Ornamentation
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Ornament, in dictionary, ornament is a thing that
enhanced something look more attractive and usually having no practical purpose.
In my opinion, ornaments perhaps the most distinguishing aspect of ornament is
its function as symbol but it deeply contains the myths and belief that define
the culture and even that ornament symbolize that time’s era, it both
construction of meaning and an enabler of the construction meaning. Ornament
may not contribute a huge physically, let us call this physical function, but
it gave function in a mentally way or spiritually which play important role in
architecture fields. Ornament as well can be part of many types of decoration. When
comes to architecture, in the past it already started the idea of decorative
art, ornament is a decoration used to embellish parts of the building.
When people reached a point of thinking, is ornament
for the most part technological? some might say economic, cultural, environmental,
or even artistic task, it could be so combination within these thoughts. From my view, it could be a combination within
these, something that the origin is simple or nothing, if apply on a material
of the ornament will bring out the decoration or other purpose. There is a
phrase from the article “Ornament and Crime” by Adolf Loos – “I do
not accept the objection that ornament is a source of increased pleasure in
life for cultured people “, I’m totally disagree with that point of view,
there are a lot contemporary architects and cultural centre using the function
of ornament to serve as a bridge between different historical era, culture and
spaces. Such as Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Canada decided to expand to
better accommodate more history within it walls. Designed by Studio Daniel Libeskind,
the extension is known as the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal.
Royal
Ontario Museum – Studio Daniel Libeskind
The Michael Lee-Chin Crystal derives its name from
the building’s five intersecting volumes, which are reminiscent of crystal. One
of the crystals contains what is known as the Stair of Wonders which is dedicated
to vertical circulation but also features exhibition vitrines at the landings,
and the fifth crystal houses a restaurant. The building was made of steel
structure with aluminium cladding and glass windows. Although the exterior is
chaotic, the intersection of spaces made by the crystal-like form creates a
variety atrium at different levels of the museum offering a wide variety of
unique views into galleries and to the progressing world outside. Studio Daniel
Libeskind obviously no problem forcing their new modern architecture onto the
traditional brick building of the original museum, doing nothing to create a
more graceful transition from one form to another.
" It's a fantastic responsibility and a wonderful moment " - Daniel Libeskind
In my opinion, I like idea of ornaments in
contemporary architecture. It just shows how aesthetic the building in the way
of architectural. Also, ornament has never disappeared, it represents human’s culture
and the evolution of architecture in every generation. Through this evolution
in architecture, ornament has been simplified and merge with the building as a
whole. Ornament are used today in a form to represent the image and background
of the country. Architects had learnt how to achieve the aesthetic value by
simplify the ornament and make use of it.