Presented as part of Revisiting Postmodernism, a digital archive series of presentations held at the Architectural League by leading theorists and practitioners of 1980s post-modernism.

Organized in 1985 in conjunction with the publication of Jencks’ Towards a Symbolic Architecture (Rizzoli, 1985), the lecture makes the case that “some of the formal and linguistic problems of architecture” have been met and that architects must now move into the next stage of postmodernism: symbolic architecture. Features an extensive discussion of the design of the Thematic House, Jencks’ London townhouse designed by himself and Terry Farrell.

Jencks–Symbolic Architecture

The League’s Digital Archive Project is made possible by contributions from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Presented as part of Revisiting Postmodernism, a digital archive series of presentations held at the Architectural League by leading theorists and practitioners in 1980s post-modernism.

Organized on the occasion of a 1980 exhibition on the work of early 20th century, neo-Georgian architect Mott Schmidt, this panel discussion considers the issue of revivalism in architecture through current work presentations by (in order of presentation) Allan Greenberg, Robert A.M. Stern, and Frances Halsband.

Revivalism Revived

The League’s Digital Archive Project is made possible by contributions from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Presented as part of Revisiting Postmodernism, a digital archive series of presentations held at the Architectural League by leading theorists and practitioners of 1980s post-modernism.

A conversation with Michael Graves; Stan Allen, Dean, Princeton School of Architecture; and Sarah Whiting, Assistant Professor, revisiting the Portland Building twenty-five years later. Co-sponsored with the Princeton University School of Architecture.

Click on the title to play the video.

Part 1
Part 2
The League’s Digital Archive Project is made possible by contributions from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Presented as part of Revisiting Postmodernism, a digital archive series of presentations held at the Architectural League by leading theorists and practitioners of 1980s post-modernism.

Michael Graves gives an extensive presentation of the Portland Building, one of the icons of postmodernism, in this lecture presented shortly after the building’s completion.

DAP_graves.mp3

The League’s Digital Archive Project is made possible by contributions from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Presented as part of Revisiting Postmodernism, a digital archive series of presentations held at the Architectural League by leading theorists and practitioners of 1980s post-modernism.

A lecture by James Stirling on the firm’s recent projects at the time, centered around an extensive discussion of the Neue Staatsgalerie Stuttgart.

DAP_Stirling.mp3

The League’s Digital Archive Project is made possible by contributions from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Presented as part of Revisiting Postmodernism, a digital archive series of presentations held at the Architectural League by leading theorists and practitioners in 1980s post-modernism.

A panel discussion on the critical reception of Tom Wolfe’s From Bauhaus to Our House, with remarks by Peter Blake, Martin Filler, Susana Torre and moderator Suzanne Stephens.

DAP_BauhausOurHouse.mp3

The League’s Digital Archive Project is made possible by contributions from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Presented as part of Revisiting Postmodernism, a digital archive series of presentations held at the Architectural League by leading theorists and practitioners of 1980s post-modernism.

In this lecture recorded on election day 1980, Charles Moore presents a selection of current projects at the time, including several houses; the Tegel Harbor Library and Housing, West Berlin (1985-88); and St. Matthew’s Church, Pacific Palisades (1979-1983).

DAP_moore.mp3

The League’s Digital Archive Project is made possible by contributions from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Presented as part of Revisiting Postmodernism, a digital archive series of presentations held at the Architectural League by leading theorists and practitioners in 1980s post-modernism.

Recorded while the AT&T Building was under construction, this lecture by John Burgee, Johnson Burgee Architects, surveys the firm’s recent and current work at the time, which included the United Bank Center, Denver; 101 California, San Francisco; PPG, Pittsburgh; as well as the AT&T Building.

DAP_Burgee.mp3

The League’s Digital Archive Project is made possible by contributions from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Presented as part of Revisiting Postmodernism, a digital archive series of presentations held at the Architectural League by leading theorists and practitioners in 1980s post-modernism.

In his second lecture at the League on the subject of postmodernism–presented two years after the first– Jencks proposes seven rules (or “crutches”) for a freestyle classicism in architecture, including urbane urbanism, anthropomorphism, and amplification.

DAP_jencks_4.5.82_2.mp3

The League’s Digital Archive Project is made possible by contributions from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Presented as part of Revisiting Postmodernism, a digital archive series of presentations held at the Architectural League by leading theorists and practitioners in 1980s post-modernism.

Charles Jencks’ first lecture at the Architectural League on postmodernism is a strong and witty argument for what he calls “the consensus of postmodern classicism.” Jencks builds his argument through a comprehensive series of case studies ranging from the classcial to the (then) contemporary. He begins his lecture with an extended analogy, equating Modernism in architecture with the Christian Reformation.

DAP_jencks_1980.mp3

The League’s Digital Archive Project is made possible by contributions from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.