More Lessons From the Father of Postmodernism, Charles Moore


Lisa Cushman’s house is broken down into three barn-like pavilions for sleeping, living/dining, and entry/garage. Image © Anton Grassl

Lisa Cushman’s house is broken down into three barn-like pavilions for sleeping, living/dining, and entry/garage. Image © Anton Grassl

This article was originally published on Common Edge.

About 50 years ago, the renowned architect, educator, and author Charles Moore was hired by Frederick and Dorothy Rudolph to design a vacation house on Captiva Island, Florida, and about a decade later, in the late 1970s, they hired him again to design their permanent residence in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

Moore was often called the father of Postmodernism and was a prolific proponent through such books as The Place of Houses. With the exception of his small houses, however, I was never a big fan of his work. But I still have a tattered copy of that book, because when I read it, it was the first time that someone had articulated the process of designing a house, including a programmatic checklist to follow.

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