Proportion and organisation have been central discourse in architecture for centuries, but their hierarchical relationships among them have varied. Even architect of the ancient times utilised the concept of “golden ratio” in order to achieve visually aesthetic by proportion. Moreover, the western architectural style also make use of golden ratio to create architecture which pleasing to the eyes  For me, the organisation is to determine the separation or connection between similar or dissimilar uses, it helps to clarify aspects of use and establishes similarity or contrast between spaces. While for proportion is the relation between parts or things. In particular harmonious, proper or desirable relationships and the balance of symmetry.

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In term of Andrea Palladio’s text  and Le Corbusier’s text ,the main differences is the two architects design style, where Palladio is more symmetrical and Le Corbusier is more asymmetrical, but both contributed to how buildings were organised and proportioned. Whereas Colin Rowe compared these two architects in term of their proportion and organisation by their works and theories.

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Throughout the architectural history, we cannot deny that there is something beautiful about a certain proportion but somehow the trend of architecture has changed and contemporary architecture seems to neglect this. Long gone are the days in which architecture was designed to be beautiful because we starting to redefine the canons of beauty. The word beauty not only apply on the well-proportioned and well-organised architecture. Despite this fact, in my opinion, proportion and organisation still playing the role as the expression of architecture, it provides guidelines for laying out useful spaces, for designing structural systems, and for creating an aesthetically pleasing environment. The proportions of a space can dramatically change how visitors feel in it, and the proportions of a facade design can affect whether a building appears welcoming threatening, or impressive. Just like Le Corbusier said “Proportion provoked sensation”, one must be in the space only to be able to judge the space quality creates. And how is the space quality been creates? By playing with the interrelationship of organisation and proportion.

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Mies Van De Rohe

The Farnsworth House has been described as “the proportions, within the glass walls, approach 1:2” and “with a width to length ratio of 1:1.75 (nearly the golden section)”and has been studied with his other works in relation to the golden ratio.

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Le Corbusier

Le Corbusier’s faith in the mathematical order of the universe was closely bound to the golden ratio and the Fibonacci series, which he described as “rhythms apparent to the eye and clear in their relations with one another. And these rhythms are at the very root of human activities. They resound in man by an organic inevitability, the same fine inevitability which causes the tracing out of the Golden Section by children, old men, savages and the learned.”

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Northern Nautilus by Takato Tamagami

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The classical design method by using golden ratio had been adapted by some contemporary architects as well.The building consists of interlocking volumes of cuboid located parallel to the site and cube rotated by 30 degrees to face the park. The proportion in orientation of building is taking care by the architect in order to creates the best asthetic visually and physically. Plan of the cuboid is based on golden proportion and spatial division is determined by logarithmic spiral. By giving order to spatial proportion and composition, one can provide a sense of stability and comfort in living environment. Besides , the interior organisation splitting floor levels  and thus separate living spaces while maintaining a sense of togetherness at the same time.

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Inari House by TOKMOTO architectures room

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This composite residential house consists of a ground floor based on a concrete pilotis and a second floor based on a grid composition plan. The ground floor is an open space, which doubles as a parking lot, while the second floor makes up the main living space. The second floor consists of twelve cells, each the size of four and a half tatami mats. There are four central cells represent free space, forming a tatami-laid hallway. The grid is in neat organisation and equal proportion, it doesn’t suppress everyday functions, and offers a quantity of various living areas for the users living in it. The organisation of the building achieve spatial flexibility by expresses both rules and irregularities. The living space doesn’t have many functional limitations, aside from the wet area. The daily activity is formed between the tatami hallway and rooms on both sides, and remains within an indistinct living area, which puts no limits by the ways of organisation. With classical carpenter craftsmanship, making the most out of powerful, domestically produced finishing materials, close attention is paid to knowledge of materials and aesthetic sense in proportion.

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As conclusion, proportion is important as the order of architecture for usefulness, strength and beauty. A good architecture should employ appropriate proportions for its functions and its particular users (usefulness), and should fulfil structural requirements (strength) and provide aesthetically pleasing order (beauty).