Join us for our upcoming TAG Talk by Patrick Delamotte, Heritage Architect.
Why Become an Architect, and even more, an Ornament Designer?
The TAG Talk explores the Patrick Delamotte’s conviction that the growing ugliness of contemporary cities demands a response. Witnessing the loss of delightful, picturesque environments, replaced by soulless modern buildings, raises a fundamental question: What kind of progress is this?
Where once there were interesting and agreeable urban spaces, aggressive architectural monstrosities now dominate, prompting a need to understand what had made these places so attractive before.
This transformation was experienced firsthand in the speaker’s own “village” of Montparnasse during and after the 1960s. Architectural studies initially provided guidance, but ultimately a personal path had to be chosen.
A decisive moment came in 1976, when architect Albert Flocon opened a new “window” onto ornamentation, revealing a direction forward: the reintroduction of ornament into architecture. This approach found its first application in the speaker’s Architectural Diploma in 1977.
For the speaker, ornamentation is an integral part of the architectural project. During sketching, details emerge immediately, giving character and flavor to the new creation. They speak to a sensitive imagination, and their precise rendering may occupy hours of dedicated drawing.
The Talk presents an overview of the “new classical heritage” that has been built from 1980 to the present by the architect Patrick Delamotte.
Born in a family that valued culture and education, enabled Patrick Delamotte to entry into the École des Beaux-Arts in 1970. Confronted with what was perceived as the imposed ugliness of new buildings, the speaker held the opposite belief: that architecture should beautify the city. Echoing the ideals of Art Nouveau theorists at the end of the 19th century, the conviction remained that offering Art for All is both a duty and a necessity.
Following studies at the Architecture School of UP8 under Bernard Huet, military service, and a revealing journey to the United States, the speaker was admitted to the Heritage School of Chaillot as well as to Paris IV University to study Art History and Archaeology.
Moving from Paris to Amiens to serve as an architectural adviser within the Regional Delegation for Architecture and Environment marked a new stage. In 1984, Patrick began proposing the first example of a new traditional architecture, an initiative that would be followed by many others.
For tickets please follow this link.
Free for members, £5 plus booking fee for non-members.