Architecture
and Mathematics
The plan and elevation/section of
the
Villa Rotonda were electronically reproduced from [Palladio
1997: p. 95] and reconfigured by Stephen R. Wassell. The
photograph
is by Stephen R. Wassell.
What makes a work of architecture
beautiful, special, moving? In this course we shall explore
answers to this question from a mathematical point of view, emphasizing
issues of geometry, proportion, and symmetry.*
Building design will be the primary focus, but landscape architecture
and
urban planning will also be discussed. (This is not a course in
architectural
engineering; structure will be studied only as it pertains to the
aesthetics
of design.)
Course
Materials:
-
Syllabus
- References
- Images
for Units
- Unit
1: Prehistoric
Architecture; Introduction to Geometry
- Unit
2: Ancient
Architecture; Introduction to Symmetry, Proportion
- Unit
3: Ancient
Greece
- Unit
4: Ancient
Rome
- Unit
5: Early
Christian, Byzantine
- Unit
6: Islam
and the West
- Unit
7: Early
Medieval and Romanesque
- Unit
8: Gothic
- Unit
9: Renaissance
and Baroque
- Final
Exam Review
Useful Online
Resources:
Related
Online
Journals:
Conferences
of
Interest:
-
Nexus:
Relationships Between Architecture and Mathematics
-
M&D:
Mathematics & Design Association
-
Bridges:
Mathematical Connections in Art, Music, and Science
-
ISAMA:
International Society of the Arts, Mathematics and Architecture
-
GA:
Generative Art and Design
*Disclaimer: I
want to make explicit that it is certainly not my contention that
everything
beautiful, special, or moving in architecture is mathematical!
Steve Wassell's web
page
