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Scale
THEORY & MATHEMATICSbeginner
Definition
The perceived size of a building or space relative to the human body or to its surroundings. A building can be physically large but feel intimate (human scale), or physically modest but feel monumental (heroic scale). Architects manipulate scale through the size of elements like doors, windows, and steps.
Example
The entrance hall of Grand Central Terminal in New York (1913) achieves monumental scale through 24-metre-high arched windows that dwarf commuters, making the space feel cathedral-like.