Kenneth Frampton
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Frampton is a British architect, critic, historian and the Ware Professor of Architecture at the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation at Columbia University
, New York
.
Frampton studied architecture at Guildford
School of Art and the Architectural Association School of Architecture, London. Subsequently he worked in Israel, with Middlesex County Council
and Douglas Stephen and Partners (1961–66), during which time he was also a visiting tutor at the Royal College of Art
(1961–64), tutor at the Architectural Association (1961–63) and Technical Editor of the journal Architectural Design
(AD) (1962–65).
Frampton has also taught at Princeton University
(1966–71) and the Bartlett School of Architecture, London, (1980). He has been a member of the faculty at Columbia University since 1972, and that same year he became a fellow of the Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies
in New York -- (whose members also included Peter Eisenman
, Manfredo Tafuri
and Rem Koolhaas
) -- and a co-founding editor of its magazine Oppositions.
Frampton is a permanent resident of the USA.
Frampton is well known for his writing on twentieth-century architecture. His books include Modern Architecture: A Critical History (1980; revised 1985, 1992 and 2007) and Studies in Tectonic Culture (1995). Frampton achieved great prominence (and influence) in architectural education with his essay "Towards a Critical Regionalism
" (1983) — though the term had already been coined by Alexander Tzonis
and Liliane Lefaivre. Also, Frampton's essay was included in a book The Anti-Aesthetic. Essays on Postmodern Culture, edited by Hal Foster
, though Frampton is critical of postmodernism
. Frampton's own position attempts to defend a version of modernism that looks to either critical regionalism or a 'momentary' understanding of the autonomy of architectural practice in terms of its own concerns with form and tectonics which cannot be reduced to economics (whilst conversely retaining a Leftist viewpoint regarding the social responsibility of architecture).
In 2002 a collection of Frampton's writings over a period of 35 years was collated and published under the title Labour, Work and Architecture.
In 2006, he wrote the introduction to the book of Flemish architect Georges Baines.
Writings on Kenneth Frampton
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Frampton studied architecture at Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
School of Art and the Architectural Association School of Architecture, London. Subsequently he worked in Israel, with Middlesex County Council
Middlesex County Council
Middlesex County Council was the principal local government body in the administrative county of Middlesex from 1889 to 1965.The county council was created by the Local Government Act 1888, which also removed the most populous part of the county to constitute the County of London...
and Douglas Stephen and Partners (1961–66), during which time he was also a visiting tutor at the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
(1961–64), tutor at the Architectural Association (1961–63) and Technical Editor of the journal Architectural Design
Architectural Design
Architectural Design, also known as AD, is a UK-based architectural journal first launched in 1930.In its early days it was more concerned with the British scene, but gradually became more international. It also moved away from presenting mostly news towards theme-based issues...
(AD) (1962–65).
Frampton has also taught at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
(1966–71) and the Bartlett School of Architecture, London, (1980). He has been a member of the faculty at Columbia University since 1972, and that same year he became a fellow of the Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies
The Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies
The Institute for Architecture & Urban Studies is a non-profit Architecture Studio & think-tank located in Manhattan, New York, USA.-IAUS :...
in New York -- (whose members also included Peter Eisenman
Peter Eisenman
Peter Eisenman is an American architect. Eisenman's professional work is often referred to as formalist, deconstructive, late avant-garde, late or high modernist, etc...
, Manfredo Tafuri
Manfredo Tafuri
Manfredo Tafuri , an Italian architect, historian, theoretician, critic and academic, was arguably the world's most important architectural historian of the past fifty years...
and Rem Koolhaas
Rem Koolhaas
Remment Lucas Koolhaas is a Dutch architect, architectural theorist, urbanist and "Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design" at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University, USA. Koolhaas studied at the Netherlands Film and Television Academy in Amsterdam, at the Architectural...
) -- and a co-founding editor of its magazine Oppositions.
Frampton is a permanent resident of the USA.
Frampton is well known for his writing on twentieth-century architecture. His books include Modern Architecture: A Critical History (1980; revised 1985, 1992 and 2007) and Studies in Tectonic Culture (1995). Frampton achieved great prominence (and influence) in architectural education with his essay "Towards a Critical Regionalism
Critical regionalism
Critical Regionalism is an approach to architecture that strives to counter placelessness and lack of identity in Modern Architecture by utilizing the building's geographical context...
" (1983) — though the term had already been coined by Alexander Tzonis
Alexander Tzonis
Alexander Tzonis is a Greek architect, researcher and author.He has made contributions to architectural theory, history, and design cognition bringing together scientific and humanistic approaches in a rare synthesis. Since 1975 he has been collaborating in most projects with Liane Lefaivre...
and Liliane Lefaivre. Also, Frampton's essay was included in a book The Anti-Aesthetic. Essays on Postmodern Culture, edited by Hal Foster
Hal Foster (art critic)
Harold Foss "Hal" Foster is an American art critic and historian. He was educated at Princeton University, Columbia University, and the City University of New York. He taught at Cornell University from 1991 to 1997 and has been on the faculty at Princeton since 1997...
, though Frampton is critical of postmodernism
Postmodernism
Postmodernism is a philosophical movement evolved in reaction to modernism, the tendency in contemporary culture to accept only objective truth and to be inherently suspicious towards a global cultural narrative or meta-narrative. Postmodernist thought is an intentional departure from the...
. Frampton's own position attempts to defend a version of modernism that looks to either critical regionalism or a 'momentary' understanding of the autonomy of architectural practice in terms of its own concerns with form and tectonics which cannot be reduced to economics (whilst conversely retaining a Leftist viewpoint regarding the social responsibility of architecture).
In 2002 a collection of Frampton's writings over a period of 35 years was collated and published under the title Labour, Work and Architecture.
In 2006, he wrote the introduction to the book of Flemish architect Georges Baines.
Select list of Frampton's writings
- "Towards a Critical Regionalism: Six Points for an Architecture of Resistance", in The Anti-Aesthetic: Essays on Postmodern Culture. edited by Hal Foster, Bay Press, Port Townsen (1983).
- Studies in Tectonic Culture: The Poetics of Construction in Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Architecture. MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass., 2001.
- Modern Architecture: A Critical History (World of Art), Thames & Hudson, London, Fourth edition (2007).
- Le Corbusier (World of Art). Thames & Hudson, London, 2001.
- Labour, Work and Architecture. Phaidon Press, London, 2002.
- The Evolution of 20th-Century Architecture: A Synoptic Account. Springer, New York, 2006.
- FRAMPTON K., STRAUVEN F., GÜBLER J. & VERPOEST L., Georges Baines, Ludion, Gent, 2006.
Writings on Kenneth Frampton
- D. Sherer, "Architecture in the Labyrinth. Theory and Criticism in the United States: Oppositions, Assemblage, ANY (1973-1999)," Zodiac 20 (1999), 36-63.
External links
- Images of Kenneth Frampton for Mark Magazine. Photographed by Jeff Barnett-Winsby in 2007
- Corringham Extensive detail about Frampton's design in Bayswater, London