Shape: Talking about Seeing and Doing (MIT Press)

In Shape, George Stiny argues that seeing shapes -- with all their changeability and ambiguity -- is an inexhaustible source of creative ideas. Understanding shapes, he says, is a useful way to understand what is possible in design.Shapes are devices for visual expression just as symbols are devices for verbal expression. Stiny develops a unified scheme that includes both visual expression with shapes and verbal expression with signs. The relationships -- and equivalencies -- between the two kinds of expressive devices make design comparable to other professional practices that rely more on verbal than visual expression. Design uses shapes while business, engineering, law, mathematics, and philosophy turn mainly to symbols, but the difference, says Stiny, isn't categorical. Designing is a way of thinking. Designing, Stiny argues, is calculating with shapes, calculating without equations and numbers but still according to rules. Stiny shows that the mechanical process of calculation is actually a creative process when you calculate with shapes -- when you can reason with your eyes, when you learn to see instead of count.The book takes the idea of design as calculation from mere heuristic or metaphor to a rigorous relationship in which design and calculation each inform and enhance the other. Stiny first demonstrates how seeing and counting differ when you use rules -- that is, what it means to calculate with your eyes -- then shows how to calculate with shapes, providing formal details. He gives practical applications in design with specific visual examples. The book is extraordinarily visual, with many drawings throughout -- drawings punctuated with words. You have to see this book in order to read it. Front Cover ......Page 1 Title Page ......Page 2 Copyright ......Page 3 Contents......Page 4 Acknowledgments......Page 5 Looking at Shapes and Talking About It......Page 6 Answer Number One„What Do You See Now?......Page 7 Answer Number Two„Three More Ways to Look at It That Tell a Story Getting Started„What I Wanted to Know That No One Could Tell M......Page 14 Growing Up„How I Learned to Calculate......Page 16 Going On„How I Stopped Counting and Started to See......Page 25 Trying to Be Clear......Page 38 Tables, Teacher s Desks, and Rooms......Page 46 It Always Pays to Look Again......Page 49 Background......Page 51 Use Your Eyes to Decide......Page 66 Does Reasoning Include Calculating?......Page 68 A First Look at Calculating......Page 70 What Makes Calculating Visual?......Page 82 There Is No Vocabulary„Well, Almost......Page 94 A Second Look at Calculating......Page 104 What Schemas Show......Page 131 What s That or How Many?......Page 135 Background......Page 160 Starting Over......Page 164 Back to Basics„Elements and Embedding......Page 169 Counting Points and Seeing Parts......Page 181 Shapes in Algebras and Algebras in Rows......Page 185 Boundaries of Shapes Are Shapes......Page 201 Boolean Divisions......Page 209 Euclidean Embeddings......Page 217 Nor Do Lineaments Have Anything to Do with Material......Page 220 Solids, Fractals, and Other Zero-Dimensional Things......Page 231 How Rules Work When I Calculate......Page 233 Trying It Out......Page 239 Spatial Relations and Rules......Page 250 Classifying Rules with Transformations......Page 265 Classifying Rules with Parts......Page 273 How Computers Do It......Page 280 I Don t Like Rules„They re Too Rigid......Page 282 Parts Are Evanescent„They Change as Rules Are Tried......Page 287 Erasing and Identity......Page 292 Calculating and Continuity......Page 301 Design without Thought......Page 306 Background......Page 308 Design Is Calculating......Page 316 Tell Me What Schema to Use......Page 324 What the Thinking Eye Sees......Page 328 Chinese Lattice Designs„Seeing What You Do......Page 335 They re Shapes before They re Plans......Page 346 Seeing Won t Do„Design Needs Words......Page 359 Getting in the Right Frame of Mind......Page 373 Latin and Greek, and Mathematics......Page 385 Background......Page 392 Introduction......Page 396 Part I......Page 401 Part II......Page 403 Part III......Page 408 Index......Page 414 In Shape, George Stiny Argues That Seeing Shapes--with All Their Changeability And Ambiguity--is An Inexhaustible Source Of Creative Ideas. Understanding Shapes, He Says, Is A Useful Way To Understand What Is Possible In Design. Shapes Are Devices For Visual Expression Just As Symbols Are Devices For Verbal Expression. Stiny Develops A Unified Scheme That Includes Both Visual Expression With Shapes And Verbal Expression With Signs. The Relationships--and Equivalencies--between The Two Kinds Of Expressive Devices Make Design Comparable To Other Professional Practices That Rely More On Verbal Than Visual Expression. Design Uses Shapes While Business, Engineering, Law, Mathematics, And Philosophy Turn Mainly To Symbols, But The Difference, Says Stiny, Isn't Categorical. Designing Is A Way Of Thinking. Designing, Stiny Argues, Is Calculating With Shapes, Calculating