Name: Organic algorithms in architecture
Uploaded: 2009-01-09T08:00:00Z
Duration: 18 min 40 s
Description: Greg Lynn talks about the mathematical roots of architecture -- and how calculus and digital tools allow modern designers to move beyond the traditional building forms. A glorious church in Queens (and a titanium tea set) illustrate his theory.

Greg Lynn talks about the mathematical roots of architecture -- and how calculus and digital tools allow modern designers to move beyond the traditional building forms. A glorious church in Queens (and a titanium tea set) illustrate his theory.

Organic algorithms in architecture

Architecture is shifting from rigid symmetry and fixed proportions to forms inspired by calculus, digital tools, and the principles behind natural growth. A titanium tea set, a church in Queens, and complex housing projects reveal how designers now create unique components that fit together in fluid, organic ways. Instead of chasing ideal forms, architects harness the mathematics of curves and the dynamics of information to achieve harmony and uniqueness. Even structural steel and building textures can now be as varied and intricate as patterns found in nature.