8 Repetition and variation

The essence of the problem is the repetition and variation which must be present to make a floor or ceiling successful. Similar elements must be repeated — the repetition however, must be subtle, so that, without exaggerating one may almost say that among the 400,000 pieces, no two pieces are the same; the same size, shape, and color will never repeat.
And this uniqueness of the parts cannot be phony. The adaptation must be specific. We are not talking about a stochastic trick in which random variation crates an illusion of variety and repetition. We are talking about the real thing, as in nature, as in the scales of a fish, or the leaves on a tree. Each similar piece is to be generated, with the appropriate variation, to make it fit just where it belongs, with the particular size, shape, color, edges, and design needed so that each part takes its place in a harmonious and well-constructed, seamless whole.

Slowly, the machine age, coupled with handcraft and with computers, reaches a new promise. The beautiful balance of endless repetition and endless variation, typical in almost all of nature, and typical of the greatest of the ancient artifacts, may be coming within our grasp once again.

#book/The Nature of Order/3 A Vision of a Living World/17 The production of giant projects#