Deconstructivism Movement

Lecture Eleven
1. Post-modernism becoming increasingly commercialized and appropriated by developers in
early 80's. Victim to consumer mentality. It was displaced by deconstructivism
2. 1988, a seminal exhibition of deconstructivism curated by Mark Wigely and Philp Johnson
held at the Museum of Modern Art in NY. It was defined as a new movement in which the
dream of pure form has been disturbed. Reference to Russian constructivism that broke the
classical rules of composition. Pure forms are used to produce impure geometric
compositions, unstable restless geometry. Deconstructivism challenges the values of
harmony, unity and stability. Imperfections are intrinsic to the structures.
3. Theoretical manifesto developed by Jack Derrida who stated that his philosophy starts
with the deconstruction of logocentrism through parasitology or virology. Introducing
disorder into communication. By focusing on the destruction of logocentrism, Derrida is at
odds with the entire semiotic structure of post-modernism.
4. Peter Eisenman was the first to attempt to transform this idea of an ever changing text into
architecture. Search for an aesthetic that is not a reflexive response to the consumer society.
Waxner Centre , Ohio state, 1989. The scheme developed as a an archeological
superimposition of 3 grids: Ohio, Columbus and the university Campus. The city street
grid was extended into the campus. The form derives from the pre existing context and
fulfilling the condition of "between-ness": something which is almost this or almost that;
uncertainty of partial knowing. Cardiola Weekend House, 1988: avoids the traditional lines
of demarcation between inside and outside.
5. The Columbus Convention Centre (1 & 2), Ohio, 1992, is related to the revolution of
information behind the phenomenon of globalization. The information age led to the
buildings division into curved , bar-like strands that are meant to recall train sheds and
fiber-optic cables, or "metaphor loaded" envelop.
6. In Carnegie Mellon Research Institute, 1988, metaphor for information; explosion of
knowledge, The response was the Boolean cube, the model of artificial intelligence in
computer design that allows for multiple paths of information –flow through parallel lines
with multiple intersections, non-linear manner/algorithms. Notion of palimpsest of writing
over something that has been written before and erased.
7. Project of Max Reihardt Haus in Berlin, 1992. The Mobius strip replaces the Boolean
cube, a mathematical generator of the unrealized 34 storey complex.
8. The suiss-born architect Bernard Schumi who participated in the exhibition, a need for an
approach to architecture for buildings that might be used for different purposes instead of
one set of programme due to information change. Architecture becomes the site and the
product of spontaneous and temporary occupations. Highly influenced by Derrida.
Reference to constructivism: Overlapping picture planes, fragmented solids, square
surfaces at various angles, sharp angles and corners. Identifying contradiction between
synthesis and disjunction, order and fragmentation. Park de al Villette, Paris 1984-
90.Schumi coincides with Eisenman ideas about the collapse of nature, and the shift from
nature to knowledge. The machine is the garden, the folies become the trees, greenery
replaced by concrete, asphalt and steel.
 Deconstructivism Movement

Lecture Twelve

9. Zaha Hadid, stresses anti-gravitational forces component defying gravity and reality. She
implements it as an aesthetic rather than systematic way. Colour used as a psychological
signal. Defying gravity the most enemy of the architect. First winning design in Hong
Kong competition, 1982, but not realized.
10. Opera House in Cardiff 1994 (1, 2, 3, 4), her largest project to date?, not realized, despite
the fragmented appearance of the design the plan is highly resolved and hierarchical with
functions arranged around the central court, and support functions around the perimeter.
11. The Vitra Fire Station, 1993 is a problematic buildings at 2 levels: functionally defects,
and difficulty in translating highly developed visionary design into buildings. (artistic
representation more exciting than building in reality).
12. Daniel Libeskind. His earlier collages were used as an instrument of liberation from
functional requirements as well as from traditional representation . Art free of all forms of
responsibility, and mostly calligraphic energy. Jewish Museum, 1997 and Boiler House,
London 1996. Computers provided to guide through exhibits. Most museums will store
their exhibits electronically allowing international connections between museums to be
formed in cyberspace.
13. Coop Hamillblau: iconoclastic (destroyer) approach design free sketches completed with
eyes closed and then scanned into computers giving chaotic results, 1.
14. Graphology, palimpsests (overwritten) of Eisenman, Tschumi's events and fragments,
Hadid's artistic explorations, Daniel Libeskind's verbal transformations is a consistent
thread of deconstructivism . Rush to satisfy public hunger for new theories and fresh style.
15. Gehry's perspective distortions and mystical parallelograms of Russian painter Malevish.
16. Chmar House, Atlanta, 1989, a large tree that has fallen on site. Arizona College of
Law,1993. (Boolean Geometry: Union, Intersection, ).
17. After Derrida philosophy and Constructivist aesthetics, Chaos theory is the 3rd theme in
constructivism. Chaos developed first in physical sciences: a sensitive dependence on
initial conditions can lead to a wide variation in the final results. Beginning in meteorology
and computer predictions of weather patterns. Random patterns that show hidden order.
18. Critics:
a. Deconstructivism never achieved the status of movement beyond the
narrow academic sphere.
b. Revolutionary philosophy.
c. Mostly standing on graphics and art generated by computers
d. Formalist, pro-mass, anti spatial approach, with sharp, hard, angular and
brutal forms
e. Cut from social and cultural roots
f. Exclusively understood by arts and architects
g. Deconstructivism theory mostly referring to linguistics, actually under
critics for diluting language and meanings of texts and incapable of embracing all
aspects of life and human activities.

Further reading:
h. Jurgen Habermas: School of Frankfort Vs Derrida philosophy
i. Chaos Theory and Fractal Geometry
j. Headegar: Time and Existence