain state-organized social engineering domains that were the base upon which modernism was built. The postmodernism architects incorporate the pre-modern elements in their futuristic designs thereby acknowledging the traditions from which the modern stems without actually reverting to the pre-modern architecture. We can thus say that postmodernism was able to critic modernism and has significantly influenced the contemporary architectural designs globally. Its commitment to popularity was desirable as it has positively transformed architectural design by ensuring cultural, social and environmental sustainability. Its apparent rejection of architecture’s commitment to the avant-garde and to high art was not justifiable since in a way it in fact propagated it. Reference List Anderson, K. (1990). 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