Monthly Archives: February 2015

Kinetic Art: Moving Through Space and Time

Posted on February 28, 2015 by infinite dictionary

In chapter 15 of Design: A Beginner’s Handbook we discuss kinetic art – art that literally and physically moves. Here are two artists who create this type of moving artwork. Anne Lilly is a Boston-based architect-turned-sculptor known for her highly … Continue reading →

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Try This Design Exercise

Posted on February 25, 2015 by infinite dictionary

This is a good exercise to start your explorations into design. I call this exercise “Synergy.” In a synergistic relationship the images have a strong connection to each other and mean more when joined together than they did on their … Continue reading →

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Site and Traffic: Two Issues for Architects

Posted on February 21, 2015 by infinite dictionary

How a building fits into its environment and how people move through it are primary concerns of architects. Here are two articles describing both of those issues as seen in proposals for new public and private structures. The first example … Continue reading →

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Scale and Proportion as a Narrative Device

Posted on February 18, 2015 by infinite dictionary

In Chapter 12 of “Design: A Beginner’s Handbook,” we discuss the design principle of Scale and Proportion. The artist Duane Michals has created a wonderful example of this principle in his series of black and white photographs called “Things Are … Continue reading →

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Using The Grid For Structure And Appearance

Posted on February 14, 2015 by infinite dictionary

The grid can be used as both a design principle and a design element. When used as a principle of design the grid organizes all the other components of a composition. It is the underlying matrix that provides order, measurement … Continue reading →

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A Brash Beauty: Jennifer Steinkamp Animates the World

Posted on February 11, 2015 by infinite dictionary

Working with the same software used by film companies such as Dreamworks and Pixar, Jennifer Steinkamp creates complex animations that are then projected onto an architectural space using multiple projectors run by a bank of computers. According to Steinkamp’s bio … Continue reading →

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The Vertical Gardens of Patrick Blanc

Posted on February 7, 2015 by infinite dictionary

Patrick Blanc is a French botanist who has long been interested in growing plants using alternative, non-soil environments. In the late 1980s he created a “green wall” made of living plants at the Museum of Science and Industry in Paris. … Continue reading →

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Chance With Limitations: The Art of Pat Steir

Posted on February 4, 2015 by infinite dictionary

Poured, dripped, thrown. Random and yet controlled. Speaking of her work, Pat Steir says, “It’s chance with limitations. I decide the colors and make simple divisions to the canvas, and then basically the pouring of the paint paints the painting.” … Continue reading →

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