Essay On Geometry In Architecture

Essay on Geometry in Architecture

Over time numerous civilizations have left extraordinary legacies of their culture, such as legends, languages, traditions, crafts, constructions, among others;Being the constructions of great importance, because thanks to these you can define a line of evolution of architecture, which has been modified over the years, always seeking to "shape the places where people live". However, it is not enough to know these constructions, but should be studied to understand the reason, materials and the laws or bases in which they are governed;This is when the question is born, does architecture have contributions from other branches, such as geometry? This essay deals with this subject, some related aspects will be explained below.

To explain this relationship, we must first understand what these matters are based;Geometry comes from the GEO (Earth) and Metric (measure) words;That is, the measure of the earth, in other words geometry is a part of the mathematics that studies the properties and magnitudes of the figures in space, regardless of the material they are made;On the other hand, architecture comes from architect that in turn comes from the words archi (the one who commands) and Tecton (builder), which commands in a construction;According to the SAR, architecture is the art of projecting, designing and building buildings. At first glance we could already find a relationship, because the constructions are forms in the space that people inhabit and so that these can be habitable must meet certain properties.

So what role has geometry played in architecture? We can cite several examples of architecture being directly influenced by geometry, for example:

• Geographic orientation: At the time of constructions, the orientation to maximize lighting performance, views, heating, among others;For this reason, geometric and calculation methods are used at the time of conducting plans or field studies.
• Modelization and geometric representation: With this we refer main. Despite the revolution in the tools used in the construction of models such as resin and laser cut, it is thanks to the geometry that these techniques can be programmed;as in graphic models.
• Modularity and proportion: the repetition of equal elements and the relationship between part and all present in the vast majority of architectural creations entail a good understanding of geometry to reach harmony, symmetry and plasticity, and thus fulfilling one of the characteristics grantedTo architecture by vitruvio, beauty.
• Use of polygonal, circular, polyhedral, curves, arches, cones, cylinders, etc. These important forms in architecture have their bases and study in geometry.  

Thus, it is demonstrated that geometry is a factor with great importance in architecture, from the bases of design to construction itself.

Geometry is not only found in architecture, it is also found in art, in nature, and in the principles of man himself, in prehistory there are vestiges that man already had superficial ideas of geometry, including the point,line, sphere, among others. Some time later the geometry ceased to be figures and became a branch of study, mainly thanks to the Babylon, Egyptian and Greek cultures, which contributed respectively with the sexagesimal system, calculation of areas and volumes of basic figures and numerous related theorems relatedmainly with triangles. On the other hand, architecture is a subject that is conceived thanks to other subjects to which we can call pillars, including geometry;For example, architecture depends mainly on lines, which are geometric magnitudes and you are:

• Unite, associate, export, surround and cut other visual elements.
• They define the edges and shape the plans.
• They articulate the surfaces of the plans.

Le Corbusier in his book towards a new architecture makes it evident how geometry influences and contributes in architecture from its most remote beginnings to the present, then a part of said book will be cited:

‘The primitive man has stopped his car, he decides that this will be his floor … Plant the stakes that have to hold his store and surround her from a palisade, in which he puts a door. The way is everything rectilinear that allow your tools, your arms and your time. The posts of your store form a square, a hexagon or an octagon. The palisade forms a rectangle whose four angles are the same and straight. The hut door opens on the axis of the fence and the door of the latter is in front of the door of the hut." 

Also, UNWIN defines a special figure that delimits a place, called the “Circle of Preselength, 156m wide and 48m high with large arches that rest on strong columns and a stand raised by overlapping turns), the acropolis of Athens (sacred enclosure with numerous temples whose base was the columns of marble and stone), the opera ofSydney by Jørn Utzon (a building built under seabls based on axiality and centrality, has more than a thousand rooms dedicated to music studies), thus many more constructions.

To conclude, there are endless approaches for which the influence of geometry in architecture can be demonstrated, both in theory and in practice and it is pertinent to take into account the use of mathematics in both branches;Finally, I will quote a phrase from a Chinese philosopher "architecture are not four walls and a roof but the space and spirit that is generated inside";whose space needs geometry to reach harmony.