Deconstructivism, a school of architecture that explores fragmentation and

distorts the walls, roof, interior volumes and envelope of a building in a sort of
controlled chaos, sometimes to intentionally create discomfort and confusion on
and beyond facades. For better or worse, this movement has had a huge impact
on contemporary architectural design.
We dont want architecture to exclude everything that is disquieting, the cofounders of Austrian architecture firm Coop Himmelb(l)au wrote of their
aesthetics, essentially defining the postmodern architectural movement that has
defied conventions and courted controversy since the 1980s. The following
seven structures, from five architecture firms that were celebrated at the
Museum of Modern Arts 1988Deconstructivist Architecture exhibition, are among
the most provocative structures in the world.
Frank Gehrys Bilbao Museum Guggenheim, Spain

(images via: wikimedia commons)

When you think deconstructivist, whats the first building that pops into your
mind? If youre at all familiar with the term (and not a student of architecture),
its probably Frank Gehrys iconic and unforgettable Guggenheim Museum in
Bilbao, Spain. In 1978, Gehry took the steps that would bring him to this
point, drastically changing his own standard, somewhat boring suburban Santa
Monica house into the groundwork for an entire architectural movement. He
literally deconstructed the house, ripping out sections and reassembling them
into an eccentric fusion of traditional and modern aesthetics. By the time he got
to the Guggenheim, completed in 1997, Gehry had perfected a shocking new
style that dazzled critics and the public alike, although many in the architectural
community may disagree on such points as creativity versus functionality.
While Gehry himself shirks the Deconstructivist label, his work particularly the
Guggenheim has been strongly associated with the architectural style that has
been carried forth by a number of other architects around the world. Luminous
and shape-shifting, the Guggenheim is hard to pin down, seeming almost to
undulate in the sunlight and the dappled reflection of the Nervion River upon
which it sits. The wildly original design, as well as construction of the building,
was aided to a large degree by the use of Computer Aided Three Dimensional
Interactive Application (CATIA). The many organic volumes that make up the
whole are covered in titanium panels that resemble fish scales, a tribute to the
museums location.
________________________________________________________________________________
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, designed by Canadian architect Frank Gehry and
opened to the public in 1997, was immediately vaulted to prominence as one of
the worlds most spectacular buildings in the style of Deconstructivism. The
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao work is perceived to be Gehrys most iconic and
representative work, and was a culmination of Gehrys new directions and
experimentation with surfaces and shapes. The museums design and
construction serve as an object lesson in Frank Gehrys style and method. Like
much of Gehrys other work, the structure consists of radically sculpted, organic
contours. Sited as it is in a port town, it is intended to resemble a ship.
Its brilliantly reflective panels resemble fish scales, echoing the other organic life
(and, in particular, fish-like) forms that recur commonly in Gehrys designs, as
well as the river Nervin upon which the museum sits. Also in typical Gehry
fashion, the building is uniquely a product of the periods technology as
computer simulations of the buildings structure made it feasible to build shapes
that architects of earlier eras would have found nearly impossible to construct.
Also important is that while the museum is a spectacular monument from the
river, on street level it is quite modest and does not overwhelm its traditional
surroundings. The museum was opened as part of a revitalization effort for the
city of Bilbao and for the Basque Country. Almost immediately after its opening,
the Guggenheim Bilbao became a popular tourist attraction, drawing visitors
from around the globe. A product of collaboration between the Basque
government and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, the museum is a
catalyst for development in the former warehouse district. The public plaza at
the entrance allows, and encourages, pedestrian flow between the Guggenheim,
a nearby art museum and the historic district. It was widely credited with
putting Bilbao on the map and subsequently inspired other urban
regenerations this has become known as the Bilbao Effect.

The building was constructed on time and budget, which is rare for architecture
of this type. In an interview in Harvard Design Magazine Gehry explained how he
did it. First, he ensured that what he calls the organization of the artist
prevailed during construction, in order to prevent political and business interests
from interfering with the design. Second, he made sure he had a detailed and
realistic cost estimate before proceeding. Third, he used CATIA and close
collaboration with the individual building trades to control
Coop Himmelb(l)aus UFA-Cinema Center, Dresden, Germany

(images via: architizer)

