1. Presentation by: Meagan Dowedoff Cara Boerner
Gothic Architecture
Presentation by:
Meagan Dowedoff
Cara Boerner
Image from:

2. History
Gothic Architecture is referred to as the “Architecture of Geometry” due to its heavy reliance on geometric properties, such as proportion and symmetry. During the Gothic age architecture was the dominant form of art It was first developed in France, c “In architecture, Gothic art was at its most intellectual”

3. Major Characteristics
Buildings, especially cathedrals within the Gothic design tend to have:
Symmetric floor plans
Flying buttresses
Vaulted ceilings
Gothic arches
Enormous stain glass windows
stained-glass-gothic-architecture.html

4. Floor Plan

5. http://www. sacred-destinations

6. Flying Buttresses
“A buttress is a support built against a wall to support or reinforce it.” Originally in order to get the desired height the walls would have to be thick along the base of the walls, but more was wanted. They desired more height and the ability to let light in through beautiful stain glass windows.

7. http://physicsbuttresses. blogspot

8. Flying Buttresses
In order to do this, gothic architects invented flying buttresses. These buttresses allowed the horizontal force of the roof to go down the buttresses, releasing the force and not causing the walls to buckle under the weight.

9. Gothic arches
The next few slides layout a proof of a property that is needed to produce the Gothic Arches.
q4/XUamcHCi4X8/s400/t467_GothicArches.jpg

10. Construction of an Arbelos

11. An interesting feature of arbelos’

12. Archimedes and his propositions

13. R
R/2 R/ R/3 

14. Reflecting the original circle over our midpoint line, we get our resulting Gothic arch.

15. The gothic arch

16. Rose Window Constructions
Rose windows are primarily constructed with a compass and a straight edge.
There is many constructions that are possible with only these materials.
We have each constructed a rose window.
There are detailed instructions in the binder.
Using only basic techniques with a compass and a straight edge these rose windows were achieved.
There are a number of constructions possible with only these basic tools, we have given each of you a handout that give instructions.

17. Rose window construction

18. Rose window construction

19. Rose window construction

20. Rose window construction

21. Rose window construction

24. References
Bogomolny, A. (2012) Chain of Inscribed Circles. Interactive Mathmatics Miscellany and Puzzles. Retrieved November 25, 2012 from Bogomolny, A. (2012) Gothic Arc. Interactive Mathmatics Miscellany and Puzzles. Retrieved November 25, 2012 from Chiffriller, J. (n.d.). Tips & Tricks to Gothic Geometry. New York Carver. Retrieved November 1, 2012, from Craven, J. (2012) What Is a “Buttress”? What is a “Flying Buttress”? About.com. Retrieved November 16, 2012 from Fazio, M., Moffett, M., & Wodehouse, L. (2008). A World History of Architecture, Second Edition. McGraw-Hill Publishing. Grodecki, L. (1976) Gothic Architecture. New York: Harry N. Adams Incrporated. Nikolinakou, M., & Tallon, A. (n.d.) New Research in Early Gothic Flying Buttresses. University of Cambridge. Retrieved November 20, 2012 from Norwich, J. (2003) Great Architecture of the World. China: Da Capo Press. Salpietra, M. (2010) Physics of Stone Arches. Nova. Retrieved November 21, 2012 from Schneider, M. (n.d.) Geometry of the North Rose Window of Chartes Cathedral. Constructing the Universe. Retrieved November 23, 2012 from Young, R. (Spring 2012) Pappus of Alexandria and the Arbelos. University of Minnesota Morris. Retrieved November 23, 2012 from