Over the millennia, ornamentation has been used in architecture and design for countless reasons. For some, the design isn’t complete until it has a few smaller pieces or a border attached to a main structure as a reinforcement of the design’s theme. This is very apparent in Louis Sullivan’s work, where the terra cotta decorations on his skyscrapers reinforced the organic theme of the building. Louis Sullivan’s ornamentation on the Van Allen building In classical design, one purpose of ornamentation is to reveal the elements of a building that were originally wooden, such as dentils. Dentilation used on a classical…
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When we hear the definition of a fractal, it usually includes the words, self-similarity of scale. What does this mean? It sounds abstract, something an engineer or a physicist would use. It’s certainly not an everyday term. However, the truth is completely different. Intuitively, we all know what this means. Our everyday experience tells us the answer. Self-similarity of scale is the notion that the same shape appears in the same pattern no matter the distance you’re looking at it. Try an experiment. Take out a sheet of paper and draw a mountain. Start with the main shape, the big view.…
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One of Nature’s gifts is that it relaxes our senses and promotes healing. There is a peace and calm that overtakes us when we experience a natural setting. In contrast, an environment that continuously demands concentration and focus is not healthy; the mind and body will suffer over time. Why does Nature have such a calming effect? There are most likely dozens of reasons; fresh air, the sounds of birds and a susurrus wind all come to mind. I think the way Nature arranges herself can also play a role, and that role can be used in design. Regularity In…