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建築のモノサシ

信州大学工学部社会開発工学科:学部2年 2006年冬

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Chapter10 Architecture is talkative or silent - meaning


Kazuo Shinohara described the wall of the theater designed by Jean Nouvel as ornament, when they have round table-discussion at TN probe. In addition, Toyo Ito emphasized the power of ornament on the magazine, “Shin-kenchiku( 2004.1)”. What is “ornament” like, mentioned by these two architects? Generally dictionaries say that it means to decorate beautifully and decorated things itself. However it seems that they mean more limited definition.

In architectural world, ornament is usually hidden references to the context of “Ornament and Crime” by Adolf Loos. Apparently it is used as a negative and opposite word to abstraction, which is one of the essential concept in modernism. In this sense, ornament would gain another implication, that is “concrete”.

It is heteronymous to abstraction and a kind of attitude which try to give an overall picture, not to show only an essence. When you define it in terms of architectural design, it means supplying people again with what they abandoned in modernism era.

However we have to pay attention to the fact that such a trial in post modernism era failed to convey anything through making a lot of architecture with traditional style as a revival of the story which abandoned in modernism era.

Obviously the image to equip should be more essential image for human being rather than traditional style. Such a new image could be obtaining some possibility to convey something important. Then what's the contents of it and how ?