Postmodern
Architecture

Eccentric. Slightly whacky. And definitively dated. So what’s with the name? By the 1980s, the term “modern” really meant any style that had zero ornamentation or references to the past. Though Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Streamline Moderne billed themselves as such, it wasn’t until the International Style that architecture reached the end of its decades-long crawl towards minimalism. The trend was of course unsustainable; after stripping away every non-functional element, there was nowhere left to go. Slowly, classical references crept back in – albeit heavily stylized. So too did bursts of color, building crowns, and other decorative flourishes. The “modern” glass box was finally out; the “post”-modern movement was in.

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An illustration of a postmodern structure
The chippendale crown of 550 Madison Avenue in New York City

Non-functional decoration

The defining feature of these buildings is the addition of ornament that serves no function. Early on it was sparse, but by the end it was plentiful

A very colorful, eccentric postmodern building, Ottakringerstrasse 151, in Vienna

Bright, bold colors

International Style and Brutalist buildings were notoriously staid. Post- modern buildings didn't shy away from color, even brights and pastels

The Chiat Day Offices in Los Angeles, a building in the shape of binoculars

Eccentricity

The humor and expressiveness of each architect was allowed to shine again, reflected in playful and downright eccentric or campy designs

The postmodern structure of the Portland Municipal Services building with stylized columns running down its face

Reinvented Classical references

The "modern" style eschewed all classical references. "Post" modernism started to re-introduce them - columns, pediments, etc. - but with a heavily stylized twist

The colorful and slightly retro Disney headquarters building in Orlando

Retro feel

Because these buildings came into their own during the 1980s and '90s, there is a distinct retro feel that unites them

The Roy E. Disney Animation Building, complete with Mickey's wizard hat

Sculptural elements

In keeping with the theme of eccentricity, many architects added sculptural details to their buildings that would have been viewed as garish in previous decades

The circular and polygonal forms of the Denver Public Library

Circular + polygonal shapes

The juxtoposition of circular forms with polygonal shapes is common, which creates interesting geometric designs

Pink and beige stripes on the postmodern No 1 Poultry building in London

Color blocking

Supplementing the fun colors of many buildings is a distinct color blocking that further reinforces the bold new elements of the style

Colorful and jagged shapes of the Groninger Museum in the Netherlands

Jumbled materials

Materials of all shapes and sizes - metal, glass, stone, concrete - are jumbled together to create unusual designs

Jagged, non-symmetrical shapes on the postmodern La Muralla Roja buildings in Spain

Asymmetry

As you would imagine with a style that puts whimsy over discipline, many buildings refuse to conform to symmetric designs

The somewhat chaotic shapes and form of a postmodern building

Dysfunction

International Style buildings prided themselves on rational materials, practical shapes, and straight lines. These buildings throw that all out and embrace the chaos