| Vocabulary |
| planes:
a flat level surface made up of an infinite number of points |
| parallel:
extending in the same direction the same distance apart. |
| volume:the
amount of a space,measured in cubic units,that an object or substances
occupies. |
| perpendicular:intersecting line that form right angles |
| intersecting:are lines in the same plane that meet and pass through one another. |
| cylinder:a solid with circles at both ends. It has no edges. |
| sphere: a solid geometric figure that looks like a circle but has no flat areas. |
| symmetry:is the exact matching of shapes or figures |
| |
|
Architecture is closely related to geometry. Buildings are constructed
using planes to create volume (space).
Lines can be straight or curved. They can be parallel, perpendicular
or intersecting. The lines of the Petronas Towers draw our eyes
up to the sky. Geometric solids were used throughout the construction.
The tubes used inside the towers can be described as cylinders with
a circular base. The towers gradually get smaller as they reach the top.
When you look at the plans of the Petronas Towers, they show two overlapping
squares. This creates an eight sided star or octagram. In Islam the octagram
is a symbol of rebirth. The octagon seems to fall in between a square and
a circle. If you join the points of the eight sided star you get a circle.
These geometric patterns are very popular in Malaysian culture. The use
of spheres is also popular in Islamic architecture and can be seen
these at the top of the towers. In addition to these shapes, the trusses
that support the roofs and skybridge use many triangles. The triangle is
popular in architecture as it is the strongest of the geometric shapes.
The skybridge seems to be a rectangular prism. The towers stand side by
side which gives them symmetry. Even the space between them created by
this symmetry is defined as a doorway. Sometimes it is what the
buildings leave out that makes them interesting.
http://k53.pbase.com/u37/sgm30/large/24395564.petronistowers.jpg
|
