"THE SEVEN LAMPS OF ARCHITECTURE" (JOHN RUSKIN, 1849) - HOW MANY OF THEM ARE STILL BURNING TODAY?

Barry John HEWSON, M.A.
MA - New Design University / Private University for Creative Industries
Address: Mariazellerstr. 97, 3100 St. Poelten, Austria
Tel: +43 67682832410. E-mail: design@via.at

Abstract: This paper deals with Ruskin's major work "The Seven Lamps of Architecture", first published in Great Britain in 1849, and compares the 19th century ideals of the author concerning architecture and building with the brutal reality of the 21st century. The first lamp - SACRIFICE - burns only rarely in the sense that Ruskin conveyed in his book. If sacrifices are made at all these days, mostly historical substance or individual craftsmanship are sacrificed on the "altar" of economic rationalism. TRUTH has been exchanged for a "fassade" of stylistic superficiality. POWER is no longer manifested in Ruskin's spiritual sense, but wielded for the projection of personal or institutional image.
Fortunately, BEAUTY can still be found if one searches long enough. The Lamps of LIFE and MEMORY have not yet been quite extinguished, although they now give little "light". Finally, the Lamp of OBEDIENCE has lost the relevance it had in Ruskin's lifetime. Sadly, over the 158 years since Ruskin's publication, a significant loss of traditional human and aesthetic values has taken place in architecture, although nowadays there are more and more idealists keeping such values alive, adapting them to the conditions of modern life.

Key words: Ruskin, architecture, building, historical substance, traditional craftsmanship, loss of values.