1900sModernism

1900 14 18 40 45

ProgressiveEra WWI RoaringTwenties NewDealEra WWII Postwar

23 LeCorbusierTowardsanArchitectureVillaSavoyePoissy,France

24 RietveldSchröderHouseUtrecht,NL

28 MiesvanderRoheBarcelonaPavilionBarcelona,Spain

25 GropiusBauhausDessau,Germany

36 FrankLloydWrightFallingWaterPennsylvania,US

POSTWAR 50 80 90 2000

46 CharlesandRayEamesCaseStudyHouse#8PacificPalisades,CA

1950 80 90 2000

60 PierreKoenigStahlHouseCaseStudyHouseno22California

1966ComplexityandContradiction

RobertVenturi

1950 60 70 80 90 2000

61 VenturiVannaVenturiHouse

VenturiGuildHouse

POSTMODERNISM

66 Venturi,ComplexityandContradiction

Modernism><Postmodernism

•  Simplicity

•  Logic

•  InternationalStyle

•  Complexity

•  Contradiction

•  Eclectic/Mannerism/Baroque

•  Imageoriented/Panache/Fun

•  PlaywithClassicalformsandrules

VannaVenturiHouse1962‐64,RobertVenturi(1928,‐)

Modernism><Postmodernism

Mies’dictum

“Lessismore”

Venturi’s

“Lessisabore”

1950 60 70 80 90 2000

71 Venturi,Brown,IzenourLearningfromLasVegas

1971LearningfromLasVegasRobertVenturiDeniseScottBrownIzenour(VSBA)

“Theduckisthatspecialbuildingthatisasymbol;thedecoratedshedistheconventionalshelterthatappliesthesymbol.”LearningfromLasVegas,p.87.

Modernism><Postmodernism

FunctiondeterminesForm NotFormbutSign

1966 2000

POSTMODERN I SM 66 RobertVenturiComplexityandContradiction

77 PeterEisenmanPost‐Functionalism

1977Post‐FunctionalismPeterEisenman

“Modernarchitectureneverhappened!”

dialecticoppositionsbetweenFunction&Form

1500sHumanism–RenaissanceusedIdealForms

1900sComplexprogramnoconsiderationsofForm

2000Stilltohappen…Modernism…

FORMcanbeseenasaseriesoffragments

1966 2000

POSTMODERN I SM 66 RobertVenturiComplexityandContradiction

77 PeterEisenmanPost‐Functionalism

82 MichaelGravesACaseforFigurativeArchitecture

1976ACasefor

FigurativeArchitecture

MichaelGraves

isgroundedinnature

recognizesgravityandisreadinatotemicoranthropomorphicmanner

andrecognizesarchitecturalelements,e.g.,thereciprocityofplanandwall

FIGURATIVEarchitecture

LANGUAGE

StandardForm><PoeticFormTechnicalandUtilitarian

Determinedbypragmatic,constructional,andtechnicalrequirements

Abstract

syntax

CulturalandSymbolic

Operatesatthelimitsofconvention

3D‐expressionofthemyths,symbols,andritualsofsociety

PurposefulambiguityMythsandRituals

withinthebuildingnarrative.

Semantics

1966 2000

POSTMODERN I SM 66 RobertVenturiComplexityandContradiction

77 PeterEisenmanPost‐Functionalism

82 MichaelGravesACaseforFigurativeArchitecture

89 D.PorphyriosTheRelevanceofClassicalArchitecture

1989RelevanceofClassicalArchitecture

DemetriProphyrios

“Modernismhasproducedbuildingsbut,asyet,

noarchitecture.”

•  TheModernistapproachwasaradicallyrationalisttabularasa,acleanslate:zoning,thecityinthepark,thefree‐standingbuilding,thedisappearanceofthestreet,andthesquare,thedestructionoftheurbanblock.Inshort,itmeantthedestructionoftheurbanfabricofthecity.

or…themathematicalabstractionofthecity

and…theextinctionofsymbolicmeaning

“Post‐Modernism.”ThePost‐Modernistapproach—Post‐ModernHigh‐Tech,Post‐ModernClassical,Post‐ModernDeconstruction—

differintheirstylisticpreferences,symboliccontentandsocialconstituencies,buttheyshareasimilarscenographicviewofarchitecture…andtheirfascinationwithparody.

