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For a brief architectural dictionary, see below.

Greek temple.

Prostyle. Type of ancient temple. The building is rectangular in plan with a single-row colonnade only on the main facade, equal in width.

Amphiprostyle(Greek amfiprostulos, from amfi - on both sides, and prostulos - having columns on the front side) - a type of ancient Greek temple, rectangular in plan and having columned porticoes on the end facades;

Peripter. The main type of ancient Greek temple of the Archaic and Classical periods. The peripterus is a rectangular building, surrounded on four sides by a colonnade. The external forms of the peripterus were often used in classicist architecture.

Dipter- (from the Greek dipteros), a type of ancient Greek temple in which a rectangular room in plan is surrounded along the outer perimeter by two rows of columns

Pseudodipterus. Type of ancient Greek temple. It differs from the diptera in the absence of an internal row of columns, although space is left for them.

Monoptera. A type of building that is round in projection without internal partitions or volumes.

The roof of the monopteros is supported only by a colonnade.

Rotunda. A building with a circular plan or a large cylindrical volume topped with a dome.
Types of Greek Temples

Cella. The main room (sanctuary) of the ancient temple. Depending on the type of temple, the cella may be surrounded by columns.

Column. An architectural element that acts as or imitates a support pillar.

Colonnade. A rhythmic row of columns supporting a common horizontal floor.


Doric order - one of the orders of classical architecture. There are Greek and Roman Doric orders. The place of origin is considered to be the shores of the Aegean Sea on both the European and Asian sides in the 6th century BC. e.. Found in the first buildings of Ancient Greece and Dorian colonies. Laconic, courageous, monumental - in ancient times it was considered a “male” order. The classic Doric column had no base, was very thin, decorated with flutes, and ended with a capital. Unlike other orders, the flutes are adjacent to each other without tracks between them. In the Doric order, the flutes are shallow, with sharp edges. The usual number of flutes in buildings of the classical period is 16 - 20 pieces. The Doric order architrave is smooth.



Ionic order. It differs from the earlier Doric order in the greater ease of proportions and decoration of all its parts. A distinctive feature of the Ionic order is the way the capitals are designed, which is made in the form of two opposite volutes. The Ionic order in antiquity was considered a “female” order, due to its sophistication, sophistication and additions of various decorations. It arose in the middle of the 6th century BC. e. in Ionia on the northwestern coast of Asia Minor near the Aegean Sea.


Corinthian order - one of the three Greek architectural orders. Represents a variant of the Ionic order, more saturated with decor. A characteristic feature of this order is the bell-shaped capital covered with stylized acanthus leaves. The height is 20 modules, the diameter is 1/10 of the height. The abacus has concave sides supported by four large and four small spiral-shaped scrolls. Along the circumference of the capital there are acanthus leaves in two rows.


Tuscan order. A simplified version of the Doric order. Originated in Ancient Rome at the turn of the 1st century. BC. – 1st century AD It has a column with a base, but without flutes, and a smooth frieze.


Composite order(Roman order). An architectural order derived from the Corinthian and Ionic, distinguished by its particular splendor; its characteristic element is a capital with four large volutes (as in the Ionic order), but with a vertical cylindrical core (as in the Corinthian order), which is surrounded by acanthus leaves in two levels.

Capital. The crowning element of a column or pilaster, which differs from its main part in a more complex shape and greater width and transfers to it the load from the architrave and parts of the building located above.

In ancient times, three main classical types of capitals developed: Doric, Ionic, Corinthian.

Original types of capitals were created in China, Japan, Mexico, in Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic, Old Russian architecture, architecture of Armenia, Georgia, and Central Asia.

Since the Renaissance, the types of ancient capitals have varied widely.

Abacus/Abacus(Greek Abax - board) - the top plate of a capital, usually supporting an entablature.

In classical architectural orders, the abacus usually has a square outline with straight (in the Doric and Ionic orders) or concave (in the Corinthian order) edges.

