Postmodernism lacks the popularity of other eras of architectural design and is too young to be appreciated for history's sake. Can preservationists learn to love underappreciated gems of Postmodernism before it's too late?
Paul Makovsky writes about the endangered existence of landmark buildings from the "heyday of Postmodernism," namely the early 1970s through 1984. The problem, according to Makovsky, is that the Landmarks Preservation Commission of New York City has been slow to grant buildings from that era landmark status, costing the city several buildings of note, such as Philip Johnson and John Burgee’s Takashimaya Building on Fifth Avenue, the South Street Seaport building, and the Cherry Hill landscape in Central Park.
In response, Metropolis magazine complied a "watchlist of overlooked gems" to "start the debate over Postmodern architecture and design’s contribution to Manhattan." The list was curated by Paul Makovsky along with Michael Gotkin, a landscape architect and preservation advocate.
Read the full story: The Postmodern Watchlist
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City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority