University of Central Lancashire Geometry and Proportions from Palladio to Le Corbusier: C.Rowe’s Mathematics of the Ideal Villa. Aryan Tehrani AO1005: Architectural History and Theory Ronny Ford January 2013 Student Number: 20554760 ‘Word Count (Excluding Bibliography): 2029Geometry and proportions from Palladio to Le Corbusier: C.Rowe’s INTRODUCTION Fist published in the Architectural Review in 1947, Colin Rowe's essay “The ‘Mathenuatics of the Ideal Vil” embodied a re-evalvation of modern Architecture, Rowe’s essays toyed with the notion that modem architecture is not only dictated by the advane: in modem technology but is abo dependent on the lessons and ideas provided from an historical context, To emphasise this point, Rowe focused on the pimacks of both modem and chssical architecture and set about exploring their many simikuities and differences, especially in regurds to geometry and proportion, Rowe employs a language of enquiry surrounding the importance of geometry and proportion in the ideal vila and interrogates both the ideas and works of the manneristrenaissance architect Andrea Palladio and the Swiss bom modemist Le Corbusier. In his paper Rowe looks at views on Palladio’s use of geometry and proportions and uses them to outline major similarities and differences in Le Corbusier’s work. In_ particular he compares Andrea Palladio’s Villa Foscari in Malcontenta (Fig 1) and Le Corbusier's Villa Stein at Garches (Fig 2). In most cases Rowe discovers that both villas adhere both to certain mathematical formulis and geometric and proportional principles.Figure2 Villa Stein. Le Corbusier, 19277 ‘Colin Rowe, The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa and other Essays. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 1976. p.19. 2 Colin Rowe, The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa, p.20.GEOMETRY _AND PROPORTIONS The importance of mathematic and geometric principles has alvays been a prominent factor within the field of architecture. Also, the subject of proportional harmonies has always been a subject of phenomenal importance when one regards architecture in an historical context, Le Corbusier’s obsession with the use of mathematics and geometry is evident in his 1923 book “Towards a new Architecture’, He postulates; “For all these things-axes, circles, right angles-are geometrical truths, and give results that our eye can measure and recognize; whereas otherwise there woukl be only chance, irregularity and capriciousness. Geometry is the language of man.’ * It is here that Le Corbusier articulates the ideal geometry of modemism, Le Corbusier states that architectural order can be imposed through the implementation of a unit measurement. Le Corbusier was ako a great believer in looking to the past to draw influences and ideas that he could combine with modem technologies and use in his architecture. In his own words: ‘Is it not true that most architects today have forgotten that great architecture is rooted in the very beginnings of humanity and that itis a direct function of human instinct?” * 3 Le Corbusier. Towards a New Architecture. New York: Dover Publications, 1986. Print, p.72. 4 Ibid.In the middle of the twentieth century, Le Corbusier devised and patented a new style of relating the proportions of the human body to that of his architecture. These ideas were published in his 1942 book, Le Modulor, Le Modulor being an amalgamation of the words meaning ‘unt of measurement’ module and ‘golden section’ section d'or. Le Corbusier's main influences for this system were the works of Vitruvius, Leonardo da Vinci and Leone Battista Alberti as they had also published attempts to relate anthropological proportions to ideal Architecture. The Modular demonstrated the view that the mathemitics and proportions of the human body can be used to create Architecture that is both ideal in its aesthetic and its fimetion. Le Corbusier implemented its use in many of his buildings, the most high profile of which is the Unité d'Habitation in Marseilles, France. Even though Le Corbusier devised these methods to improve fiture architecture; the ideas present in Le Modulor have their roots in historical theories of geometry and proportion. In fact, some of the natin aspects of Le Modulor are Le Corbusier's interpretation of existing historical theories, such as the Goklen Section. Le Corbusier’s istration of the modulor concept is shown in figure 3, As Le Corbusier was such a radical pioneer of the modemist movement, it is all to easy to overlook the fuct that the ideas and theories that influence some of his greatest works are just as inspired by historieal contexts than modem philosophies or breakthroughs in technology. In Towards a New Architecture, the reader discovers thet whilst Le Corbusier is setting out the guidelines for what he deems to be the future of moder architecture, he is ao attempting to delve into the past, to seek some of the Jong forgotten truths and to implement some of these into his architecture. The most prominent of these is how to obtain and use geometrical and proportional systems in his buildings. Figure 4 shows Vill Schwob, this is the first manifestation of theseprinciples that we see in Le Corbusier's Architecture. for As Rowe describes in “The ‘Mathematics of the