The Austrian firm Coop Himmelb(l)au, which now has offices in Los Angeles and
Guadalajara as well as Vienna, is often credited with producing the first
realizations of Deconstructivist architecture in Europe. The cooperatives rooftop
law office extension in their home city raised eyebrows when it was erected in
1988 with its parasitic appearance, and its Funder factory building in St. Veit
Glan, Austria was certainly eye-catching. In 1998, Coop Himmelb(l)au completed
the UFA-Cinema Center in Dresden, Germany, which consists of two volumes: the
Crystal, a massive glass lobby and public square that seems to lean
precariously to one side, and the Cinema Block, which holds eight cinemas with
seating for 2600. The firm says that with the UFA-Cinema Center, it aimed to
confront the issue of public space, saying By disintegrating the
monofunctionality of these structures and adding urban functions to them, a new
urbanity can arise in the city.
Independent of Gehrys influence, Coop Himmelb(l)au and other international
architects who produced important Deconstructivist works were inspired by

movements in modern art such as Cubism andDada, and Russian avant garde
architecture of the 1920s.

Peter Eisenmans Wexner Center for the Arts, Ohio

(images via: wikimedia commons)

New Jersey-based architect Peter Eisenman designed the first major public
Deconstructivist building in America, the 1989 Wexner Center for the Arts at Ohio
State University. The Wexner Center was something of an experiment in
Deconstructivism; its certainly not a blank, passive space for the display of art
but meant to be a dynamic work of art within itself. Its a five-story, open-air
structure featuring a prominent white gridwork that resembles scaffolding in
order to appear intentionally incomplete, in a permanent state of limbo. These
very design ideas have caused significant controversy because, in some cases,
they interfere with the function of the building, such as fine art exhibition spaces
where direct sunlight could potentially damage sensitive works of art.
Furthermore, the center has no recognizable entry, with most of the sculptural
ornamentation on the sides where no doors exist. The interior spaces are no less
eccentric; some visitors even report feeling nauseas because of the colliding
planes of the design.
Controversial though it may be, Eisenmans Wexner Center remains among the
most important examples of Deconstructivism, bringing abstract ideas and
theories to the fore and perhaps elevating them above purpose and practicality.

Bernard Tschumis Parc de la Villette, Paris, France

(images via: laurenmanning, mo_cosmo, als0lily)
The Parc de la Villette in Paris is unlike any public park youve ever seen, with its
strange network of bright red structures designed, according to architect Bernard
Tschumi, not for ordered relaxation and self-indulgence but interactivity and
exploration. Built from 1984 to 1987 on the grounds of a former meat market,
the park contains themed gardens, playgrounds for children, facilities dedicated
to science and music and 35 architectural follies, all of which are inspired by the
ideas of Deconstructivism. Visually and intellectually stimulating, the steel follies
provide a frame for activity, in contrast to the idea of a park as open green
space.
In his book Architecture and Disjunction, Tschumi describes meeting the French
philosopher Jacques Derrida to talk about Derridas concept of deconstruction,
which Tschumi and Eisenman have pulled into their own architectural aesthetics.
When I first met Jacques Derrida, in order to convince him to confront his own
work with architecture, he asked me, But how could an architect be interested in
deconstruction? After all, deconstruction is antiform, anti-hierarchy, antistructure, the opposite of all that architecture stands for. Precisely for this
reason, I replied!

OMA/Rem Koolhaas Seattle Central Library, Washington

(images via: archdaily)

With famed architect Rem Koolhaas at the helm, architecture
firmsOMA and LMN gave Seattle one of the worlds most stunning
Deconstructivist buildings in the form of the Seattle Central Library. This
groundbreaking structure consists of eight horizontal layers in varied sizes,
encased within a structural steel and glass skin which defines additional exterior
public spaces. Elevating the library beyond a mere receptacle for books, the
design focuses on information as a whole where all forms of media can be
accessed, reflected upon and discussed.
Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, a founding partner of OMA, has largely defied
labels, variously categorized as Deconstructivist, Modernist and Humanist by
critics. The Pritzker Prize winner may at times be controversial for designs that
seem visually disjointed or difficult to actually use, but in the Seattle Central
Library he has helped create one of Americas most notable structures, and one
of the most important Deconstructivist buildings in the world.
Zaha Hadids Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, Ohio

(images via: zaha-hadid.com)

Baghdad-born, Britain-based Zaha Hadid, the first woman to win a Pritzker Prize,
has also contributed a number of notable Deconstructivist works to international
architecture. One such structure, Hadids first design to ever be built, is the 2003
Lois and Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Known popularly as the Contemporary Arts Center (CAC), the building is both
blocky and soft, defined by geometric volumes on the facade and featuring an
unusual urban carpet, with the ground slowly curving upward from the sidewalk
outside into the building and ultimately up the back wall. A ramp resembling a
twisted spine draws visitors up to a landing at the entrance to the galleries.
Daniel Libeskinds Jewish Museum, Berlin, Germany