Entablature(French Entablement, from table - table, board) - the upper horizontal part of the structure, usually lying on columns, is an integral element of the classical architectural order.

The entablature is divided into a supporting part - the architrave, a frieze resting on it and a crowning part - the cornice. There is an incomplete entablature (without frieze). The entablature arose on the basis of a wooden beam floor and in its forms reflects its structure.

Architrave(from Greek Archi - main and Latin Trabs - beam) - in architectural orders - a beam, the lower of the three horizontal parts of the entablature, usually lying on the capitals of the columns. In the Doric and Tuscan orders, the architrave is a wide smooth beam; in Ionic and Corinthian it consists of three small horizontal ledges - fasces.

Cornice.

1 An extended protrusion that completes a wall or divides it into tiers or floors.

2 The crowning part of the entablature.

Volute(Latin and Italian Voluta, lit. - curl, spiral) - an architectural motif in the form of a spiral curl with a circle (“eye”) in the center, part of the Ionic capital, also included in the Corinthian and composite capitals. The shape of a volute is sometimes shaped by architectural details that serve to connect parts of a building, as well as the console of cornices, the framing of portals, doors, and windows.

Flutes(cuts, grooves). Parallel grooves on the surface of the trunk of a column or pilaster (vertical grooves) or on the surface of a torus (horizontal grooves). They are made either close to each other (Doric order), or with small intervals (Ionic order).

Pilaster. A flat, fluted or paneled vertical projection against the background of a wall having a base and a capital.

Elements of structures.

Portico. A composition on the facade of a building, which is formed by columns, semi-columns or pilasters carrying an entablature. Order forms of porticoes arose and became widespread in the ancient architecture of Greece and Rome, and were widely used in the architecture of classicism.

Peristyle. A rectangular courtyard and garden, square, hall, surrounded on four sides by a covered colonnade. The peristyle as an integral part of ancient Greek residential and public buildings has been known since the 4th century. BC, became widespread in Hellenistic art and the art of Ancient Rome.

Caryatid. Female statue supporting an architectural projection.

Acroterium(Greek akrwthrion) – a sculptural decoration (statue, palmette, etc.) placed above the corners of the pediment (or above the tympanum of the portal, zakomara, etc.)

Portal. Architecturally designed entrance to the building. Antiquity was characterized by portals with flat lintels, ancient Babylonia - arched ones, and medieval architecture of the Ancient East - peshtakas.

From the 11th century In Romanesque, Gothic and Old Russian architecture, arched, so-called perspective portals, designed in the form of ledges, are common.

Pylons.

1 Massive pillars that serve as supports for arches, ceilings, bridges, or stand on the sides of entrances or driveways.

2 Tower-like structures with trapezoidal facades (usually decorated with reliefs), erected on the sides of the entrances to ancient Egyptian temples

Propylaea, propylon. The main passage, a passage formed by symmetrical porticoes and colonnades located along the axis of movement. Known in Aegean art, but especially characteristic of the architecture of Ancient Greece. In the 19th century The architects of classicism turned to the type of propylae. In the 2nd half. 19-20 centuries propylaea are built as part of particularly significant ceremonial architectural complexes or structures of memorial significance.

Balustra

1. Figured column in the balustrade.

2. Each of two scrolled ridges on the sides of an Ionic capital.

Balustrade(French balustrade) – a fence (usually low) for stairs, terraces, balconies, etc., consisting of a number of figured columns (balusters) connected at the top by a horizontal beam or railing.

Mascaron(mask). A sculptural image of a lion's face, a human face, a faun, a hydra, etc. included in the architectural decor (often in a grotesque or fantastic form). Mascarons are placed mainly on the locks of arches, window and door openings, are used as water cannons, and also decorate furniture.

Meander. Elongated ornament: a continuous line with identical L-shaped breaks.

