Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture

"Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture" is a very influential work on architectural theory by Venturi. The author believes that architecture is inadequate. Excellent architectural works must be contradictory and complex, rather than either pure or simple. Richness of meaning is better than simplicity, even chaos and vitality is better than apparent unity.

Mies has a famous saying "Less is more", but Venturi believed that "more is not less".