From Louise Kahn t|o "PLAYTIME, Jaques Tati"

While Mies Van de Rohe said “Less is More”, Venturi opposed with his theory that “Less is a Bored”.

Panorama of Salk institute - Louise Kahn

Modernist like Louis Kahn believes that the shape and form of the building has to be pure geometry that show ‘honest’ of materials construction. The symmetry also play a big role. And the interior usually keeps privacy from outside and which is similar to the idea of ‘standard’ housing in Le Courbusier theory. For instance, Louis Kahn designed Salk Institute in 1959 complete in 1965

“The Salk Institute’s open environment teeming with empty space is symbolic of an open environment for creation, the symmetry stands for scientific precision, and submerging crevasses allow warm, natural light to enter the buildings like the intellectual light that leads to discovery. The contrast between balance and dynamic space manifests a pluralistic invitation for scientific study in structures developed to accommodate their respective functions as parts of a research facility. Although modern in appearance, it is essentially an isolated compound for individual and collaborative study not unlike monasteries as sanctuaries for religious discovery, and they directly influenced Kahn in his design. Ultimately, the Salk Institute’s meaning transcends function and physical place as a reflection of Western Civilization’s pursuit of truth through science instead of God: it is Louis Kahn’s masterpiece reinterpretation of the monastic “intellectual retreat” in our day and age.”                               

– meaning of Salk Institute.

In comparison to the film that created about the same time where these idea start to flourished. A film called “ Playtime, Jaques Tati.”

A group of American tourist land at Paris Airport and embark on a one-day sightseeing tour of the French capital. The famous landmark crowded by towering office blogs and a few signs of old Paris remain. For example, an old women sells flowers on a street corner while Monsieur Hulot has an appointment with an important official, but ends up getting lost in the maze of Modern offices. Later, he runs into the tourists at the exhibition of new invention products, which include a silent door and a broom with headlights. Having met up with an old army friend in his modern apartment, Hulot lost in crowded of Paris people with ideal of Modern age rules the town. 

When Hulot step into an office, interior path seem to be never ending. The pattern of working space lost him in nowhere. We unintentionally step into the elevator where he found another floor also looks the same. Later he get on the ground level where all the office room arrange in an order where Hulot can see all the office in the room from above, but when he was stepping down and try to reach one officer he get lost and was trig by officer’s shadow on the mirror next door. Then he jump into the crowded of tourists in the exhibition hall.

In the film, there is a scene reflecting negative side of globalization process. The only remaining element of real Paris, apart from the reflections of French icons in office glass windows and door, is the flower seller on the corner. American tourist “Barbara” attempts to photograph this scene, says “it’s really Paris,” but she is interrupted by series of international figures, including two American teenagers, then American solder taken over her spot rudely for his own enjoyment of the scene, leaving her picture-less.

Modernism architecture always remind me that the space always controlling people in somewhat in the same standard, without personal choices, people start to believe the same thing in that age of time. Something like people believe in Hitler command that Jew is a sin. So as Modernism to me is also the same that says ‘Standard is the perfection to put in every man minds, that no one can have their personal liking, which will not be a non-standard to a person next to you. Nowadays, social gets more complicate than just one standard. For example, me and you are both desire difference car and difference seats in a car, that’s define what we really are today. So, to compare with the phrase “Less is a bored” of Venturi. How does it related to Post-modernist idea? where does the edge of Modernist has blend and disappears. . .