First step to post-modern architectures: Comparison of the architectures of Robert Venturi and Aldo Rossi

This study includes the examination and comparison of the first theoretical studies on post-modern architecture in architecture, based on philosophical, sociological, political, economic and cultural grounds. Following transformations of Europe and America after World War II, architecture as a field of culture has become a political issue, in a context where culture versus politics has become a secondary issue. Political and economic collapse of Europe after the war and rise of America put these two continents in opposition and a fierce struggle began in every field. America has made many international breakthroughs in the field of culture to transform the military superiority it has gained into a political superiority, while Europe took defense with nationalist thought. However, these encounters, political and economic struggles resulted in 1968 events. Indicators that caused these events also activated the context of culture and art. Marxist desire of Europe to combine art and life and the birth of popular culture and Pop Art in America also shaped the context of architecture. At this point, Robert Venturi in America and Aldo Rossi in Europe published books in 1966 criticizing modern architecture and focusing on subjects including history, society, city. Thus, postmodern architecture emerged. Although a new category was born through stylization and periodization called "postmodern architecture" theoretical or practical studies after 1950 didn't show unity, instead they were contradictory. However, within the contradictory structure of postmodernism, these conflictive theoretical and practical architectural works don't constitute a style. In this context, works of Robert Venturi and Aldo Rossi, were examined and compared in detail, their conceptualizations and architectural practices were explained. After these explanations and descriptions, their theoretical ideas were compared depending on their architectural practices. Consequently, it's understood that although the themes of these ideas seem same, they have no commonality or similarity in terms of their content.