Fractal design core 3300 review: Fractal Design Core 3300 Review

Fractal Design Core 3300 Review

Written by

Matthew Lambert

August 1, 2014 | 13:42

Tags: #atx #best-budget-chassis #budget-chassis

Companies: #fractal #fractal-design

1 — Fractal Design Core 3300 Review2 — Fractal Design Core 3300 Review — Interior3 — Fractal Design Core 3300 Review — Cooling Performance4 — Fractal Design Core 3300 Review — Performance Analysis and Conclusion

Fractal Design Core 3300 Review

Manufacturer: Fractal Design
UK price (as reviewed):£55.01 (inc VAT)
US price (as reviewed):$69.99 (ex Tax)

Fractal Design has a strong presence in the mid-range case market, with both its Define and Arc series of chassis typically being well-received. However, it’s made less of an impact in the budget space. At least until recently, that is, because as we reported at Computex, Fractal has just completed a massive expansion of its Core series of cases, splitting it into the X3 and X5 lines. The one with us today is the Core 3300, the wide body ATX model of the lower spec X3 series, which also covers the Core 1300 (micro-ATX) and Core 2300 (mid-tower ATX).

Click to enlarge

Initial impressions are very good – it’s difficult to tell that this is a budget chassis from the exterior build quality. Admittedly, £55 is pushing the limits of what can be called a budget chassis, but even so the craftsmanship and construction of the steel and plastic is pleasing with this price in mind.

The front of the Core 3300 is covered in solid plastic with a brushed metal effect. You can push it in fairly easily if you apply pressure, but it’s not creaky or flimsy. There are two intake vents, one down either side of the front panel, and both are backed by foam dust filtering material. This can be cleaned, but you’ll have to pull the entire front panel off to do so. Thankfully, this only requires a firm tug, and the panel comes cleanly away – you’ll also need to do this to utilise the pair of optical drive bays.

Click to enlarge

The front I/O panel is equipped with the usual connections, including dual USB 3 ports, and the connections and buttons all face upwards, it’s a chassis best suited to sitting below you. There’s no fan control, but that’s permissible at this price point. One slight slip in quality, however, is the plastic pair of buttons for power and reset, as they feel hollow and tacky.

Cooling is taken care of by two 140mm Silent Series R2 fans. You’ll find one acting as an intake in the top front intake mount, and the second in the rear exhaust position. If you want to add more fans, you have numerous options, as there are five additional 140mm/120mm fan mounts, with the bottom, roof and side all catered for.

Click to enlarge

The case stands on plastic rather than rubber feet, but it’s weighty enough that with a system inside it shouldn’t move around too much. The bottom of the Core 3300 also hosts a slide out dust filter for the PSU and lower fan mount, although as with many cases this can be tricky to accurately replace without first having to tilt the case or lay it on one side.

Specifications

Dimensions (mm) 233 x 517 x 451 (W x D x H)
Material Steel, plastic
Available colours Black
Weight 7.8kg
Front panel Power, reset, 2 x USB 3, stereo, microphone
Drive bays 2 x external 5.25in, 3 x internal 3.5in, 5 x internal 2.5in
Form factor(s) HPTX, E-ATX, XL-ATX, ATX, micro-ATX, mini-ITX
Cooling 2 x 140mm/120mm front fan mounts (1 x 140mm fans included), 1 x 140mm/120mm rear fan mount (140mm fan included), 2 x 140mm/120mm roof fan mounts, 1 x 140mm/120mm bottom fan mount, 1 x 140mm/120mm left side fan mount (fans not included)
CPU cooler clearance 185mm
Maximum graphics card length 430mm (255mm with HDDs installed)
Extras Removable dust filter

Fractal Design Core 3300 Review (Page 1 of 4)

