A striking new installation has been unveiled at Kimbolton School, celebrating how mathematics reveals the underlying beauty and structure beneath apparent complexity. The piece—a stunning aperiodic tessellation—has been years in the making, but the final result is well worth the wait.

The inspiration for the installation originated in Lower Sixth Enrichment lessons on tessellation several years ago. This sparked the idea of creating a real-world representation of an aperiodic tessellation, a pattern that never repeats. While aperiodic tessellations can be formed using many different tile shapes, this design follows the groundbreaking discovery by renowned mathematician Roger Penrose in 1974—one of the first to use only two shapes, kites and darts. His pattern has fascinating mathematical and scientific implications.

Constructed from approximately 1,000 small tiles in four colours, the installation took shape with the help of last year’s Lower Sixth single mathematicians. Over the summer term, they meticulously glued individual tiles onto acrylic panels, demonstrating patience and precision. Their dedication has resulted in a visually striking and intellectually engaging display that will inspire pupils for years to come.

Aperiodic tessellations have played a significant role in scientific discovery, particularly in crystallography. Research into these patterns led to the discovery of quasicrystals—materials with structures once thought impossible. These quasicrystals have since been found to possess remarkable properties, leading to applications in a wide range of fields, including aerospace engineering, thermal insulation, and advanced materials science.

This new installation is not only a celebration of mathematical beauty but also a testament to curiosity, creativity, and collaboration in problem-solving. It showcases the dedication of Kimbolton’s pupils and their ability to bring abstract mathematical ideas to life in an engaging and meaningful way.

One of the pupils who took part in the project, Isabele F. said:
“It was great to help in making the large tessellation, learning the maths behind it and seeing the final product was so exciting.”