Free Form

1/20/2010

With the inquisitive stance of an aspiring architect, my daughter Ariel once asked me why buildings are mostly square and rectangular. Tall buildings, in particular, are often a standard shape, with very straight lines. Why indeed?

We do not often encounter objects in nature that are in a very straight line. Often, the rigid symmetry is how we determine if an object found in a natural setting is man-made or not. Take for instance the Yonaguni monument, off the Yonaguni Island in Japan. It is a pyramidal structure found under the sea where the only clue that it could be man-made is its perfectly rectangular and plumbed surfaces.

So why is it that most buildings, even the so-called ecologically designed ones, are constructed straight when that is a very “un-natural” state?

It could be due to the availability of materials. When we cut wood or get it from the lumber yard, we invariably get straight portions. Our machines for cutting and planing are likewise built for straight wood. Generally, straight lines are easier to work with, since even our older drawing tools, such as straightedges, T-squares, and rulers, make it easier to draw straight lines rather than free forms. Even the standard modules of our furniture, such as beds and tables, are mostly square, rectangular, or round. In the past, we hardly ever saw these in free form. However, some avant-garde designers are now coming up with beautiful furniture in eye-catching free form. Could it be possible that free form buildings are not very far behind?

Gaudi, the Spanish architect, seems to have thought out this same question long ago when he went way beyond the norm and pursued free form for a more “natural” look to his structures. Looking at his designs, we are, by turns, shocked, amazed, and challenged. The effect on the viewer ranges from awe to repulsion, but always the design brings out some reaction. Perhaps, that is exactly what Gaudi had intended, a return to the true shapes of nature.

In this information age of computers, the rigidity of form is already breaking down.  Forms in architectural design are beginning to take a more natural shape and now more than ever it has become quite easy to plan it that way. Computers are enabling architects to widen their repertoire of shapes and contours, enabling them to manipulate and combine materials to suit their new purpose.

As an example, we can note the revolutionary complexes rising in Macau, China, such as the City of Dreams. The shapes are unusual, the materials used are varied. It is likewise interesting to see the effect it inspires on anyone who sees it firsthand. You will be surprised by the creativity and technology employed, awed by the grandeur and magic in every corner. Truly, the movement toward free form structures is rapidly changing our landscape.