Without Equations And Numbers But Still According To Rules. Stiny Shows That The Mechanical Process Of Calculation Is Actually A Creative Process When You Calculate With Shapes--when You Can Reason With Your Eyes, When You Learn To See Instead Of Count. The Book Takes The Idea Of Design As Calculation From Mere Heuristic Or Metaphor To A Rigorous Relationship In Which Design And Calculation Each Inform And Enhance The Other. Stiny First Demonstrates How Seeing And Counting Differ When You Use Rules--that Is, What It Means To Calculate With Your Eyes--then Shows How To Calculate With Shapes, Providing Formal Details. He Gives Practical Applications In Design With Specific Visual Examples. The Book Is Extraordinarily Visual, With Many Drawings Throughout--drawings Punctuated With Words. You Have To See This Book In Order To Read It.--publisher's Website. In Shape, George Stiny Argues That Seeing Shapes - With All Their Changeability And Ambiguity - Is An Inexhaustible Source Of Creative Ideas. Understanding Shapes, He Says, Is A Useful Way To Understand What Is Possible In Design.--book Jacket. Acknowledgments -- Introduction : Tell Me All About It -- 1. What Makes It Visual? -- 2. Seeing How It Works -- 3. Using It To Design -- Notes -- Index. George Stiny. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [391]-407) And Index. " In Shape, George Stiny argues that seeing shapes--with all their changeability and ambiguity--is an inexhaustible source of creative ideas. Understanding shapes, he says, is a useful way to understand what is possible in design. Shapes are devices for visual expression just as symbols are devices for verbal expression. Stiny develops a unified scheme that includes both visual expression with shapes and verbal expression with signs. The relationships--and equivalencies--between the two kinds of expressive devices make design comparable to other professional practices that rely more on verbal than visual expression. Design uses shapes while business, engineering, law, mathematics, and philosophy turn mainly to symbols, but the difference, says Stiny, isn't categorical. Designing is a way of thinking. Designing, Stiny argues, is calculating with shapes, calculating without equations and numbers but still according to rules. Stiny shows that the mechanical process of calculation is actually a creative process when you calculate with shapes--when you can reason with your eyes, when you learn to see instead of count. The book takes the idea of design as calculation from mere heuristic or metaphor to a rigorous relationship in which design and calculation each inform and enhance the other. Stiny first demonstrates how seeing and counting differ when you use rules--that is, what it means to calculate with your eyes--then shows how to calculate with shapes, providing formal details. He gives practical applications in design with specific visual examples. The book is extraordinarily visual, with many drawings throughout--drawings punctuated with words. You have to see this book in order to read it."--Publisher's website. "In Shape, George Stiny argues that seeing shapes - with all their changeability and ambiguity - is an inexhaustible source of creative ideas. Understanding shapes, he says, is a useful way to understand what is possible in design."--BOOK JACKET. In Shape , George Stiny argues that seeing shapes -- with all their changeability and ambiguity -- is an inexhaustible source of creative ideas. Understanding shapes, he says, is a useful way to understand what is possible in design. Shapes are devices for visual expression just as symbols are devices for verbal expression. Stiny develops a unified scheme that includes both visual expression with shapes and verbal expression with signs. The relationships -- and equivalencies -- between the two kinds of expressive devices make design comparable to other professional practices that rely more on verbal than visual expression. Design uses shapes while business, engineering, law, mathematics, and philosophy turn mainly to symbols, but the difference, says Stiny, isn't categorical. Designing is a way of thinking. Designing, Stiny argues, is calculating with shapes, calculating without equations and numbers but still according to rules. Stiny shows that the mechanical process of calculation is actually a creative process when you calculate with shapes -- when you can reason with your eyes, when you learn to see instead of count. The book takes the idea of design as calculation from mere heuristic or metaphor to a rigorous relationship in which design and calculation each inform and enhance the other. Stiny first demonstrates how seeing and counting differ when you use rules -- that is, what it means to calculate with your eyes -- then shows how to calculate with shapes, providing formal details. He gives practical applications in design with specific visual examples. The book is extraordinarily visual, with many drawings throughout -- drawings punctuated with words. You have to see this book in order to read it.