Architecture after Modernism: 0 (World of Art) - Softcover

Ghirardo, Diane

Softcover

ISBN 10: 050020294X ISBN 13: 9780500202944

Publisher: Thames and Hudson Ltd, 1996

Synopsis

Physical description; 240 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 21 cm. Subject; Architecture, Modern - 20th century - Social aspects.

About this title

Review:

Though students of architectural design are often most engaged by current work, critical histories of recent architecture are not plentiful. For that reason, Ghirardo's (Out of Site: A Social Criticism of Architecture, LJ 4/1/91) book makes a significant contribution to information resources on the architecture of the past 25 years. In particular, the postmodern and deconstructivist work of the last ten years is emphasized in her clear, if not especially elegant, prose. In the introduction, the author constructs a historiography of architectural thought and criticism since the reign of modernism; she then divides the chapters not chronologically but thematically, discussing public space, domestic space, and "the urban sphere," this last section being untypically meandering at times. The strength of the book lies in its broad and international selection of examples, although, regrettably, many of them are discussed without illustration. The biggest disappointment is the relatively small number of photographs in color; by contrast, those in black and white are noticeably less descriptive. Recommended for all architecture collections. -- Paul Glassman

From the Back Cover:

Since the Modern Movement began to be challenged in the late 1960s, architecture has followed a number of widely divergent paths. In this thoughtful and eloquent book, Diane Ghirardo examines the architectural world of the last quarter-century and its theories in the crucial context of social and political issues. Within a survey of a broad range of buildings, she focuses on specific 'megaprojects' as paradigms for discussion. In the realm of public space, she argues, the key questions are raised by the Disney empire and its amusement parks; in domestic space, by the IBA in Berlin, with projects ranging from new structures to rehabilitation and residents' self-build. When it comes to reconfiguring the urban sphere, the megaproject is London's Docklands, the most ambitious and politically sensitive development in postwar Britain. Her text ranges world-wide, and she considers the work of lesser-known designers and women architects as well as famous international stars.

About this edition

• Publisher: Thames and Hudson Ltd
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 050020294X
• ISBN 13: 9780500202944
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240