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Covert Ornament: Through a Queer Lens; Using Queer Sexuality and Gender to Newly Evaluate Architecture

Part 2 Dissertation 2023
George Stewart
University of Greenwich | UK
‘Covert’, ‘disguise’ and ‘masquerade’ appear repeatedly in discourse surrounding architectural ornament. This study explores what is being hidden.

Architecture’s relationship with ornament has predominantly been discussed in terms of heterosexuality and binary gender. Historically, it is strictly stated that architectural order and structure is masculine, ornament is feminine, and the latter must compositionally follow the former. This thesis builds upon these archaic cultural associations to explore how contemporary queer identities can be used to rewrite architectural theory in unexpected ways. A queered architecture is a disordered one where rampant effeminate ornament disguises any sense of masculine structure.

Societal oppression has forced queerness into a covert existence. Thus, traditional heteronormative modes of evidence-finding are intentionally subverted. Across history, disparate buildings can be queered. Despite a difference of style, period, and location, they share special, specific qualities. This is the queer methodology used throughout, fine threads that tie the case studies together.

Ultimately, I conclude that gender and sexuality-based associations are constricting in a world where structure and ornament, hardness and softness can belong to anyone; architecture should be considered asexual and agender. Resultantly, my entire premise should be questioned. This would be a ‘good’ and very queer outcome.

George Stewart

Tutor(s)
Nerma Cridge
2023
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