I was wondering, what kind of interesting geometric shapes (solids, 
surfaces, etc.) have been or could be converted into buildings?

Mike

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SharkD <mik### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> I was wondering, what kind of interesting geometric shapes (solids,
> surfaces, etc.) have been or could be converted into buildings?
>
> Mike

Right rectangular prisms :)


Actually, a modified hyperbolic saddle has been used for a few arena roofs.
There are many others, I am sure.

-Reactor

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SharkD wrote:
> I was wondering, what kind of interesting geometric shapes (solids, 
> surfaces, etc.) have been or could be converted into buildings?

Boxes, clearly!

More seriously, how about a catenary curve? Quadrics and conic sections 
are also pretty common, as are helices.  Ditto for general developable 
and ruled surfaces.  More local geometric concepts based on discrete 
differential geometry are also used occasionally, and although I haven't 
seen many examples I think that minimal surfaces could be used pretty 
effectively too.  As far as actual buildings I think the Sagrada Familia 
probably contains my favorite instances of mathematical forms in 
architecture, but there are many others (although I can only recall a 
few more off the top of my head).

Slightly more povray-oriented, the Infinite Spire is a nifty cool idea 
related to this: http://www.oyonale.com/infinitespire.php?lang=en

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SharkD wrote:
> I was wondering, what kind of interesting geometric shapes (solids, 
> surfaces, etc.) have been or could be converted into buildings?

There's a building somewhere in Europe in the shape of a hypercube. 
(Google repeatedly insists that no such object exists, but I damned well 
know it does.) I have a vague feeling it's in France - but only becuase 
I know French people are extremely weird...

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On 10/19/2009 12:56 AM, Reactor wrote:
> Actually, a modified hyperbolic saddle has been used for a few arena roofs.
> There are many others, I am sure.
>
> -Reactor

I meant buildings made entirely out of weird geometric shapes and that 
you can explore by walking in, not just selected portions of the buildings.

Mike

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On 10/19/2009 4:29 AM, Invisible wrote:
> SharkD wrote:
>> I was wondering, what kind of interesting geometric shapes (solids,
>> surfaces, etc.) have been or could be converted into buildings?
>
> There's a building somewhere in Europe in the shape of a hypercube.
> (Google repeatedly insists that no such object exists, but I damned well
> know it does.) I have a vague feeling it's in France - but only becuase
> I know French people are extremely weird...

I remember seeing something like this, but it wasn't a hypercube, rather 
a model of an atom. And it was built for one of the World Fairs in the 
50's-60's or somewhere around then.

It wasn't entirely functional either. More of an exhibit or art 
installation.

Mike

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>> There's a building somewhere in Europe in the shape of a hypercube.
>> (Google repeatedly insists that no such object exists, but I damned well
>> know it does.) I have a vague feeling it's in France - but only becuase
>> I know French people are extremely weird...
> 
> I remember seeing something like this, but it wasn't a hypercube, rather 
> a model of an atom. And it was built for one of the World Fairs in the 
> 50's-60's or somewhere around then.
> 
> It wasn't entirely functional either. More of an exhibit or art 
> installation.

I saw a building somewhere which was a working office block, but in the 
shape of a hypercube. (Or rather, a 3D projection of one; a true 
hypercube is obviously 4D.) As I say, I can't find any reference to it 
now...

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SharkD schrieb:

> I meant buildings made entirely out of weird geometric shapes and that 
> you can explore by walking in, not just selected portions of the buildings.

You mean, like the "Atomium" in Bruxelles?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomium

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SharkD schrieb:

> I remember seeing something like this, but it wasn't a hypercube, rather 
> a model of an atom. And it was built for one of the World Fairs in the 
> 50's-60's or somewhere around then.

Not an atom, but atoms in a crystal lattice (allegedly iron; ironically, 
the building was clad in Aluminum until 2004).

Expo '58, the "Atomium"; one of the architectural symbols of Belgium.

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SharkD wrote:
> I was wondering, what kind of interesting geometric shapes (solids, 
> surfaces, etc.) have been or could be converted into buildings?

Actually, if you like crazy geometry, you could do worse than to wonder 
around the inside of a Gothic cathedral...

http://www.elycathedral.org/media_centre/gallery/
http://www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/gallery.php
http://www.bristol-cathedral.co.uk/index.php?id=18
http://www.exeter-cathedral.org.uk/gallery/LibraryandArchive.ashx
http://www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk/index.php?page=gallery
http://www.sphericalimages.com/hereford_cathedral_virtual_tour/
http://www.cathedral.org.uk/historyheritage/architecture-the-cathedral.aspx
http://www.peterborough-cathedral.org.uk/phppage/gallery
http://www.rochestercathedral.org/virtual-tour/index.asp
http://www.stalbanscathedral.org.uk/photos/index.htm

Some of the geometric constructions these people came up with are pretty 
amazing. (Not to mention the "minor detail" that as you stand in a 
cathedral, there are many trillions of tonnes of stone, hundreds of feet 
above your head, and it was all liften up there by people's bare hands...)

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