subject: The Origins of the Decorated Shed Company Name [print this page] The Origins of the Decorated Shed Company Name
We pride ourselves on being able to combine outstanding functionality, attention to detail and beauty when in all of our structures. First and foremost, whether it is a garden office, studio, annex, lodge or community building, we believe that you should experience a building that does not compromise on functionality and meets and exceeds all of your expectations. After all, a structure should endure as a useable space.
Standing as merely an object of beauty that falls short when it comes to functionality is not an architectural philosophy we particularly adhere to or trust in, here at Decorated Shed. We lean more towards the school of thought that firstly promotes architecture's functionality, while adding flourishes of ornamental beauty as an important but secondary feature. We believe that structures should enhance the lives of others not based purely on aesthetics, although this is not discounted entirely but mainly on how useful a structure is. To put our ethos into context, a statue or piece of art is usually appreciated solely for its aesthetics and is not particularly expected to have a use; if it does it is a bonus. Just as a building should be a shelter, a useable space. That should always be its purpose. If it also manages to stand as a beautiful structure then this is an advantage but not a necessity. There is not much point in having a building that boasts fantastic ornamental features without fulfilling a particularly worthwhile purpose as a structure.
The American architect, Robert Charles Venturi Jr. turned to writing, developing and publishing theories that have coined terms that are still used today. One being, Less is a bore' as a reaction that disputes the modernist approach, Less is more'. Venturi seemed to fight against the tide, recognising trends in architectural design and providing alternative perspectives. More importantly he developed a theory where the terms decorated shed' and duck' became useful when dividing buildings in to two groups. The term duck' refers to a building that focuses on the decorative merits of a structure before its merits as a functional space. The term was inspired by the Long Island Duckling building in the U.S, which is actually shaped as a big white concrete duck, which symbolises the poultry business it houses, attracting attention as an advert, effectively. It certainly attracted attention and in 2006, the radio station WBLI rated the duck first among the seven wonders of Long Island. Venturi actually believed that this example combined functional and symbolic aspects of architecture and was therefore noteworthy. Even so, he did prefer the Decorated Shed' mode of architecture, which was to concentrate on construction that provides outstanding functionality that is then made pretty after the fact.
We follow this ethos, which is why it made sense to name our company after Venturi's term. It is not to say that we discredit beauty but that we also believe in buildings that have a purpose and endure as such. Our range of garden buildings does just that; they are undeniably striking but they are not a one trick pony. Their beautiful exterior is simply an added benefit to an already well constructed, useful space.
