The topic of “proportion and organization” have been discussed and developed for many centuries in architecture field, but their hierarchical relationships among them have varied.
As well as architecture student, we are trained to have eyes of proportion and organization concept is necessary in design. after reading the three articles, the ideas and concept of proportion and organization stand firmer in my mind because each author have their own view of points that is very straight forward and clear.
According to Andrea Palladio’s text, The Four Books of Architecture and Le Corbusier’s The Plan of the Modern House, the design style of two architects are different, where Palladio is more symmetrical and Le Corbusier is asymmetrical, which both contribute to how buildings were organised and proportioned. Whereas Colin Rowe, the architectural historian compared the two architects in terms of their proportion and organisation of their works and theories.
From the photos above, we can see the commonality between two master’s work, which both of it used rectangular geometrical floor plan as a base.However, their way in planning, alignment and choice of material is different.
Villa Capra-Rotonda: Traditional floor plan with load bearing wall as main structural system. Whole building is divided into three floors horizontally which as known as base, piano nobile and attic.
Villa Savoye: Open floor plan with placing of columns according to the function of space. It has free façade without any ornamentation. Ribbon window is used and has a roof garden on top.
What is the role of proportion and organization in architecture today? They indeed serve an important yet different role that affecting the architecture by being the basic consideration whenever designing a building.
‘Proportion’ is the term used to describe the relationship between two things of different size and scale of the various elements in a design based on mathematic calculation.
Proportion refers to the proper and harmonious relation of one part to another or to the whole, while scale refers to the size of something compared to a reference standard or to the size of something else like a human being.
Proportion plays an important role in all three, as it provides guidelines for laying out useful spaces, for designing structural systems, and for creating an aesthetically pleasing environment.
The proportions of a space can dramatically change how visitors feel in it, and the proportions of a facade design can affect whether a building appears welcoming threatening, or impressive.
On the other contrary, organization is a spatial arrangement to determine the connection or separation between similar or dissimilar uses of space. It helps to clarify aspects of use and establish similarity or contrast between spaces. Spatial organization is important because it links spaces together and create different kind of relationships between spaces to provide human a convenient and easy flow of circulation in a single building.
Take an example of Le Corbusier, the organization is based on his design on a lifestyle stand point, the creation of the modern house for modern living, function based. It is highlighted in his planning of houses, the idea of circulation within the house.
In my opinion, I do agree that ‘proportion and organization’ act as a necessary for human habitation and functioning in this modern age. To be honest, buildings and spaces within are designed for human, so the human perception and anthropometric had become the important tool for proportioning whenever and wherever.
The placement and the organization of the space will affect the way of human life activities and the function will varied depend on how humans use the building. proportions determine the scale of spaces in the entire building, whether it is large enough to fit in all the members, or it need to be small enough because of human own reason.
Organization more focus on the circulation and accessibility within the spaces. it helps to develop and design a space that is convenient to users and help to avoid conflict between spaces. Taking an example, caged home and cubical apartment in Hong Kong.
The minimal of space without consideration on the space organization and human proportion that mess up the life of users and causes a lot of inconvenient.
TUCÁN HOUSE At MEXICO
It was designed by Taller Hector Barroso in 2015, in which it sits on top of a hill of Valle de Bravo, on a rectangular plot with a narrow front and a generous depth. The land has an upward slope of fourteen meters from the entrance to the highest point of the property.
Taking advantage of the topography, the project was developed through a sequence of stepped sections generating pavilions at various levels and maximizing views of the lake. Its extended roof plane with minimun supporting column gives the people a sense of boarderless among the building and the nature.
The concrete pavilions are interrupted by openings: gardens, terraces, balconies and patios; making people looking to extend the interior spaces to the outside, making the division between the two almost imperceptible.
Reminiscence of the cuts to the natural terrain is marked on walls and earth slopes where the architecture is based and rooted with the site. It offers feelings of the interior spaces blending in with the site context.
The house is connected to the context and becomes part of the landscape allowing the contemplation of its surroundings. Wind, natural light, nature and its sounds take command and form an integral part of the house.This building is able to play well with proportion and organisation by its ability to make itself looks bigger and spacious in a limited area by well-played proportion.
“To create architecture is to put in order. Put what in order? Function and objects.” - Le Corbusier
In conclude, Architecture changed according to ages, trend and most importantly perception and thinking of human. Every design should be able to contribute well for the need of human and the function. Spaces should organised orderly based on the studies of human actions and behaviours to make users feel comfortable in staying at the space. I think this is kind of the challenge that architects need to face nowadays to not only design a building according to their own interest or aesthetic but focus more on the human habitation.