By: Tyler Norton
Le
Corbusier’s Modulor Man is a well-known principal within the architecture
community. The aspect of his theory that I want to focus on is not related so
much to combining scales as it is to the proportions of a human body. In the
two examples reflected upon in this post, the human dimension is clearly taken
into great consideration when planning each space. Even though Gustafson’s
Memorial Fountain for Lady Diana is a very large space, and Zumthor’s
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion is a very small one, each make guests feel welcome
and comfortable. Every space, regardless of size, should be tailored to the
proportions of the individuals it is created for. 
Without
even seeing Lady Diana’s Memorial Fountain, you know that it is going to be a
large space because it is located in Hyde Park in London. The fountain itself
is located in a sizable open field within the park and is surrounded by grass
and foliage. According to the royal parks’ website, the fountain was designed
to symbolize her life, quality, openness, and most importantly, her love for
children and warm attitude toward people in general. This last symbolism is
most important because with this in mind, the fountain was designed not just in
her honor, but also with the people she left behind in mind. Essentially it was
designed to engage people and for them to feel comfortable in. Gustafson did a
wonderful job of taking a large and open space, which otherwise may have been
considered overwhelming, and molding it to fit a space where people can
interact easily. Examples of this are readily apparent anyone trained in design.
The sides, which frequently serve as benches, are proportioned perfectly to the
human physique. The interior part of the circle divides the large field up into
smaller nodes so that the inside space of the ring feels much more intimate.
The shapes of the contours inside the fountain are intriguing and inviting to
the human eye and are proportioned in a way to comfortably fit an average sized
adult as well as a small child. Nothing in this section of the park feels
overwhelming or too open. 
In direct
contrast to the last example, Zumthor’s Serpentine Gallery Pavilion is a very
small and confined space. However, Zumthor still manages to design according to
human proportions just as gracefully as Gustafson. In fact, because of the
small and intimate setting, it may have been even easier for Zumthor. The site,
located in the Serpentine Gardens in London, is a small black structure that
from the outside appears completely closed in, but has a partially open
ceiling. As with the Memorial Fountain, the ways in which Zumthor proportioned
his structure to human dimensions can be studied effortlessly. In each
entrance, the doors are comfortably spaced and the heights and widths are also
of comfortable proportions. Even the height of the building, which is taller
than the interior roof, is not overwhelming, nor does it make anyone feel
diminished. As previously mentioned, the interior roof of the building is
fairly low but not so low that it makes anyone feel cramped or clustered.
Inside the structure, there is plenty of seating space and each space is
designed with the human body in mind as well. All in all, the space creates a
perfect balance between intimate and confining.
http://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/hyde_park/diana_memorial.cfm
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