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Joseph Cianciotto Sheds a General Insight into Postmodern Architecture 

Emerging in the late 1970s, postmodern architecture emerged in response to modern architecture. While modern architects rejected the ornamentation of the earlier architectural styles, postmodern style actually embraced classical architecture and blended it with distinctive contemporary elements to create innovative structures.  Postmodern buildings are characterized by their complexity, whimsical quality and innovation. Many professionals today are attracted to this style of architecture, Joseph Cianciotto being one of them.

The emergence and proliferation of post modernism was in direct response to the rise of art movements like modernism, which was a style that discouraged the use of historical reference in architecture. With the growth of modernism, a host of notable structures in major cities of the world underwent extensive renovations. This typically led to a variety of historic buildings getting demolished and replaced with versions that did not hold much regard for the artistic features of surrounding structures. During the 1960s, a number of architects started to fight back against the demise of culture and history that they witnessed taking place in areas like Chicago and New York, thereby giving rise to an eclectic movement that represented the constantly changing landscape of the world.

Postmodern architecture was an international movement. It put emphasis on free thinking design, along with conceptual consideration to the surrounding environment. These considerations included the integration of design of adjacent buildings into new, postmodern structures, so that they could have a distinctive element of cohesiveness, while still managing to create an impact.  While both modern and postmodern buildings were meant to serve a practical function, the ones influenced by the latter style encouraged creativity. It steered away from the rigid rules linked with modern architecture, which involved simple shapes, abstraction and simplicity. By blending a range of architectural elements and motifs from the Arts and Crafts movement, neoclassicism, classicism and other distinctive architectural styles, postmodern architecture focused on creating structures that had a unique visual appeal.

Asymmetry was among the key pillars when it came to style in case of the postmodern movement. Asymmetry had the ability to create unique buildings that truly stood out, and also had the capability to capture attention of others.  Contrasting structures, as well as sloping walls and pillars became commonplace in postmodern works.  They essentially provided a brand-new perspective in terms of what actually was meant to be a functional building. The juxtaposition of angles and lines present in these buildings captivated audiences, and caught the eyes of many emerging architects like Joseph Cianciotto.  His primary aesthetic influences are modernism, postmodernism, and neo-futurism.

Camp refers to an ironic movement of gaudy art that was perceived as beautiful. Both camp and humor were used interchangeably throughout the postmodern era. This trend became particularly popular in the United States.  Even though the postmodern movement insially started off as a rebellion against the rigidity of modernism, camp postmodern work took the movement to a whole new level.