designers &…

Robert Venturi/Denise Scott Brown

Robert Venturi/Denise Scott Brown

• Often at the root of the postmodern movement in architecture (all postmodern theory in different disciplines owes some reference to architecture – the term was first used by Charles Jencks, an architectural critic)

• Ventrui/Scott-Brown refer to themselves as “mannerists” and not “postmodernists”

• Sharply contradicted the work of Gropius, van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, SOM, Johnson and other modernist architects

Robert Venturi/Denise Scott Brown

• They recognized that the Las Vegas Strip was a new form of urban design based on tourism and sprawl that had never been seen in Europe and was unique to the US

• Signs and buildings inverted, with the signs becoming larger than the buildings (the Dunes sign in Vegas was for years the world’s largest sign at over 200ft high)

Robert Venturi/Denise Scott Brown

• Their influence is clear in relation to tourism, but it also relates to the American suburb and the collector road/strip mall relationship

• (The literature provides several sources that will indeed list tourism as the primary parent of sprawl)

• (Please do not confuse modern architecture with “contemporary”architecture – modernism is a time period between 1920-1970, whereas contemporary architecture is anything new)

Andrea Palladio

Andrea Palladio

• Called the most influential Western architect

• Designs emphasized classical symmetry (even more than classical architectural did)

• The term “Palladian Villa” is taken from his name

Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Gian Lorenzo Bernini

• More of a sculpture than architect• “Inventor” of the baroque in

architecture (a very ornate end to the Renaissance period – sometimes called high, high Renaissance)

• Most famous for the baldacchino in Saint Peter’s basilica and his fountains in Rome

• The Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Four Rivers Fountain – Ganges, Nile, Danube and Rio de la Plata) in the Piazza Navona is his most noted design

• Much of his work is religious in nature and theme

The figures of the four river gods of the world…are seated on a rocky base, which serves as the foundation for an ancient obelisk. This spire, already equated with divine light at the time of its installation, is crowned by a dove and olive branch, the comprehensive symbol of peace, the Holy Spirit, and the Pamphili family. The river gods each respond to this symbol of holy light and papal government differently, reflecting each continent’s acceptance of the Catholic Church.

Ganges (Asia)

Nile (Africa)

Thus while on the east side of the fountain the Nile, with his shrouded head, and the Ganges, looking indifferently across the piazza, are both ignorant of the symbolic light of the obelisk,…

Rio de la Plata (America)

…on the west side the Rio de la Plata of America [the now recognized continents of North and South America were commonly referred to as “America” in the 1500s] draws up his hand to shield his eyes from the blinding light.

Danube (Europe)

It is only the Danube of Europe, however, who both holds up the papal arms and acknowledges the holy apparition above.

-- Christian, M. (1986)Bernini’s Danube and Pamphili Politics

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson

• Felt architecture was the most important method of giving America status as a new country

• Spent time in France, and was influenced by interpretations of classical architecture

• Designed the campus of the University of Virginia – campus designed to teach architecture to all students

Thomas Jefferson

• Influenced greatly by Palladioand took those ideas from Europe

• His home, Monticello, is another important building of his

Thomas Jefferson

• Jefferson was also very much connected to nature, although as with many people of his time period, he believed that man should dominate it – his buildings reflect this philosophy as does his desire for westward expansion (Indians were considered part of the landscape)

Thomas Jefferson

Ray Oldenburg

• Great Good Place

Ray Oldenburg

• Known for the concept of the “third place”

• Florida is a hotbed of design concepts largely because of the high rate of retires and vacation home owners which allows for architects to experiment by having to constantly design new cities

Ray Oldenburg

• Starbucks bases its concept on Oldenburg

• Oldenburg pulls many of his ideas from Jane Jacobs

Jane Jacobs

• Healthy Cities

Jane Jacobs

• Activist that fights for – Independent ownership of shops– Public space– Neighborhoods– Walkable villages (even within

large cities like New York)– Regional character– Quality of life