(images via: daniel-libeskind.com)

Is Daniel Libeskinds Jewish Museum in Berlin the best example of
Deconstructivism in the world? This zig-zagging structure, clad in thin zinc
sheeting punctuated by windows in shapes meant to recall wounds and scars,
houses two millennia of German Jewish history. It sits upon a space once
occupied by the Berlin Wall, and butts up to an 18th century appeals court which
is also part of the museum. Its shape is said to be inspired by a warped Star of
David, and its jaggedness is likened to the human condition. A huge void cuts
through the form of the museum, symbolizing the absence left by the thousands
of Berliners who were killed or deported in the Holocaust.
Says the architect, I believe that this project joins architecture to questions that
are now relevant to all humanity. To this end, I have sought to create a new
Architecture for a time which would reflect an understanding of history, a new
understanding of Museums and a new realization of the relationship between
program and architectural space. Therefore this Museum is not only a response
to a particular program, but an emblem of Hope.
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Imperrial War Museum

The IWM North building is hard to miss - the aluminium-clad building with jutting
angles has become an iconic part of the Manchester skyline since it was built in
2002.
But have you ever wondered why you seem to get lost when youre inside, or
perhaps feel a little unsettled? Theres a lot more to IWM North than its striking
looks - the whole building was designed to enhance the stories within and give
visitors a multisensory experience of war.

Here are nine things that might surprise you about IWM North.
1. It's built on a bombsite

Buildings burning in Manchester

after a German air raid on the
night of 23 December 1940.
H 6318
When IWM decided to build
another museum in the North of
England, the wartime history of
Trafford Park made it stand out as
an ideal location. It was here that
vital munitions were built for the
First and Second World Wars and
here that factories churned out
munitions, tanks and engines to
support the war effort.
Trafford Park was a main target in the Manchester Blitz, which caused extensive
damage to factories and warehouses in the area. The site that IWM North stands
on today is where the Hovis Grain Silos once stood before they were bombed and
burnt down in the Second World War. When the foundations were dug for the
museum, shrapnel and an anti-aircraft cartridge shell were found.
2. Its the first building in the UK by Daniel Libeskind

IWM North, the first building in the UK by internationally acclaimed architect,

Daniel Libeskind. Jason Lawton
IWM North was the first building in the UK designed by the internationally
acclaimed architect, Daniel Libeskind, who designed the Jewish Museum in Berlin
and was recently behind the masterplan for the Ground Zero site in New York.
Daniel Libeskind was born in Poland, the second child of Polish Jewish parents
who had survived the Holocaust. His insistence that the architecture of a

museum should give richer meaning to its subject matter was just what we
wanted.
3. It represents a shattered globe

Libeskind used a shattered globe concept to create a symbol of the effects of war
on land, sea and in the air. Daniel Libeskind
Libeskind wanted the building to be a symbol of the effects of war, so he came
up with the concept of a globe shattered into three pieces - and though its been
put back together, it will never be the same again. Thats why IWM North is
made up of the EarthShard, WaterShard and the AirShard a piece of the
building to represent conflict on land, sea and in the air.
4. A teapot was involved in the design

Libeskind used an ordinary teapot, like the one pictured, as inspiration for his
design.
Art.IWM PST 16924
When Libeskind came up with the broken-globe concept, he dropped a teapot
(the nearest object to hand with a spherical shape) out of his studio window in
Berlin and used the broken pieces as inspiration for IWM Norths three shards.
(He sealed the teapot in a plastic bag before dropping it!)
5. Its purposely disorientating

The entrance to IWM North is very different from a typical museum entrance,
adding to the sense of disorientation. Jill Jenning
Libeskind wanted visitors to the museum to feel the unsettling nature of war. He
used a variety of techniques within the architecture to achieve this. The route
into the museum itself is confusing, and the curves of the shattered globe that
make up the outline of the building also continue inside, affecting how the visitor
moves around the museum.
6. The AirShard is neither an outside nor an indoor space

