Constructive Geometry
The history of a curve
Some architects herald the adoption of freeform curvilinear design and the utilization of computer-aided manufacturing as cutting edge, or even avant-garde. While it may be so within the confines of architectural design and discourse, there is, in fact, nothing essentially new about these technologies. In comparison to our counterparts in other fields, architects are, in fact, behind the curve. This article seeks to addresses this deficit of knowledge by summarizing the ingenious development of the computational curve, which occurred in other industries. It’s a fascinating story. Any designer who draws curves with only a few clicks of the mouse, may benefit from knowing how this technology – which we now take for granted – was developed.
- From Bows to Boats – the Mechanical Spline
By the Mesolithic era, humans had learnt to fashion bows in order to hunt game. As a hunter draws the bow, its two tips are pulled closer, producing greater curvature. As the timber is deformed, it stores elastic potential energy as the wood tries to regain its original straightness. Wood’s natural elasticity allows trees to grow tall, yet bend without snapping in the wind. When a length of wood is flexed, the material on the concave side goes into compression while the convex side is under tension. In bending, these forces distribute themselves as evenly as possible throughout the length of wood, producing a optimally smooth curve.
