New trends became evident in the last quarter of the century, as some architects began to move away from the modern functionalism they considered boring, and which some of the public considered unwelcoming and even unpleasant. These architects turned to the past, citing earlier aspects of various buildings and fusing them all together (even sometimes inharmoniously) to create a new medium of building design. A clear example of this new approach was that postmodernism saw the return of columns and other elements of pre-modern designs, sometimes adapting classic Greek and Roman examples (but not simply recreating them, as was done in neoclassical architecture). In the Modern Movement, the traditional column (as a design feature) was treated as a cylindrical tube shape, replaced by other technological means such as corbels, or completely masked by the curtain wall on the façade. The column's revival was aesthetic, rather than a technological necessity. Modern skyscrapers had become in most cases monolithic, rejecting the concept of a multitude of design elements for a single vocabulary from the ground to the top, in the most extreme cases even using a constant "footprint" (without tapering or "wedding cake" design), with construction sometimes even suggesting the possibility of a single metallic extrusion directly from the ground, especially by eliminating horizontal visual elements. This was seen most strictly in Minoru Yamasaki's World Trade Center buildings.

Another change was that of "ingenuity, ornament and reference" seen in old buildings in decorative terracotta facades and bronze or stainless steel ornaments of the Beaux-Arts "Beaux Arts (architecture)") and Art-Deco periods. In postmodern structures this was often achieved by placing contradictory quotations from earlier building styles side by side, and even incorporating furnishing stylistic references on an enormous scale.

Contextualism, a trend of thought that appeared at the end of the century, influences the ideologies of the postmodern movement in general. Contextualism focuses on the belief that all knowledge is “context-sensitive.” This idea was taken even further by saying that knowledge cannot be understood without taking into account its context. Although notable examples of modern architecture responded subtly and directly to their physical context (analyzed by Thomas Schumacher in "Contextualism: Urban Ideals and Deformations", and by Colin Rowe and Fred Koetter in Collage City), postmodern architecture often addressed context in terms of the materials, forms, and details of the buildings around it—the cultural context. The term "contextualism" itself is an amalgamation of the words "context" and "texture."

The postmodernist movement began in the United States around the 1960s and 1970s, then spread to Europe and the rest of the world, remaining active to the present. According to Charles Jencks, the symbolic end of the Modern Movement and the transition to postmodernism occurred at 3:32 p.m. on July 15, 1972, when the Pruitt-Igoe housing complex in St. Louis (an award-winning version of Le Corbusier's "machine for modern living") was dynamited because it was considered an uninhabitable place. The objectives of postmodernism or late modernism begins with its reaction to modernism, attempting to address the limitations of its predecessor. The list of objectives is expanded to include communicating ideas with the public often in a humorous or witty manner. Communication is often done by extensively citing past architectural styles, sometimes many of these at once. Breaking away from modernism, he also strives to construct buildings that are sensitive to the context within which they are built.[3]​[4]​[5]​[6]​.

Postmodernism has its origins in the proven lack of modern architecture. His concern for functionalism and economical construction meant that ornaments were removed and buildings were covered with a rational and austere appearance. Many considered the buildings not to satisfy the human need for comfort for both the body and the eyes, that modernism did not take into account the desire for beauty. The problem worsened when some already drab apartment blocks degenerated into slums. In response, architects sought to reintroduce ornament, color, decoration, and human scale to buildings. Form is no longer defined solely by its functional requirements or minimal appearance.[6]​.

Charles Jencks is one of the first theorists who begins to generate a name for architecture in the era of postmodernism, the same one who gives it this name. It can be said that Jencks himself is a pioneer in terms of the name of postmodern architecture. Within his book The language of postmodern architecture (published in 1980), he mentions that there are some characteristics that influence the way in which it is produced, which are: the similarity with the curved envelopes and plasticities that are easily conceivable in the baroque, brutalist order treatments, the use of apparent concrete, among others. Another of the characteristics that he mentions regarding the characteristics of postmodern architecture is its historicist revivalism, that is, the intention to reinterpret styles that had already occurred at some point in the history of architecture to use them again in a more current era.