In the space of the AirShard and its confusing concrete tower, Libeskind uses
more techniques to confuse the visitor. Len Grant
The AirShard entrance to IWM North is small and bunker-like, quite different from
the grand entrances of traditional museums. When visitors enter they have to
follow a pathway through the AirShard that goes back on itself - creating a
feeling of disorientation. To increase the feeling of confusion, the AirShard is
neither an outdoor or indoor space, and while it offers some shelter, its also
exposed to the elements. The concrete tower in the AirShard looks like its
leaning but in fact its straight - its just a technique to disorientate the visitor.
7. The floor of the Main Exhibition Space slopes by eight feet

In the Main Exhibition Space there's a lack of right angles, no natural light and
the temperature fluctuates. Jill Jennings
There is a distinct lack of right angles in the Main Exhibition Space, no natural
light, and even the temperature fluctuates at different points - all features
intended to intensify the visitors experience. The floor of the Main Exhibition
Space also slopes down by about eight feet. This is both to mimic the curvature
of the Earth and to add to the experience of disorientation.
8. The WaterShard gives a nod to the areas shipping past

The Manchester Ship Canal was once the route for large cargo liners. Trafford
Local Studies
The WaterShard is the wave-like part of the building. Stunning views across the
Manchester Ship Canal can be viewed through the WaterShards ferry-like
windows, which give a nod to the cargo liners that once travelled this route.
9. At its tallest point IWM North is 56 metres high

The Viewing Platform sits at the top of the AirShard - 56 metres up.
The AirShard juts high into the skyline, and contained within this soaring 56metre tower is the Viewing Platform, offering panoramic views of Manchester and
the surrounding areas. Look down through the mesh gangway under your feet to
spot the anti-aircraft searchlight pointing up at you from the ground below.

3. Dekonstruksi Fungsional
Arsitektur dekonstruksi merupakan pengembangan dari arsitektur modern.
Munculnya arsitektur dekonstruksi sekitar tahun 1988 dalam sebuah diskusi
Academy Forum di Tate Gallery, London. Kemudian disusul oleh pameran di
Museum of Art, New York dengan tema Deconstructivist Archiecture yang
diorganisir oleh Philip Johnson dan terdapat tujuh arsitek yang menampilkan
karya-karyanya, yaitu; Peter Esienman, Bernard Tschumi, Daneil Libeskind, Frank
Gerhy, Zaha Hadid, Rem Koolhaas, dan Coop Himmelblau.
Gejala Dekon dalam arsitektur telah menjadi tema perdebatan yang hangat
dengan karya-karyanya yang mendobrak aturan-aturan yang berlaku.
Pada 8 April 1988 dalam international Symposium on Deconstruction yang
diselenggarakan oleh Academy Group di Tate Gallery, dikukuhkan bahwa
dekonstruksi bukanlah gerakan yang tunggal atau koheren, meski banyak
diwarnai oleh kemiripan kemiripan formal di antara karya arsitek yang satu
dengan yang lainnya. Dekonstruksi tidak memiliki ideologi ataupun tujuan
formal, kecuali semangat untuk membongkar kemapaman dan kebakuan.
Aliran dekonstruksi mulanya berkembang di kalangan arsitek Perancis dan
Inggris, kemudian oleh Philip Johnson dan Mark Wigley melalui sebuah pameran
yang bertema deconstructivist Architecture yang di selenggarakan di Museum
of Art, New York, tanggal 23 Juni 30 Agustus 1988 mencetuskan
dekonstruktivisme yang lebih berkonotasi pragmatis dan formal serta
berkembang di Amerika.

