A Digital Analysis of the ″Digitally-Derived Geometric Design″ of the Front Wall of St. Paul′s Church in Macao -A Study on the Architecture and City of Macao, No. 1-

Abstract

With reference to related historical archives and literature, this study conducted research into the history, the designer and the design dimensions of St. Paul′s Church in Macao. The remaining drawing of the facade merely reflects the correlation deduction of each controlling point in its geometric drawing. Through digital analysis, this study has further obtained the ″digitally-derived geometric design″ relations of the five-layer elevation design drawing and number-rounding adjustment of the constructing dimensions: the application of the law of equal-partition in the horizontal direction, the application of the law of upward successive-subtraction in stratification in the vertical direction, and the complicated combination of golden-rectangle controlling designs. The latter two applications are key geometrical features of Baroque Architecture.

Keywords

• st. paul′s church
• facade
• geometric drawing
• the law of upward successive-subtraction in stratification
• the golden ratio