The New Paradigm in Architecture: The Language of Post-modernism - Hardcover

Jencks, Charles

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0300095120 ISBN 13: 9780300095128

Publisher: Yale University Press, 2002

Synopsis

The New Paradigm in Architecture tells the story of a movement that has changed the face of architecture over the last forty years. The book begins by surveying the counter culture of the 1960s, when Jane Jacobs and Robert Venturi called for a more complex urbanism and architecture. It concludes by showing how such demands began to be realized by the 1990s in a new architecture that is aided by computer design-more convivial, sensuous, and articulate than the Modern architecture it challenges. Promoted by such architects as Frank Gehry, Daniel Libeskind, and Peter Eisenman, it has also been adopted by many schools and offices around the world. Charles Jencks traces the history of computer design which is, at its heart, built on the desire for an architecture that communicates with its users, one based on the heterogeneity of cities and global culture. This book, the first to explore the broad issue of Postmodernism, has fostered its growth in other fields such as philosophy and the arts. First written at the start of an architectural movement in the mid-1970s, it has been translated into eleven languages and has gone through six editions. Now completely rewritten and with two new chapters, this edition brings the history up to date with the latest twists in the narrative and the turn to a new complexity in architecture.

About this title

Synopsis

The story of a movement that changed the face of architecture over the last 40 years of the 20th century. Starting with the counter culture of the 1960s and the call for a complex urbanism by Jane Jacobs and a complex architecture by Robert Venturi, it shows how such demands started to be realized by the 1990s in a new and complex architecture aided by computer design. Often curved, warped and fractal in shape, it is more convivial, sensuous and articulate than the modern architecture it challenges. Carried forward by architects such as Frank Gehry, Daniel Libeskind and Peter Eisenman, it has also become a leading approach in many schools and offices around the world. The computer is now at its heart but its history, which Charles Jencks traces, is built on the desire for an architecture that communicates with its users, and one based on the heterogeneity of our cities and global culture. This study was the first to define the broad issues of postmodernism, and led to its growth in other fields such as philosophy and the arts.

First written at the start of an architectural movement in the middle 1970s and translated into 11 languages, it has gone through six editions, each one seeking to give a feeling of how the issues looked at a particular moment. Now rewritten and with two new chapters, the seventh edition brings the history up to date with the latest twists in the narrative, and the turn to a new complexity in architecture.

About the Author

Charles Jencks is a designer and the author of numerous books on the theory and history of architecture. He was formerly visiting professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Edition details

• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0300095120
• ISBN 13: 9780300095128
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 288