Far before the design of Le Corbusier's Modular Man, scale and proportion was already being considered by architects. Two good examples of the use of scale in classical architecture come from the Greeks and the Romans.
The two images above show an ancient Greek Temple and a Roman Theatre. These two pieces of architecture are perfect at illustrating how the scale and proportions of a building has been informed by it's intended use.
Take, for example, the ancient Greek Temple. These colossal structures were built to house the ancient Greek gods. They were not meant for human use and so were not designed for the human scale. The ancient Greeks believed their gods to be of monumental size, hence why the size of the buildings are equally big. In order to comfortably house the gods, the proportions and scales of the building had to be enlarged and expanded. In the photo of the temple there are some people, the size of the temple in comparison to these people shows just how big this structure is.
Take, for example, the ancient Greek Temple. These colossal structures were built to house the ancient Greek gods. They were not meant for human use and so were not designed for the human scale. The ancient Greeks believed their gods to be of monumental size, hence why the size of the buildings are equally big. In order to comfortably house the gods, the proportions and scales of the building had to be enlarged and expanded. In the photo of the temple there are some people, the size of the temple in comparison to these people shows just how big this structure is.
By comparison, there is the Roman Theatre, as shown in the right hand image above. Roman theatres were built to house hundreds of people for the viewing of entertainment. Although still very big in size, these were built for the human form, and so the human scale and proportions. As can be seen in the image, there are rows and rows of seats, all scaled for the human size. The centre and the stage are also scaled proportionally to the human form in order to allow a group of people to perform. | "Although still very big in size, these were built for the human form, and so the human scale and proportions." |
These examples both show how important it is to consider the uses of what is being designed, as well as it's clients. Although perhaps no done using as many scientific and technological methods as modern examples, these structures will have been thought about closely to ensure that they are built to match their needs. This is an important part of any design to ensure comfortable and ergonomic use, and architecture is no exception.