ABSTRACT

Rounding off decades of exploration into the various ways in which buildings and urban sequences make an impact on the mind, The Dynamics of Delight emphasizes the qualitative aspects of form and space, providing designers with an analytical framework in which to evaluate projects on an aesthetic level. In laying the foundations for an appreciation of the aesthetic component in architecture, Smith considers the mechanisms which are involved in the aesthetic response and goes on to consider how human perception may be influenced by natural phenomena and draws on chaos theory and biomathematics to illustrate this original argument.

part 1|2 pages

Part 1 Amsterdam and the tiger

chapter 1|4 pages

Laying the foundations

chapter 2|6 pages

The roots of aesthetic perception

chapter 3|7 pages

The protean factor

chapter 4|6 pages

Exploring harmony

chapter 5|9 pages

From harmony to chaos

chapter 6|13 pages

From Nature to artefacts

chapter 7|14 pages

Intelligent interventions

chapter 8|7 pages

Unity versus diversity

part 69|2 pages

Part 2 The Parthenon and the sunflower

chapter 9|5 pages

The deep structure of proportion

chapter 10|12 pages

The numerology of beauty

chapter 11|12 pages

Developing the theme

chapter 12|7 pages

Beyond the portico and dome

chapter 13|15 pages

Contemporary variations

chapter 14|10 pages

Architectural metaphor

chapter 15|11 pages

Second-order proportion

chapter 16|5 pages

The limbic domain

chapter 17|11 pages

Bioclimatic opportunities

part 159|2 pages

Part 3 The dynamics of the city

chapter 18|5 pages

The city and dimensions of engagement

chapter 19|7 pages

The rewards of chance

chapter 20|14 pages

The street

chapter 21|10 pages

The square

chapter 22|14 pages

Encounters with old gods

chapter 23|5 pages

The ethical dimension