HONESTY X DECEPTION
Today , we have read up three articles ,regarding the opinions towards the 'honesty' and 'deception' in architecture. We are required to conclude up today's lecture and speak out our opinions . Throughout the photos above, which one will we considered as "honesty" and " deception" ? I will let my mind clear and tell you what i think.
Oakland’s Cathedral of Christ the Light
St. Vincent Ferrer in Manhattan
It is not uncommnon to see good people getting brow-beaten into accepting ugly architecture on the grounds that the alternative, an intervention which is complementary to its situation and unabashedly traditional,is dishonest pastiche.
But what does it mean for architecture to be “honest” or “deception”?
Generally the term is used to mean one of two things
1) the buildings does not cover up its structure and pretend to be something it is not
2) the design of the building is more coherent with the spirit of the modern age .
’’it is not the material,but the absense of the human labour,makes the thing worthless.’’
John Ruskin
He pointed out about the morality in architecture and honesty in craft , which is important in architecture nowadays.For an example,Iron is used as the structure materials but ended up covering it with concrete / bricks / plaster.
Besides understanding the three articles by John Ruskin , Fil Hearn , and Viollet-Le-Duc , I also read about the the Rural Studio by Samuel Mockbee about the role of Honesty in the present.In Mockbee’s essay, he states “Architecture can learn something from an architecture of honesty. It is about stepping into the open and expressing the simple and the actual rather than the grand and the ostentatious.” For me , Architecture, more than any other art form, is a social art and must rest on the social and cultural base of its time and place. When Mockbee chooses materials, he gathers inspiration from regional tendencies and chooses upon pure honesty. He chooses unconventional local materials such as windshields, tires, old railroad tires, and hay bales for studio projects, which range from playgrounds to chapels. “Honesty” is demonstrated in these projects by showing that innovative and imaginative work does not have to be technologically advanced like many modern projects. The material choices result in studio projects that are inexpensive, as well as sustainable.
"Facade should'nt be hid up , it is a lie "
"Honesty" plays a role in contemporary architecture that it maintain the importance of essential qualities of material and the true architacture style , no materials or texture are gonna be covered up. The special of the material can be shown up through out the outlook of the building . Truth in structural , surface and ornamentation can ensure that the building is on a standard quality . As John Ruskin wrote, craftsmanship should be appreciate that no machine work is going to be used.By going thru honesty , we can actually see the soul of the building , from materials to the technique in construction. The best architect example that i list out is Mr Sek San , a master who understand materials .
Sekeping Kong Heng
in Ipoh ,Perak
It is best to represent the honesty in architecture , simple material used , no extra ornaments , honest in showing up space qualities.
"Deception" has its role too ! Renderings do not always tell the truth. Colors and materials change, trees placed into balconies and plazas disappear, and projects that looked bathed in a heavenly light on the computer screen end up looking more like concrete fortresses in real life. Computers have certainly made it easier to create perfect-looking, totally impossible architecture. But architects have been using visual trickery since long before digital software came onto the scene, as a new exhibit at Sir John Soane’s Museum in London underscores.
Deception plays its role in modern architecture that many modern buildings are designed to have the look of being functional, however they are not always actually functional. It gives us an incredible impression on our first sight , with its fancy design and outlooking.
Applying deception , economical issue can be solved too . Cant afford to pay for the marble material ? Thats the invention of “artificial marble “. Architects somehow solve the problem by the switch from stone to a cheaper material, an honest material is substituted for a cheaper, less-maintenance one , which in the case of this article is a perfect example of a “lie.” in many honesty principles holders’ eyes.
Honesty and Deception are predominantly about the expression of the structure and the expression of the design approach of the architect who designed it . They are a kind of attitude on how the architect gonna apply on their designs.Structure is withstand by the materials ,and all the issues that honesty and deception concepts are arguing is about the material used.Besides that ,the structure of the skeleton of the building is still remain although the facade is hid or changed.Viollet-Le-Duc is the author who supported the new materials to be used , considering honesty too in architecture.It can be express the architect's thought and ideas too through the materials that been used , fully approaching to the honesty or deception.
If i were the fourth author, i will argue about the potential of new materials with the honesty concepts , which slightly supporting Violett-Le-Duc ,since we are moving forward to a new era , new materials and modern architecture are the main issues that we are going to focus on , but the ordinary theories on architecture should be learnt and apply too ! can a new materials stands on an old structure ? and considered as Honesty ? Can an adaptive reused method combined with "honesty" ? Is a renovation process considered as a "lie" ? I will express these interesting issues in my words .
To my mind ,Architecture will always respond to the world in different ways. “Truth” and “honesty” in architecture will always be perceived in different ways, especially as the world and technology are rapidly changing. Works of architecture should always have good intentions for the advancement of society. Honesty, truth, and lie will always be represented and perceived in different ways in Architecture.
Materials should not appear to have been worked in a manner different from the way they actually were
Viollet-Le-Duc.
Sir John Soane’s Museum in London