| What is postmodernism? Are the postmodern | | | | by a lack of depth; a flatness. Individuals |
| characteristics still apparent in | | | | are no longer anomic, because there is |
| contemporary architectural design? According | | | | nothing from which one can sever ties. The |
| to scholars, "Postmodernism, by definition | | | | liberation from the anxiety which |
| resists definition". If postmodernism is then | | | | characterized anomie may also mean liberation |
| difficult to be defined, on what principles | | | | from every other kind of feeling as well. |
| can one judge if postmodernism in | | | | This is not to say that the cultural products |
| architecture is in still emerging? | | | | of the postmodern era are utterly devoid of |
| Postmodernism in its regional/vernacular | | | | feeling, but rather that such feelings are |
| forms reflects neighborhood culture. Some | | | | now free-floating and impersonal. Also |
| argue that postmodernism is a reaction to the | | | | distinctive of the late capitalist age is |
| forces of "creative destruction." But it can | | | | postmodernism's focus on commodification and |
| be a tool for those powers as well. The end | | | | the recycling of old images and commodities. |
| of the assembly line, created by the instant | | | | |
| flexibility of computer technology, means | | | | In architecture, postmodernism, in its |
| that in this post-Fordist world people can | | | | regional or vernacular forms, reflects |
| all have a unique, neighborhood specific | | | | neighborhood culture. In this way, it can |
| thing, as well as having the same reference. | | | | function as a tool in class struggle and can |
| | | | probably be used by any player in the |
| Evaluating and categorizing architects | | | | struggle. Thus, postmodernism when examined |
| according to styles, periods, theoretical | | | | as a resistive force is closely linked to the |
| backgrounds, and philosophical ideas, from | | | | historic preservationists. In trying to |
| Itkinos and Brunelleschi, to Borromini and Le | | | | maintain the collective memory of a place the |
| Corbusier, is a very challenging process that | | | | postmodernist agenda can be used in a way |
| requires a deep understanding of the key | | | | that is antithetical to the forces. Public or |
| elements that influence the architects' | | | | private partnerships that wipe out |
| design. What appears though to be a constant | | | | neighborhoods can use the postmodern |
| value in this type of analysis, is that the | | | | vocabulary in their new ventures. |
| evolution of architecture, from the period of | | | | Neighborhoods can hope to have at best just a |
| the Greek civilization (Parthenon in Athens | | | | mere palimpsest of a memory of what they were |
| 447-433 BC), to the present day's Santiago | | | | in the past. |
| Calatrava's projects, signifies that the | | | | |
| architect's pursuit for the myriad idea of | | | | One day perhaps, neuroscience will explain |
| beauty is actually a leitmotif of his/her | | | | why some infrastructures seem to reach far |
| past influences. | | | | beyond their physicaldimensions. But one does |
| | | | not need to wait for that explanation in |
| Postmodernism is differentiated from other | | | | order to experience their postmodern |
| cultural forms by its emphasis on | | | | orpost-postmodern effect. It turns out that |
| fragmentation which replaces the alienation | | | | bodies, buildings, streets and cities are |
| of the subject that characterized modernism. | | | | still useful for certain things inthe global |
| Postmodernism is concerned with all surface, | | | | age of digital information. People are only |
| no substance. There is a loss of the center. | | | | beginning to uncover how they work. |
| Postmodernist works are often characterized | | | | |