Falsification in Architecture

Abstract

In 1880 John Ruskin wrote a treatise called the Seven Lamps of Architecture in which he set out his architectural position under seven principles, or Lamps, of Architecture. One of these seven principles called for an honesty in expression of materials, structure and craftsmanship. Some one hundred and twenty years later, Ruskin's work has proven to be very influential. Architects the world over have, for the most part, agreed with Ruskin's principles. Yet Increasingly our built environment seems to purport to be something it is not. Materials and techniques such as imitation wood veneers and stick on polystyrene "architectural detailing" are becoming ever more commonplace. Construction technology has come far in the past century, why do some persist in using this technology to imitate age old materials and techniques rather than an appropriate articulation of the new material. This dissertation explores this notion of falsification in New Zealand domestic architecture and asks the question-