PDA

View Full Version : Golden Rectangle Question



Dave Richards
09-23-2004, 1:28 PM
Suppose you are designing a tall bookcase. It consists of a base approximately 4" wider than the box containing the shelves, the box and a top the same width as the base. the base is about 5" tall and the top is about 2" high.

If you wanted to apply the Golden Rectangle to this bookcase design, would you apply it only to the box that contains the shelves or to the outside dimensions of the overall piece.

In other words, if there is an overall height in mind, would you take that height and do the math or would you subtract the heights of the base and top first?

Chris Padilla
09-23-2004, 1:38 PM
I'd leave the top/base out of the calculations. I think one's eye will be drawn to the top/base as a "framing" kind of look to the piece and it won't take away from your GR.

If you include the top/base, I think the shelf section might look small compared to those two pieces.

Michael Stafford
09-23-2004, 1:44 PM
I think Chris is right. If I remember correctly the Parthenon was built using the GR but the pediments are not included in the area under consideration, just the main mass of the building. Think of it as putting a picture frame a around a perfect picture.

Nathan Hoffman
09-24-2004, 7:48 AM
So as a follow up to that question, how do you figure the best proportion for the thickness of the "picture frame"?