By: Aaron Lai
September 19, 2014

If you take a look at your family, you will find you look quite a bit like your fellow kin. Now, for those who have studied basic biology or anything related to the subject will know genetics plays a role in the features we have. Thus if two people are born from the same parents, they will share similar features. From eye and hair color, to attached and detached ear lobes, genetics affect how you and your descendants will look like. For example, I find it kind of odd when people tell me I look like my sister, despite the fact I know I look nothing like my sister. Yet I once saw a picture my friend took where both my sister and I had the exact same facial expression. It was eerily similar, especially since neither my sister nor I expected him to have taken that photograph. On the other hand, it is not just genes, as environmental factors play a big role, too. Whether it is the geographical location, diet, or the media you are exposed to, these all play a part in shaping your appearances. These factors may take a bit longer to create parallels, especially since it takes people time to adapt to their surroundings. However, you can make this observation with married couples after a few years of living together. Even though they may have no blood connection, they start looking more and more like each other, because they are living in the same environment and exposed to similar external factors. What does this have to do with our review of the Fractal Design Core 3300? Fractal Design’s most popular case is probably the Define R4, especially with its clean looks and excellent features. So when Fractal Design refreshed their budget-end Core series, I could only wonder if there would be any similar features between this and the higher end Define R4. There was a lot to like about the Fractal Design R4, so can we expect the same thing from the Core 3300? Is there any family resemblance between these two Scandinavian cases? Let’s read on to find out!

Our review unit of the Fractal Design Core 3300 arrived directly from Fractal Design’s Swedish headquarters in Askim. You readers might be thinking, «Hey, let’s Askim about Sweden!», but the only thing I know are the hockey players that have hailed from there. From seven time Norris Trophy winning Nicklas Lidstrom, to the standout goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, to the power forward Mats Sundin, I can easily say Sweden produces great players all around. Of course, you might also think about the Sedin twins, but since they are on the Vancouver Canucks, I refuse to mention anything about them. Arriving via UPS Standard, the Core 3300 was actually shipped in a secondary box labeled «Manufactured in Sweden». Opening up this box revealed the actual retail box of the Fractal Design Core 3300. Both of these boxes did not have much observable damage, and thus I can say UPS Standard did a great job in shipping a box more than 6900 kilometers or over 4000 miles without any problems. Much like their cousin, the Design R4, this box is a standard corrugated cardboard box, with black printing on the outside. This is not the flashiest of chassis retail boxes, but I am pretty sure more people are interested with the internal contents. A few diagrams of the case are printed on the box, but otherwise it is a plain old container.

Grabbing the nearest pair of scissors, I cut through the top layer of packing tape, and opened up the case. The Fractal Design Core 3300 was wrapped in a large transparent plastic bag, and wedged between two large Styrofoam fittings. The large brackets are good at absorbing shocks, experienced when shipping or moving the case in the retail box. The plastic bag is also adequate at ensuring there will be less surface scratches or marks. Both of these protective measures were good to see, showing Fractal Design is concerned about protecting their products. The Fractal Design Core 3300 comes exclusively in black, which is expected of a case in this price range. Along with the case, there is a user manual, as well as an advertisement for Func computer peripherals. On first impression, I can tell the Core 3300 is actually quite a bit different from the Fractal Design cases we have seen from the past, but simplicity is still king here. I will cover more of this in detail later.

Before I do, let’s take a peek at the specifications of the Fractal Design Core 3300, as obtained from the manufacturer’s website:

Key features
— A Wide Body mid tower case with bottom-mounted PSU, designed for exceptional airflow and cooling.
— Brushed aluminum-look front panel with a sleek, three-dimensional textured finish
— Superior water cooling support, supporting one 240/280mm radiator in the front and a 240mm radiator in the top
— Featuring a 140mm rear exhaust fan for optimal cooling
— Total 7 fan slots with two Silent Series R2 140mm fans included
— Smart cable management with 22mm of space behind the motherboard plate for clean installations
— Supports extremely tall tower CPU coolers, up to 185mm in height
— Multiple easy-to-clean dust filters designed into the case to help maintain a dust free interior
— Innovative vertical HDD bracket, which simultaneously holds three 3.5″ drives and three 2.5″ drives
— Two additional SSD positions behind the motherboard plate