Scenographic(theatricalscenery)canbesummarizedinRobertVenturi’sprincipleofthe“DecoratedShed”:

construction(firmness),shelter(commodity),andsymbolism(delight)asdistinctandunrelatedconcerns.

“Classicismisnotastyle.”

Classicalarchisadialoguebetweenthecraftofbuildingandtheartofarchitecture.

Classicalarchisadialoguebetweenonebuildingandanother.

“TheworldofAlbertiwasdifferent,…,butthegreathumanistthemeofcommodity_firmness_delightwasstillaliveandwillstayalive.”

“Classicismisnotastyle.

TheClassicalisthatwhich

endures…”

2.SEMIOTICSandSTRUCTURALISMthequestionofSignification

pp.110‐122

1977APlainMan’sGuidetothe TheoryofSignsinArchitecture

GeoffreyBroadbentarchitecturaltheorist/critic

Buildingsaresymbolsandcarrymeanings

Buildings,suchasLeCorbusier’sVillaSavoye,aremagnificentsymbolsofthe1920s

Pevsner:“everybuildingcreatesassociationsinthemindofthebeholder,whetherthearchitectwanteditornot”

SignsinArchitecture

Pragmatics_UseSyntax_Form

Semantics_Meaning

pragmatics

•  Architecturalpragmaticsconsistoflookingatallthewaysinwhicharchitecture,asasignsystem,actuallyaffectsthosewhousebuildings.

•  Architecture“means”somethingtoeachofthesenses.

•  Studiesinthephysiological,psychologicalandsocialreactionstothebuiltenvironment

syntax

Syntaxisconcernedwiththeorderingstructureofsign‐systems.

NoamChomsky’s

SyntacticStructuresdistinguishes Deepstructure generativeandtransformationalrules Surfacestructure

deepstructure

NP

NPV

VP

NT

NT

surfacestructure

Theboyseesthegirl.

generativerules

StructuralisminArchitectureEisenman’sHouseIIIstudy‐developedbydividingabasic3x3cubeaccordingtoasetofsyntacticrules.

semantics

Saussure:Thesignstandsfor/representsthethingdenoted,formally

unitedbysocialcontract.Signifier(representation)

•  Word

•  Diagram•  Picture•  Drawing•  Building

SYMBOL‐‐SYNTAX

Signified(thingdenoted)

•  Concept•  Meaning•  AssociationintheMind

MEANING‐‐SEMANTICS

Symbol(Saussure’sSignifier)

Representations

ConceptIdea

(Saussure’sSignified)

Referent(actualobject,person,oreventtowhichoneis

referring)

Building

Symbol(Saussure’sSignifier)

Representations

Concept(Saussure’sSignified)

3.POSTSTRUCTURALISMANDDECONSTRUCTION

p.141‐197

1980 60 70 80 90 2000

POST S TRUCTURAL I SM & DECONSTRUCT ION 86 DerridaArchitecturewhereDesirecanLive

81 TschumiLimitsI,II,IIIParcdelaVillette

1986Architecturewhere DesirecanLive

JacquesDeridaphilosopherliterarycritic

•  Descartes’DiscourseonMethodemploysarchitecturalimagessuchasfoundations,towns,building,etc.

•  Aristotle’sarchitecton.Architectonicsisdefinedasanartof(ordering)systems,asanartthereforesuitablefortherationalorganizationofcompletebranchesofknowledge.

Philosophersusearchitecturalmetaphors

•  Architectureisthought(concept)notrepresentation(drawings).

•  Architectureisontheway(thinkpath);itisnotamethod.

•  Relationbetweensignandmeaningisrestrictive

astoArchitecture

Derida’sMetaphors

TowerofBabel><Labyrinth

UniversalLanguage

Incomprehensibilityoflanguage

DiversityofLanguages

Unintelligiblespatialcondition

DeridaonArchitecture

Architecturewillalwaysremainlabyrinthine.Theissueisnottogiveuponepointofviewforthesakeofanother,whichwouldbetheonlyoneandabsolute,buttoseeadiversityofpossiblepointsofview.

