Measuring the geometry of nature and architecture: comparing the visual properties of Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater and its natural setting
| Autor: | Josephine Vaughan, Michael J. Ostwald |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
Computer science
Geography Planning and Development 020101 civil engineering 02 engineering and technology 010501 environmental sciences 01 natural sciences Fractal dimension Fractal analysis 0201 civil engineering Urban Studies Wright Computer graphics (images) Architecture Natural (music) 0105 earth and related environmental sciences |
| Zdroj: | Open House International. 47:51-67 |
| ISSN: | 2633-9838 |
| DOI: | 10.1108/ohi-01-2021-0011 |
| Popis: | PurposeFrank Lloyd Wright's famous house Fallingwater has been the subject of enduring scholarly debate centred on the allegedly clear parallels between its form and that of its surrounding natural setting. Despite these claims being repeated many times, no quantitative approach has ever been used to test this argument. In response, this paper uses a quantitative method, fractal analysis, to measure the relationship between the architecture of Fallingwater and of its natural surroundings.Design/methodology/approachUsing fractal dimension analysis, a computational method that mathematically measures the characteristic visual complexity of an object, this paper mathematically measures and tests the similarity between the visual properties of Fallingwater and its natural setting. Twenty analogues of the natural surroundings of Fallingwater are measured and the results compared to those developed for the properties of eight views of the house.FindingsAlthough individual results suggest various levels of visual similarity or difference, the complete set of results do not support the claim that the form of Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater exhibits clear visual similarities to the surrounding landscape.Originality/valueIn addition to testing a prominent theory about Wright's building for the first time, the paper demonstrates a rare application of fractal analysis to interpreting relations between architecture and nature. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
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