I have had the pleasure of working with Mark Rosenhaus – interviewing him and covering his dynamic speeches, for many years now. Mark is a consummate professional, an authority on kitchen design; particularly his knowledge of Dynamic Symmetry, and an ambassador for the kitchen and bath design community.
– D.S.

We use the geometry of Fibonacci Numbers and the Golden Proportion to create balanced, vibrant designs.
Find the Fibonacci Sequence: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144…etc.
Adding consecutive numbers equals the third, and dividing adjacent numbers produces the 62% Golden Ratio.
These proportions are the basis for the Geometry of Nature: The DNA of Design
Now they enliven your home.

Dynamic Symmetry is the balance of harmony and proportion based on weight
or mass — similar to different size people on a see-saw. It is also axial (or mirror)
symmetry — a line with two items equidistant from each side.

We look for clues to make order out of chaos. Key architectural elements are aligned similar to stars in a constellation.
Rhythm is created by contrasts. If all musical notes are the same, we become bored and cease listening.
Unity does not mean uniformity as families have differing personalities.

Emotionally, Dynamic Symmetry’s greatest values are both calming and suggest vitality and movement.

With the harmonious relationship of patterns so prevalent, there can be no doubt nature inspires the “geometry of art“.

The Cathedral of Notre Dame is a Golden Rectangle as a square defines the lower portion. The size and placement of the rosette is tangent to the diagonals of the square and golden rectangle. The bottom of the rosette is at the midpoint of the square – just as the eye is on a face.

Audrey Hepburn’s beauty is a square delineated by the width of her mouth up to her eye.

The Taj Mahal is designed within a square. The entrance is a square with its size determined by a diagonal from the midpoint at the base up to the outer square. The distance above the door is 62% of the overall height.

Fibonacci Proportions of the finger: The first digit is 62% of the second digit, which
is 62% of the third digit. The total length of the first two digits equals the third digit.

Saturn’s rings are in Golden Proportion to the planet.

Nautilus seashell grows in 62% proportion. The Golden Rectangle has its width 62% of the height. It is built with a square, then subsequent squares each 62% of the previous. Scribing an arc produces the spiral.

The glass doors form a square with Golden Rectangles on each side that are divided into a double door square and a horizontal Golden Rectangle above. When the owners were told these are the same proportions as the Taj Mahal, they were awestruck, understanding the importance this relationship brings to their kitchen.

Each upper cabinet is a Golden Rectangle (GR). They are different sizes, yet the same proportion. The entire group fits within a G.R. The middle cabinet along with the shelf is a square and forms a G.R. with the cabinet to its right. Diagonal lines cross in the center of the middle cabinet right where the eye wants to go confirming correct proportions.

The pantry is 62% of the star cabinet which is 62% of the hood space. The top of the hood is half the bottom width. The curve of the hood leads to the corner of the counter top. The bottom of the star is at the midpoint of the door — as the eye is on a face.

The perfect diameter of the arch and sizes of the adjacent cabinets are confirmed by the radii touching the corners.

Dynamic Symmetry is the 62% relationship of the cabinet sizes adding movement and vitality to the composition

The swerve and circle are based on the 62% Golden Ratio. The circle diameter is proportional to the width of the cabinet and positioned as the eye is on a face.

Lecture

Mark led a design seminar in my showroom for which we had over 60 guests in attendance. Mark has a unique design philosophy and provided a very interesting discussion on his design principles. His discussion was very engaging and elicited many questions throughout. Overall, it turned out to be a fantastic seminar.
-P.S.

GEOMETRY IN NATURE: THE DNA OF DESIGN

Course Description:

Have you ever thought something was beautiful and it felt just right, but couldn’t articulate why? In this intriguing, ‘I wish I had known this years ago‘ presentation, secrets will be revealed showing how the Golden Proportion and Fibonacci numbers are the basis for masterpieces in art and architecture. This program brings to life how nature and your own body influence design.

By observing ‘Geometry in Nature’ with the time-tested masterpieces of Leonardo Da Vinci and Frank Lloyd Wright, we create designs with superior aesthetic appeal and imbued with that timeless quality. Be fascinated by the Golden Proportion/Fibonacci numbers found in everything from your finger, a pretty face, pineapples, the Taj Mahal, Notre Dame and many others.

Proportion expert Mark Rosenhaus, with 37 years in the kitchen and bath industry, celebrates this elementary geometry with his enlightening seminar. The goal of this presentation is to energize your innate intuition and add vitality and movement to more creative designs that sell.

Learning Objective: Golden Proportion

  1. Learn how the 62% Golden Proportion, based on the Fibonacci Numbers, reveals the geometry of nature to create the balance and forms considered the standard of beautiful design.
  2. Be fascinated by proportions found everywhere from the microscopic to telescopic, including everyday items, a stair step, a seashell, Saturn and masterpieces of ancient and modern art and architecture.
  3. Attendees will learn to calculate the Golden Proportions. Using real numbers, not just history and theory, create superior aesthetic designs that are true works of art, imbued with that timeless quality, while furthering kitchen and architectural design and setting you apart from the competition.

Optional
Workshop/Review
Attendees will draw Golden Proportion designs in either: architecture, interior spaces or kitchens. In addition, designers are encouraged to bring works-in-progress or recent projects as part of an interactive class review and discussion where the principles may have been used intuitively or where an enhancement is available.

The goal is to provide a working knowledge of proportions beyond merely a fascination with the presentation.

CEU Program timing

This is a live presentation with slides.
Golden Proportion 1 hour presentation. This may be alone or as the lead-in to the workshop.
Workshop 1 hour; Discussion/Review 1 hour. These work together.
Time is flexible based on the number of attendees.