Amphitheater(from Greek amfiqeatron) –

1. An ancient Roman monumental building for spectacles (gladiator fights, baiting of wild animals, theatrical performances). Amphitheaters were grandiose elliptical structures without a roof, with an arena in the middle, surrounded by seats for spectators by rising ledges (like a connection of two horseshoe-shaped Greek theaters). The seats for spectators were supported by a complex system of pillars and arches, between which were located vaulted galleries that served as foyers and staircases. The largest amphitheater is the Colosseum in Rome.

2. Seats for spectators in enclosed spaces, located in arc-shaped open tiers (in theaters, cinemas, auditoriums) or around a round arena (in a circus).

Pantheon. (Latin Pantheon, from Greek pan - all and qeoV - god - a temple or place dedicated to all gods)

1.In Ancient Rome - “temple of all gods”, built ca. 125 AD

2. Tomb of outstanding people. Typically, pantheons are located in buildings that have (or originally had) a religious purpose (Westminster Abbey, the Pantheon in Paris).

Aqueduct(Latin Aquaeductus, from aqua - water and duco - I lead) - a conduit (canal, pipe) for supplying water to populated areas, irrigation and hydropower systems from sources located above them. An aqueduct is also called a part of a water conduit in the form of an arched bridge over a ravine, river, or road, in which the walls and bottom of the channel or pipe are load-bearing span structures.

Hypostyle, hypostyle hall(from the Greek upostuloV, from upo - “under” and stuloV - column, i.e. - supported by columns) - in the architecture of the Ancient East (Egypt, Iran) a large hall of a temple or palace with numerous, regularly placed columns.

Rostral column. A free-standing column, the trunk of which is decorated with sculptural images of the bows of ships. They were common in Ancient Rome and during the Empire period, erected in honor of naval victories or as a symbol of the country's maritime power.

Pyramid. A monumental structure in the shape of a pyramid (sometimes stepped or tower-shaped). Pyramids are the name given to the tombs of ancient Egyptian pharaohs (Pyramid of Cheops in Giza, 28th century BC, etc.). Pyramid-type buildings (often serving as pedestals for temples or associated with cosmological cults) were erected in Central and South America in the 1st millennium BC.

Ziggurat(Akkadian) - in the architecture of Ancient Mesopotamia, a cult tiered tower. Ziggurats had 3-7 tiers in the form of truncated pyramids or parallelepipeds made of raw brick, connected by stairs and gentle slopes - ramps.

Christian temple

Scheme of the cross-domed church.

Altar(Latin - altaria, from altus - high) - an altar, as well as the most important part of a Christian temple. Originally a place for outdoor sacrifices.

In ancient Greece and Rome there were separate structures decorated with marble and reliefs.

In Christian churches, an altar is the name given to the table (“throne”) on which the sacred sacrament was performed; in Catholic churches, this is also the name given to decorative walls decorated with paintings and sculptures. From the 8th century Portable folding altars with paintings on the doors appeared. In everyday life, the altar is also called the entire eastern part of the temple, separated by the altar barrier, and in Orthodox churches (from the 14th-15th centuries) - the iconostasis.


Apse, apse(from the Greek Hapsis, gender hapsidos - vault) - an altar ledge located in the eastern part of a Christian church, semicircular, faceted or rectangular in plan, covered with a conch or closed semi-vault. Apses first appeared in ancient Roman basilicas, baths, and temples.



Iconostasis(from the Greek eikwn - image and stasiV - standing place) - a partition with rows of icons (ranks), separating the altar from the main part of the Orthodox church. The iconostasis replaced the low altar barrier of the Byzantine type. In a developed form (high iconostasis), known in Rus' since the end. XIV - XV centuries, the ranks were installed on painted beams and were located one above the other in a strictly hierarchical sequence.


