Aesthetics:

Successor to Plain and Provisional investigating what sort of aesthetics might be appropriate and sustainable.

implicit order

Repetition, grouping, alternation etc of elements effects perceived order.

pattern                                                  palette

      sequence

      grouping

      alternation

      rhythm

      beat

proximity effect

Proximity of units takes prevcedence over colour, type, sequence or shape

pattern                                              palette

random elements

A number of procedures can be used to generate random or seemingly random sequences of elements.

The first method is the continuing random selection from a fixed palette of elements.

pattern                                                  palette

Note red dot, yellow pentagon repeat and blue square repeat.

pattern                                    palette        modified    selected

The second method ensures that all elements are selected before an element can be selected again (12 tone method)

Elements are again selected randomly but once an element has been selected it is removed from the palette. Thus ensuring that each element is selected before any is selected twice.

Use a single material or colour (or a very limited set of materials or colours)

This requires the designer to have full control of the selection of the elements.

This may be true when the scheme is being built but over its life will become less and less so.

emphasize frame

pattern                                        palette

limited palette addition above still needs designer control

much weaker where the strong frame is itself coded.

Examples of emphasing the frame are:- the sonata form, bottle in rack designs, the unite d’abitation marseille etc

obscure

pattern                                                                  palette

emphasize ground

pattern                                                                     palette

limited palette elements above again need designer control

use camouflage

pattern                                                                     palette

limited palette elements need designer control

what works