Architects like curved building forms and so do we – such shapely spaces are dynamic and interesting to be in. However, curved floor plans make for challenging wayfinding. You just cannot stay oriented in a space without straight lines and right-angle corners. The same is true on curving city streets. Americans have grown up with orthogonal city plans and rectilinear buildings — without a grid-like layout plan, we get lost easily. Designers of curvy plans need to understand that signs and other ‘interventions’ may be needed to facilitate self-guiding and spatial understanding.
