Contemporary Renaissance of ORNAMENT | 1

Contemporary Renaissance of

ORNAMENT

Petar Petrov; No. 103

1. UNDERSTANDING THE ORNAMENT

Architecture has always been a matter of aesthetics and codified meaning. The ornament, in this sense, is the title of whole chapter in the building dictionary. Typically, the ornament used to serve to highlight or disguise elements of a building. A familiar example of this is the key stone of an arch or the capital of a column. The openings are highlighted with frames; different floors are treated with specific order. In contrast, the cornice conceal the joints between two tectonic elements. The gable disguise the roof. It is like scenography, pointing attention to an element or swerve the sight away from it.

The ornament communicate ideas. It brings added value to the construction and utility. It is a method of meaning translation from virtually anything (plants, human bodies, animal parts, millitaria, geometric patterns, heraldry, text) to artistic representations.

At the end, it is a perceptual stimulus. The ornament brings pleasure and beauty; it stimulates the eye and keeps attention of the observer. In nowadays reality, the ornament seems to be absent from the architectural discourse. In fact for almost a century it has been neglected. At first due to theoretical reasons of the International style, but later on it is perceived as a burden to the building production. In search of low prices, standardization, anonymity, the ornament is often omitted. Moreover, architects are not trained at the university to apply any specific ornamentation order. There is no interest in theoretical discussion about possible adaptation of its vocabulary. However, many indications today show just the opposite tendency. The idea of ornament is making revival but not in any common way. In contrast to many historical forms of ornament, which are applied after completion of the external wall, decorative elements today are conceived in many cases as an integral part of the building skin.

1. UNDERSTANDING THE ORNAMENT

2. TECHNOLOGICAL ASSISTANCE + illustrations3. PATTERN FORMATION + illustrations4. SIGNAGE + illustrations

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*CNC - computerized numerical control of mechanical equipment**Vectorization – to generate a liner from gridded graphic forms

2. TECHNOLOGICAL ASSISTANCE

The so called architectural renaissance of ornament has been facilitated by the increasing use of digital technology in the design, planning and construction phases. Complex three-dimensional forms and patterns that could once have been executed only by means of craft work, can now be produced in tailor-made serial forms. CNC* technology allow almost any texture to be transferred to material by a process of vectorization**. This processes have assisted in overcoming the cost and labor-intensive craft methods.

There are more and more examples of games that building’s boundaries start to play. Variety of animated effects or relief-like surfaces are appearing. Some techniques, such as those necessary to achieve plastering effect or brick bondage patterns, can be carried out on site, whereas mechanical working processes usually have to be implemented at the prefabricated stage in regard of their complexity or size. Open walling with 3D effect; photogravure concrete; embossing, punching or laser-cut metal sheets; screen-painted and enameled glass are few uncommon approaches to ornamentation. However, there is still room for craftsmanship. For the surface treatment of modern materials like concrete or compound construction systems some traditional techniques can still be applied. Cutting forms in timber shuttering for instance in order to produce concrete relief is a way of connection with established tradition that makes the process vibrant.

ILLUSTRATION:

Architecture Firm's Office and Exhibition Space in Shanghai ArchiUnion

The first example shows a highly porosity structure. It is made by readily available hallow concreate block by method of simple rotation. The effect reached is astonishing, it is a play between the ratio of transparent and closed area.

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Red Apple Apartment Building in Sofia Aedes Studio

Wine-growing estate in Fläsch Beath Deplazes & Gramazio Kohler

Pudding Mill Lane Pumping Station John Lyall Architects

Templates laid in rendering Hild & K

In contrast to certain conventional brick bonds, which serve mainly to achieve structural stability, ornamental bonds can be used to form a decorative patterned skin in front of a load-bearing wall.

Going beyond craft processes, volumetric date can be engaged into the process. A robot can lay and join each brick to millimeter precision, to achieve requested tree-dimensional structure.

With the aid of digital techniques, large scale photographic images can be worked into a concrete surface via the formwork. A close-up view of the concrete reveals an irregular pattern of ridges. Only from greater distance the image appear fully through the effect of light and shade.

By inserting templates of ornaments into the surface of the rendering material, it is possible to create continuous forms in the nature of low relief. When the compound is complete, the template is carefully removed, so that its shape appears as an indentation in the surface/facade.

