From the remotest age to the present day, human beings have always sought to identify the laws that organize the universe. One law stands out among the rest: the “golden ratio”, a perfect dimension that does not derive from a magical calculation but refers to superior, unattainable contents and knowledge. In this book, one of Italy’s most prominent architects explores the “divine proportion”, introducing us to its enduring allure and relevance. Pythagoras, Fibonacci, Palladio, Le Corbusier and others help readers get acquainted with an esoteric and enigmatic formula, which governs the order underlying what we see.

Franco Purini teaches Architectural Planning at the Sapienza University in Rome and the Polytechnic University in Milan. One of his major projects is the Eurosky Tower, Rome’s tallest building.