Structural Ornament

The Boundary Between Structure and Ornament, Reinterpreting the Column_

In contemporary architecture, the boundary between structure and ornament is often blurred. While the work of Kengo Kuma creates spaces where structure and ornament overlap through non-structural cladding materials, the work of Junya Ishigami treats actual structural elements as ornamental devices, softening the visual weight of structure itself.

Even when a column does not physically support loads, it can still shape the atmosphere and order of a space. This project begins from that idea. By exploring the space between the column as a structural element and the column as a visual device, the project experiments with new possibilities for what a column can become in contemporary architecture.