The recurring pattern begins with a single unit
A pattern is a tool used to create or assemble something else. Guides, stencils, templates, and molds are all examples of patterns in design.
Clothing construction for instance relies upon patterns that act as templates for transferring shapes to fabric; the body is mapped out with these patterns which are then pieced together through a series of notations and diagrams as if constructing a three-dimensional puzzle.
Once transferred, the different parts of a garment are sewn together. Diagrams, models, and blueprints are also patterns, despite the fact that they may not be scaled to the final product. Architecture relies upon a series of drawings and models that include plan, section, elevation, and detail to convey information that is then translated and constructed into built form. Although a pattern can be a singular unit as demonstrated above, common usage of the term often connotes multiplicity and repetition. When we speak of patterns in this sense we are referencing repeating or recurring patterns.
Recurring patterns may be naturally occurring (a spiral within a shell), specifically designed with an agenda (a grid that organizes text or imagery), even behavioral (patterns of behavior, patterns of human settlement, and so on). What defines them as patterns is that they are organized in a fashion that is not arbitrary; that is, they somehow exhibit a consistent or characteristic uniformity. Two-dimensional patterns are common to graphic design, textiles, and wallpaper. William Morris of the Arts & Crafts movement helped define this highly patterned style through the design of his organic wallpaper patterns referencing natural forms.
The recurring pattern begins with a single unit (the original “pattern”) and repeats. The repeat, a term used for multiplying a single unit into a pattern, aims to proportionally balance the units when covering a larger area such as a wall. Taken a step further, the two-dimensional pattern can be translated into a three-dimensional form as can be found in the works of architect Louis Sullivan. Similar to the organic forms of Morris, Sullivan transforms organic imagery into three-dimensional terra-cotta tiles on the interior and exterior of buildings. Sullivan’s use of decorative tiles act as ornamental (Ornamentation) framing thresholds such as arches and doorways.
Depending upon the content and implementation of a pattern, it can act as purely ornamental, functional, or a mixture of both. The term “pattern” in design most often refers to applied use, that is, the direct application of a pattern to material in order to realize a final product. However, many designers depend on the analysis of recurring patterns within conceptual or behavioral frameworks as well. An urban planner (Urban Planning) for instance applies the term “pattern” when analyzing transportation such as pedestrian, mass transit, or vehicle movement. In this example, planners generate diagrams that rely upon time and observation in order to recognize the behavioral patterns being formed.