Geometric Traces: from Historical Interpretations to Complex Constructions

This letter from the editor introduces Vol. 26(2) of the Nexus Network Journal: Architecture and Mathematics. The research in this issue addresses two broad themes: the interpretation of historic buildings, ornamentation and materials, and the construction of complex, curvilinear architectural forms. The methods used in this issue range from archaeological surveys and ballistics studies to computational approaches, such as parametric modelling and machine learning. The common thread connecting the work is how geometric properties, some hidden, others more overt, can be used to create new architectural knowledge and applications. Chronologically, the research topics in this issue span from the more than 2000-year-old tombs of the Nabataean Necropolis to contemporary computer-controlled construction processes.