Fibonacci Sequence
The Fibonacci sequence is a simple number pattern where each number is the sum of the two before it.
It starts like this:
0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, …
So you keep adding:
0 + 1 = 1
1 + 1 = 2
1 + 2 = 3
2 + 3 = 5
and so on.
As the numbers get bigger, the ratio between consecutive numbers like 21 divided by 13 or 34 divided by 21 gets closer and closer to about 1.618 – the Golden Ratio
You also see this pattern in nature. Things like leaf arrangements, pinecones, and spiral patterns in shells often follow Fibonacci numbers.
It’s an efficient way things grow and pack together.
The Fibonacci sequence is used in building layout as a proportioning and scaling system, not as a literal drawing rule. It links closely to proportional systems like the golden ratio, but in architecture it is mainly used to structure relationships between spaces, not to copy shapes directly.
The idea is simple: each number relates to the next by growth, and that growth pattern often feels visually natural to the human eye.
You can design movement through spaces that gradually increase or decrease in proportion.
Example:
- Entry 2
- Corridor 3
- Small room 5
- Guest room 8
- Main room 13
- Large open space 21 or 34