¿Ornamento y delito? De Loos a Venturi & Scott Brown

Abstract

[EN] In architecture, ornament has always been embroiled in controversy because, in many cases, it has been influenced by an ordinary reading of “Ornament and crime”, the well-known lecture by Adolf Loos in 1908. A deeper reading of his texts and the analysis of his work lead to an understanding of his position about the role of ornament and to the identification of those elements which were really being criticised by the Viennese master. It is not a direct criticism of ornament itself, it is more about the censorship of the improper use of ornament. His theories are illustrated by some examples such as the Café Museum or his building in Michaelerplatz, just like other contemporary masters like Otto Wagner or Frank Lloyd Wright. We must unlearn our prejudices about ornament to get a better understanding of Adolf Loos’ attitude. An attitude which has not lost any relevance in contemporary architecture

[ES] El ornamento en arquitectura ha estado siempre envuelto de polémica, en muchos casos influenciada por una lectura banal de la famosa conferencia de 1908 de Adolf Loos titulada “Ornamento y delito”. Una lectura más profunda de sus textos y el análisis de su obra nos lleva a comprender su posición respecto al ornamento e identificar aquellos elementos que el maestro vienés estaba realmente criticando. No se trata tanto de una crítica directa al ornamento, como de la censura al uso inadecuado del ornamento. Los ejemplos del café Museum o su edificio en Michaelerplatz ilustran sus teorías, al igual que maestros coetáneos como Otto Wagner o Frank Lloyd Wright. Debemos despojarnos de nuestros prejuicios sobre el ornamento, para entender la postura de Adolf Loos. Una postura que no ha perdido vigencia en la arquitectura contemporánea.