The last forty years have seen an outburst of theories and manifestoes which explore the possibilities of architecture: its language, evolution and social relevance. With the many crises in architecture and the obvious urban and ecological problems., Modernism has been criticised, questioned, overthrown, extended, subverted and revivified not a peaceful time for architectural thought and production. The result has been a cascade of new theories, justifications and recipes for building. This anthology, edited by the well-known historian and critic Charles Jencks, and the urbanist and theorist Karl Kropf, collects the main texts which define these changes. Essential for the student and practitioner alike, it presents over 120 of the key arguments of today's major architectural philosophers and gurus. These show that the Modern architecture of the early part of this century has mutated into three main traditions: a critical and ecological Post-Modernism; a High-Tech and sculptural Late Modernism; and a deconstructive, subversive New Modernism.
Here are the seminal texts of James Stirling, Robert Venturi, Colin Rowe, Christopher Alexander, Frank Gehry, Reyner Banham, Bernard Tschumi, Rem Koolhaas and many others who have changed the discourse of architecture. Here also are the anti-Modern texts of the traditionalists Leon Krier, Demetri Porphyrios, Quinlan Terry, Prince Charles and others. Many of these texts are concise, edited varsions of influential books. Highly informative and richly illustrated with over forty drawings and photographs, this volume is a vital learning and teaching tool for all those interested in the philosophies of contemporary architecture.
- ISBN10 0471976873
- ISBN13 9780471976875
- Publish Date 22 July 1997
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 19 September 2006
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher John Wiley and Sons Ltd
- Imprint Wiley-Academy
- Format Paperback
- Pages 312
- Language English