Author: Alexander J. Hahn.
Pages: 352
Publishers: Princeton University Press
Price: $49.50
ISBN: 9781400841998
When many of us view a great building, we are struck by the majesty and artistry that spring from its form, function and materials. University of Notre Dame mathematician Alexander J. Hahn sees all this, but also something more. He sees the mathematics that lies at the heart of great buildings and finds in it a beauty of its own.Hahn examines the mathematics at work in great buildings in a compelling and richly illustrated new book, Mathematical Excursions to the World’s Great Buildings, published by Princeton University Press.
The book discuss the pyramids of Egypt; the Parthenon in Athens; the Colosseum and Pantheon in Rome; the Hagia Sophia; historic mosques; great Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance cathedrals; some of Palladio’s villas; the U.S. Capitol; and three icons of the 20th century: the Sydney Opera House, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.The idea for the book grew out of Hahn’s long-standing interest in architecture, especially European architecture, and the many informative conversations he has had over the years with his friends and colleagues in Notre Dame’s School of Architecture.
As per the author, the book intertwines two stories, one architectural, one mathematical into an interlaced fabric. On the one hand, mathematics enhances the understanding of architecture; on the other, the architecture is an attractive stage that makes basic abstract mathematics visible.It is not the aim of this narrative to provide a comprehensive study of these famous structures, but only to describe them sufficiently so that their geometric features, such as symmetry and proportion, as well as structural features, such as thrusts, loads, tensions, compressions and reactions, can be analyzed mathematically, the author says.
In order to make the book as accessible as possible, Hahn keeps the mathematics simple. The focus is on mathematics that is central to the basic college curriculum: geometry, trigonometry, properties of vectors, coordinate geometry in two and three dimensions and, at the very end, basic calculus.From the pyramids and the Parthenon to the Sydney Opera House and the Bilbao Guggenheim, this book takes readers on an eye-opening tour of the mathematics behind some of the world's most spectacular buildings.
Beautifully illustrated, the book explores the milestones in elementary mathematics that enliven the understanding of these buildings and combines this with an in-depth look at their aesthetics, history, and structure. Whether using trigonometry and vectors to explain why Gothic arches are structurally superior to Roman arches, or showing how simple ruler and compass constructions can produce sophisticated architectural details, Alexander Hahn describes the points at which elementary mathematics and architecture intersect.
Beginning in prehistoric times, Hahn proceeds to guide readers through the Greek, Roman, Islamic, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and modern styles. He explores the unique features of the Pantheon, the Hagia Sophia, the Great Mosque of Cordoba, the Duomo in Florence, Palladio's villas, and Saint Peter's Basilica, as well as the U.S. Capitol Building. Hahn celebrates the forms and structures of architecture made possible by mathematical achievements from Greek geometry, the Hindu-Arabic number system, two- and three-dimensional coordinate geometry, and calculus.
Along the way, Hahn introduces groundbreaking architects, including Brunelleschi, Alberti, da Vinci, Bramante, Michelangelo, della Porta, Wren, Gaudí, Saarinen, Utzon, and Gehry.Rich in detail, this book takes readers on an expedition around the globe, providing a deeper understanding of the mathematical forces at play in the world's most elegant buildings.Alexander J. Hahn is professor of mathematics at the University of Notre Dame. His other books include Basic Calculus: From Archimedes to Newton to Its Role in Science.
Review Courtesy: http://newsinfo.nd.edu,
http://press.princeton.edu
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