”Architects can no longer afford to be intimidated by the puritanically

moral language of orthodox Modern architecture.”

– Robert Venturi

robert venturiBORN: June 25, 1925 (age

88) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

AWARDS: Pritzker Prize (1991)Vincent Scully Prize (2002

FOUNDING PRINCIPAL of the firm Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates

SCHOOL: Episcopal Academy in Merion, Pennsylvania

GRADUATION: Princeton University, won the D'Amato Prize in Architecture

WORK EXPERIENCE: Eero Saarinen in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Louis Kahn in Philadelphia

Figure1: ROBERT VENTURISOURCE: http://www.archdaily.com/tag/robert-venturi/

I 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, redundant rather than simple, vestigial as well as innovating, inconsistent and equivocal rather than direct and clear. I am for messy vitality over obvious unity. I include the non sequitor and proclaim the duality.

his vision:

FIGURE 2:HE WROTE THE BOOK “COMPLEXITY AND CONTRADICTION IN ARCHITECTURE” WHICH CHANGED PEOPLE’S VIEW ABOUT ARCHITECTURESOURCE: http://img5.douban.com/mpic/s4269767.jpg

DUCK AND DECORATED SHED

FIGURE 3: DUCK AND DEECORATED SHED Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown, Steven Iznour. Learning by las Vegas , The MIT press, 1972..

ARCHITECTURE IS DECORATION OF SHELTER.” – Robert VenturiConcept of Duck and Decorated Sheds were codified in 1972 book ‘Learning from Las Vegas’ by Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown and Steven Iznour. Duck is referred to a building whose system of space, structure and program are submerged and distorted by an overall symbolic form. Decorated Sheds are more like generic structures which cannot exist without signs and other applied ornamentation.

FIGURE 4: Representative of “the duck” from Venturi and Scott-Brown’s book, Learning from Las Vegas, 1972.SOURCE:http://thearchitecturalmirror.blogspot.in/2009/03/ducks-and-sheds.html

• In 1972, Venturi and his wife began a study of Las Vegas architecture-their effort was to categorize and classify architecture.

• Learning from Las Vegas was a criticism of orthodox modernism and its elite style.

• The project studied Las Vegas architecture and the role its signs played in creating the urban landscape.

• It became a call to re-introduce symbolism into architectural design.

FIGURE 3: Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown, and Steven Izenour, Physiognamy of a Typical Casino Sign, 1972. From Learning from Las Vegas, 1972. SOURCE: http://www.pinterest.com/sedrabnivag/xyz_usnv-las-vegas/

architecture

• VENTURI'S BUILDINGS TYPICALLY JUXTAPOSE ARCHITECTURAL SYSTEMS, ELEMENTS AND AIMS, TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONFLICTS OFTEN INHERENT IN A PROJECT OR SITE

• ROBERT VENTURI IS KNOWN FOR INCORPORATING STYLIZED CULTURAL ICONS INTO HIS BUILDINGS.

• HOWEVER, VENTURI IS RECOGNIZED FOR MUCH MORE THAN POSTMODERNIST DESIGNS.

• THE FIRM HAS COMPLETED MORE THAN 400 PROJECTS, EACH UNIQUELY SUITED TO THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF THE CLIENTS

works of ROBERT VENTURI1. VANNA VENTURI HOUSE

GENERAL INFORMATIONTYPE RESIDENCE

ARCHITECTURAL STYLE POSTMODERN

TOWN OR CITYPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

COUNTRY UNITED STATES

CONSTRUCTION STARTED

1959 (DESIGN)

COMPLETED 1964

COST $43,000

CLIENT VANNA VENTURI

FIGURE 4: VANNA VENTURI HOUSESOURCE: http://www.archdaily.com/62743/ad-classics-vanna-venturi-house-robert-venturi/

TECHNICAL DETAILSSTRUCTURAL SYSTEM LIGHT WOOD FRAME

FLOOR COUNT 2 PLUS BASEMENT

FLOOR AREA 1,800 SQ FT (170 M2)

FIGURE 5: VIEW FROM THE SIDE (SOUTH-EAST)

FIGURE 6: VIEW FROM THE REAR OF THE HOUSE (SOUTH)

STRUCTURAL DETAILS• The five room house stands only about 30 feet (9 m) tall at

the top of the chimney, but has a monumental front façade.

• A non-structural applique arch and "hole in the wall" windows, among other elements, were challenge to modernist orthodoxy.

