Architectural Design
Encyclopedia
Architectural Design, also known as AD, is a UK-based architectural journal first launched in 1930.
In its early days it was more concerned with the British scene, but gradually became more international. It also moved away from presenting mostly news towards theme-based issues. Its golden period was during the late 1970s and 1980s when it was the bastion of Postmodernism
, with frequent articles and special editions guest-edited by Charles Jencks
, the theoretical father of postmodern architecture. At that time the journal was the mouthpiece of the publishers Academy Editions (marketed in the USA under St.Martins Press), based in Leinster Gardens, London
(they also had their own bookstore), and they published very many well-known titles concerned with postmodernism. The long-standing Editor-in-Chief, until the mid-1980s, was Andreas C. Papadakis.
, Robert Stern, Leon Krier
, James Stirling
, Robert Krier
and Aldo Rossi
– it also published Rem Koolhaas
's later influential book Delirious New York (1979). An undercurrent to Postmodernism featured in the journal was that of "architecture without a style", a vernacular classical architecture, epitomised by the work of Quinlan Terry
, Demetri Porphyrios
and John Simpson
. The journal went partly into decline with the demise of postmodernism, though it then shifted its coverage towards Deconstructivism
, folding in architecture, 'blob' architecture, biomorphism, and digital architecture. The shift in emphasis can be pin-pointed to a single edition of the journal, devoted to the two polar positions at that time: "Peter Eisenman versus Leon Krier: 'My ideology is better than yours.'" (Architectural Design, 9-10/1989). The current avant-gardist interest of the journal in biomorphism is a return to issues the journal was covering in the 1960s and 1970s, before postmodernism, with the architecture of Archigram
, Cedric Price
and the thinking of Reyner Banham
.
Nowadays the journal is produced by John Wiley & Sons
publishers, Chichester, UK, and is edited by Helen Castle.
Stephen Games adds: 'Those of us who remember Architectural Design
in its earlier incarnation will have serious doubts about the truth of the claim in the paragraph above that "Its golden period was during the late 1970s and 1980s." On the contrary, it was the fact that AD was already a groundbreaking magazine, especially under the editorship of Monica Pidgeon, that made it an attractive purchase for Andreas Papadakis in the 1970s. It had previously been the UK's self-appointed house magazine of hyper-modernism, publishing work by Archigram, for example, and promoting the interests of Team Ten, but this was eventually compromised by its flirtation with the psychedelic graphics of magazines like Oz, and by a corresponding blindspot for intelligible prose. It was nonetheless capable, in the 1960s and early 70s, of generating an architectural buzz that went far beyond its earlier tone of propriety, and it should be remembered for that. This sense of the magazine is not reflected in this entry, but there seems to be no way to re-write the introductory paragraph, above. Perhaps the editors of Wikipedia could address this.'
In its early days it was more concerned with the British scene, but gradually became more international. It also moved away from presenting mostly news towards theme-based issues. Its golden period was during the late 1970s and 1980s when it was the bastion of Postmodernism
Postmodernism
Postmodernism is a philosophical movement evolved in reaction to modernism, the tendency in contemporary culture to accept only objective truth and to be inherently suspicious towards a global cultural narrative or meta-narrative. Postmodernist thought is an intentional departure from the...
, with frequent articles and special editions guest-edited by Charles Jencks
Charles Jencks
Charles Alexander Jencks is an American architectural theorist, landscape architect and designer. His books on the history and criticism of Modernism and Postmodernism were widely read in architectural circles and beyond....
, the theoretical father of postmodern architecture. At that time the journal was the mouthpiece of the publishers Academy Editions (marketed in the USA under St.Martins Press), based in Leinster Gardens, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
(they also had their own bookstore), and they published very many well-known titles concerned with postmodernism. The long-standing Editor-in-Chief, until the mid-1980s, was Andreas C. Papadakis.
Postmodernism and after
The contents of the journal is seen during the latter half of its history as running parallel with the cutting-edge of avant-gardism, promoting innovation as well as celebrity status – 'stararchitects'. Thus, at the height of Postmodernism in the late 1970s – when it often featured the works of Michael GravesMichael Graves
Michael Graves is an American architect. Identified as one of The New York Five, Graves has become a household name with his designs for domestic products sold at Target stores in the United States....
, Robert Stern, Leon Krier
Léon Krier
Léon Krier is an architect, architectural theorist and urban planner. From the late 1970s onwards Krier has been one of the most influential neo-traditional architects and planners...
, James Stirling
James Stirling (architect)
Sir James Frazer Stirling FRIBA was a British architect. He is considered to be among the most important and influential British architects of the second half of the 20th century...
