Abstract
We present examples of student work from the course Golden Ratio at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e)
where students learn about tessellations, fractals, splines and Processing. One of the difficulties in designing new
tessellations is how to find a basic figure which is attractive or has a meaning and which satisfies the formal
requirements of fitting in a complex tiling. In earlier work we combined turtle graphics and splines, which turned
out useful for certain projects, yet did not complete solve the problem of how to make the difficult creative step.
This year several students created their own interactive mini-tools for designing a type of tessellation of their own
choice. The following strategy was found effective: choose a type of tessellation, typically a Heesch-Kienzle type,
perhaps with an extra twist, and then build a mini-tool in Processing where the edges of the basic figure can be
manipulated interactively using one of the variations of spline theory. We present coding details and examples.
where students learn about tessellations, fractals, splines and Processing. One of the difficulties in designing new
tessellations is how to find a basic figure which is attractive or has a meaning and which satisfies the formal
requirements of fitting in a complex tiling. In earlier work we combined turtle graphics and splines, which turned
out useful for certain projects, yet did not complete solve the problem of how to make the difficult creative step.
This year several students created their own interactive mini-tools for designing a type of tessellation of their own
choice. The following strategy was found effective: choose a type of tessellation, typically a Heesch-Kienzle type,
perhaps with an extra twist, and then build a mini-tool in Processing where the edges of the basic figure can be
manipulated interactively using one of the variations of spline theory. We present coding details and examples.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of Bridges 2017 |
| Subtitle of host publication | Mathematics, Art, Music, Architecture, Education, Culture |
| Editors | David Swart, Carlo Séquin, Kristóf Fenyvesi |
| Place of Publication | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Publisher | Tessellations Publishing |
| Pages | 395-398 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 978-1-938664-22-9, 1099-6702 (ISSN) |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-1-938664-22-9, 1099-6702 (ISSN) |
| Publication status | Published - 2017 |