Shape Grammars: A Revolutionary Approach to Generative Design

Jannis Maroscheck's Award-Winning Exploration of Mass-Produced Uniqueness

Maroscheck's inspiration for 'Shape Grammars' stems from the linguistic theories of Noam Chomsky, who sought to formalize languages that obey certain rules. In a similar vein, Maroscheck has attempted to create a formalized system for graphical designs. His aim was to cover a broad spectrum of geometric principles, a feat that he acknowledges could never be fully completed, but was worth striving for.

What sets 'Shape Grammars' apart is its unique approach to mass production. Maroscheck designed and programmed 12 production systems capable of generating an unlimited number of individual graphic shapes. The result is a designer's handbook that showcases the potential and limitations of generative design. The book, containing over 150,000 generated shapes, is a testament to the endless possibilities of graphic design.

The book itself was produced using custom generative software, a testament to Maroscheck's commitment to his craft. This 836-page soft-bound catalogue is designed to be a practical tool for designers, balancing ample space for showcasing shapes with a handy size for desk work. Its weight and thickness are a physical representation of the vast collection of shapes waiting to be discovered and used as inspiration.

The development of 'Shape Grammars' began in Wuerzburg in October 2019, was completed in Tokyo, and published by Slanted Publishers, Karlsruhe in July 2020. The project involved extensive research, including the collection, categorization, and reverse-engineering of graphic shapes and systems. Maroscheck translated a wide range of geometrical principles for shape generation into machine-readable code and developed layout and sorting programs.

Overcoming the challenge of creating simple rule sets capable of generating a high variety of shapes was a significant part of the project. Maroscheck's rules had to be easily understood and make use of core geometrical principles without detailed decorations. The result is a systematic catalog, a dictionary of shapes for browsing forms and their formulas, demonstrating the nature of infinite graphic variation through automated design.

'Shape Grammars' was awarded the Golden A' Generative, Algorithmic, Parametric and AI-Assisted Design Award in 2022, a testament to its groundbreaking nature. This award is granted to outstanding creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom, advance art, science, design, and technology, and significantly impact the world with their desirable characteristics.