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Elements of Architectural Design:
Formal |
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| (Page 7 of 9) |
| Proportion/Scale: |
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Proportion is the term used to describe the
relationship between two things of different size. In architecture we
are looking for the proportional relationship between spaces and the
size of the human body. The proportion of the room can greatly affect
the way a person feels in a space. We often talk about this kind of
proportion as scale when we speak about a building. Ordinarily, an architect
tries to design a space so that people feel comfortable moving about
in it. For that reason, a bedroom may have a much lower ceiling than
an auditorium. where many people will mingle. Sometimes a building is
designed so a space is purposely out of proportion to human scale. An
example of this would be the towering spaces inside cathedrals that
make people feel quite insignificant in comparison to the awesome power
of God. Architects also deliberately design spaces with changing scale
by varying heights of ceilings and sizes of rooms. This makes the occupants
movement through the space more dynamic. |