Domino Proportions System: Structural, Functional, and Aesthetic Analysis in Modern Architecture
Subject Areas : Architecture
Fariba Jansetan
1
,
Sara Dashtgard
2
1 -
2 - Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Islamic Azad University, Hashtgerd Branch, Hashtgerd, Iran
Keywords: Domino system, structural innovation, open-plan architecture, flexibility, contemporary architecture,
Abstract :
Le Corbusier's Domino system, introduced in the early 20th century, marked a turning point in modern architecture by proposing a modular framework based on slender columns and reinforced concrete slabs. This structural innovation facilitated standardization, industrialization, and rapid construction, influencing landmark projects such as Villa Savoye and the Pessac housing complex, as well as later mass housing developments. Despite these advantages, limited research has critically examined the relevance of the Domino system in light of contemporary architectural and environmental standards.
This study aims to evaluate the strengths and limitations of the Domino system within its historical context while exploring its potential adaptability to present-day needs. The research employs a descriptive approach to explain the system's conceptual features, an analytical approach to assess selected case studies, and a comparative approach to measure its performance against current architectural criteria. Data sources include scholarly literature, visual and graphical documentation, and environmental records, enabling both historical and technical analysis.
Findings reveal that the Domino system significantly contributed to the rationalization of building processes and provided a foundation for prefabrication and modular construction. However, its emphasis on structural regularity often resulted in spatial monotony and insufficient responsiveness to cultural, climatic, and ecological factors. The study highlights the importance of integrating adaptive strategies, sustainable materials, and advanced technologies. Contemporary tools such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), parametric design, and modular prefabrication can reinterpret the Domino framework, ensuring flexibility, contextual sensitivity, and ecological performance.
By bridging historical innovation with modern requirements, the Domino system demonstrates enduring relevance when reimagined through contemporary architectural practices.
1. Colquhoun, A. (2002). Modern architecture. Oxford University Press.
2. Curtis, W. J. R. (1986). Modern architecture since 1900. Phaidon Press.
3. Eisenman, P. (1985). The formal basis of modern architecture. MIT Press.
4. Frampton, K. (2020). Modern Architecture: A Critical History (5th ed.). Thames & Hudson
5. Hartoonian, G. (2022). Modern Architecture: A Critical History (Fifth edition, Kenneth Frampton) [Book review]. Fabrications. https://doi.org/10.1080/10331867.2021.1989898
6. Grimley, C. (n.d.). Color, space, and style. [Publisher].
7. Huxtable, A. L. (n.d.). Le Corbusier's housing project: Flexible enough to endure. The New York Times.
8. Rodríguez-Lora, J.-A., Navas-Carrillo, D., & Pérez-Cano, M. T. (2021). Le Corbusier's urbanism: An urban characterisation of his proposals for inner cities. Frontiers of Architectural Research, 10(4), 701–714. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2021.05.002
9. Le Corbusier. (1997). Toward an architecture (F. Etchells, Trans.). Getty Publications. (Original work published 1923)
10. Le Corbusier. (1954). The Modulor: A harmonious measure to the human scale universally applicable to architecture and mechanics (P. de Francia & A. Bostock, Trans.). Harvard University Press. (Original work published 1948)
11. Le Corbusier. (1980). Modulor I and II. Harvard University Press.
12. Loos, A. (1930). *Ornament and crime* (M. Mitchell, Trans.). Getty Publications. (Original work published 1930)
13. Mehmeti, L. (2014, Winter). Architecture analyses of Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye. University for Business and Technology (UBT).
14. Le Corbusier. (1987). The city of tomorrow and its planning (F. Etchells, Trans.; 8th ed.; Original work published 1929). Architectural Press.
15. Shin, C.-M. (2006). A typological housing design: The case study of Quartier Frugès in Pessac by Le Corbusier. Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering, 5(1), 75–82. https://doi.org/10.3130/jaabe.5.75
16. Sung-Hyun, C.-K. (2004). Analysis of structural and spatial systems in modern architecture, No. 4.
17. ResearchGate. (n.d.). ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net
18. City Tech OpenLab. (n.d.). OpenLab. https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu
