The Bank of American Center by Gabriela Degetau

       The Bank of America Center designed by Philip Johnson and his partner Burgee, is a high-rise representing one of the first significant examples of postmodern architecture construction in downtown Houston, Texas. The building characteristics emphasize the postmodern style. Two concepts that can be pointed out to describe the building are: Ornamentalism and revivalism.

        The Postmodernist movement began in America around the 1960s - 1970s and then it spread to Europe and the rest of the world, to remain right through to the present. Postmodernism is a new way of viewing the world; it is unpredictable and more creative. It is committed to pluralism, heterogeneity and global culture; it acknowledges the variety of taste cultures and visual code users.  It tends to be more aesthetically complex, playful and fantastic, exhibiting a new classicism and monumentalism. In response, architects sought to reintroduce ornament, color, decoration and human scale to buildings. Form was no longer to be defined solely by its functional requirements or minimal appearance. Unlike modernism, it utilizes a wide variety of styles, tradition and codes. Revivalism can be defined as a collage of historical styles. It was one of the most popular notions in postmodern architecture. Revivalism or in other works the earlier practice of “ imitating new styles”, lead architects imagination and artistic sense to be fully exercised. Architects turned towards the past, quoting past aspects of various buildings and melding them together. As Jameson describes, “ random cannibalization of all styles of the past, the play of random stylistic allusion” (Jameson, F. (n.d.). Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism.).

        The Bank of America Center is a 56-Story office tower. The interior and exterior of the building is sheathed in rough textured Napoleon red Granite, quarried in Sweden and finished in Italy. The office tower is divided by two major set backs into three segments, giving the appearance of three adjoining buildings. The sculpted metal obelisks, made from lead and coated copper, rise from every roof level creating a unique silhouette and dramatic coloring. The obelisks are eight feet tall on the gable ends, with the topmost finials a crowning 12 feet high.  The lobby is highlighted by a 18 foot Seth Thomas Clock. The entrance   from Louisiana Street is an impressive seventy-five foot high, arched granite doorway. (n.d.). Retrieved March 28, 2015, from http://bankofamericacenterhouston.com/building.html). Some of the characteristics mention above show, how the Bank of America Center is a clear example of Postmodernism: The colorful and distinctive shapes of the building, the luxuriant stone and the spectacular zigzag silhouette.  Johnson points out, “ I like the Middle Ages- the last time a tower in England was very important was the late gothic. I picked up a few commercial and lowlands things for the NationsBank”. (Dupr, J. (n.d.). Skyscrapers: A History of the World's Most Extraordinary Buildings (p. 13).

       Architectural concepts have been borrowed from 17th Century and it is reminiscent of the Dutch Gothic architecture of canal houses in The Netherlands, this reflects one of the main characteristics of postmodern architecture, revivalism. The decision of applying Dutch renaissance in a modern Context was made in 1979, when Johnson began designing the building. The site was block across the street from the dark prismatic Pennzoil Building, at first Johnson wanted to do something sympathetic to the heralded Pennzoil. The Proposal was to design something complementary in massing and minimalist in detail. Nevertheless, Gerald Hines was not satisfied with the idea. He wanted something unique saying “ The Republic Bank building has to have its own identity, totally different from Pennzoil.”  That is when they decided to do the opposite.  Johnson adds,  “ One of my favorite skyscrapers is my own, The Bank of America center. It isn’t considered a very good skyscraper because its postmodern- decorative and historically reminiscent. But is no about Dutch gables, it’s how I used them- to emphasize the upward thrust and the tripling up. To make it memorable.” (Philip Johnson, “Philip Johnson interview”).

        The term “ornament” derives from the Latin verb ornare, “to adorn”. However, in art the term is often used to describe not only an adornment or embellishment but also a design in its entirety, that is, an artistic composition as a whole. “Ornament” refers to a single stylized image, which can be placed in any desired position”(Everz, B., & Franz, R. (n.d.). Definition and Development of the Term “Ornament”). In comparison to the minimalistic aesthetic of modern architecture, the combination of styles leads to the use of ornaments. They exist for aesthetic or their own purpose. Is the 'essence'' of a building expressed by patterning, colors and other forms of decoration. Postmodernism starts to apply purely decorative element in its facades. This eclecticism is often combined with the non-orthogonal angles and unusual surfaces.  One building form that typifies the explorations of Postmodernism is the traditional gable roof used in the Bank of America Center, the metal obelisk and the arches are other example of applied decoration. Another return was that of the “wit, ornament and reference” seen in older buildings in terra cotta decorative facades and bronze or stainless steel.

       Revivalism and ornamentalism are concepts that help to describe the building; the relationship to previous styles and the decoration of the building are characteristics that make the Bank of America Center a perfect example of postmodern architecture. The late Gothic style and the applied Dutch renaissance, the 100 pieces around the arch brought from Spain and the red granite, are details that create the essence of the building. It represents one of the first significant examples of postmodern architecture reminiscent of the Dutch Gothic architecture. A decorative and eclectic building was the result, and it became iconic in the Houston skyline.

References

http://significanthomes.com/architect/philip-johnson/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1482161/Philip-Johnson.html

http://www.hines.com/property/detail.aspx?id=257

http://www.ministrytopostmoderns.com/explained/architecture/159-defining-postmodern-architecture-and-its-characteristics

http://www.ornamentalprints.eu/en/begriff_abgrenzung.html

The Architecture of Philip Johnson (Payne Lewis)

Philip Johnson & Texas (Frank D. Welch)

Philip Johnson, Life and Work (Franz Shulze)

Philip Johnson in Houston- Image and Imagination (Valentin Gertsman)

Beginning Postmodernism (Tim Woods)

Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism (Frederic Jameson)

Changing Ideals in Modern Architecture, 1750-1950 (Peter Collins)

The New Paradigm in Architecture: The Language of Post-modernism (Charles Jencks)

Skyscrapers: A History of the World's Most Extraordinary Buildings (Judith Dupr)

Postmodern Architecture: Restoring Context Princeton University Lecture (http://www.princeton.edu/ ~mbhansen/eng377/lecture5.pdf)

Postmodern Architecture and Urbanism University of California - Berkeley Lecture (http://arch.ced.berkeley. edu/courses/arch170/past/SP2001/05-01-01.html)