Lee, S., 2024.

Ornament and Tectonics: Explorations of Expressive Construction

Construction and tectonic theories have somewhat fallen out of favour in recent dec-ades. This reflects in part an industry and profession grappling with enhancements in sustainable performance through the medium of the multi-layer façade systems. Works on the content of architectural technology in modernism (Hartoonian 1994) (Frampton and Cava 2001) are analytical and reflective, having their origins in a less technically-charged era. Yet architectural practice has necessarily continued to investi-gate and assimilate new technologies that extend beyond the doctrines of international C20 modernist theory. We argue that our period strongly parallels the C19-20 proto-modernist era (Wagner, Plecnik, Mackintosh, Poelzig). We note how ornament and decoration have seen a revival, yet without a clear codification or classification of emergent styles. Now, we argue, an inclusive, current theory for the tectonics in archi-tecture has become necessary and urgent. We present new theoretical reflections on meaningful, expressive construction, identifying trends in contemporary architecture, and contextualising them in the continuities of architectural history.