Ornamentation and Itself
Contemporary Architecture with Ornament
Ornamentation is popular and mostly use throughout antiquity to Renaissance time.
But, what is Ornamentation?
Ornamentation for a simple explaination is for beautifying something that without any function or meaning, for a better outlook.
Is this applying to contemporary architecture now?
Yes, it is but the ornament does not appear with the “typical”style, it might come out with simple design and of course for beautifying purposes only.
Typical Ornamentation from Antiquity.
Brick Facade is a type of ornament with its texture in modern times.
For contemporary architecture, there is actually some ornament in the building, some come with meaning and function but some are not. For my point of view, I think an ornament can make a contemporary building to have a soul, and even creating a completed soul for the building itself if the ornament is not a “copy and paste” product from the old times but it brings function and took consideration from the surrounding, culture or history of the place. Without the ornament it might be meaningless or emptiness for the image.
SAHRDC
For instance, the project did by Anagram Architects -South Asian Human Rights Documentation Centre (SAHRDC) located at Delhi, India was actually introduced an ornamentation in terms of screen wall. A six brick module is laid in staggered courses that create twirling vertical stacks and an undulating surface. This is very interesting which the bricks are actually form an ornamentation with its function, consideration and meaning.
Contemporary Ornamentation
As the site is not very large, the acoustic and visual intrusion of the street activity into work spaces was a key concern.Besides, the bricks are also became a ventilation and the space allow the penetration of the sunlight, in the others way to explain, it also filter or block some of the natural light.Besides,it does create interesting shadow onto the wall. With much facts and consideration, the architects finally found a way to fufill.
And the question blow up in my mind, if ornamentation can increase the value, soul of the structure with a valid background, why not to try?
To emphasize, this consider as THE CONTEMPORARY ORNAMENTATION.
The Screen Wall
In my opinion, the role of ornament in architecture today is to enhance or add-on the uniqueness of the building, which means it must be done after taking consideration.
When “designing” an aesthetic expression, it should be a combination of cultural, history, environmental factors which are primary consideration and it must create a function.
If an architect just design and without these factors, the building will just a “wow” building but the user might not get interested because this building nothing about their life.
For instance, you lived in a Kampong Area with all the wooden houses and having a relaxing life. After few years later, a National Stadium like Bird’s Nest in Beijing, China with fantastic outlook is located at the centre of your village. Instead for accepting this, you might have a different mind.
“This structure is so weird being here”
​
​
And this is what an ornament or aesthetic expression should think twice before it gets done.
The cultural, history and environmental factors and functions.