Golden Ratio in Architecture (2024)

What is Golden Ratio?

Different names have been used to define the Golden Ratio in the past and in the present. A few examples include Phi, the Golden Mean, the Divine Section, the Golden Proportion, and the Divine Proportion. Almost all of nature’s elements contain this golden ratio (1:1.618). The golden ratio can be found in nature in everything from the structure of the universe to the human body, clouds to flowers and leaves. Nearly all of the lovely things in the world around us have this ratio.

In nature, the golden ratio can be found repeatedly. Additionally, it has the power to balance and beautify elements. As a result, since ancient times, mankind have used the same proportion in mathematics, art, music, and building. Let’s make an effort to comprehend this proportion’s origins more thoroughly. In this article, we will talk about the assumptions and pioneering works about how the golden ratio emerged in architecture.

Golden Ratio in Architecture (1)

How the Golden Ratio Used in Architecture?

Many people have asserted that ancient monuments have proportions that closely equal 1.618 but frequently rely on conjectural interpretations and approximate measurements. For instance, assertions have been made regarding the proportions of the golden ratio in Chinese, Olmec, Egyptian, Sumerian, and Greek vases, as well as Cretan and Mycenaean artifacts from the late Bronze Age. These predate the Greek mathematicians who are the first to be known to have studied the golden ratio by about 1,000 years. The historical sources, however, are sketchy, and because the analyses make use of various methodologies, it is challenging to compare them. For instance, it’s said that Stonehenge’s concentric circles have the golden ratio’s dimensions.

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Examples of Usage of Golden Ratio in Architecture

One of the oldest and best examples of the employment of the Phi is the Great Pyramid of Giza (2570 BC). The pyramid’s height divided by one of its base’s sides yields a ratio that roughly equals Phi.

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Greek artists and architects were aware of or applied the golden ratio as a rule of proportion for aesthetics. The Acropolis’ construction is said to have begun approximately 600 BC, although the pieces allegedly showing the golden ratio proportions were produced between 468 and 430 BC. Greek goddess Athena had a temple called The Parthenon. It is said that a series of golden rectangles encircle the Parthenon’s facade, as well as other parts of it and elsewhere. The golden ratio was used on the west facade of the Parthenon. According to various analyses, the Parthenon and the Acropolis of Athens have a lot of proportions that resemble the golden ratio.

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The notion that the golden ratio was used in the design is contested by several more recent studies.According to Lothar Haselberger, the Didyma Temple of Apollo, which was created by Paionios of Ephesus and Daphnis of Mileto, had golden proportions.

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The Chichen Itza Castle’s interior design follows the golden ratio. The golden ratio connects the exterior areas to the inside space.

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The golden ratio was also used on Great Mosque of Kairouan in Tunisia. The plan, prayer area, court, and minaret of the Great Mosque of Kairouan are all said to have been created using the golden ratio.

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Buddhist architecture had used golden ratio. According to Pile, the ratio between the diameter of the greatest circular terrace and the square base of the largest Buddhist stupa in the world is 1.618:1 at Borobudur Template in Java, Indonesia.

Golden Ratio in Architecture (8)
Golden Ratio in Architecture (9)
Golden Ratio in Architecture (2024)

FAQs

Golden Ratio in Architecture? ›

In architectural terms, this ratio generally takes the form of the golden rectangle

golden rectangle
In geometry, a golden rectangle is a rectangle whose side lengths are in the golden ratio, , which is (the Greek letter phi), where. is approximately 1.618. A golden rectangle with sides ab placed adjacent to a square with sides of length a produces a similar golden rectangle.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Golden_rectangle
– any shape that can be wholly divided into up into a square and a rectangle that, when combined, establishes a ratio, approximately equating to 1:1.61.

Why is the golden ratio used in design? ›

“The golden ratio is all about blank space and its relation to the 'pay attention' space,” says Berndt. “There's only so much that people can take visually. This is a guiding principle to help you to understand the limits of human attention so you can create something that is aesthetically pleasing.”

