Mongoose, Jenks

Jenks begins his article with a very interesting statement that I found to be very closely related, or opposed to what we have read in the past. He says: "Often in history there is a combination of continuity and change which looks perplexing because our view of both the old and new is altered." This is quite a strong statement to begin an article with; right off the bat he is asserting there are changes which have the potential to alter ones view of both the present and the past. This is of course what he feels postmodernism is doing, or does, to a culture; he feels it changes art and architecture while still holding onto the values of the past. This is notion goes directly against what Lyotard felt about postmodernism; Lyotard wanted to see a significant change through postmodernism, or at least felt that this is what was happening. Lyotard believed that postmodernism was a complete change from the 'modern' era and that newer was better. 'Out with the old and in with the new' kind of sums up his view of postmodernism. This is why Jenks introduces to us the new view of postmodernism, postmodern classicism', the idea of simply improving the old, rather than destroying it.
Throughout the rest of the article Jenks lays out to the reader his rules for what postmodern art and architecture are attempting to achieve; one of these that stuck out to me, interrelating the notion of keeping both the past and the present, is the idea of 'urbane arbanism'. This concept focused on constructing new buildings for people of the "urban lifestyle" to live; these buildings focused on keeping the same elements that made these individuals feel comfortable, i.e. 'the street', arcades and pizza places, while giving them an upgrade in living conditions. This genre also focused on providing individuals with upgrades in technology and transportation options while not taking away their simplistic lifestyle they had grown accustomed to. I believe that this idea is tied into the construction of 'retro' looks today; one example that comes to mind is the Johnny Rockets hamburger chain. I realize that this is not the construction of a living quarters but it does apply some of the same principles; these restaurants focus on making their customers feels as if they are eating in a 1950's hamburger joint, playing old music, wearing the same outfits we saw back then as well as the construction of the building itself appears retro. This may be a little bit of a stretch but I believe there can definitely be similarities drawn between this chain and the postmodern principles of Jenks.