• The house is designed around a chimney that is centralised and goes all the way to the top of the house.

• Externally, they house is built symmetrical.• Venturi has distorted this idea of symmetry.• There is also a basement underneath the house that is

often not covered by people.

FIGURE 7: VANNA VENTURI HOUSE – FLOOR PLANSSOURCE: http://www.archdaily.com/62743/ad-classics-vanna-venturi-house-robert-venturi/groundfloorplan-3/

FIGURE 8: VANNA VENTURI HOUSE – DETAILED SECTION

FIGURE 9: VANNA VENTURI HOUSE – FRONT ELEVATION FIGURE 10: VANNA VENTURI HOUSE – REAR ELEVATION

SOURCE: http://www.archdaily.com/62743/ad-classics-vanna-venturi-house-robert-venturi/groundfloorplan-3

ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES

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

- ON THE FRONT ELEVATION THE BROKEN PEDIMENT OR GABLE & A PURELY ORNAMENTAL APPLIQUE ARCH

- HOUSE IS A COMPOSITION OF RECTANGULAR, CURVILINEAR, AND DIAGONAL ELEMENTS COMING TOGETHER (OR SOMETIMES JUXTAPOSING EACH OTHER) IN A WAY THAT INARGUABLY CREATES COMPLEXITY AND CONTRADICTION.

- VENTURI EXPERIMENTED WITH SCALE. INSIDE THE HOUSE CERTAIN ELEMENTS ARE “TOO BIG,”

- VENTURI ALSO MINIMIZED CIRCULATION SPACE IN THE DESIGN OF THE HOUSE,

FIGURE 11: VANNA VENTURI HOUSE – INTERIORS FIGURE 12: VANNA VENTURI HOUSE – STAIRACSE LEADING TO UPPER FLOORS

FIGURE 13: VANNA VENTURI HOUSE – FRONT GABLED ARCH FIGURE 14: VANNA VENTURI HOUSE – DRAWING ROOM AREA

SOURCE: http://www.archdaily.com/62743/ad-classics-vanna-venturi-house-robert-venturi/

works of ROBERT VENTURI2. PROVINCIAL CAPITOL BUILDING

FIGURE 15: PROVINCIAL CAPITOL BUILDINGSOURCE: http://www.arcspace.com/features/venturi-scott-brown--ass/provincial-capitol-building/

GENERAL INFORMATION

TYPEGOVERNMENT OFFICES

ARCHITECTURAL STYLE

POSTMODERN

TOWN OR CITY TOULOUSE

COUNTRY FRANCE

COMPLETETION 1999

COST $80,000,000

CLIENTDEPARTMENT OF HAUTE-GARONNE

FLOOR AREA 760,000 SQ FEET

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

ARCHITECTVENTURI, SCOTT BROWN AND ASSOCIATES

FIGURE 16: PROVINCIAL CAPITOL BUILDING – SITE PLANSOURCE: http://www.arcspace.com/features/venturi-scott-brown--ass/provincial-capitol-building/

FIGURE 17: PROVINCIAL CAPITOL BUILDING – FLOOR PLANSOURCE: http://www.arcspace.com/features/venturi-scott-brown--ass/provincial-capitol-building/

The building consists of an administrative and legislative complex including offices, the legislative assembly chamber, public services, various public and governmental support spaces, three levels of underground parking for public and staff, and outdoor and indoor ceremonial spaces.

Today the capitole houses the city hall, as well as the théâtre du capitole de toulouse opera company and a symphony orchestra

DESIGN• TWO SLENDER SIX-STORY WINGS OF FLEXIBLE LOFT SPACE

LINKED BY TWO GLASS-CLAD BRIDGES.

• ADMINISTRATION BUILDINGS FRAME A PEDESTRIAN WAY, A "CIVIC STREET"

• THE CRESCENT-SHAPED PUBLIC SPACE ALONG THIS CIVIC STREET, THE FOCUS OF BUILDINGS.

• THE SURFACES OF THE INTERIOR COURT CONTAIN THE

SAME WINDOWS, AND ARE OF BRICK.

• IMPORTANT FORMS SUCH AS THOSE OF THE HALL D'HONNEUR AND SALLE DU CONSEIL GÉNÉRAL ARE SHEATHED IN GLASS CURTAIN WALLS.

