"Modulor" by Le Corbusier: A Universal Proportion System
"Modulor" is a proportional system devised by Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier in the 1940s, to serve as a standard measure for the human body and the architectural spaces around it. The system is based on the golden ratio, Fibonacci sequence, and other mathematical principles.
The name "Modulor" comes from the Latin "modulus", which means "measure". The system consists of two scales: the red scale, which corresponds to the human body, and the blue scale, which corresponds to the measure of architectural spaces.
The red scale is divided into various proportions, based on the height of a man with his arm raised. The first module is 113 cm, which is the height of a man with his arm raised. The second module is 226 cm, which is the height of a man with both arms raised. The third module is 339 cm, which is the height of a man with one leg raised.
The blue scale is based on the same principles, but its measurements are connected to the human body in a more abstract way. The idea is to create spaces that are harmonious and proportional to the human body, without necessarily replicating its exact measurements.
Le Corbusier believed that the "Modulor" system could be applied universally, to any culture and any era, as it bases its principles on the fundamental proportions of nature and the human body. He used the system in many of his buildings, including the Unité d'Habitation in Marseille and the chapel of Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp.
Today, the "Modulor" system continues to be used by architects and designers as a tool for creating harmonious spaces that are in tune with the human body. Its principles have been adapted and evolved over time, but they remain an essential part of the conversation on architectural proportion and aesthetics.