Jencks also comments that in the era of postmodernism, designers are presented who even parody the modern movement and the renaissance with eclectic designs, and mentions that this is one of the characteristics that distinguish the postmodern movement as far as they are contemplated, to counteract the elaboration of clichés and conventions that took place in the modern era within architectural production.

The same author says that within the postmodern era there is a great variety of tools that can be used for one purpose or another, which consist of the use of images that are promoted by the media and that allow us to choose or discriminate in one way or another the information obtained from various cultures. Jencks comments, in the same way, that one of the characteristics of modern thought in relation to the architecture of said movement was that it sought to modify the behavior of users through the architectural object, unlike the postmodern movement that begins to consider the social aspects and the reactions of the users.

This author emphasizes, on the other hand, the consideration of context in postmodern architectural production and criticizes the modern architectural movement for its disregard for the location of the object in relation to the environment that surrounds it, that is, the lack of consideration for the urban context where it is located. Another characteristic that Jencks describes is the use of metaphors used by postmodern architects at the time of the architectural design process where the meaning of the built object is expressed through its form. What the author adds is that he diagnoses, at the time of writing the book, that the trends of postmodern architecture can be extended over time and that it can not only be understood in the era of postmodernism, but will continue to influence and transcend the way in which architecture is produced in a future time.

Robert Venturi was at the forefront of this movement. His book Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture (published in 1966), was instrumental in opening readers' eyes to new ways of thinking about buildings, as he drew from the entire history of architecture, both grand and vernacular (both historical and modern), and lashed out at overly simplistic functional modernism. The move away from functionalism from modernism is well illustrated by Venturi's adaptation of Mies van der Rohe's famous maxim "less is more" to "less is more boring." The book includes a series of the architect's own designs in the final part including structures such as the Guild House, in Philadelphia, which became major icons of postmodernism. Venturi tried to bring back ornament because of its necessity and explains this and his criticism of Modernism by saying:

Venturi's second book, Learning from Las Vegas (1972) further developed his views on modernity. Co-author with his wife, Denise Scott Brown and Steven Izenour"), Learning from Las Vegas argues that ornamental and decorative elements "accommodate existing needs for variety and communication." Alex Todorow in one of his essays, A Perspective from the Campidoglio, to this effect when he says that:

Postmodernism, with its diversity, has sensitivity to the context of the building and its history, and the needs of the client. Postmodern architects often consider the general requirements of urban buildings and their surroundings during building design. In Frank Gehry's Venice Beach House, the neighboring houses have a similar glossy matte color. This vernacular sensibility is often evident, but other times the designs respond to larger neighboring styles. James Stirling's Arthur M. Sackler Museum at Harvard University features a rounded corner and striped brick patterns that relate to the form and decoration of the Victorian polychromatic Memorial Hall across the street, although in neither case is it imitation of elements or historicism.

The goals of postmodernism, including the resolution of the problems of Modernism, the communication of meanings with ambiguity, and sensitivity to the context of the building, are surprisingly united by a period of buildings designed by architects who never collaborated greatly with each other. The objectives, however, leave room for various implementations that can be illustrated by the various buildings created during the movement. The characteristics of postmodernism allow its purpose to be expressed in various ways. These characteristics include the use of sculptural forms, ornaments, anthropomorphism and materials that perform a trompe l'oeil. These features of meaning are pluralism, double coding, flying buttresses and high ceilings, irony and paradox, and contextualism.

The sculptural forms, not necessarily organic, have been created with great ardor. These can be seen in the Abteiberg Museum") (1972-1982) by Hans Hollein. The building is made up of diverse construction units, all very different. The forms of each building are not like those that make up rigid modernism. These forms are sculptural and are a bit playful. They are not reduced to an absolute minimum, but rather build and form themselves. The construction units fit together in a very organic way, which enhances the effect of the forms.

