#BookOfTheMonth: Theories and Manifestoes of Contemporary Architecture

“The first architectural manifesto, or rules for decorum, was God’s Ten Commandments. Plato called God “the architect of all things”, and architects play God when they make arbitrary decisions and adopt one theory rather than another.” -?Charles Jenks, The Volcano and the Tablet, Theories and Manifestoes of Contemporary Architecture.?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a manifesto is a written statement of the beliefs, goals, and tactics of a political party, artists' union, or other organization. However, architectural manifestos, along with conveying facts, also serve as a way to explore, imagine and lay the foundation for the birth of ideas.

"Theories and Manifestoes of Contemporary Architecture" brings together the architectural manifestoes and theories published in the second half of the 20th century that explored the possibilities of architecture: its language, evolution, and social relevance. As the authors of the book, Charles Jenks and Karl Kropf write, during this period, architecture was on the verge of crisis, and emerging urban and ecological issues questioned the "orthodoxy" of that time - modernism, which was criticized and predicted to fall. At the same time, the principles of modernism were being reconsidered and revisited.?

This process led to a cascade of new theories. Manifestoes, 'recipes', and discussions about buildings, various architectural trends, and features were being actively written. The first edition of “Theories and Manifestos of Contemporary Architecture” was published in 1997 and was a coherent collection of the significant architectural shifts of the period, bringing together the works of prominent architectural thinkers of the 20th century, including Le Corbusier, Zaha Hadid, Aldo Rossi, Rem Koolhaas, Tadao Ando, and others.

The second edition of “Theories and Manifestoes of Contemporary Architecture” was published in 2006 and includes over 20 additional extracts dealing with the 'New Paradigm' and 'Paradigm of Complexity' theories, developed after the crisis of modernism.

We believe that reading this book will be fascinating for those architects and individuals who are interested in the history of the development of architectural ideas and are searching for inspiration. The theories and manifestoes presented in the book open the door to the challenges of 20th-century architecture, provide insight into the philosophies and principles of architects who created various iconic masterpieces, and leave room for interpretation of the texts.

You can purchase the book with the?link, but the PDF versions of it are also available.?