A Tribute to the triangle

To all the circles and squares out there, please know that I love your work. Truly. But today, I’d like to lavish praise on the the hardest working shape in the business—the triangle.

Circles are terrific at rolling, doorknobs, pipes and pots, and plenty other things. Squares (and their cousin, the rectangle) are likewise wickedly versatile. Windows, walls, countertops, cabinets, and so much more. But the triangle, the triangle is a serious work horse. Ol’ reliable. Uncompromisingly sturdy and inflexible, owing to its fiendishly clever and wonderfully simple design. While two sides bear the load under compression, a third provides the tension that holds things together. Genius. The unflinching rigidity of the triangle makes it the ideal geometry when reliability matters.

The triangle is so prolific, so adaptable we almost cease to see it. This doesn't seem fair for a shape that saves the day—every day. So, right here and now, please take a moment to notice the beauty and brilliance of the triangle. We couldn’t have done any of this without you.