FIGURE 18: VIEW INTO THE COURTYARD FIGURE 19: THE COURTYARD

FIGURE 20: EXTERIOR OF ASSEMBLY HALL

FIGURE 21: INTERIOR OF ASSEMBLY HALL

ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES

• The building's siting in center of site, framed by landscaped park and gardens, softens its impact in this neighborhood, while allowing the possibility of future expansion of smaller increments nearer the perimeter of the site.

• A large park facing the canal du midi enhances the neighborhood and provides a setting for the building along the canal where one can see the great curved section of the building as a reflection of the curve of the Garonne in this area, as it flows to the sea.

• Covered bridges in glass span the pedestrian street connecting the two wings of the building at two locations. They offer dramatic views from within the complex and, by their form and silhouette, serve as symbolic gateways to the civic crescent.

FIGURE 22: NORTH ENTRY & “STREET THROUGH THE BUILDING”

FIGURE 23: INTERIOR OF THE BUILDING

FIGURE 24: AERIAL VIEW

FIGURE 25: DISTANT VIEWS OF THE BUILDING IN CONTEXT

works of ROBERT VENTURI3. EPISCOPAL ACADEMY CHAPEL

FIGURE 26: EPISCOPAL ACADEMY CHAPELSOURCE:http://www.museomagazine.com/SCOTT-BROWN-VENTURI

GENERAL INFORMATIONTYPE CHAPEL

ARCHITECTURAL STYLE

POSTMODERN

TOWN OR CITY PHILADELPHIA

COUNTRY UNITED STATES

COMPLETETION 2008

COST $85,00,000

FLOOR AREA 15,000 SQ FEET

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

ARCHITECTVENTURI, SCOTT BROWN AND ASSOCIATES

FIGURE 27: A CHAPEL FOR THE EPISCOPAL ACADEMY, 1950 , THESIS DRAWING(UNBUILT) VSBA SOURCE:http://www.museomagazine.com/SCOTT-BROWN-VENTURI

FIGURE 26: EPISCOPAL ACADEMY CHAPEL EXTERIOR FRONT VIEWSOURCE:http://www.museomagazine.com/SCOTT-BROWN-VENTURI

FIGURE 26: EPISCOPAL ACADEMY CHAPEL PLANSOURCE :http://hts3.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/venturiscott-brown

FIGURE 26: INTERIOR VIEWSOURCE :http://www.museomagazine.com/SCOTT-BROWN-VENTURI

FIGURE 26: INTERIOR VIEW SOURCE : http://hts3.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/venturiscott-brown

FIGURE 26: FREEDOM PLAZA SOURCE: http://www.archinomy.com/case-studies/1971/robert:

FIGURE 26: FREEDOM PLAZA FOUNTAIN SOURCE:http://tclf.org/landscapes/freedom-plaza

FIGURE 26: FREEDOM PLAZA SOURCE: http://www.archinomy.com/case-studies/1971/robert:

FIGURE 26: FREEDOM PLAZA PROTEST SOURCE:http://tclf.org/landscapes/freedom-plaza

works of ROBERT VENTURI4. FREEDOM PLAZA

FIGURE 26: FREEDOM PLAZA FOUNTAIN SOURCE:http://tclf.org/landscapes/freedom-plaza

FIGURE 26: FREEDOM PLAZA FOUNTAIN SOURCE:http://tclf.org/landscapes/freedom-plaza

Freedom Plaza was commonly known as western plaza.It is a popular place for political protests, civic events, and (despite its official prohibition) skateboarding.

Freedom Plaza was a part of The Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation’s (PADC) plan to transform Pennsylvania Avenue into a ceremonial route connecting the US Capitol to the White House.

Historic quotations are incised on the plaza floor and terrace walls. Quotes by famous people about Washington, DC, are carved into the paving stones.

FIGURE 26: FREEDOM PLAZA FLOORSOURCE:http://tclf.org/landscapes/freedom-plaza

Inlaid with depiction of parts of Petercharles l'enfant‘s plan of the city of Washington

FIGURE 26: Inlaid pattern on floorSOURCE:http://tclf.org/landscapes/freedom-plaza

FIGURE 26: Casimir pulaski statue SOURCE:http://tclf.org/landscapes/freedom-plaza

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Venturi• http://www.greatbuildings.com/architects/Robert_Venturi.html• http://venturiscottbrown.org/• http://www.archdaily.com/62743/ad-classics-vanna-venturi-house-robert-venturi/• http://www.arcspace.com/features/venturi-scott-brown--ass/provincial-capitol-

building/