Below is a row of local icons,

above is the “deesis” rite (deisis - Greek prayer; included icons with images of Christ and the Mother of God, John the Baptist, archangels, church fathers, etc., facing him in prayer poses),

even higher are the “festive” (with images of the main episodes of the Gospel cycle) and “prophetic” ranks. In the XVI - XVII centuries. new rows are included in the iconostasis (passionate, apostolic, forefathers, etc.)

Zakomara(from Old Russian mosquito - vault) - a semicircular or keel-shaped completion of a section of a wall, covering the adjacent internal cylindrical (box, cross) vault.


Porch(outer porch). A wide open porch or gallery at the entrance to a church.


Side chapel. An additional church with its own altar and iconostasis, adjacent to the main church building or included in its volume.

Drum- a cylindrical or multifaceted base of a dome (in Russian architecture of the 17th century, sometimes a decorative onion dome), usually cut through by windows.

Chapel.

1 A small place of worship without an altar (prayer is said in the chapel, but the liturgy is not celebrated). They served as monuments, were placed in cities, villages, on roads, in cemeteries, and were installed in rich houses.

2 Roadside pillar with an icon and a lamp in a niche.


Tent. Completion of centric buildings (temples, bell towers, towers, porches) in the form of a high tetrahedral, octagonal or polyhedral pyramid. Distributed in Russian stone architecture since the 16th century. Brick tents were made up of inclined rows or horizontal rows of brick with an overlap, wooden ones - with overlapping crowns with decreasing lengths of the sides. In religious buildings, the tent was usually crowned with an onion dome, in civil and military buildings - a watchtower, a weather vane.


Tent temple

Arcatura(from German Arkatur) - a series of decorative false arches on the facade of a building or on the interior walls of premises. Sometimes it looks like a belt, complemented by columns on brackets.


Rust, rustication, rustic. Relief masonry or wall cladding with stones with a roughly hewn or convex front surface (so-called rustics). By enlivening the plane of the wall with the play of chiaroscuro, rusticism creates the impression of power and massiveness of the building. When finishing the facade with plaster, rusticism is imitated by dividing the wall into rectangles and stripes.


Ward.

1 A large vaulted room (usually pillarless or with one pillar in the center) in an ancient Russian stone building.

2 A building in which such a room plays a major role. Chambers - in Russian medieval architecture, a rich residential stone or wooden building, usually two or more floors, with numerous rooms. Since the 17th century the chambers take on the character of small palace buildings or mansions (chambers of the Volkovs and Troyekurovs in Moscow).

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Basilica(Greek Basilike - royal house; in Athens - portico, where the archon-basileus sat) - an elongated, rectangular building, divided inside by longitudinal rows of columns or pillars into several (mostly an odd number) parts (naves) with independent ceilings. The middle nave is always higher than the side ones, so that the upper part of its walls, cut through by windows, protrudes above the roofs of the side naves.


Arcade(from the French Arcade) - a series of arches of the same shape and size, supported by columns or pillars. Most often used when constructing open galleries.


Flying buttress(French: Arc-boutant) - an external stone semi-arch that transfers the thrust of the arches of the main nave of a Gothic church to supporting pillars - buttresses located outside the main volume of the building.

Archivolt(Italian archivolto, from Latin arcus volutus - framing arc) - decorative framing of an arched opening. The archivolt highlights the arc of the arch from the plane of the wall, sometimes becoming the main motive for its treatment.

Bas-relief- a sculptural image with a background from which figures protrude no more than half its volume.

High relief- a sculptural work with a background from which the depicted figures protrude more than half of its volume.

Counter-relief. Relief embedded in the background plane.

Tower- a structure whose height is much greater than its horizontal dimensions (diameter, sides of the base). Initially they were built for defense purposes (watchtowers, castle towers - donjons). They are used in religious architecture (bell towers, minarets), in civil architecture (lighthouses, administrative buildings), as well as engineering structures (water pumps, radio and television towers), etc. Rising above the surrounding buildings, expressive and dynamic in composition, towers often play the role of the main high-rise dominant of an architectural ensemble.

