Learning From Las Vegas

Brief history in to authors:

Charles Jencks:

Charles Jencks is an author, architect, historian, critic, and occasional soothsayer. He is synonymous with the concept of the Postmodern in architecture, as he was the first to extend those ideas into architectural discourse with his book The Language of Post-Modern Architecture.

Robert Venturi:

Robert Venturi and his wife and partner, Denise Scott Brown, are regarded among the most influential architects of the twentieth century, both through their architecture and planning, and theoretical writings and teaching. Venturi was awarded the Pritzker Prize in Architecture in 1991.[1] He is also known for coining the maxim "Less is a bore" as antidote to Mies van der Rohe's famous modernist dictum "Less is more".

Reading ‘ Architecture as space’ (pg. 6) till ‘ The architecture of persuasion’ (pg. 13)

We immediately see references made to historic Italian architecture in the sense of spatial planning and “intricately designed enclosed space” (pg. 6) which leads on to a very bold statement “it is easier to like than the spatial sprawl of Route 66 and LA” It seems that Venturi assumes we all share the same opinions as him. Leading on from this statement comes another, “…..Enclosed space is the easiest to handle.” (pg, 7) Venturi again states a ‘fact’ but does not back up his reasoning’s for his thoughts.
Space is seen as the most essential ‘ingredient’ that separates architecture from painting, sculpture and literature, although paintings and sculpture might sometimes be allowed spatial characteristics, however its is said “Sculptural or pictorial architecture is unacceptable – because space is sacred.” (pg.7)
And that’s it, it is quite frustrating as there is no mentioned to why space is perceived sacred, its abruptly ends and moves to another topic.

The next chapter: “Symbols in space before form in space: Las Vegas as a communication system” talk about how symbolism is an architecture of communication over space giving examples of a great big flashing neon symbol of a female figure in ecstasy on the Las Vegas strip, and how it is visible from the highway before the actual building itself. So insinuating symbols taking away the need for any text to actually know what the place is. Another example that is given; when driving at high speed and approaching cross roads the driver does not rely on signs for guidance but the landscape itself, as it is the strip itself which guides the driver. This is architecture of bold communication rather than one of subtle expression. These ideas are further backed up by the chapter “The architecture of persuasion”

What I have understood from the book so far is the book is about Robert Venturi and his idea on post-modernism, he argued that modernism’s liking for heroic and abstract forms should be replaced with an architecture that is “ugly and ordinary”. He maintained that Las Vegas is in fact the victory of symbols-in-space over-form in-space.

Robert Venturi also argued that architects should be more receptive to the tastes and values of common people and less inclined to erect abstract monuments. This sounds so much like Iconic-Architecture that we see regularly now.


A very interesting article: http://www.designobserver.com/archives/entry.html?id=146