Specifications
— ATX, E-ATX (up to 295 mm wide) Micro ATX, Mini ITX motherboard compatibility
— 2 drive bays of 5,25″
— 3 bays 3.5″- all compatible with SSDs
— 2 -2.5″ dedicated SSD unit position
— 7 expansion slots
— Support Graphics cards up to 430mm. One or more 3.5″ hard drives may interfere with side-mounted power connectors on graphics cards longer than 255 mm
— Support cooling system: 7 — Fan positions (2 Silent Series R2 fans included)
— Filtered fan slots in front and bottom
— CPU coolers up to 185 mm in height
— ATX PSUs up to 170 mm deep when using the bottom fan location for a 140mm fan; when not using this fan location longer PSUs can be used
— 22 mm of space for cable routing behind the motherboard plate
— Available in Black
— Case dimensions (WxHxD):233 x 451 x 517mm
— Net weight: 7.8 kg
— Package dimensions (WxHxD): 322 x 625 x 540mm
— Package weight: 9.3 kg

Cooling system
— Front: 2 — 120/140mm fans (included is 1 hydraulic bearing 140mm Silent Series R2 fan, 1000 RPM speed)
— Rear: 1 — 120/140mm fan (included is 1 hydraulic bearing 140mm Silent Series R2 fan, 1000 RPM speed)
— Top: 2 — 120/140mm fan (not included)
— Bottom: 1 — 120/140mm fan (not included, PSU length limits apply)
— Side: 1 — 120/140mm fan (not included)

Water Cooling compatibility
— Front –30mm thick 240 or 280mm radiator: 15mm fan spacing required for full fastening, radiators with 20mm fan spacing can be used with only the top half fastened to the case. (radiators of any thickness may be used if all 3.5″ positions are empty)
— Top – 30mm thick 240mm radiator (with no components on the upper 11 mm on the motherboard that are taller than 38mm)
— Top – 30mm thick 280mm radiator with slim fans
— Rear – 120/140 mm radiator

Front interface
— 2 — USB 3.0
— Audio in/out
— Power button with LED (white)
— HDD activity LED (white)
— Reset button

Package contents
— Core 3300 computer case
— Accessory box
— User manual

Additional information
— EAN:7350041081968
— UPC: 817301011969
— Product code: FD-CA-CORE-3300-BL

Page Index

1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look — Outside
3. Physical Look — Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion

The possibilities of using fractal geometry in interior design

The level of stress in the life of a modern person is steadily increasing.

This is facilitated both by the ever-increasing pace of life and fierce competition in the wild conditions of a capitalist society, as well as the habitat itself, created in accordance with the stereotypes of a hundred years ago.

People are still stuffed into boxes, guided not even by economic efficiency, but by habit (because, say, less material would be spent on honeycomb structures than on rectangular ones). Therefore, the only outlet in the life of modern man is nature (which, nevertheless, suffers from exploitation by capitalist corporations no less than the oppressed masses of people, especially in Asia, Africa and South America).

The shapes of most natural objects, such as trees, rocks, clouds, water ripples, coastline contours, etc., are fractals. Back in the 70s of the last century, the French scientist Benoit Mandelbrot discovered a new branch of mathematics, which he called fractal geometry. A simple definition of a fractal, given by Mandelbrot in the book «The Fractal Geometry of Nature», is as follows: «A fractal is a structure consisting of parts that are in some sense similar to the whole» [1]. The main properties of most fractal objects are self-similarity and fractional dimension (according to Hausdorff). The surface of a three-dimensional fractal is not smooth, covered with bumps and depressions, as if broken (hence the name — fractus in Latin — «broken»).

In architecture for thousands of years, since the time of the Egyptian pyramids, the principles of Euclidean geometry reigned supreme. The shapes of the buildings for the most part contrasted with the natural surroundings; recurring images of «ideal» geometric bodies: cubes, pyramids, cylinders and hemispheres — symbolized the triumph of the human mind and will over inert and chaotic matter. Fractal elements appeared in architecture only in certain eras; for example, Mandelbrot himself noted the “fractality” of some Baroque buildings [1].

