Deconstructivism is a development of
postmodern architecture that began in the late 1950s. It is influenced by the theory of "
Deconstruction", which is a form of
semiotic analysis. It is characterized by fragmentation, an interest in manipulating a structure's surface, skin, non-
rectilinear shapes which appear to distort and dislocate
elements of architecture, such as structure and
envelope. The finished visual appearance of buildings that exhibit deconstructivist "styles" is characterized by unpredictability and controlled chaos.