Derida’sArchetypes

Pyramid

•  Representsthetheoretical,linguisticaspectsofarchitecture

Labyrinth

•  Representstheexperiential,sensoryaspectsofarchitecture

DeridaonArchitecture

Perhapsthereisnoarchitecturalthinking.Butshouldtherebesuchthinking,thenitcouldonlybeconveyedbythedimensionoftheHigh,theSupreme,theSublime.

Viewedassuch,architectureisnotamatterofspace

butanexperienceoftheSupremewhichisnothigherbutinasensemoreancientthanspaceandthereforeisa

spatialisationoftime.

1980‐81 ArchitectureandLimitsI_II_III

BernardTschumi

Tschumiadvocatesresisting

“thenarrowingof

architectureasaformofknowledgeintoarchitectureasmereknowledgeofform”

Formalism

“toreduceandlimitarchitecturaltheoryandcriticismtoideologiessuchasformalism,functionalismandrationalism”

Tschumi’sArchitectureandLimits2

Venustasattractiveappearance

Utilitasappropriatespatialaccommodation

Firmitasstructuralstability

Tschumi’sArchitectureandLimits2

Languageconceived

Bodyperceivedevent

Matterexperienced

Tschumi’sArchitectureandLimits2

“thematerialityofarchitecture…isinitssolidsandvoids,

itsspatialsequences,itsarticulations,

itscollisions”

Bodiesconstructspacethroughmovement Choreographicaspectofthebody’sexperience

Cinematic_tostressmovementanditstemporaldimension

Tschumi’sArchitectureandLimits3

•  Gaudet:“Anarchitecturalprogramisalistofrequiredutilities;itindicatestheirrelations,butsuggestneithertheircombinationnortheirproportion.”

Tschumi’sArchitectureandLimits3newdefinitionsofthearch.program

ProgramwasadeterminantofForm19thComplexityofProgram(seeEisenman)

20s‐50sSocialReformoftheModernists 30s‐50sTechnologicalInnovations

NOW‐ThereisNoCausalrelationbetweenProgramandFormProgramisreplacedbyPerformanceorEventAneventhappenswhensettingupanhabitableplace.Thetakingofplaceinspaceisinfacttheprimaryquestionof

architecture(seeDerida).

8.POLITICALANDETHICALAGENDAS

pp.370‐410

1975 80 90

POLITICALANDETHICALAGENDAS75 HarrisTheEthicalFunctionofArchitecture

84 GhirardoTheArchitectureofDeceit

92 McDonoughTheHanoverPrinciples

93 Design,Ecology,Ethics…

1975TheEthicalFunctionof Architecture.

KarstenHarries

1975TheEthicalFunctionofArchitecturebyKarstenHarriesLossofplaceandcommunity

Phenomenologicalcritique:

Architecturehasbecomepartofatechnologicalculturethatdemands(Corbusian)”machinesforliving”insteadof(Heideggerian)“dwellings”.

Architecture'sethicalfunctionistoarticulateandestablishtheethos,topermithumankindtodwell.Involvethebodyandhumanscaleinarchitecture,allowfor‘heterogeneityandboundaries’,andcreateadistinctiveplace.Architectureistoexpressthe‘character’ofaplace,neighborhood,andregion,andshouldestablish‘unity’.

1984TheArchitectureofDeceit

DianeGhirardo

1984TheArchitectureofDeceitbyDianeGhirardo

•  “Isarchitectureanartoraservice?”

•  “Whydoesarchitecturenotconfronttherealissuesinthedisciplineandintheworld?”

•  “Whydoesittrytoremain“pure”?Whatisbeingconcealed?”

•  Architectsshouldgetinvolvedwiththesocio‐politicalissues.

1992TheHanoverPrinciples

WilliamMcDonoughArchitects

HanoverPrinciples

•  Broadethicalguidelines‐‐ideals‐‐forsustainabledesign.

