Decoration and the Integrity of Design

In this chapter, we could see that 4 people have expressed their opinions on the decoration and integrity of the design. They are Ruskin, Semper, Viollet-Le-Duc and Adolf Loos.

In Ruskin’s previous books, he illustrated the advantages and disadvantage of the ornaments in the buildings and also form his own theories on the ornament of architecture. He holds the view that decoration is an indispensable part of the architecture. He considers that ornament is something that is most satisfying when it imitates the things in the real world. In a certain period, his opinions on the ornament to some experts are limited. But after referring to the postmodernism, its value is profound.

To Semper, the decoration is of great importance in terms of the buildings of antiquity. He thinks decoration is the essence of the architecture.

Agreeing with the above two artists, Viollet-Le-Duc also considers decoration seriously that it is important to the architecture. However, he thinks that decoration should be integral to the whole construction of the architecture. In an article, he states how the decoration should be used in the modern architecture. He thinks that only when the ornament be connected with the whole construction of the buildings can it demonstrates the beauty of the buildings themselves.

In an essay, Adolf Loos expresses a strong reaction to the ornament of the buildings in the modern architecture. The article starts from an economic question that the increase in the decoration also brings the rise of other costs. And he also shows his attitude to the problem that the decoration is the cover for the defect of the architecture. He disagrees with the former artists, and the essay he wrote also shows his disagreement. He always insists the importance of the decoration to the construction, although this opinion is the opposite of the other artists.