The building as a body: architectural perspectives in anatomy and the musculoskeletal system

Since antiquity, the human body has inspired architecture both aesthetically and structurally. Vitruvius introduced proportion as a principle of harmony, whereas Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo studied anatomy to enrich artistic and architectural concepts. Their dissections and analyses of muscles, joints, and bones influenced ideas of stability, flexibility, and dynamic structures. Later, architects such as Gaudí, Eiffel, Le Corbusier, Parent, and Calatrava integrated biomimicry and biomechanical principles into their works, translating skeletal and muscular systems into innovative forms. Gaudí's Casa Batlló and Sagrada Família evoke bones and tendons, whereas Eiffel's Tower mirrors femoral trabeculae. Le Corbusier's Modulor system formalised body-based proportions, and Calatrava explicitly referenced the spine and rib cage in his buildings. Beyond symbolism, modern 'healing architecture' demonstrates how spatial design impacts health and recovery. By bridging architecture and medicine, particularly rheumatology, biomimetic approaches highlight the musculoskeletal system as a lasting model for functional, inclusive, and therapeutic spaces.