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3. PATTERN FORMATION

Some types of building skins are no more than abstract parametric patterns or just complex tiles that make a ‘dress’ for the building. This type of ornamentation relies on the impression when an unusual form strikes the observer. It is more or less a gestalt experience.

Another approach in designing the building skin is more profound. It takes an ornament and stretch, multiply it or interpret it in a particular manner in order to create a pattern. Two goals are achieved: one – the texture of the skin is expressive and second – the message of the ornament is incorporated in it. This process adds one more layer of understanding by inserting a hidden code.

Louis Vuitton Flagship Store in Guam Barthelemy & Grino Architects

The ornamental facade wraps around the Louis Vuitton Flagship store. It is an outer skin made of patterns based on LV insignia of this fashion label.

ILLUSTRATION:

Atelier Bardill in Swtzerland Valerio Olgiati

Alpine village reveals a very different ornamental approach. The shape of the building which exactly replicates the volume of wooden stable that it replaced and red-brown color of the concrete were requirements to gain planning permission. The architect has taken great care to address rural simplicity. The approach is evident in the choice of ornamental motif and even more so on its production. Five local carpenters have produced the negative shape of this traditional rosette ornament on the shuttering. And so the ornamentation is not applied after the construction, it is part of the surface.

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4. SIGNAGE

Specific aspect of nowadays architecture is so called “guidance system design”. This includes all kinds of information that the build environment provides by itself. All too often, “orientation systems” are equated with “signs” – and, more often than not, only dealt with after the main design and planning work has already been completed.

In contrast there are cases when guidance system design happen in earlier stages of the whole design, therefore it could become an integral part of the building. The “big idea”, derived from the content of the theme which is to be addressed creatively, form a link between architecture, design and signage. It is inspired by both the corporate identity and the building identity, which enhance the value and functional efficiency of the building.

There is predominant difference between pattern and ornament which have to be underlined. It is the key specific of contemporary ornamentation. The pattern is homogeneous, ambient in its meaning. It can occur anywhere, while the ornament is a form of distinction. It has own artistically meaning and goes hand in hand with the position of placement. Both pattern and ornament are based on repetition. The former serves the object, it wraps the volume, while the latter is an independent art form. Pattern is more a decoration, based on aesthetic taste. In contrary, the ornament is an abstract system. It usually has hierarchy, certain order with distinctive members.

Packing and marketing building Herzog & de Mouron

The botanical image negotiates symbolically between the building’s natural setting and the activities contained within (the production of herbal sweets). This idea is mediated through iconography.

ILLUSTRATION:

Recessed and projected texture on the walls make reference to the former use of the building as a case room and printing shop. Building descriptions are “stamped”; the most logical illusion.

Akermannshopin SwtzerlandNotice Kommunication & Design

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Holon Design Museum in Israel Ron Arad Architects

The guidance and orientation system transforms two-dimensional arrows into three-dimensional elements of different lengths emerging progressively from the wall surface so that – as white forms against white background – they primary stand out through their shadows. In doing so, they pick-up the flow of movement.

The white surfaces used through the building combined with the color red of the signage remind the visitors the Red Cross assistance in healing. Guidence is minimalistic in concept, using clear language of symbols and reflects the demands of medical environment.

Katta Civic Policlinik in JapanHara Design Institute

These signs are so much artistically articulated that they get closer to the perception of ornament. They have height aesthetic value, provide information (this corresponds to the “idea/ideal” in ornament), have order and are positioned in very certain place. At the same time they are integrated in the skin of the building, more often in the interior side.

Ornament has once more become a widely spoken language in international architecture. New industrial processes become more economically viable and so this “Renaissance” has been catalyze. But ornament of today is not the ornament of the past up to 19th century. It is constantly adapting to the contemporary reality in variety of ways. The theory behind them forms an open discussion.

The Quest of OrnamentOliver DomeisnDETAIL Vol. 2008-6

Materials, Texture, OrnamentAlexander Reichel, Jan-Hernik Hafke, Jachim RaabDETAIL Vol. 2008-6

Complexity in Simplicity. Structure of the artistic imageJuhani PallasmaaDETAIL Vol. 2013-4

The Catalan Vault – a historical structuralprinciple with a bright futurePhilippe Block, Mathias RippmannDETAIL Vol. 2013-4

Signage – Spatial OrientationBeate Kling, Torsten KrügerEdition DETAIL 2013