Deconstructivism is a reaction against the strict rationalism of modern architecture, which "breaks the box" of rectilinear design by distorting it, bending it, or cutting it in various ways. Unlike postmodernism however, it builds on the modernist traditions of forward-looking materials and absence of ornament. Resulting designs may appear jagged, twisted, or exuberantly disordered, but the degree of unconventionality may range from very wild to very subtle. Like structural expressionism, the form of the building itself is usually the most elaborate element of the design, but in deconstructivism the structural framework is normally hidden.

Approximate Dates: 1990 to the present

The apparent distortion can be pronounced or restrained. It concerns the arrangement and shape of the building rather than a requirement for added historical ornament or a visibly exposed structural frame.