Three Authors’ Opinions on Architecture

In Joseph Rykwert’s article, Ornament is no Crime, the author expresses his views on the ornament. He thinks that architecture is the imitation of the culture and nature. In the past, the word ornament means a very delicate matter that can make the whole part of the architecture look more beautiful. With the time change, more and more architects spare no efforts to seek for a new ornament in order to suit the coming new era. However, the whole construction of the architecture is also worth paying attention onto. To Loos, the entire pleasure of the architecture is the pleasure of imagination. Loos is not so consistent with the other writers, so he is attacked by some of them. Loos affects a lot of artists. For example, Perret supports for the use of the ornament and in his past works, he uses it as a skeleton. He holds the view that this work is a masterpiece in the fashion world. But for some authors, they think that the architecture itself is so beautiful, and there is no need to decorate it anymore. Some architects they could not apply the scientific theory to their architecture. They absorb the technical knowledge and then add into the culture factor to their works. The usage of the culture is the basis of the usage of technology. The construction of the architecture should be inconsistent with its ornament. He also introduces to us a Ventures’ design, compared with the other magnificent buildings, the construction of his design is touchable and also successful. The author tells us that Hollein cares about the quality of this body feature. In the architectural field, obsession is the most significant trend of future art development. This needs the joint efforts of both the painters and sculptors. If we perceive this in a negative way, although it is the symbolism of the 19^th century, it is missing now. We should depend on the situation and the circumstance to adjust art form. Any conventional ideas and theories should be connected with the modern society. But it is not the deciding factor. A building like human beings, they have soul and spirit, though the form may be different. The different meaning that the architecture would like to convey to us is profound. The building should be constructed not only for the aim of business purpose but also as a continuing our culture. We have to utilize our imagination to create different kinds of construction form. The communication between the artists themselves is of great importance. All of them need to hold a modest attitude. They had better share their ideas and opinions on the architecture construction.

As we all know, the modern architecture is deprived of the characteristic of free decoration. In the article Ornament and Crime, Adolf Loos expresses his ideas on it. He reclaimed the importance of the decoration of architecture. For Adolf, America is the ideal place for building. The author redefines the ornament not as beautiful but as inferior.

In another passage which also tells the readers ornament and crime. Louis Sullivan once holds the view that it is necessary to abandon ornament, and the complete construction of the architecture itself can show the beauty. Affected by this person, Loos advanced his theory---radical aesthetic purism. At the advent of human civilization, people begin to ornament themselves and things around them. This buds off the ornament.

The above three authors show their opinions on ornament and crime. Almost all of them think that there is a need to have an ornament. And the characteristic of the decoration is also changing with the time.