Design of Windows as an External Building Feature in the Works of Loos and Le Corbusier

摘要

This paper first brings up and discuss a statement that has a significant effect on Modern architecture, "ornament is crime", which is ascribed to Adolf Loos; then it attempts to understand differences between "ornament" and "beauty". Afterward to question if it is possible to beautify a building without adding an ornament. Here windows and interiors of a number of buildings designed by Le Corbusier and Loos are analyzed. A reason for choosing these architects' works, is their prominent role in Modern Architecture. The other reason is that they both supported the mentioned statement. The main aim of this paper is to understand the difference in the architect's idea about beauty, through the windows they designed. The first step in this study was to state the architects' views and definitions about the ornament. Later it is focused on the window and its role as a fundamental element in the building. Lastly, the statements and ideas of the architects about windows as a beautifier of the building are mentioned and analyzed through their works. It is mentioned how Le Corbusier sees windows, the vision it provides from outside and the natural light comes through it as a beautifier. On the other hand, Loos uses the natural light as the beautifier of the interior and disconnects inside and the outside.