Bentley’s tome marks the shape of things to come

18 April 2008

This massive book is a valuable aid to understanding architectural geometry, says Marc Thomas of Architects Design Partnership

At a time when non-rectilinear forms are becoming increasingly common in architecture, it’s essential to gain a better understanding of the geometry that is used to generate them. Advanced geometrical concepts come into play as soon as you pick a cad tool that plots anything more complex than an ellipse.

The curve, 3D surface and solids tools in any cad application make it easy to generate, modify and display blobby shapes. But how about understanding what is going on in the background as these shapes and forms are created? How can they be accurately controlled and set out for fabrication?

From time to time I have visited the geometry section of Blackwell’s bookshop, finding the occasional title I immediately understand, leafing through hoping to find a book that will fill the many gaps between secondary school geometry and these fairly advanced geometric concepts. I think Bentley has now come up with the goods. Three mathematicians (all specialists in geometry) and an architect have come up with Architectural Geometry, a lavish publication that succeeds in bringing together all the essential geometrical concepts that power our cad tools.

I’d like to say that this has been done in an immediately understandable manner, but that would be misleading. However, this is no criticism of the writing, because architectural geometry is a topic that needs and deserves study. Each topic is dealt with by a rich mix of text and supporting diagrams. For some topics a first read can give you all you want. Others will provide an overview at first read, while a re-reading with close reference to the diagrams may be necessary. Some of these things are not easy.

This book is intended to be a student textbook so is structured as an undergraduate primer, through graduate level, continuing to discuss the most current research available at the time of publication. Essential early reading for most of us will be the short geometry primer and the list of symbols at the end of this book.

Full Article Review at BD: http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=452&storycode=3111278

Architectural Geometry
Helmut Pottmann, Andreas Asperl, Michael Hofer and Axel Kilian
Bentley Institute Press, 744 pp, 2,100 images, HB, $175

To order: http://www.bentley.com/architecturalgeometry