The relationship between art and design is often misunderstood, and although a design outcome can be artful, the process behind it is altogether very different. What makes a building great? Is there a design that can be hated by everyone subjectively? Is it possible to come to a conclusion about an ‘ugly design’ collectively?”  

In my report, I had set a series of examples using some of the iconic architecture buildings by redesigning them by adding or subtracting a simple change. Understanding and applying the changes in the elements like the scale, colour, texture, alignment or form of the designs. A single change in the following can cause a drastic difference in the aesthetic judgement by the user. The purpose of this thesis is to understand these factors, their application and to set an example of a building that is not supposed to be designed.  

By exploring 'ugliness' we could vaccinate ourselves against the pretentious architecture that could pop up in the future.    

Elements of architecture alter the fundamentals of our buildings used by any architect anywhere, anytime. Ugly being a gut feeling, it is hard to formulate a usable and a stable definition.     

I started the design process by chalking down the list of elements that contribute to making a building; the doors, windows, wall facades, roofs, staircases etc. Since aesthetic and ugliness is purely a subjective term, I used more my own intuitive thoughts while deciding selecting the elements. This process was inspired and similar to ‘The Elements’ exhibit by Rem Koolhaas. 

I have used the process of excavating the architectural unconscious.  The scenarios are similar: monstrous couplings of elements, orifices out of which emerges the inappropriate, brutal juxtapositions and bizarre penetration.  

I have used primary geometrical shapes and collaged them in an absurd format. I then assembled them in a more cacophonic method with contrasting elements, forms and texture being placed next to each other. Resulting into an Architecture Cacophony. The absence of predictability in the form, texture, scale, colour and the nature is what results in adding an 'ugly' element to the design. 

Being said that, the new Capitol is a regular functioning federal building retaining the program similar to its previous version. The ground floor of the Capitol is open to the public consisting of spaces such as the exhibition hall, gift shop, library and the cafeteria.    

With the president's latest idea of making the federal buildings beautiful again by renovating and redesigning the deconstructivist and brutalist architecture, I propose this as a new design for 'The Capitol', located in Washington DC.