At ArchDaily, we face the constant challenge of staying up-to-date with what's new, while also not forgetting the valuable learnings from the past.
This is why on every journey we take when developing a new article for you, especially on new materials and construction system, we must ask ourselves: Has this been done before? How was it made? What's new in what we are presenting? How do we connect innovation with what we already know, with the essence of architecture?
Geometries are an integral and defining part of all the processes of our daily lives, but sometimes we take them for granted. This issue is an invitation to remember the essential geometric shapes that, hand in hand with evolving technologies, have been (and will likely continue to be) the best response to the needs of human beings. Because everything spirals...
| Editor's Spotlight
by Enrique Tovar, Brands & Materials Content Editor
For us at ArchDaily, and as a member of this motivated team dedicated to collecting and spreading relevant information for architects, it is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of the topics that define architectural production. With a background in architecture and as a Brands and Materials editor, I have always found it essential to understand the processes that precede the construction of a project, as they play a crucial role in shaping the built environment. Part of this understanding involves researching the content of other editors and curators, as well as external sources. This approach allows us to appreciate diverse perspectives on a specific topic.
During one of these research processes, while exploring the work of Felix Candela and Frei Otto for one of my articles, I rediscovered the remarkable influence that forms and geometry exert on architecture. Undoubtedly, this dimension is fundamental to the way we conceive architecture, as its application in innovative forms has led to interesting projects related to complex geometries. However, during this process and discussion with the team, a question arose that deserves reflection: What happens to basic geometric forms?
Basic geometries have long played a fundamental role in shaping our built environments. For instance, the pyramid stands as one of the most enduring geometric shapes in our society, spanning from the structures of ancient cultures to contemporary large-scale projects, showcasing its timeless and enduring presence.
To continue this investigation into the role of geometry in architecture and how the geometries of the past can be applied today, I will start by delving into the influence of certain shapes within the history of architecture, particularly in ancient cultures. I'll also examine projects like the Timber Pyramids for Kentucky Owl Park, which abstract an "ancient" geometry while harnessing the physical qualities of materials such as wood. In smaller-scale applications, it will be interesting to see how geometry also has implications for the structural stability of elements produced through digital fabrication. In this project, several prototypes were created to determine the shapes of the pieces, starting with basic geometries such as circles, squares, and triangles.
Additionally, here's a short list of articles for you that delve into this exciting topic.
- An Oscar Niemeyer-Designed White Concrete and Glazed Sphere, Generates Extension for a Factory Canteen in Germany
- The Complex Yet Simple Geometry of Toyo Ito's Tama Art University Library
- Pushing Boundaries with Bamboo: A Structural Engineering Case Study
As a final note, I invite you to reflect and examine your immediate context. Perhaps, during this individual process, you will also identify some geometries that remain constant in the environment. And no doubt, as an ArchDaily team, we will continue to investigate and share the power that geometry exerts in architecture.
To continue this investigation into the role of geometry in architecture and how the geometries of the past can be applied today, I will start by delving into the influence of certain shapes within the history of architecture, particularly in ancient cultures. I'll also examine projects like the Timber Pyramids for Kentucky Owl Park, which abstract an "ancient" geometry while harnessing the physical qualities of materials such as wood. In smaller-scale applications, it will be interesting to see how geometry also has implications for the structural stability of elements produced through digital fabrication. In this project, several prototypes were created to determine the shapes of the pieces, starting with basic geometries such as circles, squares, and triangles.
| Recommended by Our Team
Video: Geometry and Architecture Explained / Architecture with Stewart
Geometry is a language and a portal that allows objects to pass between the physical world and the world of drawing, abstraction, and language. How does stepping through this portal leave an imprint on the buildings we design and build? Great architects and theorists believed that geometry was an important key to architecture’s understanding and design. Is that as true today as it was then?
“Infinite Geometry" Exhibition at the Tate Modern.
Discover how mathematical and mystical principles inspired the geometrical abstract work of the artists. This display brings together artists whose travel and transcultural exchanges led them to develop unique languages of geometric abstraction inspired by diverse but intersecting references.
