Tag Archives: Design Methods

Otto Koehler

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Graham Shawcross

Numerical Competence in Animals The German zoologist Otto Koehler (1889-1974) was the first scientist to convincingly demonstrate numerical competence in animals. The first part of this post is based upon a panel from Counting on neurons: the neurobiology of numerical competence” (Nieder … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Brain Physiology, Design Methods, Enumeration, Logic | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

William Tutte’s Hidden Past

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Graham Shawcross

If William Tutte is remembered at all by architects, it is for his contribution to solving the problem of Squaring the Square . (Tutte 1958) A solution using Graph Theory and Kirchhoff’s Laws for electrical flow in wires that was subsequently used in Philip … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Design Methods, Geometry, Logic, Tiling | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Missing Pullover Found

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Graham Shawcross

My long lost 1970s pullover, slip-over, or perhaps more properly 70s tank-top, has turned up at the back of a cupboard. Last year we had turned the house upside down looking for it. The design is apparently based on the colour … Continue reading →

Posted in Aesthetics, Architecture, Design, Enumeration, Knitting | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Chocolate Fireguards

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Graham Shawcross

A very short post on Chocolate Fireguards, which as the name suggests are objects which subvert their own function. The first example is a real fireguard, though not one actually made of chocolate. It is an example of an object … Continue reading →

Posted in Aesthetics, Architecture, Brain Physiology, Design, Design Methods, Logic, Objects | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Severely Constrained Design

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Graham Shawcross

When a design problem is severely constrained it becomes possible to generate all solutions to the problem. That is, it is possible to close out the problem. In the late 1960s and early 1970s the design of British Local Authority 2 and 3 … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Design, Design Methods, Enumeration, Housing | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Design Methods

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Graham Shawcross

Design Methods are now so out of fashion that some of its most important documents have recently been thrown out of the Minto House library, including The Design Method (Gregory S. A. 1966) I was trained, 1963-1968, at Sheffield School … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Design, Design Methods | Tagged , , | 4 Comments