, Robert Krier
Robert Krier
Rob Krier is a Luxembourgian sculptor, architect, urban designer and theorist. He is former professor of architecture at Vienna University of Technology, Austria...
and Aldo Rossi
Aldo Rossi
Aldo Rossi was an Italian architect and designer who accomplished the unusual feat of achieving international recognition in four distinct areas: theory, drawing, architecture and product design.-Early life:...
– it also published Rem Koolhaas
Rem Koolhaas
Remment Lucas Koolhaas is a Dutch architect, architectural theorist, urbanist and "Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design" at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University, USA. Koolhaas studied at the Netherlands Film and Television Academy in Amsterdam, at the Architectural...
's later influential book Delirious New York (1979). An undercurrent to Postmodernism featured in the journal was that of "architecture without a style", a vernacular classical architecture, epitomised by the work of Quinlan Terry
Quinlan Terry
Quinlan Terry is a British architect. He was educated at Bryanston School and the Architectural Association. He was a pupil of architect Raymond Erith, with whom he formed the partnership Erith & Terry....
, Demetri Porphyrios
Demetri Porphyrios
Demetri Porphyrios is a Greek architect and author who currently practises architecture in London as principal of the firm Porphyrios Associates. In addition to practice and writing, Porphyrios has held a number of teaching positions in the United States, the United Kingdom and Greece. He is...
and John Simpson
John Simpson (architect)
John Simpson CVO BSC ARCH DIP RIBA is a British architect.Simpson studied architecture at University College London. He is principal of practice at John Simpsons and Partners. Chartered Architects and Urban Designers, London...
. The journal went partly into decline with the demise of postmodernism, though it then shifted its coverage towards Deconstructivism
Deconstructivism
Deconstructivism is a development of postmodern architecture that began in the late 1980s. It is characterized by ideas of fragmentation, an interest in manipulating ideas of a structure's surface or skin, non-rectilinear shapes which serve to distort and dislocate some of the elements of...
, folding in architecture, 'blob' architecture, biomorphism, and digital architecture. The shift in emphasis can be pin-pointed to a single edition of the journal, devoted to the two polar positions at that time: "Peter Eisenman versus Leon Krier: 'My ideology is better than yours.'" (Architectural Design, 9-10/1989). The current avant-gardist interest of the journal in biomorphism is a return to issues the journal was covering in the 1960s and 1970s, before postmodernism, with the architecture of Archigram
Archigram
Archigram was an avant-garde architectural group formed in the 1960s - based at the Architectural Association, London - that was futurist, anti-heroic and pro-consumerist, drawing inspiration from technology in order to create a new reality that was solely expressed through hypothetical projects...
, Cedric Price
Cedric Price
Cedric Price was an English architect and influential teacher and writer on architecture.The son of an architect, Price was born in Stone, Staffordshire and studied architecture at Cambridge University Cedric Price (11 September 1934 – 10 August 2003) was an English architect and influential...
and the thinking of Reyner Banham
Reyner Banham
Peter Reyner Banham was a prolific architectural critic and writer best known for his 1960 theoretical treatise Theory and Design in the First Machine Age and for his 1971 book Los Angeles: The Architecture of Four Ecologies...
.
Nowadays the journal is produced by John Wiley & Sons
John Wiley & Sons
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., also referred to as Wiley, is a global publishing company that specializes in academic publishing and markets its products to professionals and consumers, students and instructors in higher education, and researchers and practitioners in scientific, technical, medical, and...
publishers, Chichester, UK, and is edited by Helen Castle.
Stephen Games adds: 'Those of us who remember Architectural Design
Architectural Design
Architectural Design, also known as AD, is a UK-based architectural journal first launched in 1930.In its early days it was more concerned with the British scene, but gradually became more international. It also moved away from presenting mostly news towards theme-based issues...
in its earlier incarnation will have serious doubts about the truth of the claim in the paragraph above that "Its golden period was during the late 1970s and 1980s." On the contrary, it was the fact that AD was already a groundbreaking magazine, especially under the editorship of Monica Pidgeon, that made it an attractive purchase for Andreas Papadakis in the 1970s. It had previously been the UK's self-appointed house magazine of hyper-modernism, publishing work by Archigram, for example, and promoting the interests of Team Ten, but this was eventually compromised by its flirtation with the psychedelic graphics of magazines like Oz, and by a corresponding blindspot for intelligible prose. It was nonetheless capable, in the 1960s and early 70s, of generating an architectural buzz that went far beyond its earlier tone of propriety, and it should be remembered for that. This sense of the magazine is not reflected in this entry, but there seems to be no way to re-write the introductory paragraph, above. Perhaps the editors of Wikipedia could address this.'