Repetition

 Repetition can be one of the most boring aspects of architecture, especially where one finds whole districts of the same design and the same treatment for each unit within these identical buildings. Some of the housing estates built in the UK and USA in the mid to late twentieth centuries are sad examples, the most notorious of which was Pruitt-Igoe in St Louis, which was imploded just 21 years after it was built, because it had degenerated into a slum. Its fate was attributed mainly to the bland and repetitive environment that had been created in this housing estate, lacking in interest and identity.

Pruitt-Igoe before demolition
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But repetition has not always had this reputation - in many ancient cultures around the world, it has been used as the highpoint of architectural expression, often reserved to express prestige or perfection, such as the Ancient Greek temple. Here, the identical column design is repeated on all four sides of the building.

The Parthenon, Athens
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In the early Modernist buildings of Johannesburg, one often finds a very well-crafted use of repetition, especially in apartment blocks. The regularity imposed by the use of a structural grid of concrete columns and beams is expressed on the outside of the building, with each floor repeated using the same window arrangement on every level above the ground floor. However, this is offset by the use of a variety of windows within each apartment, in the better examples being expressive of the function of each of the spaces behind the facade. Bathrooms are given tiny windows, kitchens expressed with horizontal strip windows to maximise wall space for cupboards, and bedrooms and living rooms with large windows or french doors, sometimes with the bonus of a balcony.

A lively facade to a Modernist building in Johannesburg

The vertical repetition in this example is balanced by the variety in treatment of the windows in the horizontal direction. The pop-out balconies also help to enliven the facade. This combination of diversity and regularity makes for a very satisfying composition, a lesson we can apply to interiors as well.

Often the simplest things can be elevated to a real design statement through the use of repetition: some off-the-peg picture frames or some hand-woven baskets can be used as an accent or a central feature in a room if repeated. With these baskets, I specially chose out three of identical size and edge treatment, yet with diverse patterns. Arranging them vertically also adds to the interest, perfectly aligned so that they read as a single composition.

Hand-woven baskets in my kitchen

Vertical repetition often gives quite a lively effect, while horizontal tends to be more associated with calm. In my livingroom, I wanted to echo the strong horizontality of the couch, but was looking for more interest than would be achieved with a single wide picture or large artefact. Also, by repeating the picture frame and keeping to ink drawings, the four pictures read as a unit, and balance the much larger pictures on either side.

The four small pictures read as a unit with identical frames and regular spacing.

For this kind of composition to be successful, one needs to be very precise with the layout - for a horizontal arrangement, all the elements need to be at exactly the same height, and the spacing between them needs to be identical. I find a measuring tape and a spirit level are essential - even though your guests may not notice the care and precision that went into your composition, a less careful approach can look amateurish and even visually disturbing. 

Repetition is an inexpensive way of expressing intentionality in design - even the simplest and most utilitarian of objects can be used in this simple way to give focus to a space.