CHAPTER 6 | Proportion & Scale
Golden Section
According to ancient Greeks, the Golden Section plays on the proportion of the human body and the same proportions utilized in structures. If you have two quantities and their ratio is the same as the ratio of their sum to the larger of the two quantities then you have a Golden Ratio.
Le Corbusiers structure follows the Golden Section for proportioning the exterior. The graphic analyses illustrates that he successfully completed the Golden Section proportions.
The Orders
Discovered by the ancient Greeks and Romans, the five classical orders are Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Tuscan, and Composite. The orders represent proportion, harmony and beauty.
The British Musuem in London, England portrays the Ionic Order on the facade of the building. The exterior is proportioned and symmetrical which creates harmony and beauty. The Colosseum portrays differing orders as well.
Renaissance Theories
The Renaissance theories consists of seven ideal plan shapes for rooms and determining the height for rooms by Palladio. The seven ideal shapes for rooms include: 1. Circular 2. Square 1:1 3. The diagonal of the square 1:1.414....etc. 4. A square plus a third 3:4 5. A square plus a half 2:3 6. A square plus two-thirds 3:5 7. Double square 1:2. The height for rooms by Palladio is shown below.
The floor plan below portrays one of the seven ideal shapes for rooms. He shows proportion and symmetry creating harmony.
The Modular
Le Corbusier based his measurements on mathematics and proportions of the human body. According to the Golden Section, the basic grid measures 113, 70, and 43 cm and 113, 183, and 226 define the space that humans occupy. The red and blue series portrays the scales of dimensions lessening that relate to human stature.
This mid century modern home portrays Le Corbusier's Modular by portraying architecture relating to human proportion.
The "Ken"
A Japanese unit of measure for building construction and aesthetics of structure, materials, and space. There are two ways of using the measure and that is the Inakma method and the Kyo-ma method.
Tōdai-ji's Kon-dō's facade is 7 kens across and shows aesthetics and proportion.
Anthropomorphic
This demonstrates the measurement of size and proportions of the human body. hings we handle, the height and distance of our reach, and the dimensions of the furnishings we use affect the proportions.
Anthropemetrics is understood by using the measurement of the human to distinguish the measurements for chairs.
Scale
It refers to how the viewers perceives the size of something in relation to another.
The image of a large scale sculpture of a balloon animal towers over the house in the background, showing the disproportion of scale.
Photo Citation
B. (n.d.). A.A RESIDENCE. Retrieved May 30, 2017, from https://www.behance.net/gallery/11289139/AA-RESIDENCE
British Museum. (n.d.). Retrieved May 30, 2017, from http://famouswonders.com/british-museum-in-london/
Borson, B. (2013, July 24). Le Corbusier – The Modular Man. Retrieved May 30, 2017, from http://www.lifeofanarchitect.com/scale-and-proportion-the-architects-domain/le-corbusier-modular-man/
Ching, F. D. (2015). Architecture: form, space, & order. Hoboken (N.J.): J. Wiley & Sons.
Bok, L. C. (1970, January 01). My Uni. Life... Retrieved May 30, 2017, from http://lohchinbok.blogspot.com/2010/08/convocations-picture.html
Europeanarchitecture. "Europeanarchitecture." European Architecture. N.p., 16 Dec. 2015. Web. 30 May 2017.
Incorporate Roman Architecture into Your Home. (2014, April 25). Retrieved May 30, 2017, from https://wholesomehomes.wordpress.com/2014/05/01/incorporate-roman-architecture-into-your-home/
Ken (unit). (2017, May 29). Retrieved May 30, 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_(unit)
(n.d.). Retrieved May 30, 2017, from https://www2.powayusd.com/teachers/rdohm/Course%20Info/Assignments/Resources/Animation/3D_Anim_Lessons/Unit_2/Lesson_2.htm
Mid Century Modern Modular Homes. (n.d.). Retrieved May 30, 2017, from http://vintage.duetshannon.com/modern-modular-homes/mid-century-modern-modular-homes-2/
A. (1970, January 01). Post Beam. Retrieved May 30, 2017, from http://afopostandbeam.blogspot.com/2011/02/proportion-scale.html