Design Of Ornament (Gothic Architecture) Assignment

Design of ornament (Gothic architecture)
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Introduction
Decorations of structures is a critical approach through which visual pleasure is given to an architectural structure. Ornaments are non-structural elements which serve to enhance the aesthetic of a structure. Ornamentation of structures such as buildings has become a critical aspect in the field of design as it helps in the reduction of the monotony of structures thus making them attractive for viewership. Structures like buildings have different sections in whereby different decorations can be placed. According to Anderson buildings are normally divide into three main sections that include; the base, which connects the building on the ground, the middle zone that is composed of windows and other openings and the roof zone. Anderson further observes that the decoration of a building depends on a varied of factors including its height, indeed purpose and location. According to Strehlke and Loveridge architectural ornaments can be formed from the clay, stones, precious metal or wood as they serve to enhance the aesthetics and appearance of the structure.[Anderson, Christy. Renaissance architecture. OUP Oxford, 2013.] [Strehlke, Kai, and Russell Loveridge. "The redefinition of ornament." In Computer Aided Architectural Design Futures 2005, pp. 373-382. Springer Netherlands, 2005.]
Ornamental decoration can be done on both the interiors and exteriors of a structure. According to Strehlke and Loveridge ornamental designs on structures are mostly as a result creativity and motivation from varied sources including historical and religious influences. Anderson observes that the history of ornamentation is so reached and cuts across different civilizations. Mankind has always had a taste for architectural ornamental beauty. History is a rich source of evidence to justify this. Ornaments can be traced back to the ancient Egyptian architecture who added decorations on their building structures to the Mongolian empire where pictorial ornaments were popular.[Strehlke and Russell Loveridge, 2005.]
To date, there are still leftovers of the rich and long history of ornamental decoration in Egypt. The massive obelisks and ruins of temples stand to illustrate the great effort and professional workmanship put in, for the love of ornamental embellishment. Some of the most popular ornaments used in structures globally have been adopted from the Middle East. The rich architectural history in the Islamic region was quite influential in the development of different aspects of architecture especially in regard to ornaments, where different ornaments are used in decorating different structures.[Anderson, 2013.]
Over time, there has been a gradual change in the nature of ornamental design. The current modernized western society is a mainly pluralist society. For the ornamental designer therefore, this calls for a keen consideration of the minority groups within the same society, as well as the disadvantaged. For example the general dimension is the design of aspects that would take care of women in areas where masculine aggression might be the norm. The characteristic that matches both architecture and urban design as well as engineering, is that they all put much attention on the ornament’s structure, distribution as well as form and content.
The current pluralist generation has brought along with it an explosion of architectural styles, with each having its own set of supporters. A careful study of ornamental history will yield knowledge that can help in a further understanding of what is entailed in contemporary ornamental design. However, it is important to note that while history is a great source of knowledge and examples in ornamental design, it shouldn’t be directly superimposed on the present understanding without thoughtful consideration. This is because such an effort would result in a clumsy and disorganized rendition of architectural art.
Gothic structures
Gothic architecture expresses the notion of adornment in the way the structures are designed. The pointed arch and the flying buttresses that characterize the gothic structures not only distinguishes them but makes them quite adorable. According to Anderson Gothic architecture has its origin in Europe whereby it flourished extensively during the medieval period. The gothic architecture was adopted by the then mainstream religious groupings who utilized it in their building. Some of the religious groups structures including cathedrals and churches continue to utilize the gothic architecture for their structures. The distinctness of the gothic structures gives them the unique adornment. Strehlke and Russell observes that the gothic structures tend to appeal to emotions especially their association with the religion.[Anderson, 2013.] [Strehlke and Russell Loveridge, 2005.]
Gothic structure presents a unique form of architectural structures, in that their ornamentation is not only unique and fascinating but also presents and image that is always associated with religious connotations. According to Anderson the massive structure that characterizes the gothic structures is mostly associated with spirituality in that it signifies massive blessings from God. The tendency of gothic structures to be massive makes them quite different from another form of architectural structures that tend to focus on standardization of their structures.[Anderson, 2013]
The interiors of gothic structures are ornamentally significant as different aspects of ornamentation is applied. Strehlke and Loveridge observes that sculptural decorations and statues are a major part of the interior elements of the gothic structures. The sculptures and statues are more with religious connotations. Stained glasses and murals are also a critical element that enhances the ornamentals aspects of gothic structures. The stained glasses serve to enhance the beauty and atmospheric well of the interior...