Circling back on design and everything else
Everywhere, π surrounds us all.
Circles are everywhere, both visible and invisible. They can be found in objects, nature, streets, and in planetary shapes and systems. We see it in the eyes of the people we love.
Science
And yet, the circle(◯) is a visual representation of infinity (∞). And that is perplexing because it is hard to put the two concepts together. How many corners are there in a circle? Due to the perfect nature of the circle, it is difficult to come up with a definite number. Fortunately, we have another representation known as pi (π), which comes in handy when attempting to calculate the circumference or area of a circle.
Engineering
But while infinity (∞), pi (π) and circle(◯) can become a mathematician's playground, they can be useful tools in other professions too. One famous Apple industrial designer, by the name of Jonathan Ives, or Jony Ives, capitalizes on the circle physically and digitally. Although the iOS7 icon grid was a guide for designers to help app icons look "harmonious," an astute Redditor also spotted the uncanny use of the same grid in Apple’s devices. Undeniably, the circle and the supporting curves become the defining features of a beautiful object.
Arts
The same circular technique can also be expressed in the paintings of master artisans. Known as "circular composition," the technique attracts the viewer’s eyes in four distinct ways. It could (1) serve as the primary subject of the image, (2) appear in a circular formation, (3) the placement of elements in a photo creates a circular pattern that moves around the image, and (4) the softening or rounding off of the corners of the frame creates a circular feeling to photos. Observe how Henri Matisse creates circular movement with the dancers in his painting. Along with the right choice of colors, Matisse’s painting achieves the same “harmonious” relationship.
Design
Among the design literature, one data designer emerges who “turns data into art." Meet Manuel Lima, author of “The Book of Circles: Visualizing Spheres of Knowledge,” which is filled with hundreds of circular representations. Based on a unique set of taxonomies, Lima could have kept his discovery at the design level. Instead, he tapped into psychology to further convince his readers of the proliferation of circles.
Back to Science again
In one particular instance, Lima cited papers published by cognitive psychologists Moshe Bar and Maital Neta on a strong human preference for curved objects and typefaces over straight or pointed elements. He also highlighted the works of psychologist John Bassili on the association between emotions and the anatomical shapes of people’s faces. As it turns out, happy faces resembled an expansive circle, while angry faces resembled a downward triangle. This is most likely why a baby's rounder features are perceived as innocent, honest, and vulnerable.
If the circle is so appealing, could it go beyond tangible objects and into abstract ideas? According to Lima, it is quite possible. Here is what he has to say about this:
Used to represent a wide range of ideas and phenomena pertaining to almost every domain of knowledge, the circle became a universal metaphor embraced by virtually every civilization that has ever existed. — Manuel Lima
From religious settings to scientific papers on the movement of planetary bodies, circles have been used as diagrams and cycles. Today, the use of circles as metaphors is still very prevalent. One such polymath is no stranger to using the circle to combine multiple disciplines. Neri Oxman is a trained architect and designer and is the Sony Corporation Career Development Professor and Associate Professor of Media Arts and Sciences at the MIT Media Lab, where she founded and directs the Mediated Matter research group. A pioneer in her field, she was the first to combine computation, material science, and design into products and buildings, better known as “Material Ecology.” She now has numerous awards to her name as a result of her service to various communities. Her works are now permanent collections at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Centre Georges Pompidou, the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, and many others.
