What is Deconstructivism?

“Deconstructing is to deform a rationally structured space so that the elements within that space are forced into new relationships” (Samara 122).

It features a lot of chopping up, layering, and fragmenting. Initially, the Deconstructivist architects were influenced by the philosophy and ideas of French philosopher Jacques Derrida. The theory of deconstruction from Derrida’s work argues that deconstruction “is not a style or ‘attitude’ but rather a mode of questioning through and about the technologies, formal devices, social institutions, and founding metaphors of representation” (Typotheque). It is very much history as well as theory. Derrida introduces us to this idea of deconstruction in his book, Of Grammatology. In his theory, we question the idea of how representation dwells in reality.

For Derrida, Deconstructivism was an extension of his interest in radical formalism. In the 1970s, architects that embraced Deconstructivism saw it as a means to assess the supposedly unifying and idealistic ways of the Modern movement, and sought to break apart the concept of classical order and space.

In architecture, Deconstruction attempted to shift away from the restricting “rules” of modernism that involved ideas of “purity of form” and “form follows function” .
“Purity of form” refers to “purism” which is actually a form of Cubism.
The principle of “form follows function” is exactly as its name implies: its idea is that the form or shape of the building or architecture that is being made should be largely based on its intended function.

Deconstructivism essentially opposed the ordered rationality of Modernism.

Conclusion

I explored a bit of the history of Deconstructivism and the artists and concepts that make up this postmodern art movement. “Deconstructing” is about disturbing the way we think about form and ultimately, it is about the discovery of new relationships. In graphic design and architecture, these could be visual and spatial relationships; and by altering and breaking down areas in particular ways, it will influence the way we observe those relationships.