People have been building things for more than ten thousand years. Over time, this practical skill slowly turned into the field we now call architecture. Many creative thinkers helped shape it, so it is no surprise that the subject is full of fascinating stories.
Architecture Was Once Part of the Olympics
In the early modern Olympic Games, medals were not only for sport. For about forty years, judges also awarded medals for art, including architecture. This part of Olympic history is now gone, but it shows how closely art and sport were once connected.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Son Created Lincoln Logs
Frank Lloyd Wright is one of the most famous architects in the world, but the toy Lincoln Logs was invented by his son, John. He was an architect too and he came up with the idea after watching the interlocking beams used in the base of his father’s Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.
Old Tiles and New Maths
Islamic builders created Girih tiles hundreds of years ago. These tiles formed patterns that looked decorative but also followed complex maths. In 2007, scientists discovered that they shared key features with Penrose tiling, a modern mathematical pattern. This shows how past builders and today’s sustainable architects, like the examples seen at www.quattrodesign.co.uk/architectural-services/sustainable-architecture-design/ often explore similar ideas, even centuries apart.
LEGO Once Made Special Bricks for Architects
In the 1960s, LEGO produced a smaller brick called Modulex which helped designers make models that were more accurate in scale. The bricks were discontinued but they remain a fun part of design history.