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Exploring Architectural Form in Perspective:
A Fractal Hypercube-Building |
Tomás García-Salgado Facultad
de Arquitectura, UNAM Ciudad Universitaria Coyoacan, México
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What would be more interesting
for our presentation's purpose? To analyze how math has been
used in the past or to attempt new applications for the present?
This is the question being put forward here. I believe that form
in architecture can be explored directly in three dimensions
if one can manage an accurate and versatile perspective method.
2D drawings and 3D models have been used either to represent
or build architecture since ancient times. These are usually
made at any scale, whereas perspective cannot be scaled, it allows
the truthful render of a form in proportions. Perspective mainly
allows the designer to visualize a building within an imaginary
space.
Architects frequently use perspective when the design process
almost comes to an end, to get an idea of how a building could
be seen in reality. However the customary use of 2D projections
along the design process compels designers to visualize forms
fragmentarily. On the contrary, the architectonic example we
are about to present here was not based in 2D projections nor
a preconceived form, it was rather the result of exploring form
directly in perspective, of using mathematics to visualize form
beyond 2D. The Città Ideale perspectives, attributed to
Piero della Francesca, are one of the finest examples we have
of architectural forms created in perspective.
Figure: Fractalizing the hypercube (drawing by
Tomás García-Salgado)
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About the author Tomás
García-Salgado received
his professional degree in architecture (1968), Master's degree,
and PhD (1982-1984). He is a formal researcher in the Faculty
of Architecture of the UNAM (México), and owns the distinction
as National Researcher, at level III. Since the late 1960s, he
has devoted his time in perspective geometry research, being
his main achievement the Modular Perspective theory. He also
has several works of art, architecture, and urban design.
.
The correct citation for
this paper is: Tomás
García-Salgado, "Exploring Architectural Form in
Perspective: A Fractal Hypercube-Building", pp. 35-46 in
Nexus VI: Architecture and Mathematics, eds. Sylvie Duvernoy
and Orietta Pedemonte Turin: Kim Williams Books, 2006. http://www.nexusjournal.com/conferences/N2006-Salgado.html |
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