Golden Ratio in Architecture

You can find the Golden Ratio in architecture in many ancient structures.

Sacred architecture is a structure created by using the Golden Ratio theory. The number used to represent the Golden Ration is infinite. This is why people consider it sacred or divine. The shortened version of the number is written as 1.618033989 (Phi) and is usually abbreviated to 1.62, which doesn't affect the number's value.

The Golden Ratio is unique because it's an irregular number, which means it doesn't conform to the properties associated with typical numbers, called rational numbers. This makes the Golden Ratio number a perfect number and correlates to the perfection of all creation.

The properties of the Golden Ratio make the number impossible to write or express as a fraction or a whole number. To achieve Divine Proportions, architects apply the symmetry of this ratio to buildings and any other structure.

If you want to construct a building using the Golden Ratio theory, you'll need to create a Golden or Divine Rectangle, Triangle or to use as the basis of your design and all subsequent angles thereafter.

The easiest way to understand the Golden Rectangle, from which the Golden Ratio is derived, is to construct a square.

You'll want to measure each line of the square to ensure each side is the same. For this exercise, you'll use the left vertical side of the square for the next step, although you can use any side. Measure this vertical line and find the midpoint. Mark this spot with a dot.

This dot now marks the division of the line into two equal halves. Using a ruler or straightedge, draw a line from the midpoint to the upper right-hand corner. This line creates a triangle within the square. You aren't done yet because you need to take a compass and use the new line you've created as a radius line.

Draw an arc from this radius line. Don't worry that the arc is outside of the square in the upper portion, this is how it's supposed to look. The bottom part of the arc will touch the lower right-hand corner of the square.

Using a ruler or straightedge, extend the left vertical line of the square to the arc. Use the same ruler to extend the right vertical line and connect the two extensions with a horizontal line. Not only have you added a rectangle onto the square, but you've also transformed the square into a large rectangle. The ratio for both rectangles should measure to that of the Golden Ratio.

Once you understand how to create a Golden Rectangle, you can see how easy it is to also create Golden Triangles within a square or rectangle. Architects often use this technique when designing structures. You should be able to take any Golden Rectangle or Golden Triangle building and divide the building into infinite rectangles and triangles. You must first establish the basis in order to set up the possible sequences.

If you were to look at a Golden Ratio building and a non-Golden Ratio building side by side, you'd immediately declare the Golden Ratio building the more beautiful of the two. Human beings innately recognize the perfection and beauty of the Golden Ratio in objects and those found in nature and other people. This theory has been proven over time and the appeal is attributed to the perfect proportions that the Golden Rectangle or Golden Ratio creates.

The master builders of the past understood the value and significance of the Golden Ratio and applied it to such structures as the Great Pyramid at Giza and the Parthenon.

The Great Pyramid at Giza is composed of Golden triangles. When the square base of the pyramid is halved and a vertical line drawn up the center, the slanted height forms a triangle that measures to the value of Phi. The vertical height equals to the square root of Phi. You don't need to understand the math in order to appreciate and recognize how beautiful this artifact is.

The Greek Parthenon is a true example of endless Golden Rectangles that create many Golden Ratios. This math is recreated by dissecting the exterior dimension into many Divine Proportions.

You can find many examples of the application of the Golden Ratio to modern architecture. The United Nations Building is such an example. The building's width when compared to its height reveals that every ten floors creates a Golden Ratio.

You can use the Golden Ratio for building your home or any other structure for the perfect feng shui application. Feng shui and the Golden Ratio work hand in hand since the former is just as dependent upon balance. The Golden Ratio in architecture can help you find additional ways to enhance and create better feng shui designs.

• Monuments with the Golden Ratio
• Yin Yang Pictures
• Yin Yang Art

• Yin Yang Dragons
• Tiger and Dragon Ying Yang
• Applications How to Place Feng Shui Elephant
• Chinese Dragon Clip Art
• Ying Yang Suns

• Category:Feng Shui in the Home