“We resonate at both cellular and consciousness levels with our environment,
Certain forms – thanks to their proportions or their geometry, or both – can evoke favorable responses.”
Bernhard Rustige

The power of form and proportion

Nature is the ultimate in design. Its patterns are a source of beauty and endless fascination.

At the heart of its intricate shapes is the concept of sacred geometry. Simply put, this is the principle that all of nature’s structures are governed by a set of geometric patterns and a handful of mathematical ratios. Found in everything from plants and trees to stars and the galaxy, it’s the intrinsic order of the universe that unites all forms of life.  

Inspired by this, IBIZALIVING applies sacred geometry to the creation of every product and design. We incorporate its unique patterns and its wider concept of interconnectedness, producing everything in synergy with nature.

The basics of sacred geometry

One of sacred geometry’s key elements is the golden ratio. This refers to a perfectly symmetrical relationship between two proportions, where the relationship between the larger and the smaller part is the same as that between the whole and the larger part. The formula is symbolized by the Greek letter phi, and as an equation of 1.618.

The golden ratio is renowned for producing some of the most beautiful shapes. From it, we get the golden spiral (a logarithmic spiral that gets wider by a growth factor of the golden ratio), and the golden rectangle (a rectangle whose side lengths are in the golden ratio). The aesthetic harmony of the ratio has been used for centuries by artists and designers, and can be seen in the architecture of ancient monuments such as the Great Pyramids and the Parthenon. 

Throughout the centuries, the ratio has been given many different names, including the golden mean and the golden section. In 1509, the friar and mathematician Luca Pacioli published a treatise referring to it as the divine proportion. The text was illustrated by Leonardo da Vinci, who used the ratio to create an elegant balance in many of his compositions – as did other famous Renaissance artists.

The Fibonacci sequence

The Fibonacci sequence is closely related to the golden ratio. In this sequence, each number is the sum of the two numbers that precede it. The sequence begins 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, and continues in this pattern. The ratio of any two successive Fibonacci numbers is very close to the golden ratio – and as the numbers get higher, the ratio becomes even closer to 1.618.

Sacred geometry in nature

The golden ratio and Fibonacci sequence can be found throughout the natural world. Many shells, including snail shells and nautilus shells, are perfect examples of the golden spiral. Hurricanes too often display this spiral. 

In many flowers, the seeds are produced at the centre and migrate outwards to fill the space, following the pattern of the ratio. And the number of petals on flowers often reflects the Fibonacci sequence. It is believed that each petal is placed to allow for the best possible exposure to sunlight.

In pinecones, the seedpods spiral upwards in opposite directions. The number of steps the spirals take tends to match the Fibonacci sequence. The way tree branches form and split is similarly related to the sequence, and root systems and algae also share this formation pattern.

At a broader level, the Milky Way galaxy has a number of spiral arms, each of which has a logarithmic spiral of roughly 12 degrees. The shape is identical to the golden spiral, and the golden rectangle can be drawn over any spiral galaxy.

Patterning in humans and animals

As we too are part of nature, our bodies also contain the golden ratio. Many of our proportions can be divided according to its formula, including the measurement of the navel to the floor and from the top of the head to the navel. In the length of our fingers, each section from the tip of the base to the wrist is larger than the preceding one by roughly this ratio too.

This patterning can even be seen in our DNA. A DNA molecule measures 34 angstroms by 21 angstroms at each full cycle of the double helix spiral. In the Fibonacci series, 34 and 21 are successive numbers.

We are not the only examples of the golden ratio in the animal kingdom. Dolphins, starfish, sand dollars, sea urchins, ants and honeybees also exhibit the proportion.

Creating harmony in our environment

Because the golden ratio and its related shapes are intrinsic to life, we respond instinctively to them in our surroundings. “We resonate at both cellular and consciousness levels with our environment,” says IBIZALIVING architect Bernhard Rustige. “Certain forms – thanks to their proportions or their geometry, or both – can evoke favourable responses.”

Rustige has explored the connection between nature and manmade objects, looking at the symbolic meaning of numbers and the shapes of sacred geometry. He realised that objects and buildings have a profound influence on our health and our spiritual state of being.

This awareness guides all of IBIZALIVING’s work. In each design, we apply the principles of sacred geometry, working to balance light and colour, an object’s relationship to the natural landscape, its ecological sympathy, energy efficiency and geometric form. 

“By creating an environment around us that is supportive to our inner and outer senses, we can enhance rather than alienate our links with nature,” says Rustige. “When architecture and objects embody these principles of universal harmony, they sustain rather than drain us. In this way, the objects and buildings we live with every day nurture our wellbeing, and our homes become our havens.”

We design homes using architectural design principles of forms & proportions, orientation & energy, environment & material. All design home projects aim to balance and connect with their natural surroundings.

Aspiring to design and build your Ibiza style home anywhere in the world.