Nexus: Architecture and Mathematics
The aim of the Nexus Conferences
There are many connections between architecture and mathematics: mathematic principles may be used as a basis for an architectural design, or as a tool for analyzing an existing monument; architecture may be a concrete expression of mathematical ideas, becoming, in a sense, “visual mathematics”. The purpose of the Nexus conference series is to bring together all those working with ideas related to both architecture and mathematics, and to allow researchers to exchange ideas first-hand. Papers presented at the conference are subsequently published, providing a permanent archive of studies in architecture and mathematics.
Who attends the Nexus conferences
Architects, mathematicians, historians, scientists, researchers, teachers, students and others interested in the “nexus” of architecture and mathematics. Past keynote speakers have included mathematicians Henry Crapo and Lionel March, architecture historians Robert Tavernor and Alberto Perez-Gomez, architects Eduardo Souto Moura, engineer Chris Williams, educator and artist Lino Cabezas Gelabert.
The Nexus Conference Steering Committee 2021-2023
Kim Williams, Co-Editor-in-Chief, Nexus Network Journal
Marco Giorgio Bevilacqua, DESTEC, University of Pisa
José Calvo-López, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Spain
Sylvie Duvernoy, Politecnico di Milano, Italy and Kent State University, USA
Michael J. Ostwald, Co-Editor-in-Chief, Nexus Network Journal, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia
Michela Rossi, Dipartimento di Design, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Roberta Spallone, Department of Architecture and Design, Politecnico di Torino, Italy
João Pedro Xavier, Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade do Porto, Portugal
Maria Zack, Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, California, USA
The history of Nexus conferences
The Nexus conference series was created by Kim Williams in 1996.
Nexus 1996, Fucecchio (Florence) Italy, sponsored by the Fondazione Montanelli-Bassi, under the direction of Kim Williams.
Nexus 1998, Mantova, Italy, under the auspices of the Accademia Nazionale Virgiliana and the Centro Studi Leon Battista Alberti di Mantua, directed by Kim Williams and Livio Volpi Ghirardini.
It was at the second conference that the decision was made to begin the Nexus Network Journal. The founding of the NNJ made possible communication and diffusion of research between the biennial Nexus conferences.
Nexus 2000, Ferrara, Italy, directed by Kim Williams, with the support of the Dipartimento di Matematica and the Dipartimento di Architettura of the University of Ferrara.
Nexus 2002, Óbidos, Portugal, sponsored by the Centro de Matemáteca e Aplicações Fundamentais (CMAF) of the University of Lisbon, and co-directed by Kim Williams and José Francisco Rodrigues.
Nexus 2004, Mexico City, with the support of the Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Campus Estado de México, co-directed by Kim Williams and Francisco Delgado Cepeda
Nexus 2006, Genova, sponsored by the Dipartimento per la Scienza dell’Architettura of the University of Genova, co-directed by Kim Williams, Orietta Pedemonte and Sylvie Duvernoy.
Nexus 2008, San Diego, California, USA, hosted by Point Loma Nazarene University, co-directed by Kim Williams, Maria Zack, and Sylvie Duvernoy.
The conference book of full papers presented at this meeting was the last of its kind. Afterwards, selected papers would be published in the Nexus Network Journal.
Nexus 2010, Porto, Portugal, sponsored by the Faculty of Sciences, the Faculty of Architecture, and the Centro de Matemáteca of the University of Porto and the FCT – Fondação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, co-directed by Kim Williams, João Pedro Xavier, and João Nunes Tavares.
Nexus 2012, Milan, Italy, hosted by the Politecnico di Milano and sponsored by the Department of Industrial Design and the Department of Mathematics, co-directed by Kim Williams and Michela Rossi.
This was the first Nexus conference with a PhD Day.
Nexus 2014, Ankara, Turkey, sponsered by the Department of Architecture of Middle Eastern Technical University (METU), co-directed by Kim Williams and Arzu Gönenç Sorguç.
Nexus 2016, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain, sponsored by E.T.S. Arquitectura of the University of the Basque Country, co-directed by Kim Williams and Javier Barrallo.
Nexus 2018, Pisa, Italy, sponsored by the Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Energia, dei Sistemi, del Territorio e delle Costruzione (DESTEC) of the University of Pisa, co-directed by Kim Williams and Marco Giorgio Bevilacqua.
Nexus 20/21, Kaiserslautern, presented by RCA – Research Culture in Architecture, hosted by fatuk – Faculty of Architecture, Technische Universität Kaiserslautern, co-directed by Kim Williams and Cornelie Leopold.
The conference, originally planned for 2020 and delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, took place online.
Nexus publications
From 1996 until 2008, papers presented at the Nexus conferences were published in dedicated volumes in the book series “Nexus: Architecture and Mathematics” published by Kim Williams Books. At Nexus ’98 in Mantua, the decision was made to begin the Nexus Network Journal. The founding of the NNJ made possible communication and diffusion of research between the biennial Nexus conferences. Because of the international distribution and large number of readers that they NNJ has attained, it was decided that beginning in 2010 the papers presented at the biennial Nexus conferences would be published in the Nexus Network Journal. Starting in 2018, each conference has presented a "Conference Book" (Proceedings).