Robert Venturi Case Study Presented by:

Personal Information Robert Venturi Date of Birth : June 25, 1925 Was born in Philadelphia Graduated from Princeton University in 1947 In 1950, he received his master’s degree of Fine Arts. In 1954-1956, he studied in American Academy as a Rome Prize Fellow Robert Venturi was a fruit grocer’s son who born on June 25, 1925 in Philadelphia. He graduated from Princeton University with Summa Cum Laude in 1947. In 1950, he received his master’s degree of Fine Art. In the years 1954 to 1956, he studied in American Academy as a Rome Prize Fellow. Later, Venturi taught architectural theories in various universities such as University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, University of California, Rome’s American Academy, Harvard and Yale.

Robert Ventura’s Theories He encouraged the complexity and contradiction theories. He encouraged young architects to shun away from doctrines of modernism. He created buildings that had a sense of contradiction or artistic tension. He mixed motifs from popular culture with high-art aesthetics. He developed philosophies that accompanied his complexity and contradiction theories. Venturi’s encouraged the complexity and contradiction theories in architecture in which he gave concrete forms through the buildings he designed earlier in his career. This theories encouraged all architects to shun away from the then existing doctrines of modernism that ultimately made them become rigid. In this respect, he was able to create buildings that carried a sense of contradiction or artistic tension. This was achieved through mixing motifs which were derived from popular culture with high-art aesthetics. Venturi developed popular philosophies that accompanied complexity and contradiction theories in architecture. Some of these philosophies included creating buildings that are compromising than those that are clean, distorted than clear-cut, ambiguous than expressed, perverse and impersonal, both interesting and boring, richness of meaning than clarity of it and also those that had explicit function and implicit meaning.

Contributions to the field of design His theories were popular for young architects from a global scale. The existing stylistic limitations were contained in the international style. The theory became a significant tool for architectural post-modern movement. The contextual architecture dealt the complexities of the city. The theory of complexity and contradiction in architecture became very popular for all young architects from a global scale. These young architects had become disillusioned the then existing stylistic limitations that was contained in the international style. In essence, the theory became a significant tool for architectural post-modern movement. Moreover, this theory made immense contribution to the contextual architecture whose aim was to deal with the complexities of the city.

Resonation with current market Resonates with the current market because he was a postmodernist. Today architectural works have an affinity to details of tenets that are basic to modernism. They reveal Venturi’s style of memories, the significance of human use, entertainment as well as comfort. I think Venturi’s architect work resonates well with the current market because he was a postmodernist. Through his work, one could notice that indeed he was a modern architect in practice. Today, there are many architectural works that contain a close affinity to every detail of tenets that are basic to modernism. Such works also reveals Venturi’s style that detailed memories, the significance of human use, entertainment as well as comfort. Therefore, Venturi was a pioneer in works that had a casual sense that improvised built environment.

Sense of Inspiration. Alvar Aato’s work inspired him the most. This is as compared to other works developed by modern masters. Aato’s work was the most moving, a richest source of knowledge. Aato’s work lived beyond its time and also could be interpreted in many ways. Through his collection of essays, Venturi confessed that Alvar Aato’s work inspired him the most. This is as compared to other works developed by modern masters. Further, he indicated that Aato’s work was the most moving, a richest source of knowledge and the most relevant as compared to any other work as far as technique was concerned. Venturi indicated that this was mainly because Aato’s work lived beyond its time and also could be interpreted in many ways.

Theories that affected his works Theories that propagated pure functionalism and simplicity in the modern architecture. Ventiura’s works were mainly aimed at attacking the orthodox architecture. He was a champion and a pioneer of modern architecture. His works infused history, the present and the architect’s feelings. He was in a class of his own. Venturi’s works were contradicted by overarching designs theories that propagated pure functionalism and simplicity in the modern architecture. This is while his designs sought to introduce architectural designs that brought about rich history, symbolism, contradiction and also complexity. Therefore, his works were mainly aimed at attacking the orthodox architecture that was popular at the time. Further, he was a champion and a pioneer of modern architecture that infused history, the present and the architect’s feelings which were felt at the moment.

Ventura’s works and the environment felt that other types of buildings on the roadside offered design lessons. He had also indicated that there is a great need for the architects to respond to symbolism and reality. And that environment should correspond directly with buildings therein. His works was beyond time. Venturi had focus towards the environment design as demonstrated by his treatment of the gaudy-filled strip in sign-filled Vegas strip as a vernacular form of art that was worthy of serious of study. Venturi felt that other types of buildings on the roadside and the decorated shed offers design lessons. He had also indicated that there is a great need for the architects to respond to symbolism and reality. This is in an environment that is popularly built and that has the environment corresponding directly with buildings therein. Moreover, his works were ahead of time as each of his interpretation contained the quality of a moment that contained a reality that was more or less. Additionally, the results of his works presented buildings that had various layers and dimensions of meanings.

Ventura’s impact to architecture Designed a house for his mother in 1962 that had significant impact to the then existing architecture. The house produced a unique artistic tension that was also functional. He mixed various contradictory features. Such as simple exterior shape of the house with a very complex interior design. Also had symmetry features and asymmetry features. Ventura created a new structural design for his mother in 1962 that had significant impact to the then existing architecture. The main aim of developing that house was to have it capable of producing a unique artistic tension and that would also be functional. Ventura was able to achieve this by mixing various contradictory features such as having a simple exterior shape of the house with a very complex interior design. Moreover, it contained a symmetrically conceived overall façade, which also had unbalanced windows and an off-central chimney that broke that symmetry. Again, the house seemed small but contained very large details such as the fireplace, doors and chair rails.

Social inspirations of Venturi He was guided by a conscious sense mainly of the past rather than habit. He utilized thoughtfulness and also precedence in simple things that attracted him inspired him too. He encouraged young artists to embrace who they are as there is much to learn from it.

Vanna Venturi’s House plan

Works Cited AD Classics : Vanna Venturi’s House/ Robert Venturi. Retrieved from> http://www.archdaily.com/62743/ad-classics-vanna-venturi-house-robert-venturi. Date Accessed. October 25, 2016.Web. Brownlee B. D., De Long G. D., Hiesinger B. K. Out of the Ordinary: Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown. Philadelphia. Philadelphia Museum of Art. 2001. Print. Denise S. B. & Venturi. Architecture as Signs and Systems: For the Mannerist Time. Cambridge. Belnap Press of Harvard University Press. 2004. Print. Hardingham S. & Rattenbury K. Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown: Learning from Las Vegas. New York. Routledge. 2007. Print. Scully J. V & Levine N. Modern Architecture and Other Essays. New Jersey. Princeton University Press. 2003. Print.