Thursday 9 April 2015

PORT- OF- SPAIN? A POST- MODERN CITY?

Yes, we continue pour discourse about what the Port- of- Spain urban building infrastructure represents. Another aspect of the infrastructure that can be drawn out from the infrastructure is the move from the modern to the post- modern society. Many Caribbean countries are dominantly modern with hints of post- modern. Despite the heavily modernism that most countries may face and be comfortable with, there is still evidence of a movement toward post-modernism. In Trinidad, aspects excluding the infrastructure supports the argument toward the move away from being a modernist society.

Post- modernist societies will house buildings that are spontaneous in location (that is built without planning) and the design will also be spontaneous. Buildings should not conform to ideals of the west but should be an individual idea sparked by the conceptualist for the building. It is important to note here that building throughout Trinidad, not just in Port- of- Spain demonstrates this post- modern theory. the post modern city should demonstrate all of the following features: eclectic 'collage' of styles, spectacular, playful, ironic, use of heritage, and produced for special markets. the following buildings demonstrates a mixture of traits and hence are post- modern (Hall, 2006, p. 100).


The picture depicts an image of the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA).

The building infrastructure above represents an incredible architectural design which is a symbol of Post-Modern ingenuity. The building is designed in the shape of Trinidad and Tobago’s national flower, the Chaconia. The building represents a transition from modernism to post –modernism. The purpose of the building is for teaching the arts, as well as displaying and developing local talent in the performing arts section. The building has a global sense, however, it is culturally local where the design is concerned (Dear, & Flusty, 1998, p.50). The building is also the identity of the people, in the sense it can give a feeling of being proud for where your country stands in the face of the world. However, post-modernism is not just a style but it shows where the human mind is at and aspects of self-consciousness (Dear, & Flusty, 1998, p.54). The other aspects that make this building something of the post-modern era is that it takes on quaint space, stylishness in terms of appealing to the eye, reconnection with the local and pedestrian-automobile split (Dear, & Flusty, 1998, p.54). It is an interesting fact that the plans for development of NAPA was introduced in 1988with the fact it place being substantial to a person's mind. The stage within the NAPA was modelled after performing art academies of Chicago, Baltics and Shanghai (Udecott, 2015). 


Photograph: Depicting The Nicholas Towers, Down Town, Port of Spain




Photograph: Depicting The Nicholas Towers, Down Town, Port of Spain


 In addition, the Nicholas towers (in the above 2 photographs) can be seen as an aspect of port-modernism with its targeted specialist market and the ironic infrastructure. (Abel Building Solutions, 2008). There is now a greater move towards the Tertiary sector dominating Port of Spain which is a phenomenon of post-modern times.

As we conclude, I will like to reiterate the fact that the urban building infrastructure in Port- of- Spain, Trinidad is able to demonstrate post- modernism. Also, you should pay attention to the characteristics of architecture and landscape which includes that the architecture should be ironic, spontaneous, targeting a specialist market, uses heritage and they should be spectacular. Post- of- Spain represents, for Trinidad the move from the modern to the post- modern.



References


Abel Building Solutions. (2008). Nicholas towers, Trinidad and Tobago. Retrieved April 9, 2015, from http://abelbestcrete.com/nicholas-towers/.

Dear, M., & Flusty, S. (1998). Postmodern urbanism. Journals of the association of american Geographers, Vol. 88, 50-72.

Udecott. (2006). NAPA- Setting the record straight with facts. Retrieved March 29, 2015, from  http://www.udecott.com/index.php/cc/cc_news_item/napa_setting_the_record_straight_with_facts/.


Udecott. (2006). National academy for performing arts, north- Completed. Retrieved March 29, 2015, from  http://www.udecott.com/index.php/cc/cc_project_item/national_academy_for_the_performing_arts_port_of_spain/.

2 comments:

  1. I would not consider the Nicholas Towers as Post Modern but simply as Modern. Postmodernism incorporates more of an unconventional design or a mixture of designs.

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    1. The design may not be post- modern but the fact that the services that are provided is flexible and it caters for a particular niche market is reflective of post modernism.

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