Languages of Geometry

The history of computational design and CAD is often presented as inevitable and promoted as best fitting the designers’ needs. A seemingly logical progression from ruler and compass to current software environments glosses over the fact that the modes of expression are rather limited. I refer to the constructive concepts behind a geometric thought model and production system as a language. Languages differ in how they express ideas or what ideas can be expressed at all, depending on the vocabulary and grammar in place. I present a collection of 22 geometric languages, a Rosetta Form, so to speak. Each language is presented as a standardized interactive web application, saying the geometric equivalent of “Hello, World!” first but highlighting the differences between them by modifying one parameter. The languages are presented as descriptions, images of the app, examples of their architectural relevance, and as part of a genealogy, a network of interrelations to overarching concepts.