The Balance Problem Set

Problem 6 Tutorial: Vertical Proportion

Question: Of the three architectural images below which is the best example of a space that is vertical in its proportions?

Tutorial:

Saint-Sernin,
Toulouse, France
(1077-1119)

Michelangelo,
Laurentian Library,
Florence, Italy,
(1524)

attributed to Brunelleschi,
Interior of Pazzi Chapel,
Florence, Italy,
(1442)

Proportions

Proportion is the ratio of one element of a building with another. In this case, it is the ratio of the height by the width. Although proportion may be measured mathematically, aesthetic judgement is usually rendered on visual evidence and is culture specific. The assumption is that a well proportioned building is one that is balanced. One of the key factors in the quality of an interior space will be found in its proportions.

See Problem 5 Tutorial for information on different propotional systems.

Problem 6 | Answer | Problem 7

Aesthetics | Balance Problems | vocabulary | The Architecture Project

The Architecture Project
University of Arizona
Tuesday, September 2, 1997
lapointe@u.arizona.edu