Thinking Tools after Nature

Thinking Tools after Nature provides a simple introduction to the design rules of Nature.  It continues and and extends the ideas outlined in earlier publications and is described by the author as one of his best.

Seemingly unrelated natural objects often have similar shapes and contours and Mattheck describes how the underlying universal shapes can be ‘…constructed with simple geometrical methods ..’

Utilising three ‘thinking’ tools, viz. shear quadrangles, tension triangles, and force cones, he demonstrates how these tools are sufficient to analyze natural and engineered structures and without the use of a computer or formulaic methods. He also shows how using simple shape optimization in the design process can help prevent component failure. As an example, this universal shape explains the behavior of trees in a way that was unimaginable in the past and helps to identify the causes of damage.

The book should prove of interest to anyone involved in practical design projects at any level, across a range of disciplines, as well as to the author’s following in the arboriculture world.