Post Modernism

Post Modernism occurs during the time period of 1970 to 1990. In 1970 there was an oil supply cut leading there to be an energy crisis; then global recession to occur. While the modernism period was all about creating new designs and being optimistic, all that was lost once the world went into a recession.

By the time it was 1980, the world was starting to improve and consumers started to buy a much as they could. With coming out of a depressing and lost of hope time, Post Modernism was needed in order to show improvement and give hope once again. 


MEMPHIS MOVEMENT


One movement that came out of this time is to help benefit the economy and improve peoples lives was the Memphis Movement. The Memphis movement was an election group of designers dedicated to abolish Modernism and its strict design mandates, these designers included Erttore Sottsasss, Michele de Lucchi, Michael Graves, and George Sowden. 


This group allowed there to be a crossed culture in design and switched the world into Post modernism. This group was inspired by the Art Deco and Pop Art happening at this time. With Pop Art being about abstract expressionism, modern art, contemporary art, and naive art; therefore, the Memphis Movement used these ideas to creating flashy, vibrate colors, a non- functional.



                               Image of the Memphis Movement in the 1980s


While the post- modernism era already is a more modern application style, to incorporate the Memphis Movement today, interior spaces are still decorated with flash and vibrate colors, but the most common way that the Memphis Movement is seen in modern homes is by big vibrate art pieces in a non- colorful space. This also related back to Pop Art and Art Deco which is the foundation of the Memphis Movement creation.


Modern Application of Memphis Movement in Art Work


RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE


Architecture during the 1980s consisted of big buildings and mansion residential homes being built. Majority of homes were designed with large masses and having ornamentation to a space. There are strong colors, forms, and classical architecture incorporated into the building. Many designers used geometric forms to base their composition off of as well as merging the interior and exterior spaces together. Examples of this style being used would be Richard Meier Douglas House in Michigan (pictured to the left) and Charles Gwathmey work in the Gwathmey House (pictured to the right).


OFFICE DESIGN


In the 1990s of post modernism the creation of telephones, computer, and communication between extended cultures expanded. With new technology improving, it allowed business and employment to increase. Therefore, there was a need in office designers. Office spaces needed to be functional, incorporate the computer and communication. 


An example of these features happening is in the image pictured to the left of the corporate offices. This space allows for a desk for an employee to work at with their computer while also allowing them to manage tasks within the space due to the functional furniture. Lastly, it accounts for the different changes in communication by having a telephone at each desk and being surrounded by other workers. 


A modern application of an office space is a home office. While there are many many companies still working in an office space commercially, it seems more common to be working at home ever since COVID-19. The 1980’s was also a time of where home offices started to evolve due to it being the first era for people given the opportunity to work from home.


                                   Modern Application of a Home Office


SUB MOVEMENT 


While many architects believed in the design of post modernism and changing the style of buildings and home to be larger with glass and steel material; some disagreed with this movement such as the Arts and Craft architects. There was only a very few famous architects who still built and designed residential and commercial buildings with the inspiration being Arts and Craft. Therefore, architects stood up and wanted true crafts, real materials used, and non-high tech look. 


It is obviously known that post modernism is used heavily today, however so is the Arts and Crafts movements. Throughout the early 2000s and 1990s when post modernism was occurring, architects found a way to incorporate both of these styles together. An example of an modern application of this is pictured to the right. Materials during the Arts and Craft Movement is being used while also giving the look of modernism. 


 ONE STEP FURTHER


While there are many iconic most-modernism architects, Robert Venturi is one that does not get talked about that much. Venturi went to Princeton University and was very passionate about Post-Modernism that he wrote two books on the era. He overall valued simplicity and embraced historical precedent and ornamentation. Design-wise, he lived by "Less is a bore."

A very famous work that he is most known is the Venturi House, also known as the Mother House due to the client being his mom. This house symbolizes his design style because the home is a post-modernist architect while also being simplistic and historic. Most architects chose to go with all glass windows on the exterior and have an open layout. However, Venturi went a different route of expressing post-modernism by making the shape of the home unique. Venturi's thought process for this home was "I am for messy vitality over obvious unity."
                                                                                                                  Venturi House by Robert Venturi

EXTRA SOURCES

Short Post Modernism Video- 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKomOqYU4Mw&t=8s

Differences between Modernism and Post Modernism-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8EfyhIv72I


Comments

  1. Eva SerratoApril 22, 2023 at 9:37 AM

    Izzy,
    You did a great job covering the different parts of the postmodernist/deconstructive movement. You did a deep dive in the Memphis movement and office design. You described the different characteristics of the movement well and showed many helpful pictures. You also explained the sub movement well and you added the different design style that helped influence the movement.

    ReplyDelete

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