LECTURER 02

LE CORBUSIER

Exerpts From Le Modulor

I think for Le Corbusier, what industry needed was a system of proportional measurement which would reconcile the needs of the human body with the beauty inherent in the Golden Section. If such a system could be devised, which could simultaneously render the Golden Section proportional to the height of a human, then this would form an ideal basis for universal standardization. What does standardization means? It is a prototype intended for mass production. I think in order to do that we need to set down in concrete form, ideas on the subject of a harmonious measure to the human scale and universally applicable to architecture. Proportioning grid is a good idea to serve as a basis for prefabrication. We can use this as initial idea to prefabricate the modular bus shelter that using the IBS (Industrial Building System) to construct. We can expressed our ideas by numbers, figures and diagram and it is quite meaningful in this way.

Standardization : "Quartier Modernes Furges" , Pessac , Le Corbusier (1923)

Modulor Man is a quite important element in this article.The Modulor Man is a healthy white male enhanced by mathematical proportional gimmicks ‘of nature’. Besides,it was meant as a universal system of proportions. The ambition was vast that it was devised to reconcile maths, the human form, architecture and beauty into a single system. This system could then be used to provide the measurements for all aspects of design from door handles to cities. The fundamental "module" of the Modulor is a six-foot man. This Modulor Man is segmented according the "golden section". These proportions can be scaled up or down to infinity using a Fibonacci progression. I think golden section is the mathematics offers the simplest and most powerful variation of a value. It is magnificent to include playing of mathematics while doing our bus shelter design now because it is modular design and we need different sizes of modular components to build up the structure.

Modulor Man

Villa Savoye

Le Corbusier no doubt is a famous architect, however someone will blame him for those theories promoting standardized high rise construction by using mass production method make the building become uninteresting. In fact until our century it become the most effective method to produce the buildings in a short time and produce myriad of multi-functional modular furniture. In the contrary, Le Corbusier is quite open when he notes that the Modulor has the capacity to produce designs badly. Ultimately he advises that use eyes to judge and can abandon the Modulor when it does not suit and persistently reminds people that since it is based on perception then its application must be limited by practical perception. I think this is a good point that when we are doing design, if it is not suitable we must find other way and do not bash one's head against a brick wall.

In short, it goes without saying that things that are in proportion to one another are naturally more pleasing to the eye. Mathematics is fascinating by putting the numbers, figures and the diagram together. Standardization and proportioning grid find it relatively simple to produce forms that were both commodious and delightful and would find it more difficult to produce displeasing or impractical forms. It is also further applied to the industry and mechanics nowadays. Le Corbusier's works displayed a wide variety forms and space by reformulating the theories and benefit the future generation now.


Written by Chiew Jing Yi, 1001644071