Robert Venturi was a prominent American architect and a key figure in the Postmodern movement. He is best known for his innovative designs that challenged the modernist principles of simplicity and functionality, advocating instead for complexity and contradiction in architecture. His famous works include the Vanna Venturi House and the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery in London. Venturi's influential book, Learning from Las Vegas, co-authored with Denise Scott Brown, emphasized the importance of popular culture in architecture. His ideas reshaped architectural discourse, encouraging architects to embrace ornamentation and historical references, making him a pivotal figure in contemporary architecture.