Paolo Portoghesi
de Silvia Micheli, Janina Gosseye, Léa-Catherine Szacka, Tom Avermaete
Through the work of the Italian architect, theorist and historian Paolo Portoghesi (1931-2023), this book offers a new perspective on postmodern architecture, showing the agency of other spheres of knowledge - history, politics and media - in the making of postmodern architectural discourse. It explores how Portoghesi's personal "postmodern project" was based on the triangulation of a renewed interest in historical architectural language, unprecedented use of media and intertwined links between architecture and politics. Organized in a sequence of critical chapters supported by the analysis of Portoghesi's most significant architectural projects - including Casa Baldi (1959), The Mosque in Rome (1975-95) and his Strada Novissima exhibition (1980) - and publications, the book unfolds around the three main themes of history, politics and media. Published as part of the <i>Bloomsbury Studies in Modern Architecture</i> series, which brings to light the work of significant yet overlooked modernist architects, the study features previously-unpublished archival material, interviews by the authors and articles from professional and mainstream press to present Portoghesi in his multifaceted role of mediator, politician, historian and designer.
