Material and Trace: Current Theoretical Approach to Ruskin’s Discourse

In interior architecture design, the consideration of materials and their essential values during the design process emerges of significant experiential potentials. One notable potential is the "trace" approach, which involves the application of craftsmanship to the material itself. It has been observed that contemporary interior architecture designs utilize the exposed traces of workmanship on materials. However, it has been observed that the current theoretical foundation of this subject remains to be established. This study has aimed to understand the approach of Ruskin (1903) on which the subject of material and trace is based, in the dialectical process of craftsmanship and material, and to revealed the current theoretical framework of the trace phenomenon and its potentials. The results of this study demonstrate that the material and trace approach enables designers to express their individual ideas through the medium of material. Additionally, it was determined that this approach is utilized to convey the main concept of the design, thereby serving as a medium for the articulation of the design idea.