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I was flipping through Owen Jones’s Grammar of Ornament a couple months ago, and my eye was caught by this handsome pattern I had not noticed before. This is Jones’s Plate XLII, in the chapter on designs from the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. He calls it, “Part of the ceiling of the Portico of the … Continue reading Constructing the Pattern on the Sala de la Barca Ceiling →
(This is the math geek part about the Sala de la Barca ceiling. For instructions on constructing the pattern with compass and straightedge, go over to Part 1.) In the process of figuring out how to draw this pattern, I ran into a lot of questions, and had to do more than a little math … Continue reading The Mathematics of the Pattern on the Sala de la Barca Ceiling →
Nord de Guerre Here’s a survey plat made in 1919 by a US Army unit in France. In the aftermath of WW1, teams of American military surveyors produced these as they went around France mapping the grave sites of fallen soldiers. On this plat we can see a number of bearings and distances from the … Continue reading Transforming French WW1 Lambert Coordinates to WGS84 →
Now that we know our way around the pattern (go back to Part 1), it should be fairly straightforward to construct with a compass and straightedge. But be aware: any pattern that requires you to construct a pentagon is an advanced challenge. They are trickier to make than squares or hexagons. Here’s what we want … Continue reading Constructing Bourgoin’s Figure 171 – Part 2 →
More in architecture
Gonzalo Rufin Arquitectos + Felipe Toro have shared photos of a small wedge-shaped home they completed that’s located on the windy beach of Matanzas, Chile. Surrounded by forests, ravines, and trees, the home is positioned on the only flat space of the land. The construction is characterized by the repetition of a module that houses […]
The problem is that City of Yes was an open call to build with no requirements that lost affordable units be replaced.
Archinect’s 2025 roundup of summer architecture programs continues with Part 2, focusing on opportunities for high school graduates, college students, and adults of all experience levels. Whether you're exploring architecture for the first time or seeking to deepen your knowledge in a specialized area, these courses and workshops — hosted by top academic institutions and organizations across the U.S. — offer a valuable introduction to architectural education. From foundational design skills to advanced topics, there’s something for everyone. Apply early, as spots fill up fast! If you're interested in summer programs for kids and high school students, check out our recently published Part 1.
In the heart of Berlin’s Tempelhof-Schöneberg district, an unusual concrete cylinder sits as an abandoned eyesore. At first sight, it might be mistaken for a deteriorating grain silo or a remnant of Cold War infrastructure. But this peculiar structure, known officially as the Schwerbelastungskörper (“heavy load-bearing body”), carries a darker history: it was the first
AI usurps the freedom to experience the pain, growth, and satisfaction of true artistic and design growth.
