Multiform

More about the book

Our current moment is one of profound political, ecomonic 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 as 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 eclectism, symbolism in form, material and ornament, and the bold, expressive use of colour, both natural and synthetic. While the design that results from these 'multiform' tactics and approaches has been seen as a kind of neo-Postmodernism, this issue argues that this is a simplistic and superficial reading. Instead, it posits this phenomenon as the architectural attempt, both conscious and unconscious, to reflect, grapple with and make sense of the present age of transition, which has been accelerated by the global pandemic. Rather than responding to this situation by attempting to marshal architecture around a single unifying narrative, this issue makes the case for transformative possibilities offered by an approach that is ad hoc, eclectic and pluralist