Leonardo da Vinci’s drawing of a male figure perfectly inscribed in a circle and square, known as the “Vitruvian Man,” illustrates what he believed to be a divine connection between the human form and the universe. Beloved for its beauty and symbolic power, it is one of the most famous images in the world.

What is Vitruvian man? world renowned drawing of the correct human proportions.

Vitruvian Man is a study of the human form visually perfected through the application of mathematics. People, such as da Vinci, saw mathematics as a universal constant, with proper proportions repeating themselves across the universe.

Vitruvian Man is Leonardo da Vinci’s own reflection on human proportion and architecture, made clear through words and image. The purpose of the illustration is to bring together ideas about art, architecture, human anatomy and symmetry in one distinct and commanding image.

While our data proven Vitruvius’ theory to be incorrect, we ourselves have theorized that perhaps Vitruvius was unable to create a rule that could apply to the individual, for while the amount of people varies comparing Vitruvius’ theory and this experiment, the the way in which they are measured does not change.

Why Vitruvian? Leonardo’s “Vitruvian Man” is called that way because Leonardo was working over the writings of a Roman architect named Marcos Vitruvius.

Vitruvian Man

Basilica di Fano

: of, relating to, or being in the architectural style of Marcus Vitruvius Pollio.

Following Caesar’s death, in 33 BC, Vitruvius joined the army of Octavian as a military engineer and became involved in the development of aqueducts. Vitruvius’ magnum opus, and only known work is the ten volumes of “De Architectura” (On Architecture), which he compiled during the last days of his life.

Humanism’s focus was on human achievements, expression, aesthetic value and appreciation of pleasures and sophisticated goods. It appears that many early Humanists held both their newfound values and religious aspects in high regards.

Writing near the end of the first century B.C.E., Roman architect Vitruvius Pollio identified three elements necessary for a well-designed building: firmitas, utilitas, and venustas. Firmness or physical strength secured the building’s structural integrity.

Vitruvius is famous for asserting in his book De architectura that a structure must exhibit the three qualities of firmitatis, utilitatis, venustatis – that is, stability, utility, beauty. These are sometimes termed the Vitruvian virtues or the Vitruvian Triad.

Firmitas (Firmness, Durability) – It should stand up robustly and remain in good condition. Utilitas (Commodity, Utility) – It should be useful and function well for the people using it. Venustas (Delight, Beauty) – It should delight people and raise their spirits.

The notion that a building is defective unless the spaces provided are adequate and appropriate for their intended usage would seem obvious. Second, edifices are frequently used for purposes other than those for which they were originally planned. …

Made famous by the designer and architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the dictum, Less is More came to define the brave, utopian ideals of modernist design and architecture.

Seven principles encompass an interesting design.

• Balance.
• Rhythm.
• Emphasis.
• Proportion and scale.
• Movement.
• Contrast.
• Unity.

usefulness, utility expediency advantage

Vetruvius

commodity + firmness + delight = good building. Actually, Vitruvius’ own words in De Architectura libri decem2 (Ten Books on Architecture) were: firmitas (solid), utilitas (useful), and venustas (beautiful).

firmitas (Latin) From firmus (“stable, strong, firm; steadfast, true”).

It states that the personality of a building as exhibited in individual traits is what we find delight in, as humans tend to personify things they interact with.

Commodity includes the logical development of program, economy, and integrated systems within the building. Firmness deals with the structural soundness of the building. These are both logical and necessary concerns.

Firmness, of course, refers to the ability to stand up and resist the forces of man and nature, whether they be the heavy stone of the buildings of Vitruvius’s time, wind, rain, snow, furnishings, or people. Utility, again quite obviously, speaks to the fact that architecture serves a specific function.

solidity/strength

A commodity is a basic good used in commerce that is interchangeable with other goods of the same type. Commodities are most often used as inputs in the production of other goods or services. When they are traded on an exchange, commodities must also meet specified minimum standards, also known as a basis grade.

Easy access to large, almost unlimited, numbers of people has turned us into commodities. For all but the superstars among us, it has, per the definition, rendered humans widely available and interchangeable.

Toilet paper has been one of the commodities subject to shortages in Venezuela starting in the 2010s; the government seized one toilet paper factory in a failed effort to resolve the problem. Unlike other products, toilet paper has no substitute. At first, few believed the pandemic would be serious.

: having or showing simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings toward something or someone : characterized by ambivalence …