The era of modernism cleared the simple Euclidean forms of buildings from the last remnants of decor and «unnecessary complications», which was most clearly manifested in the architecture of the Bauhaus masters — Walter Gropius and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. They also reduced the functional program of the project to a clear algorithm, following which it is possible to significantly simplify the three-dimensional structure of the building, in the case of Mies van der Rohe, even bring it to the limit of minimalism (just as Kazimir Malevich reached the limit of simplifying the pictorial image in the case of Black square»): the «universal space» of the glass cuboid, the Farnsworth House as an example on a small scale, and Crown Hall on a large scale.

The Farnsworth House by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. 1945-1951

The ingenious pioneers of the new language of architecture, unfortunately, left behind a crowd of imitators and the principles of modern mass building (minimalism is also attractive for its cost-effectiveness, especially when using prefabricated structures and cheap materials). Thanks to the latter, the environment of our homes and cities is replete with smooth surfaces and right angles, creating “aggressive visual fields” [2] that increase the already high level of stress for urban residents.

Photo collage from the BRICs series. Moscow. Southwestern district. © Marcus Lyon

The use of fractal geometry in architectural design will help to create a favorable living environment in cities, approaching the natural environment in its qualities. So far, architectural fractals are very rare and are often part of an aesthetic concept, but not driven by functional requirements. An example is the projects of Peter Eisenman [3]. In the structure of the building of the Student Dormitory of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, designed by Stephen Hall, there is already an attempt to functionally justify the use of fractal geometry (specifically, the Menger sponge): small cells correspond to residential units, larger ones to public spaces. Among the newest examples of architectural fractals are the designs of John Brevard [4].

© John Brevard Project. Architecture by John Brevard

Fractals are still hardly used in interior design. The only exception is decorative elements: posters, photo wallpapers, 3D panels and other parts of decoration with fractal patterns. It should be noted that they are becoming increasingly popular, both in the West and in our country (in particular, N. K. Trubochkina at the Center for Fractal Art at the MIEM HSE Center is engaged in fractal decoration of interiors, as well as objects of industrial design) [5] . Fractal frescoes, tapestries and stained glass windows are designed using specialized software for generating color images of fractals [6].

Fractal interior. Trubochkina, N. K. Texturing small and large architectural forms with fractal images

As for fractal shaping in design, in particular, furniture and equipment, there are very few examples here. In particular, the same designer John Brevard designed the Menger Chair in stainless steel with dimensions of 42″ in height, 15.9″ in length and width. The design of the limited edition chair was inspired by the Menger Sponge, a fractal object that has infinite surface area and no volume [7].

Menger Chair. © The John Brevard Project (Brevard, J)

Another designer, Takeshi Miyakawa, came up with the idea for the Fractal 23 nightstand. cube» [8]. When the front of the cube is designed, depending on how the space inside is divided, there are voids that can only be accessed from the back [8]. The completed object has self-similar elements, like most fractals.

Fractal bedside table, Fractal 23 by © Takeshi Miyakawa

Designers from the German design bureau WertelOberfell have developed a fractal design for the Fractal.MGX table, printed on a 3D printer. The authors of the project note that “Fractal.MGX is the result of research on fractal growth structures that can be found in nature, and which can be described using mathematical algorithms. By definition, a fractal is a fragmented geometric shape that can be divided into parts, each of which is (at least approximately) a reduced size copy of the whole, a property called self-similarity. Our passion as designers lies in the cultivating and organic nature of objects, as well as in its structured and mathematical quality. Both in size and complexity, Fractal Table pushes the manufacturing process to its limits» [9].

