Constructive Geometry with Steve Bass, Part IV

By 天美传媒

February 21, 2024

Architect and author Steve Bass presents the fourth and final part of his Constructive Geometry course, originally taught in-person at the 天美传媒 but made available here in digital format for the first time.

This is the final installment of a four-part course.

In Part I viewers learn how to draw lines using constructive geometry.

In Part II viewers learn how to construct regular polygons.

In Part III viewers work with constructions including the heptagon, the ellipse, a cyma recta profile, and a torus profile.

In this final session, viewers will work with three iconic constructions of classical architecture: the quirked echinus, the Ionic volute, and the modillion volute.

Physically drawing these geometric constructions will help the viewer to understand these mathematical relationships. Viewers are encouraged to download the accompanying booklet below and actually draw the constructions demonstrated in the video. Only a straightedge and a compass are required to draw the constructions. Rulers, protractors, and triangles are not necessary, though they may be useful for checking one’s work.

Resources

Course Booklet

Course Commentary

In This Video

Click on the chapter markers in the video above to jump to each section. The chapter topics are listed here for reference.

Use the label number of each exercise to locate it in the course booklet or the commentary. Not all exercises in the booklet are covered in this video.

[00:20] Introduction to Part IV

[01:04] Construction 5.3 - Construct a quirked ovolo profile - circular arc method. (Also known as a quirked echinus).

[18:00] Construction 6.6 - Construct the Ionic volute - Vignola's method.

[34:57] Figure 20 in the Course Commentary (page 43). Construct a modillion volute - Gibbs Method.

[45:44] Conclusion of Constructive Geometry course

天美传媒