Abstract
The design research community is beginning to recognize the organizing capacity of form as a scientific method of its own right. The aim of this study was to a) develop a pedagogically framed case study method that applied a participatory action research approach and b) create a 3-D form model bridging geometric- to organic structures. A 10-step-concept-translation-form method was developed which resulted in a “Evolution of form” model with two axes: The first horizontal axis presents a sequence of geometrically derived forms that gradually take on organic qualities of convexities and concavities. The second axis expands the model in a vertical dimension to include a bipolar spectrum at each stage. This vertical dimension opens up a dichotomy between congruent and incongruent properties in relation to original features of the geometric form. The discussion deals with the active formgiving process; the need for sculptural awareness and the inner sense of form; validity of the created method and model and finally the pros and cons of aesthetical abstractions that build on geometric references.
Keywords
art, geometry, aesthetic, perception, embodiement
Citation
Koler, C. (2006) Expanding the boundaries of form theory Developing the model Evolution of Form, in Friedman, K., Love, T., Côrte-Real, E. and Rust, C. (eds.), Wonderground - DRS International Conference 2006, 1-4 November, Lisbon, Portugal. https://dl.designresearchsociety.org/drs-conference-papers/drs2006/researchpapers/80
Expanding the boundaries of form theory Developing the model Evolution of Form
The design research community is beginning to recognize the organizing capacity of form as a scientific method of its own right. The aim of this study was to a) develop a pedagogically framed case study method that applied a participatory action research approach and b) create a 3-D form model bridging geometric- to organic structures. A 10-step-concept-translation-form method was developed which resulted in a “Evolution of form” model with two axes: The first horizontal axis presents a sequence of geometrically derived forms that gradually take on organic qualities of convexities and concavities. The second axis expands the model in a vertical dimension to include a bipolar spectrum at each stage. This vertical dimension opens up a dichotomy between congruent and incongruent properties in relation to original features of the geometric form. The discussion deals with the active formgiving process; the need for sculptural awareness and the inner sense of form; validity of the created method and model and finally the pros and cons of aesthetical abstractions that build on geometric references.