Fractal table made by Materialize as a single piece printed with epoxy resin. The tree-like stems grow into smaller and smaller branches until they become very dense towards the apex to form a quasi-surface. The structure starts completely disorganized from below and gradually progresses until it ends with a regular grid, thus, there is a transition from an approximate fractal to a fractal with exact self-similarity [9]. To achieve this result, various CAD programs were used, both for modeling with NURBS curves and from polygons. Fractal.MGX is the next step in the evolution of the Fractal Table, which was presented to the public at an exhibition in Milan 2008. The new version of the table is more focused on functional needs such as stability and ease of use.

Fractal.MGX table design. ©WertelOberfell

Ornamented Columns, the work of Michael Hansmeier, a Swiss architect and programmer, «who used algorithms and analysis of division processes to create new forms with unique ornamentation» [10] also gained great fame. The starting point was a Doric column processed in a 3D editor, resulting in a structure with a specific pattern. According to Michael Hansmeier, “The initial prototype was made from cardboard and had a wooden core. New prototypes do not have a core, so they are fully loaded. Since the new prototypes are made of ABS plastic, they can also be used in the exterior” [11].

Ornamented Columns © Michael Hansmeier. Michael Hansmeyer

Interestingly, 3D printing of models exported from the Mandelbulb3D program, which allows you to work with 3D fractals, is becoming more and more popular (there are also many animated videos made in this program available on the Internet; some of them even received awards at animation festivals). So far, the photos of the samples do not allow us to talk about any functionality, since the above program is just a fractal generation tool, not computer-aided design.

So far, few studies have been devoted to the prospects of fractal design. In particular, Dr. Rania Mosaad Saad offers in his article options for using fractal forms in furniture and interior design projects [12]. These objects contain samples of fractals such as the Sierpinski triangle, the Koch curve, the Apollonian net, various spiral structures, as well as self-similar constructions of parallelepipeds, reminiscent of Kazimir Malevich’s architectons. On the other hand, a group of scientists from the Federal Polytechnic School in Lausanne is experimenting with fractal structures: branched supports and folded shells [13].

In general, the use of fractal geometry in interior design is justified as a continuation and expansion of the spatial, functional and constructive structure of the building. Otherwise, the role of fractals can be reduced to banal decoration. Individual fractal pieces of furniture, like the Fractal Table, look like alien objects in a traditional setting and do not fit into most design trends. They demand for themselves a new architecture based on other design principles than modernism or postmodernism, not to mention the classics. And the basis of the architectural design of the future will be precisely fractal geometry, as a link between the world of natural forms and human creations.

It should be noted that from a functional point of view, the structure of the artificial human environment has the property of self-similarity: the organization scheme of a living cell with its family-wide, personal, communication and technical spaces is similar to the scheme of a residential complex or even a city with their public and residential areas, as well as communications . The scale changes, flows and functional blocks are differentiated, but the structural organization must remain similar so that the connectivity of the urban fabric is not lost. For several years, the author of this article has been developing experimental projects of such scale-invariant building structures using modern BIM modeling software tools [14]. It is planned to involve parametric design programs in the design process, which have an advantage over fractal generators, which do not allow controlling each stage of the complication of the shape of an object. The fractalization of the environment can be brought to the level of interior details: shelving structures, lighting systems, built-in furniture, etc. Modern technologies make it possible to produce living cells with equipment in factories, like cars, and standardization will only affect individual functional modules, but the number of their combinations will tend to to infinity. The living environment will become more individualized, without the monotony that now so oppresses the human psyche in the perception of mass development and typical interiors with standard finishes. Fractal design will make architecture more humane and open to people’s co-creation.

Bibliographic list.

