The Emergence of a Public Sphere: Architectural Texts from 1960 to 1990

Abstract

The period from the 1960s to the 1990s is very important for the emergence of architecturaldiscourse in First World countries. This discourse was the result of the prolific publication oftexts during this period that proved to be markers of a shift in architectural practice, raisingawareness among architectural professionals and lay people alike regarding the state of thediscipline and suggesting a need to alter methods of conceptualization, design and practice.This article reveals the relationship between print media and architecture, with a focus onthe texts published in the selected time period.This paper bases itself on the hypothesis that there was a prolific publication of architecturaltexts between the 1960s and 1990s and recognizes the emergence of the public spheredue to the impact of a variety of print media, such as books, journals and magazines, on humanthoughts and actions. This paper is divided into three parts: the first discusses print as a mediumof communication, the second traces the evolution of the public sphere in architectureand the third identifies theory institutions as being part of the public sphere.