concept
active
concept:levels-of-scale

Levels of Scale

The property that living structures contain centers at a beautiful range of sizes at well-marked levels with definite jumps, where each level helps the next; jumps should not be too great (ideally 2:1 to 4:1, less than 10:1)

Neighborhood — ranked by edge-count

Papers (1)

paper

Frameworks (3)

framework
  • Fifteen Properties of Living Structure
    associated_withimplements
    The set of geometric properties that appear in all living structure: levels of scale, strong centers, boundaries, echoes, gradients, deep interlock and ambiguity, local symmetries, roughness, inner calm, not separateness, and others.
  • Fifteen Transformations
    uses
    The system of fifteen specific transformation types, each corresponding to one of the fifteen properties, that together constitute all structure-preserving transformations.
  • Middle-Range Order
    uses
    Coherent entities at the scale of rooms and bays — roughly halfway between building volume and smallest elements — whose existence and beautiful pattern of arrangement is essential for profound building order; first noted by Ingrid King

Communities (2)

community

Claims (1)

claim

Methods (1)

method
  • Subdivision Process
    implements
    The iterative process of cutting a whole into parts using asymmetry and thin boundary bands to introduce levels of scale and boundaries; a purely geometric process that creates more profound living form

Concepts (11)

concept
  • scale
    related_tosubtype_of
    A formal context with a suggestive interpretation used in conceptual scaling.
  • Levels-of-Scale Transformation
    associated_withrelated_to
    A transformation that introduces intermediate-sized centers to fill out the hierarchy of scales, strengthening larger centers.
  • Strong Centers
    associated_with
    The property that living structures contain centers that are not merely blobs but strong, field-like centers that organize the space around them; every strong center is made of many other strong centers recursively
  • Structure-Preserving Transformations
    uses
    Chapter 2 of Volume 2 of The Nature of Order, introducing structure-preserving transformations as the mechanism by which living structure arises naturally through unfolding wholeness.
  • Living process
    uses
    A generative process that repeatedly applies the fundamental process to create uniqueness and belonging in the environment
  • Local Symmetries
    associated_with
    The property that living wholes contain many interlocking and overlapping local symmetries rather than overall symmetry; local symmetries act as glue holding space together, and their number predicts cognitive coherence
  • Boundaries
    associated_with
    The property that living centers are formed and strengthened by boundaries which both separate and unite; the boundary must be of the same order of magnitude as the center being bounded and is itself made of centers
  • Gradients
    associated_with
    The property that qualities vary slowly, subtly, gradually across the extent of each living thing; gradients arise as natural responses to changing circumstances and create field-like character that points toward and establishes centers
  • Aperiodic Grid
    implements
    A non-regular geometric framework that brings coherent order to built form, emerging naturally from a living process.
  • Human Scale
    subtype_of
    The quality of spatial dimensions that feel comfortable and nurturing to human beings.
  • bifurcation theory
    associated_with
    A mathematical theory that might identify natural breakpoints in system development, relevant to levels of scale.

Chapters (3)

chapter

Related by similarity (8)

cosine ≥ 0.65 · no typed edge

Entities in the same semantic neighborhood but without a typed relation to this one — candidates for new edges or unrecognized duplicates.