1. Mandelbrot, B. Fractal geometry of nature / B. Mandelbrot. — M.: Institute of Computer Research, 2002. — 656 p., ill.
2. Visual aggression of a modern city [Electronic resource] // ECONET — URL: (date of access: 29.06.18)
3. Airapetov, A. A. Problems of application of fractal theory in architecture / A. A. Airapetov // Questions of the theory of architecture. Architectural and Theoretical Thought of New and Modern Times / Ed. I. A. Azizyan. — M.: KomKniga, 2006. — S. 305-320
4. Brevard, J. Architecture [Electronic resource] // John Brevard — URL: (date of access: 06/29/18)
5. Trubochkina, N. K. Texturing of small and large architectural forms with fractal images [Electronic resource] / N. K. Trubochkina // Higher School of Economics — URL: (date of access: 06/29/18)
6. Trubochkina, N. K. Fractal studies: from fractal painting to industrial design [Electronic resource] / N. K. Trubochkina // Nadin Design — URL: (date of access: 29.06.18)
7. Brevard, J. Menger Chair [Electronic resource] // John Brevard — URL: (date of access: 06/29/18)
8. Fractal 23 by Takeshi Miyakawa [Electronic resource] // Yatzer — URL: (date of access: 06/29/18)
9. Fractal.MGX for MGX by Materialize [Electronic resource] // WertelOberfell — URL: (date of access: 06/29/18)
10. Luchko, A. 13 interior objects inspired by mathematics [Electronic resource] / A. Luchko // LOOK AT ME — URL: (accessed: 29.06.18)
11. Ornamented Columns by Michael Hansmeyer [Electronic resource] // Yatzer — URL: (date of access: 06/29/18)
12. Saad, R. M. Furniture design inspired from fractals [Electronic resource] / Dr. Rania Mosaad Saad // Faa-design: (date of access: 06/29/18)
13. Buser, P. Fractal Geometry and its applications in the field of construction [Electronic resource] / Prof. P. Buser, Dr. E. Tosan, Prof. Y. Weinand // ÉCOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FÉDÉRALE DE LAUSANNE EPFL: (Accessed: 29. 06.18)
14. Lobanov E. Yu. Application of fractal geometry in environmental design and urban planning // TIME OF DESIGN. Materials of scientific conference. — St. Petersburg: publishing house OTRO «Saint Petersburg Union of Designers», 2016. — p. 121-128.

Text: © Evgeny Lobanov. Associate Professor, Department of Equipment Design in Environmental Objects, St. Petersburg State University of Applied Engineering. 2020

Contemplation of the great fractal likeness / Sudo Null IT News

Fractals are not just a beautiful natural phenomenon. According to studies, viewing fractal structures increases stress resistance by 60%, measured on the basis of physiological indicators. When contemplating fractals in the frontal cortex of the brain, the activity of alpha waves increases in just one minute — as during meditation or when feeling a little sleepy.

It is not surprising that fractal biodesign has a calming effect on a person. We like to look at the clouds, at the flames in the fireplace, at the foliage in the park… How does it work? Scientists suggest that the natural course of the search movements of our eyes is fractal. When the dimensions of the trajectory of eye movement and the fractal object coincide, we fall into a state of physiological resonance, due to which the activity of certain parts of the brain is activated.

But not all fractals are equally useful. In this article, we will talk about the fractal dimension and its impact on health.

Biofractals

(c)

Examples of fractals in nature are found everywhere: from shells to pine cones. Each fractal has a mathematical dimension D. For humans, fractals with a dimension of 1.3-1.5 are most useful, and most fractal objects created by nature have exactly this dimension. And the human eye is aesthetically «tuned» to the perception of just such fractals found in nature.

(c)

Trees are an excellent example of fractals in nature. Fractals can be found at every level of the forest ecosystem, from seeds and pine cones to branches and leaves. The illustration above depicts «shy crown» — a phenomenon where the crowns of trees do not touch, forming local areas of the forest canopy.

From a biological point of view, this arrangement of crowns is due to natural selection — the leaves are located as far apart as possible to maximize access to resources, especially sunlight for photosynthesis.

(c)

Italian Romanesco cabbage is ultra-efficiently designed to maximize exposure to sunlight and transport nutrients throughout the plant’s cellular structure.

