Architectural Curves: Are They Worth It?
They can look amazing, but are architectural curves worth the extra cost and effort?
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim in New York City, Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Bilbao, Gaudi’s Casa Milà in Barcelona, Richard Roger’s London Millennium Dome, Jorn Utzon’s Sydney Opera House… When we talk about architectural curves, we summon images of the world’s iconic buildings. In a world of straight lines and boxy structures, curves can soften buildings. They bring femininity to dreary urban angles. And among natural rural, watery or mountainous settings, they can blend beautifully. But how about the reality of building them into everyday architecture? Apparently, they can be damn hard to build…
Difficult
Who wouldn’t love a curved wall of glass to take in a view, such as the one in this curvy home?
Kate Fitzpatrick of Auhaus Architecture, who likes to use curves in many of their buildings, told me her number one piece of advice on curves is: “Proceed with caution.”
“They are hard to make work and if done badly they can look terribly clunky,” she says.
Who wouldn’t love a curved wall of glass to take in a view, such as the one in this curvy home?
Kate Fitzpatrick of Auhaus Architecture, who likes to use curves in many of their buildings, told me her number one piece of advice on curves is: “Proceed with caution.”
“They are hard to make work and if done badly they can look terribly clunky,” she says.
Organic
“But if done well, they can be a fantastic sweeping gesture, enveloping space in a soft and organic way and moving you through spaces in a fluid manner,” Fitzpatrick says.
“But if done well, they can be a fantastic sweeping gesture, enveloping space in a soft and organic way and moving you through spaces in a fluid manner,” Fitzpatrick says.
“We love using curves, as we see them as a great way to soften a space,” says Christopher Glanville of C+M Studio, designers of this Sydney penthouse. “They have the ability, through their fluidity, to guide a person through a room or a building, gradually exposing new views, and revealing new spaces, completely unlike the sudden sharpness of a hard corner or a linear wall.”
Step inside this penthouse
Step inside this penthouse
Time-consuming
“A lot of builders prefer not to work with curves because they are fiddly and time-consuming to build,” says Fitzpatrick. “They also require an extra degree of craftsmanship to get a good result. There is virtually no tolerance in a curved wall,” says Glanville.
“A lot of builders prefer not to work with curves because they are fiddly and time-consuming to build,” says Fitzpatrick. “They also require an extra degree of craftsmanship to get a good result. There is virtually no tolerance in a curved wall,” says Glanville.
Expensive
Curves are therefore potentially more expensive to build than a 90 degree straight wall. But Fitzpatrick says an angled wall will also be more expensive.
“Basically, anything that is not standard will be more expensive, whether curved or angled.”
Curves are therefore potentially more expensive to build than a 90 degree straight wall. But Fitzpatrick says an angled wall will also be more expensive.
“Basically, anything that is not standard will be more expensive, whether curved or angled.”
The expense, according to Fitzpatrick, is mainly from the additional labour, rather than the materials, with curves and angles more difficult to set up and construct.
“The expense also depends on the builder’s willingness and expertise. If they are not keen on doing curves, they are likely to charge a lot more money to do it,” she says. “Since we work with builders and trades who enjoy working on our projects, the curves tend not to be significantly more expensive than straight walls.”
She advises working only with a builder who is keen to do something different. “Otherwise it is bound to be an uphill battle.”
“The expense also depends on the builder’s willingness and expertise. If they are not keen on doing curves, they are likely to charge a lot more money to do it,” she says. “Since we work with builders and trades who enjoy working on our projects, the curves tend not to be significantly more expensive than straight walls.”
She advises working only with a builder who is keen to do something different. “Otherwise it is bound to be an uphill battle.”
Materials matter
But while the cost is mainly due to the increased labour, there may also be more wastage in the materials, depending on how regular the curve is. “The cost differential really depends on the difficulty of the curve, the type of material you are using, and how readily that will go around the curve,” she says.
But while the cost is mainly due to the increased labour, there may also be more wastage in the materials, depending on how regular the curve is. “The cost differential really depends on the difficulty of the curve, the type of material you are using, and how readily that will go around the curve,” she says.
“In terms of materiality, I definitely think that some materials are much more conducive to being used in curves, which mean that when you see a curve done in an unlikely material, such as stone, it makes it all the more impressive, intriguing and engaging,” says Glanville.
Some materials take easier to curves than others, agrees Fitzpatrick, but it’s surprising what kind of curves you can achieve with concrete blockwork and bricks. “They come out a lot smoother than you might expect. So long as you are working with the right tradespeople,” she says.