After many years of abandonment, the ornament returns. Frank Gehry's Venice Beach house, built in 1986, is full of small ornamental details that have been considered excessive and unnecessary in modernism. The Venice Beach House features a set of circular logs existing primarily for decoration. The logs at the top have a minor purpose of supporting the window coverings. However, the mere fact that it could have been replaced by a virtually invisible nail, makes its existence primarily ornamental. The ornament on the Portland Municipal Services Building (1980) is even more prominent. The two triangular shapes pushed outwards are mainly ornamental. They exist for aesthetic reasons or for their own purpose. Postmodernism, with its sensitivity to the context of construction, does not exclude the needs of human beings with respect to construction. The Brion Cemetery" (1970-72) by Carlo Scarpa exemplifies this. The HR needs of a cemetery is that it possesses a solemn character, yet it should not make the visitor depressed. Scarpa's cemetery achieves the solemn mood with the faded gray colors of the walls and the perfectly defined shapes, but the bright green grass prevents this from being too overwhelming.

Postmodern constructions sometimes use trompe l'oeil, creating the illusion of space or depth where none really exist, as has been done by painters since the Romans. The Portland Building (1980) has pillars depicted on the side of the building that to some extent appear to be real, but are not.

The Hood Art Museum (1981–1983) features a typical symmetrical façade, which was at the time prevalent in all postmodern buildings.

Robert Venturi's Vanna Venturi House (1962–64) illustrates the postmodernist goal of communicating meaning and the characteristics of symbolism. The façade is, according to Venturi, a symbolic image of a house, looking back to the century. This is achieved in part through the use of symmetry and the arch over the entrance.

Perhaps the best ironic example in postmodern constructions is the Piazza d'Italia "Italy Square (New Orleans)") (1978) by Charles Moore. Moore cites (architecturally) the elements of the Italian Renaissance and Roman Antiquity. However, it does so with a twist. The irony comes when you see that the pillars are covered with steel. It is also paradoxical in the way it cites Italian antiquity away from the New Orleans original.

Double coding gives meaning to the constructions of conveying meanings simultaneously. The Sony Building in New York does this very well. The building is a skyscraper that carries with it connotations of very modern technology. However, the top contradicts this. The upper section conveys the elements of classical antiquity. This double coding is a predominant feature of postmodernism.

The characteristics of postmodernism were instead unified taking into account its various appearances. Most notable among its features are its playful, extravagant forms and the humorous meanings conveyed in the buildings.

New trends became evident in the last quarter of the century, as some architects began to move away from the modern functionalism they considered boring, and which some of the public considered unwelcoming and even unpleasant. These architects turned to the past, citing earlier aspects of various buildings and fusing them all together (even sometimes inharmoniously) to create a new medium of building design. A clear example of this new approach was that postmodernism saw the return of columns and other elements of pre-modern designs, sometimes adapting classic Greek and Roman examples (but not simply recreating them, as was done in neoclassical architecture). In the Modern Movement, the traditional column (as a design feature) was treated as a cylindrical tube shape, replaced by other technological means such as corbels, or completely masked by the curtain wall on the façade. The column's revival was aesthetic, rather than a technological necessity. Modern skyscrapers had become in most cases monolithic, rejecting the concept of a multitude of design elements for a single vocabulary from the ground to the top, in the most extreme cases even using a constant "footprint" (without tapering or "wedding cake" design), with construction sometimes even suggesting the possibility of a single metallic extrusion directly from the ground, especially by eliminating horizontal visual elements. This was seen most strictly in Minoru Yamasaki's World Trade Center buildings.

Another change was that of "ingenuity, ornament and reference" seen in old buildings in decorative terracotta facades and bronze or stainless steel ornaments of the Beaux-Arts "Beaux Arts (architecture)") and Art-Deco periods. In postmodern structures this was often achieved by placing contradictory quotations from earlier building styles side by side, and even incorporating furnishing stylistic references on an enormous scale.

Contextualism, a trend of thought that appeared at the end of the century, influences the ideologies of the postmodern movement in general. Contextualism focuses on the belief that all knowledge is “context-sensitive.” This idea was taken even further by saying that knowledge cannot be understood without taking into account its context. Although notable examples of modern architecture responded subtly and directly to their physical context (analyzed by Thomas Schumacher in "Contextualism: Urban Ideals and Deformations", and by Colin Rowe and Fred Koetter in Collage City), postmodern architecture often addressed context in terms of the materials, forms, and details of the buildings around it—the cultural context. The term "contextualism" itself is an amalgamation of the words "context" and "texture."

