The Geometry of Gothic Architecture and the Proportions of the Music of the Spheres
Journal Title: Architecture and Design Review - Year 2019, Vol 1, Issue 1
Abstract
The heptagonal shape and its geometric layout have been the subject of a great deal of speculation. Because some apses in Gothic cathedrals are heptagonal, there must be a methodology implicit in the layout of the geometric shape. Two particularly important sources help us arrive at an understanding: the exceptional of the Capitular archive of the Cathedral of Tortosa, which contains the main neo-Platonic sources among its codices dating from thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, and the parchment known as la traça de Guarc (c.1345-1380), which shows the layout of the non-constructed cathedral. These sources show a heptagonal apse with an arithmetical and geometric dimension, based on a metrological and tonal musical proportion of 9/8, which is perfectly compatible with the bases of the quadrivium. The lateral and radial chapel, as the basic unit and feature element in fourteenth-century Gothic cathedral design, can be used as a pattern, and its measurement establish the basic unit for the overall proportions of the cathedral. This is the Music of Spheres that also appears at the Harmonices Mundi, Livri V (1619), by Johannes Kepler.
Authors and Affiliations
Josep Lluis i Ginovart, Mónica López-Piquer
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP680129
- DOI -
- Views 262
- Downloads 0
Evaluation of Residual Strength of RC Columns in Fire-Damaged Buildings: Case Study
Prediction of residual strength of structural members in a RC fire-damaged building is an important step in taking a decision about restoration or demolition of the building. In this paper a finite element model was deve...
Treatment of Common Technical Problems in Roof Construction
Roof waterproof engineering is an important part of architectural engineering, waterproof engineering quality is good or bad, a direct impact on the life of buildings and structures, affecting people’s normal life order....
The Geometry of Gothic Architecture and the Proportions of the Music of the Spheres
The heptagonal shape and its geometric layout have been the subject of a great deal of speculation. Because some apses in Gothic cathedrals are heptagonal, there must be a methodology implicit in the layout of the geomet...
Marine Corrosion of Steel with Aerobic and Anaerobic Biofilms under Changeable Nutrient Concentration Conditions
A diffusional model of marine corrosion wear for steel structures is developed and presented in this work, based on the assumption that long-term corrosion depends on both aerobic and anaerobic bacterial activity, which...
3D Indoor Modelling Using UAV’s Video
3D indoor modelling is a digital representation of the interior space in building to ensure the indoor space is in a good quality condition. The aim of this study is to assess UAV’s video for 3D indoor modelling. The met...