ideal vill’, distinct parallels can be drawn between the work and theories of Le Corbusier and the renaissance movement, in particukr Andrea Palludio, Figure 3 Le Corbusier's Modulor § Le Corbusier, The Modulor: A Harmonious Measure to the Human Scale, Universally Applicable to Architecture and Mechanics. Cambridge, Mass: M1.T Press, 1968, p.65. This illustration also appears in John Summersons 1963 book, “The Classical Language of Architecture’.Figure. Le Corbusier, VillaSchwob, 1916 ‘THE REGULATING LINE In Towards a New Architecture Le Corbusier taks of “An Inevitable element of Architecture’ 7, He is of course, describing the “tracé régulstew’, the regulating line. He continues: “An inevitable element of architecture. The necessity for order. The regulating line is a guarantee against willlness. It brings satisfaction to. the understanding. The regulating line is a means to an end: it is not a recipe. Its choice and the modalities of expression given to it are an integral part of architectural creation.” * ‘The result of the application of the regulating fine restored a sense of harmony and control that had not been present in force since the works of the great renaissance architects Alberti and Palladio. According to Le Corbusier, ‘The regulating line is an © Colin Rowe, The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa and other essays, p.53 7 Le Corbusier, Towards A New Architecture, p.68 ® Ibid.assurance against capriciousness’ °. He goes on to argue that the Greeks and Egyptians used the system to employ a sense of order and rhythm in their architecture. Its function is to provide proportional harmonies between aspects of the architecture that have the potential to enforce a sense of order to the task. This sense of proportional and compositional harmonies has akvays been findamental in Le Corbusier's work, even when he published the plans and elevations for the 1917 vila Schwob in Towards a New Architecture, he published them with the Regulating lines drawn onto. the ekvations. (Fig 3). Figure 3 Villa Schwob, Le Corbusier, 1927.°° THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY In his essay Rowe emphasizes the idea that architecture isa science that relies on the influences of both external sources and the advances in modem technology for the ° Le Corbusier, Towards A New Architecture, p.75 10 Le Corbusier, Towards a New Architecture, p.81.genesis of new ideas and innovations. Contemporary advances in technology are constantly being adopted and manipubted to develop the many options obiainable in architecture. To Rowe, architecture is in a state of perpetual shift, constantly being mokled and supplemented by the theories and hypotheses of modem sciences, whilst drawing influence from the ancient lessons learned from history and art. For Le Corbusier, these advances in. contemporary technology where embodied in his manifesto “Five points towards a new architecture’. This manifesto was set to re- evaluate the work! of modem architecture. As be writes in the manifesto, the five points, ‘concem architectural facts that imply an entirely new kind of building, from the dwelling house to palatial edifices’. THE USE OF MATHEMATICS AND GEOMETRIC PRINCIPLIES IN THE VILLA FOSCARI AND VILLA STEIN In the Mathematies of the Ideal Villy, Rowe sets the works of Le Corbusier and Paladio against each other in order to exploit the similarities and differences in the way that the architects approach the use of geometry and proportions in their vis. Rowe begins by comparing Le Corbusier's Villa Stein’ de Monzie (1927) with Palladio’s Villa Malcontenta (1550-60). This is a very unusual and ambitious comparison; Rowe himself concedes, “These are two buildings which, in their forms and evocations, are superficially so entirely unlike that to bring them together would ‘1 Le Corbusier, Five Points Toward A New Architecture. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1970.seem to be facetious’.'? However, he does so in a manner that was previously inconceivable. In regards to the structural differences between the two villas, Rowe highlights that whereas Palladio obsessed about finding ‘structural reasons’! for the placement of the wally and the ‘planing synmetries"', Le Corbusier used the structure ‘as a basis cfor the formal elements of desion’'®, Here Rowe is emphasizing the differences in the way the two architects approach their architecture. Another structural element that Rowe focuses on is the issue in flexibility of pln. Palladio’s system forces hin to replicate the same floor pln for every floor, however Le Corbusier's point support plan offers him plenty of flexbilty when it comes to the arrangement of the phn, A principal point of difference is to be found in the realization of the roof, at the Makontenta it takes on a pyramidal form, which maximizes the open space that adds to the feeling of grandeur, whereas at the Villa Stein it is composed of a flat slab of concrete, this has a detrimental effect on the volume of open space available One aspect that unites these two greats of architecture is what seems to be their natural affinity with the harmonies attributed with architectural proportions. In the first of Palladio’s four books on architecture, Palladio states: “Beauty will result from the form and correspondence of the whole, with respect to the several parts, of the parts with regard to each other and other these again {0 the whol: that the structure mat appear an entire and complete body, wherein each 12 Colin Rowe, The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa and other essays. Cambridge, , p3. #8 Colin Rowe, The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa and other essays, p.4 Ibid. Ibid. 10member agrees with the other, and all necessary to compose what you intend to form’.'