Curves are not a new concept in design: soffits and walls, arches and domes, turrets and barrel vaults—they all have been around for centuries because architects recognize that curves bring a sense of quality and luxury to a design. Curves are used to soften a space, move people through an area, decrease the harsh straight forms of a structure and throw in a sense of playfulness.
“I think that the No. 1 concept that an architect needs to embrace when designing with curves is that curves can solve problems while creating dynamic space. I fit a pediatrician’s office into a 900-square-foot rectangular space with an odd length-to-width ratio by utilizing curved walls. I could not have met the accessibility requirement, fit the program and made the space pleasing for children without curves,” says David Businelli, a chief executive with Studio 16 in Staten Island, N.Y., and a past president of both AIA New York State and AIA Staten Island.