Multiform: Architecture in an age of transition
Architectural Design / Wiley, 2021
Our current moment is one of profound political, economic and environmental change. Historically, these moments of transition have seen a parallel period of cultural – and notably architectural – flux. In the late 1970s this was manifested in postmodernism. Today, a number of architects are looking again at this movement and redeploying a range of its tactics and approaches using contemporary methods and techniques. These include different modes of collage; formal reference and quotation; stylistic eclecticism; symbolism in form, material and ornament; and the bold, expressive use of colour, both natural and synthetic. We call this tendency Multiform.
While the design that results from these tactics and approaches has been seen as a kind of neo-postmodernism, this issue argues that this is a simplistic and superficial reading. Instead, we posit this phenomenon as the architectural attempt – both conscious and unconscious – to reflect, grapple with and make sense of the present age of transition, which the global pandemic has accelerated. Rather than responding to this situation by attempting to marshal architecture around a single unifying narrative as some commentators propose, this issue makes the case for the transformative possibilities offered by an approach that is ad hoc, eclectic and pluralist.
Contributors
Lea-Catherine Szacka, Mario Carpo, Stephen Parnell, Amin Taha, Dirk Somers, Geoff Shearcroft, David Kohn, David Knight and Cristina Monteiro, Lera Samovich, Jennifer Bonner, Mat Barnes, Graham Burn, James Crawford and Alexander Turner, Catrina Stewart and Hugh McEwen, Camille Walala, Yinka Ilori
Featured architects
Groupwork, Bovenbouw Architectuur, AOC, David Kohn Architects, DK-CM, Fala Atelier, MALL, CAN, Studio MUTT, Office S+M, WALALA STUDIO, Yinka Ilori Studio