On the Origins of Ornament
Ornament often grew from memorialising real objects or rituals. So what does the ornamental frontage of the modern dual occupancy memorialise?
Something I’ve noticed lately is a kind of façadism in the dual occupancies developers seem to be knocking up around the Illawarra. Out the front it’s all show: grand arches, concrete planter boxes overflowing with greenery, oversized entry doors and matching batten garage doors. But look down the side and the fun disappears into a line of highlight windows, services and air-conditioning units. The carefully composed frontage often feels like a Hollywood movie set attached to what amounts to a timber-framed shed behind.
I understand the economics driving it. Housing is expensive to build and developers need enough internal “features” to win the inevitable real estate arms race: walk-in robes, butler’s pantries, studies, multiple living rooms and four or five bedrooms. The more you can fit inside, the better and there needs to be the front money shot to grab attention — even if the backyard is barely large enough space to swing a clothesline.
These building types are generally approved under state legislation and, whilst there is technically a Design Verification Statement accompanying the application, I’ve never heard of one being rejected because the design failed to meet the stated objectives. Objective 2.1D-1 requires that “the built form, articulation and scale relate to the local character of the area and context”. Yet many of these developments relate more to the streets of Instagram than the local character.
What these buildings get me thinking about is ornament, and how its meaning may have changed. One idea I remember from architectural history is that ornament often grew from memorialising real objects or rituals. A wreath of flowers draped over an arch eventually became carved in stone. Decorative motifs originally carried memory.
During this year’s Anzac Day commemorations, I was reminded of this visiting the Wollongong Cenotaph in McCabe Park, where wreath-like carvings are etched into the stone. The ornament still recalls an act of remembrance. So what does the ornamental frontage of the modern dual occupancy memorialise? Aspiration? Resale value? In an age of social media and online listings, façades are increasingly consumed as images rather than lived experiences.
I don’t dislike ornament itself. In fact, I welcome the integration of real planting into façades. But I’ve long believed we should orient our homes around solar access than the street. Historically, Australian verandahs, courtyards and outdoor rooms mediated between climate and domestic life. In our rush to deliver more housing, are we turning our face from the Sun?