Donjon(French donjon) - the main tower of a feudal castle, quadrangular or round in plan, placed in the most inaccessible place and served as a refuge during an enemy attack.


Gallery(French galerie, from Italian galleria):


1. A long, covered, bright room in which one of the longitudinal walls is replaced by columns, pillars or a balustrade adjacent to the wall of the building.

2. An elongated hall with a continuous row of large windows on one of the longitudinal walls.

A Catholic or Anglican chapel, built separately or included in the volume of the temple.

Chapel- a small Christian building for religious purposes with icons, often without a special room where the altar is located.

Department. A fenced raised platform for preaching and addressing listeners. The pulpits were decorated with carvings, statues, and reliefs.

Pinnacle. Decorative turrets and pillars on buttresses are less common on other architectural parts of late Romanesque and Gothic churches.

Rose. Round window in Romanesque and Gothic buildings of the 12th-15th centuries. with stone binding in the form of radial rays emanating from the central circle. A similar decorative motif crowning the lancet windows of Gothic buildings is also called a rose.

Transept. In European church architecture, there is a transverse nave or several naves in buildings that are basilical or cruciform in plan. It arose in early Christian churches, when the complication of the liturgy required increasing the space in front of the altar and apse. The transition from the longitudinal naves to the transept was formed by girth arches of the middle cross.

Ribs. Pointed arches made of cut stones, creating the frame base of the cross vault. A system of ribs (mainly in Gothic architecture) forms a frame that facilitates the laying of the vault.

Nave. An element of the space of a basilica, elongated along its main axis and limited on one or two sides by columns or pillars.


Triumphal Arch. A ceremonial symmetrical structure with a passage arch along the axis.



Triumphal Column. A single large column on a pedestal, installed in honor of an event or figure, was usually complemented by a sculpture.


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Elements of buildings.

Combs, scallops- in the architecture of the Naryshkin Baroque, the figured curls that decorated the top of the wall echoed the torn pediment in shape.

Pilaster- a flat vertical protrusion on the surface of the wall. It differs from the blade in that it has the same order parts (trunk, capital, base) as the column.

Rampant- an arch whose supports are located at different levels.

Spinning- a section of wall between two blades or pilasters. In fortress architecture, a section of wall between two towers.

Spatula- a flat vertical strip protruding from the surface of the wall of a building. The blade can be a structural thickening of the wall or have a decorative value, being one of the means of dividing the facades.

Mashikuli(French machicoulis) - hinged loopholes located in the upper parts of the walls and towers of medieval fortifications. Having lost their defensive significance with the development of firearms, machicolations were used as an element of architectural decoration.

Typesetting column - a column, usually decorative, composed of small carved elements. Widely used in ancient Russian architecture, especially during the pattern period

Today’s article is rather educational in nature, since it contains the five most significant, fundamental architectural elements that are used always and everywhere in construction, interior design and room decoration.

We will talk about the “five pillars of architecture” - elements without which we can no longer imagine the decoration of residential and public premises, but you need to know more about them, especially when you intend to start building your own home.

Columns

Columns are vertical support structures consisting of a base, a trunk and a capital.

In Ancient Greece, columns carried an entablature and together with it supported the roof. The Romans, unlike the Greeks, used columns for decorative purposes, and preferred the arched system with columns.

Columns can be in pairs, like Roman ones, in bunches of columns, like Norman ones, or stand alone, like Indian ones. The trunk, in turn, can be simple or richly decorated (by the way, in modern interiors they use rather the first option, which is more universal and democratic).

If you want to use columns in the design of the house you are building, you should know about the main order systems, which have certain characteristics by which columns are classified as one or another order.

Three orders

Doric order, outwardly the simplest, but the most ancient, developed in Greece. The Doric column consists of a low base, a monumental trunk, and a laconic capital. Ideal for modern minimalist spaces, living rooms and halls in classic and Mediterranean style.

