Ornament as narrative: A framework for reading ornament in the twenty-first century

Daniel Pontius

The aim of this thesis is: 1. To explore the concept of ornament. 2. To develop a framework for understanding the design of ornament in the twenty-first century. 3. To explore the definition of ornament and its correlation to the imagination through narrative. Narratives help to consider meanings associated with spatial or conceptual relationships in design which reveal pluralistic and singular interpretations of space (Betsky, 1995; Dresser, 1977; Ruskin, 1907). In its simplest form it is a chronicle of experiences. In the most complex narrative, ideas and meanings are woven together from culture, societal values, and historical context to convey a narrative described as a tapestry or a multifaceted continuum. A review of the literature examines the significance of ornament in the Western world as it has influenced the design of the Modern Age (1890-1940). In the Modern Age, designers started to reexamine the significance of ornament in design (Beeby, 1977; Brolin, 1985; Greenberg, 1977). From this review, the following question emerges: how does ornament convey a narrative in the contemporary context of the twenty-first century? To tackle this question a research methodology is developed consisting of case studies and design process. Case studies illustrate principles of design and clarify similarities and differences (Groat 2002). Principles of ornament are used in these case studies as a framework to compare related interior spaces of the modern age (Bloomer 2000). The design project illuminates ornament as a systematic process of design that can generate a narrative. Ornament has traditionally been understood as historic precedent. At the end of the nineteenth century, Art Nouveau enthusiasts wanted to move past historic precedent to develop their own language. In the early twentieth century, the Bauhaus left precedent behind to develop logical systems of design, and towards the end of the twentieth century, postmodernism reintroduced ornament in the context of technology and a pluralist society. From the perspective of the twenty first century, a resolution between historic precedents, technology, materiality, and global society come into focus and suggest a new direction in the development of ornament within contemporary design.

Ornament as narrative: A framework for reading ornament in the twenty-first century

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