Okay kiddo, let's talk about shapes! Have you ever played with building blocks and made different patterns by fitting the blocks together? That's kind of like what architects do when they design buildings. They use shapes to create an overall look and feel.
Now, when architects create patterns using shapes, it's called a tessellation. It's like putting puzzle pieces together to make a picture. There are two different types of tessellation - architectonic and catoptric.
Architectonic tessellation is when the shapes fit together perfectly without any gaps in between. It's like building a wall by stacking bricks on top of each other - each brick fits perfectly next to the one below it. This type of tessellation is used a lot in building design because it creates very strong and stable structures.
Catoptric tessellation is a bit different. It's like when you look in a mirror and see a reflection of yourself. In catoptric tessellation, a shape is repeated over and over again to create a pattern. But the repeating shapes aren't perfectly connected like in architectonic tessellation - there are usually some gaps or overlaps. This creates a really cool effect, like looking through a kaleidoscope.
So there you have it! Architectonic tessellation is like building with blocks and catoptric tessellation is like looking in a mirror. They're both used in architecture to create cool patterns and designs.