A Geometry of Early Islam – The Dynamic Circle Method

“3D Thinking” Pages 187, 274: Using close-packing circles to create surface designs, during the early years of Islam, requires a method to generate different close-packing circle arrangements. The dynamic sphere geometry provides such a method. Applying the geometry, starting with a 5-circle arrangement within the unit triangle of a square, generates many arrangements including the […]

A Geometry of Early Islam – The Circle Method and a Window

“3D Thinking” Page 187: The animation below shows the Arabian “close-packing” circle method that was used to create the window design of the 1356CE Madrasa of Amir Salf al-din Sargatmish in Old Cairo, Egypt. The design method dates back to the Abbasid period – a time of great creativity. The development starts with (i) a […]

Geometry Divine Proportions

“3D Thinking” Pages 67, 75, 77, 210 to 213: Ideas of “Divine Proportions” originated in the distant past. For the Pythagoreans whole numbers resonated throughout the cosmos in sacred music, in geometry and in number. For the Harrapans of the Indus Valley they found expression in fire altars of different shapes but of constant areas […]

A Geometry of Early Islam – The “Ray” Method

“3D Thinking” Pages 183 to 186: An example of the Ray Method – one of the six primary methods used to create Arabian designs during the early Islamic period – during the Abbasid Caliphate 566-653CE. In the animation one arm of a “10-Ray” is used to position a “6-Ray” – then on the intersection of […]

Geometry Architecture Golden Ratio Proportions

“3D Thinking” Pages 280 to 289: The drawing shows an example of how a Golden Ratio “Ideation Lattice” is derived from the “Dynamic Sphere” geometry – and then how an architectural structure is extracted from the lattice.  In this example, connecting sphere centers creates the lattice. The sphere packing is the “Golden Ratio” packing. Software […]

3D Thinking in Design & Architecture – Published 2018

“3D Thinking in Design and Architecture from Antiquity to the Future” – Thames and Hudson – published April 2018. Amazon UK; Amazon USA; Waterstones UK. UKP 39.95. 328 pages, over one thousand illustrations and photos. INDEX: Visual Logic 14. Neolithic Geometries 32. The River Cultures 58. The Americas 106. The Pythagoreans 124. European Tribal Geometry 160. Geometries […]

Geometry Mind Doodles

Mind Doodles are visual puzzles – the product of various types of logic developed by cultures past and present. Each design has been selected to stimulate your visual perception or to challenge your logic. The book is sized like a journal but its objective is to stimulate ideas, to provide a platform for creativity, to provide space for idle […]

This is what Thames & Hudson are saying about 3D Thinking:

This is what Thames & Hudson Ltd (London), my publisher, are saying about my latest book, “3D Thinking” (to be published Spring 2018): The foundations, forms and patterns in architecture, design and decorative arts throughout the world have been deeply influenced by the geometries of past cultures. From the first path-like doodles on cave walls […]