Double-coding in effect: the reception of the Piazza d’Italia

Abstract

Architectural theorist Charles Jencks characterises post-modernism as double-coding in nature. Double-coding is an architectural scheme that seeks to communicate with both the general public and a concerned minority who care about architectural meanings, usually other architects, through the formulation of an inclusive building language. Given these parameters, Jencks considered the Piazza d’Italia, an iconic post-modern site created by American architect Charles Moore, ‘a monument of post-modern architecture’ and an epitome of his double-coding theory. Yet, the Piazza d’Italia was greatly controversial upon its completion in New Orleans in 1978. The local responses were mixed, and the site triggered debates in professional journals nationwide. This study considers the Piazza d’Italia in light of its mixed reception, supplemented by a contrast between Moore’s prospect of his design and my experience visiting the site. In comparing professional debates with public comments, this study sheds light on the roles and needs of architecture’s different audiences and re-evaluates post-modern architecture’s capability to communicate with them. Thereupon, I seek to illuminate the nature of double-coding and assess critically its promise and effect.

Acknowledgements

Part of the article was presented at the 76th Annual International Conference of the Society of Architectural Historians, session ‘Playfulness in Modern Architecture’. I would love to thank the session chair, Duanfang Lu, editors of The Journal of Architecture, Doreen Bernath and Deljana Lossifova, and the anonymous reviewers for their insightful and constructive comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 Charles Jencks, The Language of Post-Modern Architecture, 2nd edn (London: Academy Editions, 1978), pp. 8–10.

2 Margaret Rose investigates the evolution of Jenck’s conception of double-coding with extensive reference to post-modern cultural theories, but she pays little attention to discussing the application and effect of double-coding in architectural work. For more detail, see Margaret Rose, The Post-Modern and Post-Industrial: A Critical Analysis (Cambridge: Cambridge University press, 1991), pp. 101–50.

3 Léa-Catherine Szacka, ‘Writing “from the Battlefield”: Charles Jencks and The Language of Post-Modern Architecture’, Jencks Foundation, 2022 <https://www.jencksfoundation.org/explore/text/writing-from-the-battlefield-charles-jencks-and-the-language-of-post-modern-architecture> [accessed 29 March 2023].

4 In What is Post-modernism?, a booklet published in 1986, Jencks noted that, ‘to this day’, he would define post-modern architecture as he first did in 1978; see Rose, The Post-Modern, p. 107. For a detailed discussion of the evolution of Jenck’s theory and its contribution to architectural historiography, see Elie Haddad, ‘Charles Jencks and the Historiography of Post-Modernism’, The Journal of Architecture, 14.4 (2009), 493–510.

5 Michael Mcmordie, in his review of The Language of Post-Modern Architecture, notes that the language analogy is untenable as Jencks fails to demonstrate that distinct languages exist for the intended audiences. See Michael McMordie, ‘Review: The Language of Post-Modern Architecture, revised and enlarged edition, by Charles Jencks’, Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, 38.4 (December 1979), 303.

6 Jencks, The Language of Post-Modern Architecture, 4th edn, pp. 6–8.

7 Ibid., pp. 160–4.

8 Charles Moore, ‘Piazza d’Italia’, Architectural Design, 5/6 (1980), 20–1.

9 To name a few, see Charles Jencks, ‘Post-Modern Classicism’, Architectural Design, 5/6 (1980), 5–17; Charles Jencks, ‘Free Style Classicism’, Architectural Design Profile (1982), 5–21; Charles Jencks, ‘Postmodern and Late Modern: The Essential Definition’, Chicago Review, 35.4 (1987), 31–58; and Jencks, The Language of Post-Modern Architecture, 6th edn (1991), pp. 108, 116–8.

10 Mayor Moon Landrieu, originally published in The Time Picayune-States Item in May 1978, reprinted in Places, 1.2 (1983), 17.

11 Moore admired Sitte’s City Planning According to Artistic Principles and considered it a solid theoretical foundation for urban design; see Kevin P. Keim, An Architectural Life: Memoirs and Memories of Charles W. Moore (Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Co., 1996), p. 33.

12 Camillo Sitte, City Planning According to Artistic Principles, trans. by George Collins and Christiane Collins (New York, NY: Phaidon Press, 1965), pp. 20–33.

13 Charles Moore, ‘Ten Years Later’, Places, 1.2 (1983), 30.

14 Ron Filson, ‘A Youthful Tribute’, Place, 1.2 (1983), 31.

15 Moore originally thought of having triple windshield wipers squashing back and forth at the spandrels but had to give the idea up for others convinced him it was bad taste. Probably after that, he considered using roundels; see Charles Moore, lecture at RIBA, 7 July 1981, London <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NudDtx0HU0&ab_channel=AASchoolofArchitecture> [accessed 29 March 2023].

