Abstract:
The harmonious balance of architecture and nature is undermined by their mutual
struggle for control. Their corrosive relationship directly leads to the degradation and
displacement of natural ecosystems through economic development, of which modern society
is fundamentally reliant. To preserve Earth’s ecology and biodiversity for future generations,
architecture needs to become symbiotic with nature. As Adolf Zeising speculated the ratio Phi
(the Golden Section) to be the morphological law of nature, this thesis investigates whether
its principles can help generate symbiotic architecture. This thesis investigates the historical
perception of how Phi relates to nature, and applies its core principles to the development of
Wellington Zoo’s ‘Welcome Plaza’. The investigation of Phi finds symbolism to be of central
importance reflecting the ancient Pythagorean conception of Aether, later conceived as the
medium of electromagnetic fields. The design basis of the Welcome Plaza utilises that which
the ratio symbolises, being the Aether and its correlated electromagnetic qualities, rather than
deriving its architectural form from the Phi ratio itself. The impact of the Welcome Plaza’s
generated form, upon the ecological value of the site, determines the appropriateness of the
principles of Phi as a design mechanism. This thesis determines whether the principles ascribed
to Phi can be used as a design methodology to generate Wellington Zoo’s Welcome Plaza in a
way that is harmonious with nature.