The postmodernist movement began in the United States around the 1960s and 1970s, then spread to Europe and the rest of the world, remaining active to the present. According to Charles Jencks, the symbolic end of the Modern Movement and the transition to postmodernism occurred at 3:32 p.m. on July 15, 1972, when the Pruitt-Igoe housing complex in St. Louis (an award-winning version of Le Corbusier's "machine for modern living") was dynamited because it was considered an uninhabitable place. The objectives of postmodernism or late modernism begins with its reaction to modernism, attempting to address the limitations of its predecessor. The list of objectives is expanded to include communicating ideas with the public often in a humorous or witty manner. Communication is often done by extensively citing past architectural styles, sometimes many of these at once. Breaking away from modernism, he also strives to construct buildings that are sensitive to the context within which they are built.[3]​[4]​[5]​[6]​.

Postmodernism has its origins in the proven lack of modern architecture. His concern for functionalism and economical construction meant that ornaments were removed and buildings were covered with a rational and austere appearance. Many considered the buildings not to satisfy the human need for comfort for both the body and the eyes, that modernism did not take into account the desire for beauty. The problem worsened when some already drab apartment blocks degenerated into slums. In response, architects sought to reintroduce ornament, color, decoration, and human scale to buildings. Form is no longer defined solely by its functional requirements or minimal appearance.[6]​.

Charles Jencks is one of the first theorists who begins to generate a name for architecture in the era of postmodernism, the same one who gives it this name. It can be said that Jencks himself is a pioneer in terms of the name of postmodern architecture. Within his book The language of postmodern architecture (published in 1980), he mentions that there are some characteristics that influence the way in which it is produced, which are: the similarity with the curved envelopes and plasticities that are easily conceivable in the baroque, brutalist order treatments, the use of apparent concrete, among others. Another of the characteristics that he mentions regarding the characteristics of postmodern architecture is its historicist revivalism, that is, the intention to reinterpret styles that had already occurred at some point in the history of architecture to use them again in a more current era.

Jencks also comments that in the era of postmodernism, designers are presented who even parody the modern movement and the renaissance with eclectic designs, and mentions that this is one of the characteristics that distinguish the postmodern movement as far as they are contemplated, to counteract the elaboration of clichés and conventions that took place in the modern era within architectural production.

The same author says that within the postmodern era there is a great variety of tools that can be used for one purpose or another, which consist of the use of images that are promoted by the media and that allow us to choose or discriminate in one way or another the information obtained from various cultures. Jencks comments, in the same way, that one of the characteristics of modern thought in relation to the architecture of said movement was that it sought to modify the behavior of users through the architectural object, unlike the postmodern movement that begins to consider the social aspects and the reactions of the users.

This author emphasizes, on the other hand, the consideration of context in postmodern architectural production and criticizes the modern architectural movement for its disregard for the location of the object in relation to the environment that surrounds it, that is, the lack of consideration for the urban context where it is located. Another characteristic that Jencks describes is the use of metaphors used by postmodern architects at the time of the architectural design process where the meaning of the built object is expressed through its form. What the author adds is that he diagnoses, at the time of writing the book, that the trends of postmodern architecture can be extended over time and that it can not only be understood in the era of postmodernism, but will continue to influence and transcend the way in which architecture is produced in a future time.

Robert Venturi was at the forefront of this movement. His book Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture (published in 1966), was instrumental in opening readers' eyes to new ways of thinking about buildings, as he drew from the entire history of architecture, both grand and vernacular (both historical and modern), and lashed out at overly simplistic functional modernism. The move away from functionalism from modernism is well illustrated by Venturi's adaptation of Mies van der Rohe's famous maxim "less is more" to "less is more boring." The book includes a series of the architect's own designs in the final part including structures such as the Guild House, in Philadelphia, which became major icons of postmodernism. Venturi tried to bring back ornament because of its necessity and explains this and his criticism of Modernism by saying:

Venturi's second book, Learning from Las Vegas (1972) further developed his views on modernity. Co-author with his wife, Denise Scott Brown and Steven Izenour"), Learning from Las Vegas argues that ornamental and decorative elements "accommodate existing needs for variety and communication." Alex Todorow in one of his essays, A Perspective from the Campidoglio, to this effect when he says that:

