Post Class- Machery

After a very challenging week of reading, I think I have begun to see post-modernism in a different light. One of the barriers that were holding me back from understanding the theories behind post-modernism was the idea that it has not only influenced text but also all aspects of life. One aspect that we were able to see visually and discuss was post-modern architecture.

One of the first architect’s that we talked about in class was Frank Lloyd Wright. I was actually very familiar with this architect and have seen much of his work on the Florida Southern Campus. Once we started our discussion about post-modern architect and Wright’s work I began to reflect on the buildings I had seen. The distinct lines, specific color choice, and almost impracticality of the buildings were so different than I had ever seen and they seemed so odd on a college campus. As the lecture went on however, one very important point Professor Cummings made stuck out. She said the one of the main things that defines post-modernism is that there are not rules. There is nothing that says what post-modernism is or is not.

Thinking about this, it made sense that Frank Lloyd, along with several other post-modern architects have experimented with all elements of building and created structures unlike anything we have ever seen before. Accompanying this point, Professor Cummings also began to talk about New York City and asked the class who has ever taken the time to really focus on the buildings. None of us could attest to this. She pointed out that because of all the other distractions that are going on in such a busy, it is rare that we are focusing our attention on the architecture and buildings that encompass such a magnificent city.

Being able to think about post-modernism in terms of architecture has helped me to understand that this is not just a movement that affects our text. It is apart of our lives on a daily basis and there are examples of post-modernism all around us.