The Function of Ornament - Reflection

In the first tutorial a reflection on a book section from The Function of Ornament was set as task which will go towards the assesment. Below is the refelction on the reading.

 The Function of Ornament cover

This reading was interesting and insightful and showed me a new way of thinking about ornamentation and architecture and how to think about both of them. The fact that interior and exterior of buildings have become much more disconnected from each other due to the increase in HVAC systems and also the need for ‘blank spaces’ as mentioned in the reading because the client is not known at the outset of the project and can change over time. This is interesting as it can create a more interesting project as it possibly needs more thought than a project with a definite client.

A section of the text that I found interesting was “lt [ornament] is not a mask determined a priori to create specific meanings”(p.8) and another passage from the paragraph also appealed was “At times ornament becomes an ‘empty sign’ capable of generating an unlimited number of resonances.” These two sections of the text give a new way of thinking that I like to think about, and would be interesting to look into further as not everything has to have a “hidden” meaning to it to appreciate it. Overall the aspect of ornamentation is interesting as it allows for some freedom of expression and allows for more exploration in architecture and could lead to some interesting design concepts or ideas, Ornamentation can be an important part of architecture and is an area that can go in many directions of feel.

Another interesting aspect of ornamentation that is talked about in the text is its depth which is something I have not explored greatly in any of my past designs and would be something that can be improved and built on, the text has certainly give me a lot of food for thought towards the way I thing about an approach design in the future.