Fibonacci Inspired Design For British National Wildflower Center

You might not intuitively associate wildflowers with mathematics, but as Ian Simpson Architects proves, the relationship between the two can inspire beautiful architecture. The architecture firm was part of the winning team in an open, international design competition to design the addition to an existing building at the British National Wildflower Center. The addition is meant to offer additional space for educational purposes, conferences, and seed production. In Ian Simpson’s winning design, a Fibonacci spiral sits slightly offset from beds of wildflowers, a metaphorical embrace of the mathematical patterns found in nature.

The design, according to Grant Luscombe, Chief Executive of Landlife, was also the public’s favorite design — a tribute to its ability to appeal to the public’s sensibility of beauty while also drawing from basic mathematical principles. Luscombe also said about the design: ”Entering the ‘flower head’ structure will be an inspirational experience by demonstrating how artists, architects and engineers over the centuries have used the simple angles and numerical sequences found in wildflowers.”