(c)

However, the dimension of this cabbage is 2.66. In general, fractional dimension is a key feature of fractals. Moreover, most of them are in the plane between the line (dimension 1) and the two-dimensional surface (dimension 2). The higher the index, the greater the movement towards three-dimensional objects (dimension 3).

Computer games

Three-dimensional fractals are one of the rarest in nature. It is much easier to meet them in virtual reality. For example, in the game Marble Marcher, a unique arcade game where you need to roll a ball to a target in a space created by a single comprehensive algorithm. Almost everything that you will see in the game is not created by designers, but by pure mathematics.

Yedoma Globula is a custom 3D sandbox game where you can explore procedurally generated fractal landscapes.

Fractal formulas can be used in computer graphics to create realistic mountains, rivers, forests and clouds. Everything went much further: in addition to the visual component, fractal similarity is used in the system-forming part of the gameplay. There are actually no NPC characters. You can start the game as a pig that roams the green slopes and encounters an oak, and then become an oak that goes on a journey of its own.

Gadgets

(c)

Fractals can be used as «something useful» not only in computer games or for relaxation. It was fractals that suggested a way to reduce the size of antennas for cell phones. Fractal geometry expands the ability to create new, more practical devices.

Fractals are now used in the new generation of satellite communications, IoT devices and other projects for receiving, transmitting and converting radio waves.

Architecture

()

Fractals can be used even unconsciously. The photo above shows a fragment of the dome of an Iranian mosque. And here you will find many photos of the ceilings of schools, cultural and religious buildings in Iran, which show incredibly complex fractal reliefs and mosaics decorating exquisite architectural elements.

(c)

The Devi Jagadambi Temple in Khajuraho is an excellent example of fractal architecture. Indian and many other temples in Southeast Asia have a fractal structure: the main tower is surrounded by smaller towers, which in turn are surrounded by even smaller towers. And so on up to eight (and sometimes more) levels, representing various aspects of the Hindu mythological pantheon.

(c)

Fractals in architecture are not a unique invention of one part of the world. The intricate decoration of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture, especially expressed in cathedrals, often exhibits fractal copying and scaling on multiple levels. Characteristic of European architecture since the end of the XII century. The interweaving of arches had more practical than aesthetic value: it was designed to reinforce windows and walls against wind pressure.

(c)

Since the end of the 20th century, fractal geometry has been deliberately used to create interesting and pleasing facades. In the photo — the building of one of the most complex architectural complexes, located in the Melbourne urban area (Australia). The complex combines cultural, recreational and commercial projects.

Dangerous fractals

(c)

Most fractal images generated by mathematical, natural, and human processes share an overall aesthetic quality based on visual complexity. Participants in visual perception tests prefer fractals of natural origin with a dimension of 1.3-1.5. For example: waves and clouds have a dimension of 1.3, the coastline — 1.05.

(c)

What if we increase the dimension? The resulting object will not always be pleasant to look at. The illustration above shows a distribution pattern of an electric discharge with a dimension of 1.75, known as the Lichtenberg figure, created by a high-voltage electric discharge on a non-conductive material.

Another repulsive object is a fractal product of crystal structures with a dimension of 1.8, photographed through a microscope.

Demoscene & Software

Perhaps nowhere has the world of fractals been explored so colorfully as in the demoscene. Hartverdrahtet is a worthy winner of the 2012 demoscene contest for 4K files. The author, Demoscene Passivist, says that it took about two months to create a demo with procedurally generated fractal landscapes.

And here is one of the best projects with fractal effects in the demoscene. Unfortunately, the quality of the demo video is extremely poor (due to age), but the demo can be downloaded and run on a computer.

To create such or other fractal worlds, no special tricks are required. There are several excellent programs with which you can independently study the features of the fractal universe.

XaoS Open Source Project. A free, open source, cross-platform tool for scaling and studying the Mandelbrot set and dozens of other fractals.

JWildfire. Another cross-platform (including mobile version) open source Java-based program for image processing. She is best known for her sophisticated flame fractal generator.

Mandelbulber | Mandelbulb3D.