Not only has Oxman discovered a groundbreaking use of biomaterials, she has also established a unique design process for her team. Building upon the past works of former MIT alumnus Rich Gold and John Maeda, she has spun a new concept out of her observation of the Krebs Cycle, a metabolic pathway made up of chemical reactions. Out arises the idea of the generation, consumption, and regeneration of four creative disciplines and their associated currencies over time. Known as the “Krebs Cycle of Creativity,” here is an abstract of how the change of currency takes place:
The role of Science is to explain and predict the world around us; it ‘converts’ information into knowledge. The role of Engineering is to apply scientific knowledge to the development of solutions for empirical problems; it ‘converts’ knowledge into utility. The role of Design is to produce embodiments of solutions that maximize function and augment human experience; it ‘converts’ utility into behavior. The role of Art is to question human behavior and create awareness of the world around us; it ‘converts’ behavior into new perceptions of information, re-presenting the data that initiated the KCC in Science. At this ‘Cinderella moment’ — when the hands of the KCC strike midnight — new perception inspires new scientific exploration. For example, in As Slow as Possible, John Cage transports the listener into a state where space and time are stretched, offering a personal interpretation of time dilation and questioning the nature of space-time itself. — Neri Oxman
As designers, have we reached our Cinderella moment, where the hands of creativity struck midnight? In a moment of time when multiple worlds collide? Or when art meets science? Have we freed ourselves from our own shackles to accept other realities?
Even in popular media, more movies are exploring the complex topics of infinity (∞), pi (π) and the circle (◯). In a surreal setting at the Oscars 2023, we are finally witnessing an alternate reality of a metaphysical multiverse comedy winning big with “Everywhere, Everything, All at Once," which bagged 7 Oscars in total. The world accepted the “Daniel” directors’ beautiful paradoxical mess. Perhaps what makes a good masterpiece is that a user is able to take more than one glance at the same artifact and marvel at the wonder of how it was created. Wasn’t it the same emotion we felt when we witnessed an extraordinary work of art, engineering, science, or design?
If you agree that awe and wonder can be metrics of their own, take a moment to inspect your designs and evaluate whether we have overly relied on the metric of efficiency. Take a moment to add an acceptable amount of complexity to your design outcome. And if circles are a challenge to a rectangular frame, how else can the circle be applied, both visibly and invisibly?
In between 2019 and 2020, I stumbled upon the concept of pi (π), and it fascinated me. Suddenly, I saw two multiple worlds of logic and creativity coexist. Over time, the thinking builds upon itself as I continue to appreciate the circular objects around me. I then started seeing other forms of circular thinking (see doughnut economy, circular economy, and lean startup). Perhaps it was not so far-fetched to think about an alternate world where pi (π) could be part of a designer’s mindset and methods. In my exploration, I think it has been quite possible with some of my earlier writings (links below).
And so on every Pi (π) day of the year, I will attempt to write something about Pi (π). For this year, March 14, 2023, I leave us with a piku poem. Adapting from Haiku, the three-line poem takes the form of a three-line poem, with the syllabus matching the first 3 digits of Pi (π): 3.14.
Everywhere.
Pi.
Surrounds us all.
Thanks for reading, and enjoy the circles (◯) around you!
Further reading:
Bruggen, H. van de (2022, June 15). Lessons on creativity from "everything, everywhere, all at once" Medium. https://uxdesign.cc/lessons-on-creativity-from-everything-everywhere-all-at-once-37e87637067f
Farnell, C. (2022, June 24). Everything, Everywhere: What Does the Everything Bagel Mean? Den of Geek https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/everything-everywhere-what-everything-bagel-mean/
Lima, M. (2017). The book of circles: visualizing spheres of knowledge Princeton Architectural Press
Oxman, N. (2016). Age of Entanglement Journal of Design and Science https://doi.org/10.21428/7e0583ad
Photographic Psychology: Circular Compositions (n.d.) Truecenterpublishing.com. https://truecenterpublishing.com/photopsy/circular_comp.htm
Yeo, D. (2019, December 19). How to combine design thinking, lean startup and agile with Pi (π) (Part I). Medium. https://medium.com/@breathingdesign/why-using-pi-%CF%80-leads-to-a-new-design-innovation-framework-part-1-35fbee4d6f83
Yeo, D. (2020, January 13). How to combine design thinking, lean startup, and agile with Pi (Part 2) Medium. https://medium.com/@breathingdesign/how-to-combine-design-thinking-lean-startup-and-agile-with-pi-%CF%80-part-2-5dc02db4314f