•  Firstpresentedatthe92‐EARTHsummitinRioDeJaneiro

•  Standardsforthemillennial94‐World’sFairinHanover,Germanyunderthetheme—Humanity,Nature,andTechnology.

•  Life,nature,…

•  EnergyandWaste…

•  Recycling,reuse,reassemble,…

•  Increasingknowledge,interdisciplinaryproblem‐solving

HanoverPrinciples

1.  Insistonrightsofhumanityandnaturetoco‐existinahealthy,supportive,diverse,andsustainablecondition.

2.  Recognizeinterdependence.

3.  Respectrelationshipsbetweenspiritandmatter.

4.  Acceptresponsibilityfortheconsequencesofdesigndecisions.5.  Createsafeobjectsoflong‐termvalue.

6.  Eliminatetheconceptofwaste.

7.  Relyonnaturalenergyflows.

8.  Understandthelimitationsofdesign.

9.  Seekconstantimprovementbythesharingofknowledge.

1993Design,Ecology,Ethics, andthe MakingofThings.

WilliamMcDonough

1994Design,Ecology,Ethics,andtheMakingofThings•  Mass(wallsofJericho)providesthermalinertia.

•  Themembrane(Bedouintent)does5thingsatonce:shade,ventilation,diffuselight,waterresistant,transportable

•  Today,moreaboutbuildingthanaboutpeople.

•  Poorindoorairqualityduetothousandsofchemicals.

•  Designshould“workwithlivingmachines,notmachinesforlivingin”

•  Focusonpeople’sneeds,cleanwater,safematerials,anddurability,andsolarenergy.

•  And…

12.TECTONICEXPRESSION

pp.494‐528VittorioGregotti

MarcoFrascari

KennethFrampton

1980 90 2000

TECTONICEXPRESSION83 GregottiTheExercisofDetailing

84 FrascariTheTell‐theTaleDetail

90 FramptonRappelal’OrdretheCasefortheTectonic

CarloScarpa

1983TheExerciseofDetailing

VittorioGregotti

1983TheExerciseofDetailingbyVittorioGregotti•  InterestinMaking:

TadaoAndo,JuhaniPalasmaa,Morphosis,FrankIsrael,StephenHall,MarioBotta.

•  Constructionasanarrativeofamaterialbecoming.•  “Architecture(notbuilding)residesinthedetails.

Detailingdemonstratestheattributesofmaterialsthroughapplicationofthelawsofconstruction;

itrendersdesigndecisionsarticulate.”•  Detailscanprovidemeaningfulornament

wronglysoughtnowinpastiche.•  Detailingshouldberesituatedas

anessentialarchitecturalproblem.•  Thetectonicexpressionofarchitectureiscapableofenhancingthe

sensualandintellectualexperienceofbuilding.

1984TheTell‐the‐TaleDetail

MarioFrascari

1984TheTell‐the‐TaleDetailbyMarioFrascari•  MeaninginConstruction

•  TheJOINT‐‐theoriginaldetail‐‐thegeneratorofconstruction,andthusofmeaning.

•  Thejointistheplaceofinnovationandinvention.•  Thejointcanimposeitsorderonthewhole.

•  Thejointistheminimumunitofsignificationwithinthearchitecturalproductionofmeaning.

•  CarloScarpa’sadorationofthejoint‐”eachdetailtellsusastoryofitsmaking,ofitsplacing,ofitsdimensioning.”

•  Semiotics(studyofsignsandsymbolsandtheirmeanings):Constructing(detailsandmeaning)&Construingmeaning.

1990Rappelàl’ordre, theCasefortheTectonic.

KennethFrampton

1990Rappelal’ordre,theCaseoftheTectonicbyK.Frampton•  Morethanmerespatialinvention,

buildingisfirstanactofconstruction,atectonicnotascenographicactivity.

•  Ontological‐NatureofBeing•  Scenographic‐Representation•  Tectonic‐Actofmakingandrevealing

•  “Thestructuralunitistheirreducibleessenceofarchitecturalform”

HeavyMassversusLightFramesopposites EarthversusSky SolidityversusDematerialization

Ref.SemperandLaugier