How do you use golden ratio in house design? ›

The golden ratio to get a balanced room layout

The golden ratio can help you strike the right note. Using the 60/40 formula, measure up floor space then take measurements of the floor space covered by furniture. If the furniture fills more than 60% of the area of the floor, the room is over-furnished.

What is the golden ratio in Georgian architecture? ›

This proportion roughly equates to 1.618 to 1 and has been used in classical architecture for thousands of years, making its way into Georgian homes over the centuries.

What is the golden ratio for window placement? ›

Put simply, human beings are most pleased when things are in a proportion of 1 to 1.618 — i.e. if a window is one unit wide, it should be 1.618 units tall.

How is the golden rule used in architecture? ›

In architectural terms, this ratio generally takes the form of the golden rectangle – any shape that can be wholly divided into up into a square and a rectangle that, when combined, establishes a ratio, approximately equating to 1:1.61.

What is an example of the golden ratio in architecture? ›

The Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, is another example of the Golden Ratio in architecture. The height of the cathedral is 1.618 times the width, and the rose window at the front of the cathedral is also said to be proportioned according to the ratio.

What is the golden ratio in Greek architecture? ›

Throughout history, the ratio for length to width of rectangles of 1.61803 39887 49894 84820 has been considered the most pleasing to the eye. This ratio was named the golden ratio by the Greeks. In the world of mathematics, the numeric value is called "phi", named for the Greek sculptor Phidias.

What is the golden ratio of Palladian architecture? ›

The ratio is 53:32 [=1.65625], which derives from the Nicomachus X sequence: 1, 10, 11, 21, 32, 53, ... In a project for Count Barbarano [Palladio 1997: Book II, 22], the vaulted entrance has dimensions 41½ by 25 piedi, or a ratio of 83:50 [=1.66] from the sequence: 1, 16, 17, 33, 50, 83, ...

How is the Fibonacci sequence and golden ratio used in architecture? ›

Architects use the mathematical proportions fixed by the Fibonacci sequence to determine the proportion of elements of the structure being constructed. These elements include height and width of doors, windows and facades. The Fibonacci sequence helps in obtaining harmonious proportions for these elements.

What is the most attractive Golden Ratio? ›

A visually balanced face is approximately 1.618 times longer than it is wide. The distance from the top of the nose to the center of the lips should be around 1.618 times the distance from the center of the lips to the chin.

How do you use the Golden Ratio in furniture design? ›

The golden ratio in furniture design

It's useful for determining the relationship between the height and width of a piece. Choose the desired width and multiply it by . 618 and voila – you'll find balance.

What is the Golden Ratio of a room? ›

The ratio, named phi, of height to width to length of a room to achieve optimal sound in a room is approximately the width 1.6 times the height and the length 2.6 times the height, and was named for the Greek sculptor Phidias.

What was the purpose of the golden ratio? ›

The golden ratio has been used to analyze the proportions of natural objects and artificial systems such as financial markets, in some cases based on dubious fits to data. The golden ratio appears in some patterns in nature, including the spiral arrangement of leaves and other parts of vegetation.

Why do artists use the golden ratio? ›

Some artists and architects believe that the golden ratio makes the most beautiful shapes. As a result the ratio can be found in many famous buildings and artworks, such as those by Leonardo da Vinci.

Why is the golden ratio aesthetically pleasing? ›

The ratio is believed to create a sense of balance and harmony and is often associated with a feeling of naturalness or organic beauty. It is said to have a pleasing effect on the human eye, and artists and designers have utilized it as a tool to create aesthetically pleasing compositions that are visually captivating.

How do you use the golden rule in design? ›

You can use the ratio of 1.618:1 to determine the size of your elements relative to each other. This will help you create a sense of harmony and proportion in your design. - Use the golden ratio to choose your colors. You can use the ratio of 1.618:1 to create a color palette that is pleasing to the eye.

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