You can use an image that has the desired proportions as to help with proportional sizing (images can be scaled proportionally by setting one dimension to some value and other to auto). The image does not have to be visible, but it must occupy space.
.box {
position: absolute;
bottom: 0;
left: 0;
height: 50%;
}
.size-helper {
display: block;
width: auto;
height: 100%;
}
.inner {
position: absolute;
top: 0;
bottom: 0;
left: 0;
right: 0;
background: rgba(255, 255, 153, .8);
}<div class="box">
<img class="size-helper" src="https://dummyimage.com/200x100/999/000" width="200" height="100">
<div class="inner">
1. box has fluid height<br>
2. img has 2:1 aspect ratio, 100% height, auto width, static position<br>
2.1 it thus maintains width = 200% of height<br>
2.2 it defines the dimensions of the box<br>
3. inner expands as much as box
</div>
</div>In the above example, box, inner and helper are all same size.