Regular Irregularities

The aim of the competition is to design a ceramic wall with the theme “regular irregularities”. The idea behind the project focuses on how the concepts of order and disorder, which are two different concepts that seem to be opposite, can exist within each other. Hexagon has been frequently used as a geometric shape in design. It is a very regular shape however, with some basic modifications, complex geometries that are evaluated more “irregular” can be obtained from a single hexagon. In this respect, two novel ceramic wall designs are proposed. 

 

The unit of the designed patterns is a hexagon. Some systematic shape rules are parametrically applied to the hexagon. The logic behind the production of hexagons is to divide the perimeter of the hexagon by a certain number of points, and numbering the dividing points. Then drawing lines from point 0 to point 4, point 0 to point 5, point 4 to point 10, point 10 to point 6, and the perpendicular reflections of those lines. In total, 8 parametric lines are obtained.  

 

In order to obtain different types of pattern, each time the perimeter of the hexagon is divided by another number (such as 11, 12, 13, ...) and the defined lines is drawn with the same production logic. The division lines on the tiles are treated as small joint gaps and they have 5mm width, same as the joints between the tiles. 

 

In the first proposal, the irregularity of the pattern is achieved by the change in the tiles in a horizontal axis, in detail, having two rows of hexagon tiles divided by 12, two rows of 13, two rows of 14, and so on. In the second proposal, the irregularity of the pattern is achieved by the change in the tiles in multiple axes, in detail, having hexagon tiles with different division number depending on the distance to the control point.

 

The studies in these two proposals are carried out with parametric tools. It is worth noting that with the same algorithm, numerous different architectural textures can be produced. Linear change in the pattern is achieved by dividing the defined hexagon starting from 11  to 20 in the horizontal sense and repeating the same principle in the vertical sense.  Central change in the pattern is achieved by dividing the defined hexagon starting from 3  to 30 each time according to the distance of that hexagon to control point.