Rotational Symmetry | What it is and why we love it

If you went to architecture school, you may have had that professor that liked to take your drawings or cardboard models and flip them upside down. While it may have been insulting at first, the forced change of perspective often did result in unforeseen and hidden moments of inspiration. It's amazing how often the "flip” finds its way into our daily design process. "Rotational Symmetry" is one such flipping technique that is all around us. You’ll see it in graphic & logo design, industrial design, product design, and even the occasional building. Sometimes the solution is purely aesthetic and symbolic: think of the Yin & Yang symbol or the Recycling logo, each element wrapping around itself. Sometimes the solution is purely functional: think of the repeated blades of a wind turbine or the cogs of a gear. We find the notion of repeating a single component in a not-so-obvious way to create whole new forms, geometries, or spaces to be endlessly fascinating.

Examples of Rotational Symmetry in Architecture:

Symmetry and balance have been revered as architectural tenets for centuries, going back to Vitruvius’s Ten Books on Architecture circa 1st century Rome and before. When people say something has symmetry, they are usually referencing the use of an implied “Line of Symmetry” where each side of the object is a mirror to the other. Rotational symmetry goes one step further with repeating a form or mass around a fixed point. Intrigued by the notion of ‘complexity within simplicity’ and creating a measured dynamic, we studied historical precedents that inspired many of our recent designs.

DAYFIELD PARK

The design approach for Building B at Dayfield Park, a soon to be commercial destination in the award-winning Nexton Community, is rooted in strong massing, innovative detailing and creating an inspiring place to work and do business. The program included providing space for offices and retail tenants in a single story building while creating a unique and modern business park that engaged with adjacent green spaces and supported the current day work place expectations. The resulting design used rotational symmetry to leverage the square footprint by creating a central courtyard and through two overhead ‘thresholds’. The dynamic suggestion is amplified by angled walls and highly textured surfaces. Click here for more about the project.

RDA’S SUBMISSION FOR THE NORTH CHARLESTON FLAG

Earlier this year, the City of North Charleston launched a public design competition to select a new City flag. One of the symbols used in our submission was a reference to Park Circle (a derivative of a Garden City urban plan). By deconstructing the graphic and using rotational symmetry, we were able to invoke dynamics as if in rotating motion. Click here for more on our flag design.

CAMP HALL PARK PAVILION

Santee Cooper’s Camp Hall is a next generation commerce park where “people, nature and productivity connect.” With state-of-the-art manufacturing in a setting of vast natural beauty, the design concept of “Nature and the Machine” permeates the built environment. Like the vehicles and machines produced in Camp Hall, the Architecture is intended to embody precision, sleekness and innovation. The building forms are abstract interpretations of the patterns, colors, and figures found in nature. Specifically, the Park Pavilion uses rotational symmetry to create a subtle dynamic-ness of the roof planes. Click here for more on the project.

FIREFLY DISTILLERY GIFT SHOP FIXTURES

Part of our scope when we were designing Firefly Distillery’s new facility in North Charleston, SC was to carry the building’s design concepts to the gift shop merchandise fixtures. Using barrel lids, steel pipes, and rotational symmetry, a simple solution was created.

Judy Dixon Included in CRBJ's 2021 Architects Power List

This year’s statewide Architects Power List curated by the editorial board of the Charleston Regional Business Journal and SC Biz News includes our own Judy Dixon. In their words, “Our editorial team analyzed industry data and considered the individuals who demonstrated vision and action in serving their profession, as well as the professional excellence that commitment provides to our places of work and life.

