The Grace of the Curve - Part 2

Just after posting my last piece, I heard Victoria-based Trevor Hancock talk about beauty in the urban environment. Trevor is a passionate advocate for healthy, sustainable communities. His definition of beauty included more of the emotional response than my definition in Part 1 suggested. He used phrases such as "beauty stirs the soul", "makes life worth living", and "provides intense satisfaction of the mind". 

That is strong stuff! It raises the bar to a high level for designing spaces and buildings in the urban environment. I'm not sure there is much in a city that can hope to achieve the sublime kind of beauty implied by those words. But perhaps it's worth a try! And perhaps, cumulatively, hundreds of individual choices about our living environment can add to beautiful design.

In my previous post, Part 1, I offered thoughts about how curves can add another aesthetic to building design. Here, in Part 2 of "The Grace of the Curve", I look at ideas for adding curves "after the fact". If a building's already there, what can be done to change the visual appeal? 

This is an excellent example of how an interesting pathway with some landscaping can provide counterpoint to a building characterized by simple straight lines and painted in monochromatic shades.The curves of the flagstone path are further emphasized by the defined edges made of stone. 

A curved pathway with an inlaid circular motif within it; a fountain, and rounded columns all soften the vertical and horizontal lines of this building and fence

Another curved path of flagstones. In this case, the rounded shapes of the landscaping plants also soften the overall appearance.

This curved pathway and landscaping transforms what would otherwise be a "boxy" apartment building

This pathway connecting the front door to the sidewalk could just as easily have been a straight line perpendicular to the sidewalk. Instead, the curve - coupled with the brick - provides a far more elegant and attractive look. Note: because Victoria's summers are very dry, grass turns brown. Municipalities, and many property owners, actively discourage lawn watering. With fall rains, grass turns green again.

A few simple curved lines provided by the inlaid rock, and the tree, add to the appeal of this landscaping.

The builders of this stone wall chose to go round the corner in a curve, rather than at right angles. 

Designers of public spaces also can employ curves to soften straight lines.

The curve of the bridge, echoed in the railings, makes an attractive counterpoint to the straight lines of the walking path.

This small sitting area between two buildings is mostly straight lines, but the curved sculpture softens those lines.

Another plaza-like space, again with mostly straight lines, but softened by the curvature of the building's exterior wall and roofline. The brick-lay design is asymmetric, which also adds to the grace of the appearance.

The curved arches of the trellis add appeal to this straight pathway near the Empress Hotel.

My final example of pathways is one of my favorite in Beacon Hill Park. 

I like the mystery of this curved path, which invites me to keep walking, to see what's around the next bend.

Not everyone can design and build a pathway. Here are a few smaller scale things I've noticed that provide curves to balance the linear edges of our urban environment.

An inlay which transforms the gate

The eye focusses on the striking oval, rather than the vertical lines of the post..

Sometimes the interest is not at eye level; this was embedded in the ground.

Another example of an attractive house number design which uses the oval, instead of a rectangle or square, to complete the design.

I don't know the history of this sculpture on a private yard on Dallas Road. It provides interest along the journey, and is such a great example of a graceful curve. 

I did a double-take the first time I walked past this fence

A funky railing adornment at the front of a vet's clinic. As well as the enjoyable light touch, the curved lines of the animals soften the hard line of the railing. 

Discovered at the back of the vet clinic

This post has focussed on examples of curves at a smaller scale, especially in our yards and outside spaces. In looking through my photos for this post, I found many more examples of curves in public spaces - things like road design, and public art. Perhaps I'm not done with the topic yet!