The Significance of Ornaments and Motifs in Heritage Buildings of Alexandria, Egypt

Abstract

Ornaments and motifs in architecture are elements that which added to an otherwise merely structural form, usually for the purpose of decoration or embellishment, it’s the language through which architecture communicates with a public. Utilizing those decorative elements and motifs is considered as an intellectual communication throughout the characteristics of architectural styles. The importance of the study is Identifying and understanding the range of ornamental design principles used in previous times which signifies the transformations of eras. Styles of ornamentation studied in reference to the specific culture, which develops unique forms of decoration, or modified ornaments from other cultures. Very few researches have been undertaken to study such decorative elements, hence the objective of the study was to understand, record and analyze the existing wide variety of decorative ornaments, which were spread in Alexandria, mainly two distinctive styles, which were the Neoclassic, and Art Deco styles. This was done through case studies where data was collected by using survey as a main method, throughout several heritage buildings during the late 19th century and the early 20th century of cosmopolitan Alexandrian era. The research discusses these abundant vast ranges of motifs used in ornaments and embellishments which have an importance to grant an identity to buildings therefore identity of the city, also to emphasize distinctive features of elements, sometimes with no function, but exist merely to be a work of art, considered as ramifications to the past, arousing people’s nostalgic feelings.