architecture

The golden ratio has many amazing properties. But is it really a secret of nature and the epitome of beauty?

The mathematical puzzle behind the iconic structure.

Find out about what's involved in building a football stadium and why it requires listening to Belgian techno.

Ahmer Wadee explains how to keep tall structures from buckling under their own weight.

Engineer Paul Shepherd explains the famous arch and drops some eggs.

The 19th century experienced a geometrical revolution. Find out how the new geometries that were discovered shaped philosophy, science, culture and art.

This article explores how Euclid's ancient geometry interacts with all aspects of human thought and life.

Our image of the week shows the courtyard of the British Museum in London with its beautiful glass and steel roof.

Our image of the week celebrates architect Antoni Gaudí's love of mathematical design.

The Jerusalem Chords Bridge, Israel, was built to make way for the city's light rail train system. Its design took into consideration more than just utility — it is a work of art, designed as a monument. Its beauty rests not only in the visual appearance of its criss-cross cables, but also in the mathematics that lies behind it. So let's take a deeper look at it.

Compass & Rule: Architecture as Mathematical Practice in England, 1500-1750, is a lovely online version of the physical exhibition help at the Museum of the History of Science, Oxford, in 2009. Compass and Rule focuses on design and drawing, exploring the role of geometry in the dramatic transformation of English architecture between the 16th and 18th centuries.

The Velodrome, with its striking curved shape, was the first venue to be completed in the London Olympic Park. Plus talks to structural engineers Andrew Weir and Pete Winslow from Expedition Engineering, who were part of the design team for the Velodrome, about how mathematics helped create its iconic shape.