ABSTRACT
More sheltered shore-based lighthouses are usually shorter and constructed out of wood or brick. The high physical rigidity, compressional strength and hardness of the natural materials make them perfect for building storm-resilient lighthouses. Considered both modern and a site of technological progress, the aesthetic qualities of the lighthouse have somehow slipped into a nostalgic realm of nautical gaiety or kitsch maritime heritage. To ensure that shipping moves smoothly and safely, the dark ocean is mapped and governed in many ways and in particular through the provision of guiding lights. A lighthouse obstinately designed to oppose or reverse the motion of the sea would experience ferocious, abrasive and destructive forces, while one designed to let the sea and wind flow around and over it does not. As attested by the smooth pebbles on a beach, nature sculptures unregimented curves.