Some materials take easier to curves than others, agrees Fitzpatrick, but it’s surprising what kind of curves you can achieve with concrete blockwork and bricks. “They come out a lot smoother than you might expect. So long as you are working with the right tradespeople,” she says.
“It all depends on the radius of the curve as to what materials will be appropriate to use,” adds Fitzpatrick.
Combined with angles
In this Auhaus designed home, they used a combination of curves and rectilinear spaces. “A lot of this was based on pragmatics – most of the internal rooms of the house are rectilinear to make the house easier to construct and furnish.”
When using curves on the outside, they can can be a reflection of the landscape. “Externally, they can work as a seam that pulls the building together,” says Fitzpatrick
See more of this house
In this Auhaus designed home, they used a combination of curves and rectilinear spaces. “A lot of this was based on pragmatics – most of the internal rooms of the house are rectilinear to make the house easier to construct and furnish.”
When using curves on the outside, they can can be a reflection of the landscape. “Externally, they can work as a seam that pulls the building together,” says Fitzpatrick
See more of this house
“We used symmetrical curves so the whole effect is very stylised – the house is quite formal in its overall geometry and this is to counterbalance the raggedly sculptural Moonah trees on site that we were playing against,” says Fitzpatrick. “The main thing here is that the parts read harmoniously – the curves need to feel purposefully designed into the space and match in with the overall style of the house.”
Curves can also be found in some individual joinery pieces in the same house, such as the kitchen bench.
“We like the spaces that curves create, the irregular rooms and pockets of space, plus they make you hyper aware of the space you are in,” says Fitzpatrick.
“We like the spaces that curves create, the irregular rooms and pockets of space, plus they make you hyper aware of the space you are in,” says Fitzpatrick.
Watch out
Fitzpatrick recommends staying closely involved with a project when curves are involved.
“That makes a big difference when you are working with curves. Often we produce templates at 1:1 for our builders to work off, to make things a bit easier on them,” she says.
Fitzpatrick recommends staying closely involved with a project when curves are involved.
“That makes a big difference when you are working with curves. Often we produce templates at 1:1 for our builders to work off, to make things a bit easier on them,” she says.
This sweeping curve of timber forms the central courtyard of another Auhaus designed home.
“Another thing we are always careful about is working within the parameters of our building materials. We know what diameters we need to work with depending on the material being used to clad or construct the curve,” says Fitzpatrick.
“Another thing we are always careful about is working within the parameters of our building materials. We know what diameters we need to work with depending on the material being used to clad or construct the curve,” says Fitzpatrick.
Curved roofs
In this home in the Scottish Hebrides, the main farmhouse was rebuilt in similar style to its previous life, while an add-on has been designed to feature a curved roof that reflects the gently sloping landscape and the agricultural buildings on the island.
In this home in the Scottish Hebrides, the main farmhouse was rebuilt in similar style to its previous life, while an add-on has been designed to feature a curved roof that reflects the gently sloping landscape and the agricultural buildings on the island.
The internal space of the same home is softened by the curved roof lines of the interior.
Step inside this home
Step inside this home
This Sydney Harbour home features curved copper cladding with rounded corners and a gentle roof line.
So, are they worth it?
All these photographs speak for themselves. Proceed with caution, if you have the budget, and count yourself lucky that you’re not a British schoolchild.
TELL US
Do you like architectural curves? Or do you think they sound like too much hard work? Let us know in the Comments.
MORE
How to Get Curves in All the Right Places
Why Womanly Curves Feel So Good
Rounded Architecture: There’s No Cutting Corners Here
Flights of Fancy: 15 Amazing Staircase Designs
All these photographs speak for themselves. Proceed with caution, if you have the budget, and count yourself lucky that you’re not a British schoolchild.
TELL US
Do you like architectural curves? Or do you think they sound like too much hard work? Let us know in the Comments.
MORE
How to Get Curves in All the Right Places
Why Womanly Curves Feel So Good
Rounded Architecture: There’s No Cutting Corners Here
Flights of Fancy: 15 Amazing Staircase Designs
A couple of years ago, the British government banned curves from any new school buildings. The Guardian newspaper reported: “…a government crackdown on what it believes is wasteful extravagance in educational architecture.”
The Education Minister told a conference, “We won’t be getting Richard Rogers to design your school, we won’t be getting any award-winning architects to design it, because no one in this room is here to make architects richer.”
Really, how dare the children of Britain expect to be taught in aesthetically pleasing schools… But seriously, I mention this because it shows how curves are seen as extravagant. They are over and above what is deemed necessary in a functional building.