The columns you have in your house or in your porch may look so simple, but their history is long and intricate. Some of these columns are traced back to the architecture of the ancient Greeks and Romans, while others find inspiration in the Asian or Moorish building structural designs. Now, most of these structures and designs are modernized from square to round.
A column is built to be functional, decorative, or both. They can be made typically by professionals like concrete contractors Santa Fe, as they are mostly made with concrete. Some of them can also be designed in a wood, although columns are built to be used as foundations.
In this article, we will share with you the Classical Orders of architecture from ancient Greeks: the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian columns and how they are currently used in American homes.
Doric
These columns were the earliest and the simplest columns the Greeks made in ancient times. they are also used in Neoclassical libraries, public schools, and government buildings.
In recent times of today, Americans are hesitant to use this design in their houses as the starker Tuscan developed by the ancient Romans are more preferred by many.
Ionic
The Ionic column of the Greek order is more ornated and slimmer than the one mentioned above. It is characterized by the scroll-shaped ornaments on the top of the shaft. Similar to the Doric column, many Neoclassical buildings used this column for entrance as it is grander and flashier compared to ionic columns.
Corinthian
The third design of the Greek order is the most intricate and lavish among the three, as it is the most elaborate and complex. Similar to the ionic, the capital of this column is adorned with ornaments carved to resemble flowers and leaves, more intricate than the scroll designs of ionic columns.
In the Neoclassical times, this design was rarely used because it was expensive compared to other column designs due to its scale of grandeur and lavishness. Compared to Doric and ionic that were mostly used for larger buildings like public schools and library, Corinthian columns were scaled down in size and its opulence when used.
In the ancient times, these columns’ capitals were designed and sculpted to resemble a plant found in Mediterranean environs, acanthus. This design was later modified into native vegetation like corn cobs, thistles, and tobacco.
Composite
Romans combined Ionic and Corinthian orders to build a composite design. This design is a hybrid, with less delicateness, and more sturdiness.
Tuscan
These columns are more similar to ancient Greek’s Doric column only this had a smoother shaft. In the 21st century, this style is the most used in American homes.
Among all the columns that were mentioned in this article, it is the Tuscan that was mostly preferred by many Americans. However, other styles like the Corinthian, as well as Composite are also used to build buildings that need fancy and grand designs. Now, most of these columns are used not for foundation but for decorations, mostly placed on the front of the main door.
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