Mathematical elements in historic and contemporary architecture

DOI10.1007/S00004-006-0020-ZMaRDI QIDQ871648zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors E. Marchetti, Luisa Rossi Costa

Publication date 20 March 2007

Published in Nexus Network Journal (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://doi.org/10.1007/s00004-006-0020-z

zbMATH Keywords

geometrymathematics and architecturequadratic surfacesregular curves

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

General applied mathematics (00A69) General theory of mathematical modeling (00A71) General histories, source books (01A05) Geometric constructions in real or complex geometry (51M15)

Review text

Mathematics plays an important role in architecture regarding technical aspects, making buildings more functional or minimize energy costs. This essay calls attention to another fact, namely that mathematical rules are also used by the architects to strengthen the aesthetical attractivity of the buildings, for instance in facades, domes and vaults. Cylindrical, conical and hyperbolic surfaces are recognizable in contemporary buildings like the Lyon Opera Theatre (1993), the Cooling tower in Milan, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao (Frank Gehry), and the Willis building in Ipswich (Norman Foster). Families of parameter curves are used for the Reichstags's dome in Berlin by Norman Forster and the ``bubble of Renzo Piano in Turin. The London City Hall has conic ramps. The skyscraper ``Turning Torso in Malmö of Santiago Calatrava is a twisting cube. But also in the past architects used mathematical curves cutting out windows in domes, as in St. Peter's cathedral in Rome or in S. Lorenzo by Guarini in Turin. Among many different ancient examples of elliptic and oval domes are the Residenz Church in Würzburg (Balthasar Neumann, 1741) and two churches in Rome: S. Carlino alle Quattro Fontane and S. Andrea al Quirinale (Gian Bernini, 17th century). The essay concludes with an unusual application of spherical elements by Richard Meier in the church of Tor Tre Teste in Rome (2003). Architects often give a splendid interpretation of the beauty of Mathematics.

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Cited in

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• Two architectures: two compared geometries
• The calculus of gothic architecture
• The geometry of Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke: a walking tour in London
• Applications of a new property of conics to architecture: An alternative design for Rio de Janeiro metropolitan cathedral
• Mathematical knowledge of architecture in the works of Kâshânî

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