Title: Postmodern Architecture: Characteristics and Prominent Buildings
Headings: Postmodern Architecture: Characteristics and Prominent Buildings
Postmodern Architecture: Characteristics and Prominent Buildings
What is Postmodern Architecture?
Postmodern Architecture Characteristics
Contradiction
Asymmetry
Humor
Fragmentation
Complexity
Noteworthy Examples of Postmodern Architecture
Piazza D’Italia (1978)
The Portland Building (1982)
Bank of America Center (1984)
The Neue Staatsgalerie (1984)
Thompson Center (1985)
Wexner Center for the Arts (1989)
SIS Building (1994)
Binoculars Building (2001)

Content: Postmodern Architecture: Characteristics and Prominent Buildings
Postmodern Architecture: Characteristics and Prominent Buildings
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
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Last updated: 09.16.19
Postmodernism’s emergence and proliferation was a direct response to the rise of art movements like modernism, a style that discouraged the use of historical reference in architecture. As modernism grew in popularity, notable structures in major cities underwent extensive renovations. This often resulted in historic buildings being demolished and replaced with stilted versions that held little regard for the artistic characterizations of surrounding buildings. In the 1960s, architects began fighting back against the demise of history and culture that they saw taking place in areas such as New York and Chicago. As explained by Denise Scott Brown and Robert Venturi in their book, Learning From Las Vegas, “Postmodern artists created an eclectic movement that fully represented the constantly changing landscape of today’s modern world.”