After graduating from Virginia Tech in 1993 with a Bachelor in Architecture, Judy Dixon started her career a year later as an intern with SMHa, Inc., rising through the ranks to become a principal in the firm. She left the firm to join forces with her husband, first with Rush3 Product Design Studio and in 2014, she officially joined Rush Dixon Architects. Dixon has built a diverse portfolio, with projects that include the Daniel Island Recreation Center, Firefly Distillery and Santee Cooper’s Camp Hall Village. A registered architect in South Carolina, Dixon also is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design accredited professional by the U. S. Green Building Council. Throughout her career, she has served in a variety of leadership roles, including on the board of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce and as chair of Leadership Charleston. She also supports organizations including the ACE Mentors, Turn90, Fresh Future Farm and the Paul R. Williams Student Scholoarship. The latter honors the first licensed African-American member of the American Institute of Architects by supporting African-American architecture students.”

2021 ARCHITECTS POWER LIST HONOREES (in alphabetical order)

Robby Aull, SSOE | Stevens & Wilkinson

Louis P. Batson III, Batson Associates Inc.

Cindy Benjamin, LS3P

Joel Carter, Jumper Carter Sease Architects

Keith M. Clarke, MCA Architecture Inc.

Judy Dixon, Rush Dixon Architects

Douglas E. Fraser, JHS Architecture

Scott Garvin, Garvin Design Group

Myles Glick, Glick Boehm and Associates

Tara B. Hile, SHLTR Architects, Inc.

Scott Johnston, Johnston Design Group

C. Dinos Liollio, Liollio Architecture

Margie Longshore, SMHa, Inc.

Marc Marchant, LS3P

Heather Mitchell, Boudreaux

Doug Quackenbush, Quackenbush Architecture

Ron Smith, McMillan Pazdan Smith

Michael W. Spivey, Spivey Architects Inc.

Gable Stubbs, SGA | NarmourWright Design

J. Michael Taylor, DP3 Architects Ltd.

Marc Warren, Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood

Edward T. Zeigler Jr., Craig Gaulden Davis, Inc.


Camp Hall Village Park Pavilions

It’s coming up on two years since Rush Dixon Architects was selected as the architect and designer for Santee Cooper’s Camp Hall Village Center; since then we have helped imagine the masterplan layout, phasing approach and concept architecture for the future buildings of this “next generation commerce park.” The overarching design concept of “Nature + Machine” marries the manufacturing nature of Camp Hall’s partners (looking at your Volvo SC) with the surrounding natural preserves.

With state-of-the-art manufacturing in a setting of vast natural beauty, the design concept of “Nature and the Machine” permeates the built environment. Like the vehicles and machines produced in Camp Hall, the Architecture is intended to embody precision, sleekness, and innovation.

With bird protection and awareness as a major focus for Camp Hall, the Architecture likewise found its inspiration.  The building forms are abstract interpretations of the patterns, colors, and figures found in native species. The “Avian Pavilion” hovers over the lake greeting visitors with outspread wings,  encouraging visitors to take refuge from the sun, birdwatch, and learn more about Camp Hall’s mission. [Camp Hall website]

Click here for a video prepare by Seamon Whiteside capturing our building designs for the village center: https://youtu.be/utZ-tb50I-Q

Main Park Pavilion Rendering

Main Park Pavilion Rendering

The first structures out of the ground will be open-air pavilions located in the Camp Hall Village park. The programmatic function is to provide gathering areas, places for viewing passive play areas as well as recreational courts and fields. The architectural design language will be established in this first phase through sculptural forms articulated with geometric framework and clad in a manner that harkens to patterns found in nature. The park pavilions act as pieces of sculpture in the landscape. Origami was also an influence as demonstrated in the Main Park Pavilion ‘folded’ roof form. Collaborators ADC Engineering (structural engineering), DWG Engineering (electrical engineering), Seamon Whiteside (landscape architecture) and Choate Construction (general contractor) have proven once again to be great company to keep in bringing the first structures to life. Stay tuned for construction updates and future events.

Main Park Concept Sketch

Main Park Concept Sketch

Several shade structures will be placed throughout the park for passive play area and recreation activity viewing.

Several shade structures will be placed throughout the park for passive play area and recreation activity viewing.

Early concept for the main park pavilion

Early concept for the main park pavilion