Constructive Geometry with Steve Bass, Part III

Architect and author Steve Bass presents Part III of his Constructive Geometry course, originally taught in-person at the ICAA but made available here in digital format for the first time.

This is the third part of a four-part course. In Part I viewers learn how to draw lines using constructive geometry, and in Part II viewers learn how to construct regular polygons. Part IV is available here.

In this session, viewers will work with various constructions including the heptagon, the ellipse, a cyma recta profile, and a torus profile.

Physically drawing these geometric constructions will help the viewer to understand these mathematical relationships. Viewers are encouraged to download the accompanying booklet below and actually draw the constructions demonstrated in the video. Only a straightedge and a compass are required to draw the constructions. Rulers, protractors, and triangles are not necessary, though they may be useful for checking one’s work.

Resources

Course Booklet

Course Commentary

In This Video

Click on the chapter markers in the video above to jump to each section. The chapter topics are listed here for reference.

Use the label number of each exercise to locate it in the course booklet or the commentary. Not all exercises in the booklet are covered in this video.

[00:20] Introduction to Part III

[02:55] Construction 3.5 - Construct an approximate heptagon given a side.

[16:03] Figure 10d in the Commentary (page 28). Further discussion is offered on page 35 of the Commentary.

[26:22] Construction 4.2 - Construct an approximate 4-centered ellipse given the major and minor axis.

[36:59] Construction 5.1 - Construct a cyma recta profile.

[42:07] Construction 5.2 - Construct a torus profile using two quarter-circles.

[46:02] Conclusion of Part III and summary of Part IV

Sponsors

The ICAA would like to thank our Lead Sponsor for Continuing Education courses, Uberto Construction.

Tags: video course, world of classicism, constructive geometry