Building with the “Blue Note”: Tension, Deviation, and Structure in Architecture

Therme Vals / Peter Zumthor. Image © Fernando Guerra | FG+SGBy operating with only five notes, the pentatonic scale establishes a stable and intuitive musical system in which structural clarity allows for variation without the risk of excessive dissonance. From this consolidated structure, which forms the basis of countless musical styles, especially popular music, the blues introduced a decisive inflection by incorporating additional notes into the scale. Without delving into excessive tec