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Virginia Tech

Proportions and Light

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

This thesis is an inquiry between music and architecture. The rational and emotional aspects of music are applied into architectural language. Rationally, the base for both music and architecture is mathematic, or proportions, which derives from the cosmic order, and gives the harmonic sense for the ears and the eyes. They are both carefully constructed on paper: scores and constructive drawings. Neither of them will make sense unless through experience, which will take to an emotional journey. The numbers for Pythagoras scale are the agreement of sounds that affects our ears with delight, the same that can please our eyes and our minds. Since harmonic ratios inherent in nature are revealed in music, the architect who relies on those harmonies makes use of a universal harmony apparent in music. Light moves within a space throughout time in a year, it can be considered as a time signature for the season and the day in architecture. The form and material change the quality of light. Light and shadow gives rhythm in a space. Music is close to heaven with eternity. In Japan, Mount Fuji is the highest mountain and people worship it as a symbol of immortality. Both of them have their trace connect to nature. The journey for this thesis is about exhibiting a series of woodblock prints called Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji, using knowledge of proportions and light. By ordering the prints into a certain order, the exhibition eventually celebrates the Mount Fuji itself.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Architecture
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Department dc:contributor.department
Architecture
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2022

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • He, Xinnuo
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Thompson, Steven R.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Jones, James R.
  • Korkuti, Arian

Subjects

dc:subject × 4

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
vt_gsexam:33842
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/108078

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

He, Xinnuo. Proportions and Light. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2022. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/108078