Late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Vienna. Art Nouveau is the status quo. Adolf Loos’ Ornament and Crime essay was meant as a vehicle to explain his contempt of ornament in favor of “smooth and precious surfaces,” somewhat because ornament to him, made objects and edifices to become unfashionable sooner, and therefore obsolete. Ornament hides a building’s authentic identity and distracts us from the reality within the constructed environment. But does it?
By becoming subtler, the ornament is not fighting anymore with the pureness of the space. Curvilinear shapes, irregular profiles, decorative figures in pavements and walls, or scenographical light design…far from damaging the essence of the architecture, they redefine the environment and arouse an emotional connection to the spaces we inhabit.
