Call for Abstracts - Beyond Modernism

DOCOMOMO International is pleased to announce a Call for Abstracts for a special issue of the Docomomo Journal under the working title "Beyond Modernism", dedicated to research that showcases the transitions beyond Modernism that took place in the 1970s and 1980s. This period was characterized by a shift away from the architecture of the Modern Movement (represented by CIAM and the International Style) towards “something quite different”. This can be understood as both a rupture and a continuity: rejecting essential Modernism while also building upon its achievements and legacy.

In this issue, we aim to explore how these transitions relate to changes in political and social discourse, which coincided with new artistic ambitions (e.g., postmodernism, regionalism, high-tech) as well as the broader context of theoretical shifts, such as the “cultural turn” in social sciences and the humanities, moving from positivism towards pluralism and constructivism. What happened to Modernism in this transitional phase? Did it cease to exist or merge into a hybrid character of the new?

We invite scholars to submit contributions that explore specific aspects of this transition beyond Modernism, across various regional and cultural contexts, political situations and ideologies. Submissions may highlight emerging artistic and aesthetic concepts in architecture, changes in materials and construction methods, urban parameters of architecture, or new approaches to the design process and their societal aims. We are particularly interested in case studies or theoretical research on both nostalgia—such as the use of archetypes, references to history in architectural appearances, materiality, urban composition, and the perception of architecture as a language rich in symbolism—and futurism, as a vision of a better tomorrow or a celebration and full utilization of possibilities.

This special issue is edited by Lidwine Spoormans (Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands), Petr Vorlík and Klára Ullmannová (Czech Technical University, Czech Republic). Contributions will be selected for inclusion following a double-blind peer review process, with final decisions made by the guest editors in collaboration with the editors. Publication of this special issue is scheduled for mid-2027 with full papers, ready for review, due in Autumn 2026.

Docomomo Journal is an open-access publication indexed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) at www.docomomojournal.com. Please upload a 300-word abstract and a 100-word short bio to the Docomomo Journal platform by March 10, 2026: https://www.docomomojournal.com/index.php/journal/about/submissions.