This typology is defined in opposition to �decorated sheds,� which are generic structures with added signs and decor that denote their purpose (think: big-box casinos, roadside hotels or restaurants with big signs). �duck� versus �decorated shed, with big duck in long island (upper right). What robert venturi proposed instead was the decorated shed, whereby the building itself is a simple shed decorated with signs, and it is through these signs that we are made aware of the building�s function. decorated sheds are fully functional buildings; they are essentially sheds.. The decorated shed is to be understood as signed. the precedent for this idea of signage is not a new one and can be traced back to some historical precedent but in modern architecture it is far more prevalent as a tool and a method of design..
Five points of the decorated shed surprisingly however, architects have generally adopted the same approach to deal with the demands of these dynamic concepts. space is liberated from the heaviness o f architecture and made into a pleasant free-space where presumably anything could happen at any time.. Whether the decorated shed is a wal-mart or a moma, graphics are required for effective communication.but if graphics are what is making a building-as-decorated shed speak, isn�t the architecture still failing to communicate?. Robert hutchison architecture is a studio based in the fremont neighborhood of seattle. our portfolio includes work at all scales, from small residences to large institutional projects..
