Theorist

Charles Jencks

1939–2019 Postmodern architectural theory & criticism

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Fantasy Memory

Details

Nationality: American

Classifications

Holder: Individual
Source of authority: Reason
Subject: Human centred
Mode of transmission: Text drawing
Knowledge type: Propositional
Epistemic cluster: Western philosophical

Notes

[DRAFT] American architectural theorist and landscape designer whose The Language of Post-Modern Architecture (1977) defined postmodernism as a 'double-coded' semiotic language and who famously dated the 'death of modern architecture' to the 1972 demolition of Pruitt-Igoe.

Connections

influenced Aldo Rossi
proposed Postmodern Architecture

Referenced by

Reyner Banham influenced
Katharine G. Bristol critiqued

Sources

Charles Jencks. The Language of Post-Modern Architecture. Academy Editions, 1977.
Charles Jencks. The New Paradigm in Architecture. Yale University Press, 2002.

Cite this entry

First published May 2026Last revised Jul 2026

CLAD. "Charles Jencks." Atlas of Architectural Thought. CLAD, 2026. https://www.cl-ad.com.au/research/atlas/theorist/charles-jencks/. Accessed July 17, 2026.