Summaries

Ornament and Crime by Adolf Loose

In this article, the author argues that ornamentation is no longer an expression of our culture. Nowadays, the society lacks an appreciation of ornamentation. From a moral concept and an economic view, the author mentions that ornament is seen as wasted labor, wasted health, and wasted capital. Decoration adds to the price of an object people are not willing to pay. This makes the workers suffer because none is willing to pay for it at its true value. Loos argues that modern man uses the ornaments of foreign cultures as he likes and as he sees fit. According to the author, lack of ornamentation is a sign of intellectual strength. This article argues that ornamentation can not be produced by individuals who have not yet reached the level of an aristocrat. The author looks down on artists who use tradition and non-mechanized way of weaving a rug, making their lace by hand, or making high-quality work from silk and glass bids. Only the aristocrat is able to understand the problems of the artisans. Loos argues that in these modern times, there is a need in the use of simplicity and the organic nature of the materials instead of adding unnecessary ornamentation and extra details to a piece.

Leaving traces: Anonymity in the modernist house by Hilde Heynen

In this article, the author explains how modernist architecture was caught up in the contradiction between home and homelessness. In the nineteenth century, interior houses were based upon enclosure and security while modern houses were aiming more towards openness and flexibility. This concept of privacy in the nineteenth century bourgeois interiors was related with the capitalist values of property and ownership. According to the author, this way of living could not be made productive for the twentieth century. The author leans more towards twentieth century interior concept because of the way of living as a classless society. Hence, she supports the simplicity, bare interiors, and open plans concepts used in architecture. She eliminates the unnecessary, heavily ornamented Victorian Interiors of the nineteenth century. People had given up private life to yield into a collective life; a perspective seen in avant-garde artists such as Vladimir Tatlin and Alexander Rodchenko who were known for their approach to constructivism. This way of living was also supported by may feminists who would no longer be based upon the nuclear family but upon a broader association of adults, with children living separately from their parents. The author sees architecture as a cultural field that structures daily life.

Critical Response

I do not agree with Adolf Loose way of looking down on artists who use tradition and ornamentation. The author argues that the ornamentation is no longer an expression of our culture. And that is a wasted labor and capital. I strongly disagree with this statement. In my point of view, ornamentation adds detailed expression, sense of individuality, engagement, and appreciation of craft. Throughout antiquity and into the Renaissance, and later for religious buildings, the ornament was significant, often having symbolic meaning. Casa Batillo in Barcelona or the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is a proof of that detailed structure. By adding ornaments to a building, each structure has its sense of identification making it unique from other buildings. This engages the public and make the architecture more meaningful. Lastly, ornamentation adds an appreciation of craft. The ornamentation of structures like Notre Dame Cathedral wouldn’t have been possible, had it not been for the skilled artisans. Ornamentation adds storytelling to a piece and make architecture memorable and timeless.

Application

Gothic cathedrals are the perfect example of ornamentation in architecture. Built during the twelve through sixteenth centuries, these medieval masterpieces were born out of the Romanesque movement. The presence of ornamentation we see in gothic architecture buildings such as in Amiens Cathedral in France makes a design look visually attractive and exciting. Besides the visually appealing aspect, in buildings such as the gothic cathedrals, the ornamentation is a part of the facade treatment, making it vital as any other function to dictate its purpose. The applied ornament was also significant, often having symbolic meaning. Without the decorations we encounter in gothic cathedrals such as pointed arches, sculptures, flying buttresses, stone carvings, and decorative elements such as pinnacles or gargoyles gothic architecture wouldn’t simply be gothic. What is more, gothic buildings take longer to perceive because of the complexity of particular creations. This makes the building engaging. Owing to their heavy ornamentation, the ornaments hold the attention of curious onlookers for quite a long just like observing and trying to decode a painting at an art gallery. These masterpieces reflect the craftsmanship and artistic skill of the artisans who created them. It makes the architecture eternal.

Take Aways

• Architecture is a cultural field that structures daily life
• Ornamentation adds detailed expression, sense of individuality, engagement, and appreciation of craft
• 19th century interior houses= enclosure and security
• Modern houses=openness and flexibility