Synopsis
Facadism presents a critical analysis of a concept that is central to the way in which the modern city is being remodelled. Facadism involves the preservation of historic facades, the creation of facsimiles in front of new buildings, and the decorative exercises of postmodernism. It has been accused of destroying architectural innovation, of divorcing the interior and exterior of buildings, and of reducing townscapes to stage sets. Yet defenders of facadism describe it as the way to link urban tradition and progress.
In this detailed study, Jonathan Richards assesses architectural and townscape philosophies and their aesthetics, the principles of urban conservation, the process of heritage planning and the market forces of urban development. He builds a complete picture of the causes and effects of facadism in the 20th century.