ORNAMENT OF DISCRETION

by Shen F. Lam,

The project questions the issue of CONCEALMENT and REVEALING that act as a critique against Modernism that denies masking. It suggests the exposed concrete and transparent glazing that are indicative to the modernist idea of transparency, which implies openness and accessibility are often contradictory to the resident's desire of discretion.

However, rather than being limited by the use of blinds and solid wall for concealment, I believe Architecture must become a framework that expands rather than limits the ambiguity of expressions.

Modernist Transparency is transformed into Ornamental Masking.

Thus, the project explores the idea of Ornamentation of Discretion that seek to create secrecy and masking for a Discreet high profile client, Guy Wildenstein and his Private Collection of Master Paintings, on an Indiscreet Modernist Penthouse of OneHydePark, Knightsbridge.

It challenges and reconciles the issues of concealment and revealing through ornamentation. It proposes that the best means the sustain secrecy and discretion is not to relinquish exposure, but conversely, to intensify it.

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