16 Moore, ‘Piazza d’Italia’, pp. 20–1.

17 Douglas Lake, ‘Piazza d’Italia’, Architectural Review, 165 (May 1979), 256.

18 The vacancy seems typical for the piazza is usually empty, except for Italian traditional holidays, which occur only three or four days a year, as reported by the local newspaper.

19 Martin Filler, ‘The Magic Fountain’, Progressive Architecture, 59 (November 1978), 81–7.

20 David P.-C. Chang, ‘Views’, Progressive Architecture, 60 (January 1979), 8.

21 Randle Pollock, ‘Views’, Progressive Architecture, 60 (March 1979), 12.

22 Ted Wu, ‘Views’, Progressive Architecture, 60 (February 1979), 8.

23 See Lebbeus Woods, ‘Views’, Progressive Architecture, 60 (January 1979), 8; and Jan Reiner, ‘Views’, Progressive Architecture, 60 (January 1979), 8.

24 Alex Pierce, ‘Views’, Progressive Architecture, 60 (January 1979), 8.

25 Reiner, ‘Views’, p. 8.

26 Walter L. Goodwin, ‘Views’, Progressive Architecture, 60 (March 1979), 12.

27 Editors, ‘Views’, Progressive Architecture, 60 (January 1979), 8.

28 See John Steinichen, ‘Views’, Progressive Architecture, 60 (January 1979), 8; and Russell Jordan and Nicholas Pyle, ‘Views’, Progressive Architecture, 60 (April 1979), 8.

29 Errol Barron, ‘Views’, Progressive Architecture, 60 (February 1979), 8.

30 Moore, ‘Ten Years Later’, p. 30.

31 Maria Gloria, Letters to the Editor, originally published in The Italian American Digest (1979), reprinted in Places, 1.2 (1983), 16.

32 Gary Esolen, ‘Standpoint’, originally published in Gambit in March 1981, reprinted in Places, 1.2 (1983), p. 17.

33 See Thomas J. Blasi, ‘Letter to the Editor’, The Times Picayune-States Item, 28 November 1978; Anna Aversa, ‘Views of Readers’, The Times Picayune-States Item, 24 October 1978; and Augusto Miceli, ‘Comments’, The Times Picayune States Item, 24 March 1979.

34 David Littlejohn, ‘Waiting for the Water’, Places, 1.2 (1983), 8–11. It was a condensed version of a chapter in his monograph on Charles Moore; see David Littlejohn, Architect: The Life and Work of Charles W. Moore (New York, NY: Holt, Reinhart and Winston, 1984), pp. 251–61.

35 George Baird, ‘Problems of Representation’, Places 1.2 (1983), 11–2.

36 Robert H. Harris, ‘Inquiry, Essence, Awkwardness’, Places 1.2 (1983), 13–5.

37 For a critical review of Norberg-Schulz’s theory and its role in post-modern architectural discourse, see Jorge Otero-Pailos, ‘Photo Historiography: Christian Norberg-Schulz’s Demotion of Textual History’, Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, 66.2 (June 2007), 220–41.

38 Paolo Portoghesi and Bruno Zevi, ‘Is Post-Modern Architecture Serious? Paolo Portoghesi and Bruno Zevi in conversation’, Architectural Design, 1/2 (1982), 20–1.

39 Christian Norberg-Schulz, ‘Free Plan and Open Form’. Places, 1.2 (1983), 15.

40 Jay Claiborne and Tom Aidala, ‘Ethnic Design or Ethnic Slur’, Places, 1.2 (1983), 18–20.

41 When I accessed the Tripadvisor website on, eighteen reviews were made during the last decade and dated between September 2013 and April 2022 <https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60864-d2716985-Reviews-or10-Piazza_d_Italia-New_Orleans_Louisiana.html> [accessed 1 April 2023].

42 Charles Moore, ‘Building Club Sandwiches’, Design Quarterly, 118/119 (1982), 43. Jorge Otero-Pallos has showed that Moore’s emphasis on intuition and experience is grounded on his close study of architectural phenomenology; see Jorge Otero-Pallos, Architecture’s Historical Turn, Phenomenology and the Rise of the Postmodern (Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 2010), pp. 164–211.

43 See Moore, ‘Ten Years Later’, p. 30; and Moore, lecture at RIBA, 1:40:00–1:41:40.

44 Ibid., 1:28:00–1:29:50.

45 Moore, ‘Piazza d’Italia’, p. 20.