Construction Innovation

Multi-colored Hand-tiled Bench: Glazed tiles

1986

Work of Art for Project, Hand-glazed Tilework

Experimenting with the fabrication of multi-colored glazed tiles with hand-drawn flowers and wave designs.

Created by:

Christopher Alexander

Content of

Project

Multi-colored Hand-tiled Bench 1986

Eugene, OR, U.S.A.

Other, Designed , Not built

Client:

State Board of Higher Education, University Planning Office - Lotte Streisinger, Visual Arts Coordinator

C.E.S. staff:

Christopher Alexander

Project stages:

Concept Design

Design proposal for a tiled bench, to be a gathering space, part of the Science Facilities Additions and Alterations project, on the campus of the University of Oregon. The proposal included drawings and model for the multicolored glazed tiled concrete ...

Contents

Models & Mock-ups

Oregon Bench: Glazed tiles 01/01/1986

Mock-up

Created by:

Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA

Medium:

Array

Size:

12 1/2"x18 1/4"

Scale:

1'=1'

Six glazed tiles forming a yellow – green – red pattern of wavy lines and flowers; set on a plywood base.

Photographs

Oregon Bench: Glazed tiles - Photographs of mock-up 01/01/1986

Mock-up

Photographer:

Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.

Source:

Digital

Characteristics:

Color, B&W

Three views of the glazed tiles forming a yellow, green and red pattern of wavy lines and flowers, for panelling the bench back mock-up.

References

Scientific Research

Ornament and Function as Products of Unfolding

Areas of focus:

Design and Building Process

Guiding idea:

Structure Preserving Transformations

Ornament arises as part of the design process, when a person is making and seeks to embellish this "something" while making it. It arises as a result of the latent centers in the uncompleted thing requiring still more centers, requiring ...