Pratit Vyas
“Normals”
This thesis’ initial intention was to examine the role of decorative tectonics in contemporary architecture, proposing that elements traditionally deemed decorative are, in fact, integral to the structural logic and design process. But it has been an exploration of my obsession with ornament – how to conceive of it, make it, and deploy it.
The process began with developing 2D figures through painting, where I used color and shadow to evoke depth and dimension. These figures were then transformed using various mapping, wrapping, and unwrapping techniques to project them three-dimensionally onto architectural surfaces.
I tested these on surfaces to examine their tectonic behaviors…these synthesize the materiality of silicone with the crenelations of the ornament.
In the next phase, these ideas were digitally developed and applied to an existing courthouse designed in 1956 by architect Albert Criz in the Mid-Century Modern style. This shift brought forward the central question: What is ornament, and how can I effectively deploy ornamentation within a modernist context? Through this exploration, the project challenges Adolf Loos's famously critiqued ornament as a crime, this project rejects the statement an ornament provides an opportunity to engage with the deeper layers of human experience, symbolism, and narrative and a way of
The project aims to visually simulate public engagement and investigate the artistry, surface quality, and fluid intelligence embedded within ornamental tectonics. These elements, far from being mere decoration, play a critical role in the structural logic of a building, revealing the intrinsic qualities of ornamentation and how it can enhance and inform the design process.
This process questions our conventional perception of contemporary architecture by integrating highly decorative spaces. It explores the interplay between certainty and ambiguity in design, challenges the distinctions between digital form and material execution, and examines the fidelity and deviation inherent in architectural practice. Ultimately, this thesis scrutinizes the fluidity and solidity of structures, interrogating the boundaries between clarity and obscurity in architectural expression.
In essence, this work embodies the mantra: "What I draw is what I build."
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