A Guide to Pleasing Architecture

Ornamentation in Architecture

Student Report (2025)
Author(s)

Y. Oudijk Castañeda (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)

Contributor(s)

W. Feng – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)

Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment
More Info
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Publication Year
2025
Language
English
Graduation Date
17-04-2025
Awarding Institution
Delft University of Technology
Project
AR2A011, Architectural History Thesis
Programme
Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences
Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment
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Abstract

This thesis explores the importance and evolution of ornamentation in architecture, with a particular emphasis on the Dutch tradition. It argues that traditional architectural elements, especially ornaments, are aesthetically beneficial and psychologically desirable. The historical debate on ornamentation is analyzed, from its rich presence in styles such as Baroque to its rejection by the Modernist movement, and the contemporary public's reaction to different architectural styles is investigated. Finally, a “New Traditional Architecture” is proposed—one that integrates ornamentation with current technology and values to create pleasant and meaningful spaces.

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