All Architecture is Post-Modern

"...all architecture – most especially that which thinks its not – is now Post Modern," writes Sam Jacob.

1 minute read

October 2, 2011, 9:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur


Jacob presents an excerpt from his commentary in the new Architecture Design Magazine which he's calling, "How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Post Modernism.":

"The argument here is that it was a grave error for Post Modernism to allow itself to be cast as a style rather than an attitude and that beyond the most superficial of glances there was a far more complex, ambitious and politicised project."

Jacob argues that the conditions of the 21st century, particularly the Internet, have flattened out the arc of history:

"Post-Modernism's pluralism – once radical – has been co-opted as free market choice. The effects of fully fledged neo-liberal capitalism on our physical, social and economic landscapes is profound and disorientating. In the wake of such pretzel logics as credit default swaps – the standard-bearing instrument of deregulated, dematerialised financial product – we might add confusion to Post-Modernism's complexity and contradiction."

Friday, September 30, 2011 in Strange Harvest

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 18, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Two people walking away from camera through pedestrian plaza in street in Richmond, Virginia with purple and white city bus moving in background.

Vehicle-related Deaths Drop 29% in Richmond, VA

The seventh year of the city's Vision Zero strategy also cut the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes by half.

June 17, 2025 - WRIC

Woman and young girl looking at subway map, woman pointing.

Can We Please Give Communities the Design They Deserve?

Often an afterthought, graphic design impacts everything from how we navigate a city to how we feel about it. One designer argues: the people deserve better.

June 9, 2025 - John Pobojewski

Close-up of yellow and black goldspotted oak borer beetle on blade of grass.

Southern Californians Survey Trees for Destructive Oak Pest

Hundreds of volunteers across five counties participated in the first Goldspotted Oak Borer Blitz, surveying oak trees for signs of the invasive beetle and contributing valuable data to help protect Southern California’s native woodlands.

June 22 - UC ANR Green Blog

New five-story apartment building under construction.

Opinion: How Geothermal HVAC Lowers Costs, Improves Grid Resilience

Geothermal heating and cooling systems can reduce energy costs and dramatically improve efficiency.

June 22 - Greater Greater Washington

Close-up on clipboard with pre-tenancy application and red pen.

Tenant Screening: A Billion-Dollar Industry with Little Oversight. What’s Being Done to Protect Renters?

Reports show that the data tenant screening companies use is often riddled with errors and relies on information that has no bearing on whether someone will be a good tenant.

June 22 - Shelterforce Magazine