Postmodernism and Design
Postmodernist architect Robert Venturi’s reply of “less is a bore” to modernist architect Mies van der Rohe’s statement “less is more” shows the difference in thinking between modernist and postmodernist design.
Modernist architecture captures space and light. Lines are clean and straight, buildings are structured and minimalist. Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion captures these elements.
Robert Venturi’s design for the Children’s Museum of Houston is very different. The museum is bursting with colour and ornamental detail which would be considered outrageous during the modernist era. Venturi incorporated a classical element of Greek pillars into the design, another postmodernist feature.
I feel as though my mind prefers modernist design with how sleek and professional and how clean it looks; however my heart reaches out to postmodernist design and what it stands for; the colours and the shapes, how unique the design can be.
Robert Venturi’s “less is a bore” statement is controversial as clean design to me doesn’t necessarily mean it’s boring, I enjoy both aspects of each type of design. I prefer the sleekness and simplicity of modernist architecture over postmodernist as I see postmodernist architecture seeming a bit tacky with its eccentric colours and odd forms. However, I prefer postmodernist products and furniture as I find them lots of fun and more interesting to look at through their unusual forms and colours.
