Not So Golden

It’s pedantic, sure. Isn’t 1.16180 close enough? Yes, it probably would be, if there were anything to scientifically support the notion that the golden ratio had any bearing on why we find certain objects like the Parthenon or the Mona Lisa aesthetically pleasing.

But there isn’t. Devlin says the idea that the golden ratio has any relationship to aesthetics at all comes primarily from two people, one of whom was misquoted, and the other of whom was just making shit up.

—John Brownlee, Co.Design

I agree with the author. The golden rectangle is not some silver bullet for design.

I’m guilty of using the golden ratio into my work:

To my defense, though, I use it pretty damn well.

This has more to do with working within a design “system” with constraints than blindly looking to the golden rectangle for a solution.

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Design