Origin: A reaction to modernism, rising in the 1960s and prominent in the 1970s and 1980s
Postmodernism rose as a reaction to the dryness of modernism. Architect Robert Venturi quipped "less is a bore", and Michael Graves is one of its best-known names. It quotes columns, arches and classical capitals but rebuilds them in simple shapes, pastel colour and modern materials, often with a dash of humour.
In Vietnam, use it at a small scale: an arched doorway, wall niches, round columns or a coloured staircase. Favour moisture-resistant paint, engineered stone, glazed tiles and light façades to cope with rainy humid weather and west sun, and avoid heavy plaster mouldings in damp areas.
