compoundlooking
Compoundlooking is a term used in design studies and visual communication to describe a visual style in which elements are arranged to evoke the structure of chemical compounds or molecular graphs. The term may be applied to images, diagrams, user interfaces, and branding that use modular units connected by explicit relations reminiscent of atoms and bonds.
This effect relies on nodal elements, connectors, and repeated motifs that resemble a chemical lattice. Common
Origin and usage: The phrase emerged in contemporary design discourse during the late 2010s and early 2020s
Applications: In data visualization, compoundlooking layouts can map networks or relationships with a familiar, map-like tangibility.
Critique and limitations: Critics argue that the style can become decorative if misapplied and may obscure
See also: molecular visualization, graph drawing, lattice design, visual metaphor.