definition
strict definition
oriental revival
Traditional East Asian architectural forms applied to modern and postmodern designs.
Pictured: Jin Mao Tower
Oriental revival architecture is a phenomenon of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Similar to postmodernism, it recasts traditional Chinese and Japanese architectural forms in a vocabulary of mass-produced building materials. The most common distinguishing features are pagoda-style roofs and traditional window frames.
Approximate Dates: 1950 to the present
Traditional roof and window forms are reinterpreted through contemporary construction. The resulting building uses historical Chinese or Japanese design features without being a surviving building of those earlier traditions.