¢ Le Corbusier, through his passion for the architecture of the ancients and the renaissance had also developed an infatuation with geometry and proportions. Rowe uses these facts to identify another difference between the two. Even though both Architects utilize and condone the use of geometrical and proportional harmonies in their villis, Rowe highlights that; “In the Malcontenta geometry is diffused throughout the intemal volumes of the entire building, at Garches it seems only to reside in the block as a whole and In the disposition of its supports’ Rowe ako articulates that ‘Le Corbusier is the more aggressive’ '® when it comes to his ‘adherence to mathematical fornmlae™'?, this is shown by his imposition of regulating fines and the golden section on his elevations. Within the fick! of geometry, there lis another difference between Palladio and Le Corbusier, which is also noticed by Rowe. When the drawings of both of the villis are regarded, it can be observed that whibt Le Corbusier tends to impose his geometrical annotations of the elevation (fagade), However Palladio draws the geometrical truths onto the plans, this places a different emphasis on the meanings of the buildings. ‘The plan for Makontenta is a pleasure to behold, a perfect blend of geometric truths and elegant simplicity (Fig. 5). For Malcontent, the ‘plan may be seen as an exhibition of natural 16 Andrea Palladio, The Four Books on Architecture. New York: Dover Publications, 1986. pb. #7 Colin Rowe, The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa and Other Essays, p8. #8 Colin Rowe, The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa and Other Essays, p: Ibid. cebeauty.,.unadulterated’*", however for Stein the facades are ‘complicated’?! and ‘aduterated’*”. This implies that for Palio, the plan is the true essence of the building, for him the symmetrical and geometrical intricacy portrays a serene simple elegance within the villa. For Le Corbusier, the complicated fagade that has been dictated by geometric and proportional harmonies and gives the vila a completely different feel. 20 Colin Rowe, The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa and Other Essays, p.9. 21 Ibid. 2 Ibid. 12Figure Villa Foscari, Andrea Palladio®? 23 Andrea Palladio, I] Secondo Libro, The Four Books On Architecture, pXIL 13CONCLUSION Tam in no position to offer a conchiding opinion on this topic, however Ido not believe that Colin Rowe's take on the issue is a definitive one. By focusing, on Andrea Palladio and Le Corbusier, Rowe is introducing and reinforcing the imperative notion that just as Palkidio and Le Corbusier did in their respective periods, we must continue to influence the future by looking back into the past. These two great architects, I believe were chosen by Rowe asa subject greater scrutiny because they both shared the notion of looking to historical models and comparing them with their own ideals along with the contemporary technologies to contribute to the perception of the ideal. However, [believe that Rowe's essay on the mathematics of the ideal villa is not only about the geometrical and proportional harmonies that must be present in great architecture, but about moder architecture itself. It can be seen as a modem re evaluation of modern architecture using the past as a historical precedent. 14BIBLIOGRAPHY Ackerman, James S. Palladio. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1966, Bhekwell, William, Geometry in Architecture. New York: Wiky, 1984. Elam, Kimberly. Geometry of Design: Studies in Proportion and Composition. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2001. Gelemter, Mark. Sources of Architectural Form: A Critical History of Western Design Theory. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1995. Hikdner, Jeffrey. Garches 123 4: Remembering the Mathematics of the Ideal Villa an Essay on Le Corbusier's 1927 Villa De Monzie/stein. Boston, 2005. Le Corbusier/ Jeanneret, Pierre. “Five Points Towards a New Architecture”. (1926) Reprinted. by Cambridge, MIT Press, 1970. Le, Corbusier. Towards a New Architecture. New York: Dover Publications, 1986. Le, Corbusier. The Modulor: A Harmonious Measure to the Human Scale, Universally Applicable to Architecture and Mechanics. Cambridge, Mass: M.I.T. Press, 1968. Palidio, Andrea. The Four Books of Architecture. New York: Dover Publications, 1965. Park, Steven. Le Corbusier Redrawn: The Houses. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2012. Rowe, Colin, The Mathematics of the Meal Villa, and Other Essays. Cambrilge, Mass: MIT Press, 1976. ‘Summerson, John. The Classical Language of Architecture. Cambridge: M.LT. Press, 1966. Unwin, Simon. Analysing Architecture: The Architecture Notebook. 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