Geometry of Design.

Kimberly Elam.
Princeton Architectural Press. 2001. 107 pages.

While not a new-comer to the catalogue of design books, The Geometry of Design is probably one of the more useful ones to be found.

While most us us would agree that so many natural forms have an innate beauty, few are about to distill the information down to concepts which can be applied to our own projects.

Kimberly Elam uses numerous examples of how shapes in nature can be interpreted in terms of geometry. She then swings the camera around to show how these ideas have been incorporated into many famous designs. The designs themselves range from graphics, products and furniture through to vehicles and architecture.

A great deal of care has been take to make the information as accessible as possible. Not being mathematically inclined I was a little apprehensive at first, but soon became very comfortable. Geometric outlines on translucent overlays pick out key features on photographs to illustrate the concepts.

While geometry alone will not lead you to a great design, this book will provide enough background awareness of the theories involved to help make the right choices at the crossroads.

The Geometry of Design is also an elegantly presented book at a very attractive price.