AN INQUIRY INTO THE EXTENSION OF THE CONCEPTION OF ‘DECORATION’ IN BAILLIE SCOTT’S THEORY OF HOUSE BUILDING

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  • ベイリー・スコットの住宅論における「装飾」概念の拡張

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Abstract

<p>　The paper analyses Baillie Scott’s words and drawings to clarify the range of his conception of ‘decoration’ in his theory of house building. </p><p>　Section 2 focuses on his background to uncover his references to house design and decoration, discussing his activities from two perspectives: one, the significant influence of the Arts and Crafts movement on British architecture at the end of the 19th century; and two, Scott’s reputation in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. </p><p>　Section 3 categorises 16 of Scott’s writings on house building into four groups in chronological sequence: (a) articles about suburban houses; (b) articles about country houses and cottages; (c) his book Houses and Gardens; and (d) studies on the rational and British character. </p><p>　Section 4 examines three meanings Scott ascribed to ‘decoration’. The first, superficial pretentiousness, resulted from his negative attitude towards commercial decoration, such as painting woodwork and covering walls and ceilings with wallpapers, which he considered merely superadded ways to conceal structures. The second meaning, decoration as architectural clothing, considers the relationship between buildings and decorations. In Scott’s view, a building’s decoration should represent the clothing of architecture with pattern and colour. This required not a superficial but an organic evaluation of the relationship between architectural decoration and other interior factors, such as furnishings or floorplans, to which decorative designs are applied. This section focuses on the relief imparted by constructive features, the architectural embellishments connecting with furnishings, and heraldic decoration to create interiors with ‘homely comfort’. The third meaning is structural decoration. Scott thought that a building without artistic pattern and colour should possess real structural beauty to which decoration provides the finishing touch. This manifested as the expression of structural facts by strengthening the texture and colour of natural materials. The goal of this treatment was an outside appearance akin to ‘the earth’s crust’—built structures that harmonised with nature. </p><p>　Section 5 summarises the range of Scott’s conception of ‘decoration’ in his theory of house building with a précis in table form of the subject matter and related keywords. It is thought that Scott’s subject matter gradually deepened from decoration as architectural clothing to structural decoration. This variation would require the extension of the meaning of the word ‘decoration’. Meanwhile, the expected effect of the finishing touch changed from ‘homely comfort’ to ‘the earth’s crust’. The latter relates to the essential problem of human common sense to nature. This section deals with a discussion of common decoration and its relation to the significance of the effect of ‘the earth’s crust’. It also refers to the problem of relationships between components of a house. </p>

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