Postmodernism, with its diversity, has sensitivity to the context of the building and its history, and the needs of the client. Postmodern architects often consider the general requirements of urban buildings and their surroundings during building design. In Frank Gehry's Venice Beach House, the neighboring houses have a similar glossy matte color. This vernacular sensibility is often evident, but other times the designs respond to larger neighboring styles. James Stirling's Arthur M. Sackler Museum at Harvard University features a rounded corner and striped brick patterns that relate to the form and decoration of the Victorian polychromatic Memorial Hall across the street, although in neither case is it imitation of elements or historicism.

The goals of postmodernism, including the resolution of the problems of Modernism, the communication of meanings with ambiguity, and sensitivity to the context of the building, are surprisingly united by a period of buildings designed by architects who never collaborated greatly with each other. The objectives, however, leave room for various implementations that can be illustrated by the various buildings created during the movement. The characteristics of postmodernism allow its purpose to be expressed in various ways. These characteristics include the use of sculptural forms, ornaments, anthropomorphism and materials that perform a trompe l'oeil. These features of meaning are pluralism, double coding, flying buttresses and high ceilings, irony and paradox, and contextualism.

The sculptural forms, not necessarily organic, have been created with great ardor. These can be seen in the Abteiberg Museum") (1972-1982) by Hans Hollein. The building is made up of diverse construction units, all very different. The forms of each building are not like those that make up rigid modernism. These forms are sculptural and are a bit playful. They are not reduced to an absolute minimum, but rather build and form themselves. The construction units fit together in a very organic way, which enhances the effect of the forms.

After many years of abandonment, the ornament returns. Frank Gehry's Venice Beach house, built in 1986, is full of small ornamental details that have been considered excessive and unnecessary in modernism. The Venice Beach House features a set of circular logs existing primarily for decoration. The logs at the top have a minor purpose of supporting the window coverings. However, the mere fact that it could have been replaced by a virtually invisible nail, makes its existence primarily ornamental. The ornament on the Portland Municipal Services Building (1980) is even more prominent. The two triangular shapes pushed outwards are mainly ornamental. They exist for aesthetic reasons or for their own purpose. Postmodernism, with its sensitivity to the context of construction, does not exclude the needs of human beings with respect to construction. The Brion Cemetery" (1970-72) by Carlo Scarpa exemplifies this. The HR needs of a cemetery is that it possesses a solemn character, yet it should not make the visitor depressed. Scarpa's cemetery achieves the solemn mood with the faded gray colors of the walls and the perfectly defined shapes, but the bright green grass prevents this from being too overwhelming.

Postmodern constructions sometimes use trompe l'oeil, creating the illusion of space or depth where none really exist, as has been done by painters since the Romans. The Portland Building (1980) has pillars depicted on the side of the building that to some extent appear to be real, but are not.

The Hood Art Museum (1981–1983) features a typical symmetrical façade, which was at the time prevalent in all postmodern buildings.

Robert Venturi's Vanna Venturi House (1962–64) illustrates the postmodernist goal of communicating meaning and the characteristics of symbolism. The façade is, according to Venturi, a symbolic image of a house, looking back to the century. This is achieved in part through the use of symmetry and the arch over the entrance.

Perhaps the best ironic example in postmodern constructions is the Piazza d'Italia "Italy Square (New Orleans)") (1978) by Charles Moore. Moore cites (architecturally) the elements of the Italian Renaissance and Roman Antiquity. However, it does so with a twist. The irony comes when you see that the pillars are covered with steel. It is also paradoxical in the way it cites Italian antiquity away from the New Orleans original.

Double coding gives meaning to the constructions of conveying meanings simultaneously. The Sony Building in New York does this very well. The building is a skyscraper that carries with it connotations of very modern technology. However, the top contradicts this. The upper section conveys the elements of classical antiquity. This double coding is a predominant feature of postmodernism.

The characteristics of postmodernism were instead unified taking into account its various appearances. Most notable among its features are its playful, extravagant forms and the humorous meanings conveyed in the buildings.