The Golden Ratio is the most common type of architectural design that can be found the world over. It is a nature-inspired ratio, and there are many examples of the golden ratio in nature, which we will elaborate on here. At El Domo too, we have used this Ratio in our constructions, and you will find those absorbing details here too.
For centuries, people have been fascinated by this natural phenomenon — so much so, they're convinced it explains some of the patterns that make nature so beautiful. Some scientists claim that it appears everywhere - from the structure of atoms to the spiral arms of galaxies.
It is found in the petals of a flower, an uncurled fiddlehead fern, and even in the shape of hurricanes. It's no surprise then that humans have sought to replicate this special number in art and architecture for centuries. Its proportions are said to be aesthetically pleasing and even calming to look at.
Mathematicians and artists have long studied this mathematical relationship because of its prevalence in nature. Its ubiquitous presence has made it important in many disciplines from physics to architecture. Composers have discovered that music based on the golden ratio sounds better than music without it.
The golden ratio can be seen throughout the human body – and can be found in the proportion of your arms, legs and fingers and face. In art, its proportions are thought to be more aesthetically pleasing than other ratios. It has been used by artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Salvador Dali, and can also explain why the Mona Lisa is such a beguiling portrait and how Leonardo da Vinci planned out The Last Supper!
Considered the most beautiful ratio in nature – the ratio of 1.618 -- some call it Phi or ‘The Divine Proportion’. Phi is an irrational number that cannot be expressed exactly as a common fraction. This ratio has often been referred to as “one of humanity's most remarkable discoveries”
Often denoted by the Greek letter φ or the Roman letter ‘phi’, the Golden Ratio is a number often encountered when taking the ratio of any two sequential numbers in the Fibonacci sequence. And it has a lot more to offer than just being aesthetically pleasing.
Fibonacci sequence = Pingala series
In the Fibonacci series, every number is the sum of the two numbers before it. For example, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 are the first numbers of the series. In addition, the ratio of any two successive Fibonacci numbers approximates a ratio of 1.618. The Fibonacci Sequence was named after the Greek mathematician, Leonardo Pisano Bogollo, better known by his nickname Fibonacci.
The Golden Ratio in architecture
In architecture, the Golden Ratio increases stability in buildings. And architects have used it for thousands of years as a guide for designing temples and buildings.
As a guide for designing the proportions of rooms, windows, doorways, and other building elements, it helps prevent designs from being either “top heavy” or “bottom heavy”. The Great Pyramid of Giza is a great example of this phenomenon: its height-to-width ratio is the same as that of a regular pentagon — 1.618 to 1.
In ancient times, architects would use the Golden Ratio to determine the most aesthetically pleasing shapes and proportions of architecture.
They would compare the length of certain parts of a building to its height, or they would use a simple grid in which each square had sides equal in length to the next larger square. These design tools were used to produce geometrically-pleasing layouts that have been admired for thousands of years.
It can be found in structures like the Parthenon and Notre Dame Cathedral, as well as in books, logos, and websites. So, the next time you are looking to erect a building or are feeling like you want to sketch some artwork, try to remember the golden ratio. It may be helpful in creating something beautiful and appealing.
Golden Ratio in El Domo projects
Coming closer back home, at our El Domo project, the standard dome room’s height to diameter ratio, entrance height to archway width are both 1:1.6. A wellness centre design is underway for Rainforest Paradise, Madikeri with the representation of this ratio, with a Central Buddha spiralling out to therapy centres and ending up in a Large Dome. The wellness centre at Madikeri will help you connect intimately with nature. The interiors of the houses will blend with the forest exteriors. Exterior paint will be non-reflective to the fauna around, and colours used will be natural olive green, red e
arth, wet mud brown, rocky grey & so on. This will have a continuous blending with the surroundings, with an aim to melt the occupant's mind and sync with the natural sights and sounds.
Raju you never ceases to amaze me. I remember what he said more than a year ago.... The Dome architecture is the simplest, affordable, practical, eco-friendly and wow creating construction possible today..... After interaction in the subsequent months with several industry experts, my believe in what he said gets reinforced very hard.
Downloading his mind for EL Domo is going to be a task in itself. The design of the living spaces and the living environment at EL Domo is simply beautiful. The team is working hard happily implementing these ideas of Sustainable living, the joy of which can be shared with many others