What structural engineering showed me about the patterns we carry

There is a type of steel called corten, or weathering steel. You may have seen it used in outdoor architecture and sculpture: that distinctive warm, rust-orange surface that weathers beautifully over time, developing texture and depth as it ages.

Typically, we would assume that the rust is a problem that needs urgent attention. However, this very same rust is a protective layer that prevents further damage to the steel.

If we didn’t know it existed, we would have tried to fix what we're seeing — and in doing so, damaged the very thing that was protecting the structure. The same principles apply to us — as individuals, and the systems we are part of.

Image by fotokrug from Pixabay

Structural engineering prompted me to look underneath the surface — to look for what holds the facade we can all see. To observe the spaces around us and wonder what supports them, what makes them not only beautiful to experience, but also functional and safe.

Our patterns and compulsions are not so different from corten. At first glance, they look like obstacles — something to overcome or fix. But when understood more deeply, we may discover that they serve a protective purpose we hadn't recognised yet.

That doesn't mean we can't choose to change them. But understanding their function allows us to respond consciously rather than react from fear or rejection.

What appears to be a problem on the surface is not always a problem at source.

What looks like rust may be protection. Structural engineering taught me to ask: what is this actually doing? Before asking: how do we change it?

That question — asked with genuine curiosity rather than urgency to fix — is often where the real work begins.

If you're curious about how this kind of thinking applies to your own patterns — or to your organisation — I'd be glad to hear from you.