This article explains the transition from modern architecture to postmodern architecture through a change in humanity’s view of truth. Based on a critique of the efficiency and rationality of modern architecture, it emphasizes that postmodern architecture is an attempt to restore human aesthetic sense in an inefficient and asymmetrical form.

What is truth? It may seem like an out-of-the-blue question, but to understand the spirit of ‘postmodern architecture’ we have to go back to this short question that runs deep through human history. This is because postmodern architecture is not just a change in architectural style, but a shift in the way we think about truth.

The nature of truth

Before we get into the question, we need to know about the properties of truth. The properties that truth must satisfy are absoluteness, universality, and immutability. Whatever we consider to be true must be absolute, meaning that it cannot be subject to any constraints or conditions, i.e. it cannot be true if its validity depends on the circumstances. Truth must also be universal. To function as a truth, it must be a concept that everyone can recognize, not just a specific individual or group. Finally, a truth must be immutable, meaning it doesn’t change over time. It must stand the test of time and still be true in its own right.
Let’s take a historical look at humanity’s response to the question, “What is truth?” to understand the rise of postmodern architecture and its implications.

Changing views of truth throughout history

Throughout human history, the idea of truth has been constantly changing over time. In primitive times, the truth was the “nature god”. Humans were weak in the face of nature, and nature determined life and death, so they worshiped nature as a god. In ancient times, truth became mythology. A prime example is Greek and Roman mythology. People believed that gods like Zeus and Athena were real and had a profound impact on their daily lives and every aspect of their existence.
By the Middle Ages, “monotheism” was established as the truth. Religions like Christianity, Judaism, and Islam flourished, and they believed that a single god ruled over everything in the world. The existence of such an absolute deity was even used as a tool to legitimize the authority of kings in medieval Europe. However, in the modern era, the view of truth changed once again.
With the rise of the bourgeoisie through industrialization and the development of science, humans no longer looked to God, but to “reason” for truth. With reason as the truth, rationality, efficiency, order and rules began to be emphasized. The influence of reason on architecture was profound.

Development and characteristics of modern architecture

Modern architecture reflected the spirit of reason and rationality. Architects tried to design buildings as efficiently and rationally as possible. Le Corbusier’s domino structure is a prime example of this, as he sought to design spaces economically and efficiently using the strong building materials that were new at the time.
These architectural endeavors were not just technical innovations, but also had social and cultural implications. The rational and efficient nature of modern architecture was closely linked to the values of modern society. Modern people believed that technological advances would make human life better. Architecture was similarly aimed at maximizing the efficiency of human life.
For example, functionality and economy were emphasized over classical beauty. Many buildings were designed to increase the density of cities and allow more people to use space efficiently. This was taken for granted in modern society, where capitalism was on the rise and material progress was sought.

Limitations and impacts of modern architecture

However, this modern belief in rationality and efficiency was shaken by the two world wars. The belief that advances in science and technology would lead humans to a better place was shattered by the wars. The wars showed that technology could lead humanity to ruin, and this led to widespread doubt about modern values.
The blind trust in reason and the fact that industrial progress had pushed humanity to the brink led people to rethink the modern mindset. As a result, people sought to escape the tragedy of modernity, which led to the postmodern era. Postmodernism was born out of this reaction against modern values.

The rise of postmodern architecture

Postmodern architecture sought to break away from the efficiency, rationality, and regular order of modern architecture. They broke away from the strict architectural forms of modernity in favor of free, asymmetrical, and inefficient designs. This was not just a formal change, but an attempt to bring back the lost beauty of human beings and provide new visual stimulation and freedom for modern people.
A prime example of this is Frank Gehry’s Dancing House. This building may seem inefficient and useless from a modern perspective. Its unnecessarily complex form makes it expensive to build, and its space utilization is inefficient. However, this is precisely what makes it a masterpiece of postmodern architecture. It’s a challenge to the economics and efficiency of modern architecture, and a symbol of breaking the mold.
Postmodern architecture no longer emphasized practicality. Instead of being functional and economical, it aimed to provide people with aesthetics and new experiences through architecture. Through this inefficiency, they hoped to recapture the beauty and freedom that modern society had lost.

The meaning of postmodern architecture

Postmodern architecture was more than just finesse and complex design; it was an attempt to bring back the aesthetic value and emotional richness that humans had lost through architecture. These buildings may seem inefficient, asymmetrical, and sometimes unstable, but they allow us to experience art through architecture. The goals of such architecture can be summarized as twofold. The first is to recapture the architectural beauty that modern architecture has lost, and the second is to provide new inspiration to modern people through architecture that is free from rules and efficiency, and that is free and sensual.