NEW YORK | 270 Park Ave | 1,389 FT | 70 FLOORS

Yeah, I mean a gargoyle is about as purely ornamental as it gets. It’s essentially a decorative sculpture — art for art’s sake. Cornices, friezes, cupolas and (non-radio mast) spires are all prime examples as well.

I’d also call that circled bit of masonry (?) above the window ornamental. I guess you could argue there’s a sense that it’s supporting the floor above it, but it’s not making some kind of optical illusion of structural support.

These flat pilasters are a better example of the kind of thing that drives me crazy:

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Like, what’s the point of this?

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