Telaah dan pemahaman dekonstruksi memerlukan suatu kesiapan untuk belajar

menerima beberapa kemungkinan phenomena. Syarat dari semua ini berdiri di
atas keterbukaan dan kesabaran. Keterbukaan membiarkan phenomena
berbicara langsung tanpa prekonseosi. Kesabaran memberikan ruang kepada
orang untuk mendengar lebih cermat dan seksama.
Deconstruction sebuah konsep Perancis yang diturunkan oleh Jacques Derrida
( lahir 1921) tidak mudah disampaikan sebagaimana pemahaman orang tentang
konstruksi, destruksi, dan rekonstruksi. Derrida mengajak semua orang termasuk
arsitek untuk merenungkan kembali hakekat sesuatu karya agar berbicara
menurut pesona dan kapasitasnya masing masing. Keseluruhan ini berangkat
dari suatu metoda komposisi. Derrida menyebutkannya dalam merajut rangkaian
hubungan hubungan. Dalam tekniknya terdapat beberapa teknik dan
terminologi yang perlu klarifikasi di sini. Usaha demikian diharapkan dapat
memperjelas hubungan Deconstruction dan Rancang bangunan.
Konsep utama memproduksi atau mengadakan karya bertolak dari konsep yang
oleh Derrida pada kasus literatur disebut differance. Dalam rancang bangun
konsep ini tidak dapat dipahami sebagai suatu pendekatan yang membuka
pemikiran bahwa karya bukanlah semata mata representasi yang direduksi
sebagai alat menyampaikan gagasan atau pesan. Merancang karya diharapkan
memberi peluang agar kemungkinannya berbicara bisa merdeka dari prinsip
dominasi. Differance memahami setiap komponen bahkan elemen dari komposisi
sebagai suatu potensi yang tidak terpisahkan keberadaan, peran dan fungsinya
dalam kesemestaan. Artinya mereka tidak hanya sebagai suatu alat untuk
menunjuk pada sesuatu gagasan atau ingatan atau nilai tertentu. Diferance
memberikan pemahaman baru bagaimana melihat elemen rancangan rancang
bangun dalam sebagai batas batas wilayah yang mengkaitkan : manusiamaterial-konstruksi-rupa/bentuk dan tempat. Rancang bangunan sebagai suatu
keutuhan dan aspek aspeknya adalah jejak jejak dari suatu kesemestaan
yang mampu berbicara sendiri sebagai pembangun pemahaman dunia. Seperti
halnya suatu text rancang bangunan marupakan suatu komposisi yang
berosilasi di antara hadir dan absen. Dengan osilasi tersebut terjalin suatu yang
terputus putus sebagaimana pemahaman kita sebenarnya akan dunia ini.
Diskontinuitas dan putusnya linearitas menghadirkan permainan dalam setiap
komposisi karena apa yang digagas dan dibangun tidaklah berdiri sendiri.
Gagasan yang dituangkan dalam komponen komposisi yang sebenarnya dikutip
dari rujukan di tempat lain. Bentuk/rupa material-konstruksi-lokasi. Jadi tidak
pernah komponen komposisi berdiri sendiri yang lahir dan tercipta dari ruang
hampa. Differance mengangkat permasalahan komposisi yang terdiri atas
citatioans atau kutipan kutipan ke dalam suatu komposisi. Dengan komposisi
sebenarnya orang melihat dan merasakan suatu representsi pentunjuk yang
hadir dengan rujukan yang tidak hadir ( entah di mana ). Komposisi ini
memberikan suatu gambaran fragmen fragmen dari sumbernya yang
mengada di suatu lokasi dan tampil seolah olah utuh dan stabil sebagai
sosok mandiri. Rujukan gagasan bentuk/rupa misalnya, tidak pernah lepas dari
keinginan untuk melayani kebutuhan manusia. Atas dasar merujuk pada
sumber sumber tidak hadir itulah sebuah komposisi meng-ada. Dengan itu
pula apa yang hadir sebenarnya memberikan jejak kepada sumber
sembernya. Interprestasi komposisi menurut prinsip differance tidak mungkin
dilakukan tanpa membaca atau menelusuru jejak jejak yang hadir ke sumber
sumber mereka. Hasil dari komposisi yang lahir dengan hadirnya jejak jejak
tersebut oleh Derrida disebut Dissemination.

Deconstruction sebagai upaya atau metoda kritis, tidak hanya berupaya

membongkar bangun bangun teori atau karya lewat elemen, struktur,
infrastruktur maupun contextnya. Lebih dari itu, kekuatan kekuatan yang
berperan pada konsep yang bersangkutan akan: dilucuti atribut atributnya,
dikupas habis hingga telanjang bulat, dilacak asal usul dan perkembangannya,
dicari kaitan kaitannya dengan konsep konsep lain, digelar kemungkinan
kemungkinan posisi maupun kontribusinya terhadap apa saja. Semua proses
pembongkaran tersebut dimaksudkan untuk membangun kembali karakteristik
phenomenalnya. Dalam pembangunan kembali tersebut, ekspose dari interplay
kekuatan kekuatan melalui : kontradiksi kontradiksi, kesenjangan
kesenjangan, decomposition, disjunction, discontinuity, dan deformation,
merupakan cara untuk memperlihatkan kemungkinan kemungkinan ada dan
mengada. Daya tarik deconstruction bagi dunia rancang bangun terletak di
dalam cara melihatnya bahwa ruang dan bentuk adalah tempat kejadian yang
selayaknya terbuka bagi yang mungkin dan yang tidak mungkin.
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