Deconstructivism

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Image:ImperialWarMuseumNorth01.jpg Image:SCL.jpg Template:Postmodernism You might be looking for the philosophical idea of Deconstruction.

Deconstructivism in architecture, also called Deconstruction, is a development in Postmodern architecture. characterised by ideas of fragmentation, non-linear processes of design, an interest manipulating ideas of surface/skin, apparent non-Euclidean geometry which serve to distort and dislocate some of the elements of architecture such as structure and envelope. The final visual appearance of buildings in this style are characterized by a stimulating unpredictability and a controlled chaos.

Some of the architects involved, have been influenced by the writings of the French Philosopher Jacques Derrida and his ideas on Deconstruction, others have been influenced by the idea of reiterating the geometric imbalances of the Russian Constructivist movement. All are attempting to move architecture away from what they see as the constricting 'rules' of modernism - form follows function, purity of form, truth to materials etc. Some architects identified with the movement have actively rejected the classification of their work.

1 History, Context & Influences
2 Criticism
3 Practitioners
4 References
5 External links

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History, Context & Influences

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Modernism and Postmodernism

Image:Castelveccio Eisenman.jpg Deconstructivism is a movement in contemporary architecture that primarily counters the ordered rationality of Modern Architecture. It's relationship with postmodernism is also decidedly contrary. Though postmodernist and what would become deconstructivist architects published theories alongside eachother in the journal, Oppositions, this journal is the beginning of a decisive break in the two movements. Deconstruction took an opposing stance toward much of architecture and architectural history, wanting to disjoin and disassemble architecture. While postmodernism returned to embrace the historical trappings that modernism had shunned, deconstructivism rejects the postmodern ideas of eclectic cultural references and ornament. This rejection alligns it somewhat with the anti-historicism of many modern works, and is a part of its definition as a new movement.

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Derrida

The main channel of deconstructivist philosophy to architectural theory was through Jacques Derrida to Peter Eisenman. Architect Peter Eisenman draws some philosophical bases from the literary movement Deconstruction, and worked directly with Derrida on an unbuilt project for Parc de la Villette. This collaboration is documented in the book Chora l Works. Both Derrida and Eisenman, as well as Daniel Libeskind were concerned with the "metaphysics of presence", and this is the main subject of deconstructivist philosophy in architecture theory. The dialectic of presence and absence, or solid and void occurs in much of Eisenman's built and unbuilt projects. Both Derrida and Eisenman believed that the locus, or place of presence was architecture, and the same dialectic of presence and absence was found in construction and deconstruction.

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Deconstructivism and Constructivism

Another, in part separate, major current in deconstructivist architecture takes inspiration from the Russian Constructivist movement. The compositions of sculptors El Lissitzky, Naum Gabo and painters Kazimir Malevich and Alexander Rodchenko have greatly influence deconstructivist architects such as Zaha Hadid and Coop Himmelb(l)au with their irregular geometric forms. Both deconstructivism and constructivism were concerned with the tectonics of making and abstract assemblage. Both were concerned with the radical simplicity of geometry, expressing forms in graphics, sculpture and architecture as the primary artistic content. The tendency toward purism, found in constructivism is absent in deconstructivism as form is often deformed as construction is deconstructed.

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The 1988 MOMA exhibition

Mark Wigley and Phillip Johnson curated the 1988 MOMA exhibition Deconstructivist architecture which crystalized the movement, and brought fame and notoriety to its key practitioners.

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Criticism

Critics of Deconstruction see it as a purely formal exercise with little social significance. Elitist. similar criticism to literary - the deconstruction of a building can result in whatever the observer desires to see rather than being the result of impirical process.

Deconstructivist designs may involve complexity that can increase the costs of design, materials, and final on site assembly. Increasing costs for primarily aesthetic reasons may be impractical in some cases depending on development goals. In contrast, low costs for design, materials, and assembly have increased the popularity of Modernism.

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Practitioners

Some prominent architects who practice in this mode are:

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References

Derrida, Jaques & Eisenman, Peter. Chora l Works. Monacelli Press. 1997. ISBN 1885254407.
Frampton, Kenneth. Modern Architecture, a critical history. Thames & Hudson- Third Edition. 1992 ISBN 0500202575
Johnson, Phillip & Wigley, Mark. Deconstructive Architecture: The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Little Brown and Company. 1988. ISBN 087070298X
Hays, K.M. (edited). Oppositions Reader. Princeton Architectural Press. 1998.
Van der Straeten, Bart. Image and Narrative – The Uncanny and the architecture of Deconstruction : [1]
Tschumi, Bernard. Architecture and Disjunction. The MIT Press. Cambridge. 1994
Wigley, Mark. The Architecture of Deconstruction: Derrida's Haunt. The MIT Press. 1995. ISBN 0262731142.