From the Cubicle By Ivaana

“The playground, instead of telling the child what to do (swing here, climb there), becomes a place for endless exploration, of endless opportunity for changing play. And it is a thing of beauty as the modern artist has found beauty…

“Structure is the giver of light. When I choose an order of structure that calls for column alongside column, it presents a rhythm of no light, light, no light, light, no light, light. A vault, a dome, is also a…

Hungarian artist Gyorgy Kepes dedicated his life to integrating art and science. He became a member of the M.I.T. faculty in 1946. In 1967, he established the Center for Advanced Visual Studies within the School of Architecture to facilitate the…

Embodiment refers to the physical form or manifestation of cognition. It enables intelligent beings—whether artificial or organic—to perceive and alter their environment.   It is an active participant that both influences and is influenced by its intellect. Intelligence is the capacity…

Linkages are mechanical systems that transform one form of input motion into a different form of output motion.  This is accomplished by linking stiff bodies in a manner that retains at least one (and usually precisely one) degree of freedom.A…

The “language” of knitting patterns and architecture is characterized by their sharing of structure, design, and repetitive features. To generate sophisticated, practical, and appealing solutions, both sectors employ fundamental criteria. These criteria often include attention to detail, functionality, and aesthetic…

New studies in vision science indicate that visual art frequently deviates from the fundamental principles of physics and is only comprehensible within the context of human consciousness. An example is the Impossible Object, which is also known as an impossible…

Geometric abstract art integrates mathematical forms—such as circles, squares, triangles, and lines—to create structured and aesthetically pleasing compositions.   Precision, symmetry, and the interplay between shapes and spaces provide a harmonious equilibrium that captivates observers. Cubism was another influential movement that…

An analysis of James Joyce’s linguistic play and conceptual engagement with innovative geometric constructions in Ulysses and Finnegans Wake reveals how his topographical depiction of place reflects a shared dilemma between geometric and linguistic modalities of representation. Joyce’s intricate interplay…

Shape grammars offer a robust formal framework for the generative characterization of designs. Compared to other generative systems, their distinctive characteristic is that they do visual calculations instead of symbolic computations. Such an approach allows a more intuitive exploration of…

In several sections of his Phenomenology of Perception, Merleau-Ponty, a French phenomenological philosopher, considers habit a significant topic within his philosophical and phenomenological framework. His analysis clarifies the pre-reflexive essence of our initial engagement with the environment and the nature…

Studies demonstrate that lexical competency substantially influences reading skills and spelling accuracy in elementary school students.  This association highlights the need to cultivate vocabulary and linguistic proficiency throughout early childhood.  By augmenting lexical competence, educators may enhance early learners’ understanding…

Synergetics is the foundational discipline underpinning Richard Buckminster Fuller’s concepts of a sustainable future for humanity. Fuller believes in the creativity of human thinking and claims that using the rules of nature in design science can provide enough support for…

An artificial intelligence system that is capable of generating new material, such as pictures, texts, or sounds, generates new content by taking in suggestions in various formats, most often genuine human language. The statistical patterns discovered in massive datasets are…

Integrating space and sound to create an engaging multidimensional environment is crucial in the creation of a workstation. By combining acoustic design with spatial considerations, workspaces can transcend traditional layouts, inspiring creativity and collaboration. Sound, an imperceptible sensation that traverses…

The distinction between science and art has always been ambiguous. As we delve deeper into both disciplines, their distinctions often blur, evolving in response to societal shifts and technological advancements. This fluidity highlights the shared creativity inherent in scientific inquiry…

During childhood, exploration is driven by the child’s innate impulses and is shaped by the surrounding environment and available resources throughout developmental stages. The voyage of childhood discovery is a dynamic interplay of innate drives influenced by the environment and…

A fundamental philosophical premise of the theory proposed by Jean Piaget is that children’s thinking will evolve autonomously with age. This ‘autonomous evolution’ refers to the natural, self-driven progression of cognitive development in children, which is not solely determined by…

“I was born cross-eyed. Not until I was four years old was it discovered that this was caused by my being abnormally farsighted. My vision was thereafter fully corrected with lenses. Until four I could see only large patterns, houses,…

Curiosity has a peculiar silence. Like a llama crossing its rear legs, it rests with dignity, undisturbed by its environment. Curiosity is pervasive and profound. Elusive, furtive, mute, and wary, Curiosity has a unique persona, like the deer, who possesses…

Visual reasoning involves applying visual rationale, which encompasses interpreting and understanding visual information to address problems and make informed decisions based on observations. This capacity is crucial across numerous fields, such as science, architecture, and art, where examining visual cues…

The realm of stillness is excessively cryptic and strange for comfort. Silence may be unbearable both in a social setting and for the individual. People often perceive those who are not quite as relatable because their voices fill the void…

“The moon must be monstrous coy, or some things fall out opportunely, or else almanacs are consulted by nocturnal adventurers; but so it is, that when Cynthia shows a round and chubby disk, few daring deeds are done. Though true…

From the rigid realities of a landscape to the shifting motion of the horizon, a collection of symbolic systems shapes our cognition as we navigate and create existence.However, while confronting issues inside the sometimes-stagnating educational system, we neglect our participatory…

The classification of color remains a complex area of inquiry that has concerned philosophers, writers, and scientists throughout history. Is it an inherent characteristic of objects, such as dimensions and form? Is it an illusion, purely subjective and derived from…

I spent more than five years completing my project, A Square and a Half-The Colors are Sounding, culminating in its launch at the MIT Museum in the autumn of 2018. The project comprises twenty sung lyrical narratives or songs that…

MIT researchers have discovered a novel method for constructing intricate three- dimensional structures using self-assembling polymer materials, which generate minuscule wires and junctions. They arrange block copolymer layers into orderly perpendicular rows, thus facilitating the creation of smaller chip components…

Is pattern thinking analogous to a recurrent behavioral coping mechanism? I have often contemplated this possibility and concluded that the identity inherent in notions or representations in pattern thinking cannot elucidate repetition; it requires a more significant ‘positive’ foundation. This…

Throughout my childhood, I was unaware that I was a color-word synesthete. I only came to the realization that hearing words evoked vivid pictures much later in life. I was also captivated by the realm of shadows and consistently engaged…

A web emerges when several connections are established. Through experiences that endure over time, we start developing conscious and unconscious creative patterns from infancy. For instance, we may consider neural networks, cell clusters, and social insect colonies among systems that…