Aesthetics, utility and values: a systematization of glazed ceramics in the façades of modernist architecture

Abstract

Several books have presented and discussed the use of azulejos in the Portuguese modern architecture. However, these tend to ignore the full use of glazed ceramics in the same context. This is probably because in many cases the azulejos are plain and undecorated, or due to the fact that the glazed elements are not considered actual azulejos, or that their importance in terms of percent of area is low. The authors believe that all cases are worth mentioning and thus present, for the first time, a systematization of all sorts of use of decorative glazed ceramics in Portuguese modern architecture. This systematization offers a grid of classification in order to make a future enumeration as complete as possible. The authors have also included in this presentation the use of glass mosaics (Evinel), which often complement azulejos and other glazed ceramics in modern buildings. Values are assigned to the cases identified in terms of utility, aesthetics and touristic appeal. All results are summarized in a conclusive table.