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Ionic order developed almost simultaneously with Doric, but acquired its final form only by the middle of the 5th century. BC The appearance of the Ionic column is more elegant: lightness of proportions, sophistication of more dissected forms, abundant use of decor.

The characteristic features of an Ionic column are its mandatory installation on a base, as well as a capital with a cushion topped with two volutes (curls).

For eclectic interiors, installing Ionic columns will be a direct hit as they can coexist with different shapes and colors of furnishings.

Corinthian order– the most diverse and richly decorated, such columns are suitable for pretentiously decorated rooms, always with high arches and luxurious furniture in historical styles.

The Corinthian order is most easily recognized by the capitals of the column, since its remaining parts are borrowed from the Ionic. The top of the column, the capital, resembles a basket covered with acanthus leaves (plants from the Mediterranean coast), curled in a spiral.


Arches

An arch is a structure that spans an opening in a wall or the space between two supports. Usually the top of the arch is rounded, but its shape varies from semicircular to pointed. Arches are often used as supports in the walls and foundations of houses.

Semicircular arches in the interior

They are also called French, and this type of arches is distinguished by a rounded top, ornament, and columns, as if bearing a load, but in fact playing the role of a decorative element.

Semicircular arches are one of the most versatile design options for door and window openings for rooms in a classic style, eclectic style, and even grunge interiors.

Pointed and horseshoe-shaped ARCHES IN THE INTERIOR

Pointed arches are a reminder of Gothic architecture, as well as a direct association with the oriental flavor of Morocco. The horseshoe-shaped arches are a tribute to Islamic architecture, have a vault that extends beyond the heel of the arch, and can be either with a rounded or pointed horseshoe-shaped top.


RENAISSANCE ARCHES IN THE INTERIOR

Another very beautiful and refined type of arch that follows the Roman pattern of semi-circular designs with the keystone, frieze and cornice arranged within the classical order.

In modern interiors you can see a variation of the Renaissance arch, somewhat widened and squat, with the help of which the opening between two adjacent rooms, for example, the living room and dining room, kitchen and corridor, can be accentuated.


Window

Only in the 1840s. began to produce sheet glass that was thin and wide enough to allow views to be enjoyed without being broken up by window frames.

The oldest windows were unglazed openings in the walls through which light and fresh air entered the room. And the first window glass, which played both a functional and decorative role, appeared in Rome around 65, but glazing became widespread in church architecture in the 13th century, and in residential buildings in the 16th century.

The importance of windows in architectural aesthetics is evidenced by the variety of styles that have arisen, and the design of glazed windows has always depended on the development of the glass manufacturing process.

Lancet windows in the interior

The pointed pointed arch first appeared in Islamic architecture. This form is also found in Gothic architecture, where windows were also complemented with colored glass and openwork stone carvings. It is noteworthy that Gothic windows were later revived in a deliberately “antique” form at the end of the 18th century, and were widely used by Victorian architects.

Currently, in the construction of houses, various variations of lancet windows can be used, which give the room a mysterious oriental character.


ROUND WINDOWS IN THE INTERIOR

Rose windows are elaborate architectural elements imitating the petals of a flower or the spokes of a wheel, which were very popular in the architecture of Romanesque buildings.

Nowadays, round windows are just as striking a home decoration both outside and inside, but are a simplified version of the “rose”: with thin frames or no frames at all.

Round windows are also called “light” windows, and are used in high rooms of country houses in the upper part of the wall to better illuminate the interior space.



Bay windows

Bay windows and alcove windows protrude beyond the wall of the building. Often interestingly decorated, they let in more light than just windows.

Alcove windows were always located on the upper floors, but square and corner bay windows could be located on any floor.

In the interior, a bay window can serve as an area for creativity, work at a desk, or be used to accommodate a dining group in a kitchen, dining room or living room.



French bay windows

A French window is a variation of a casement window, enlarged to the size of a door and starting right at the floor. Like a casement window, a French window can open either inward or outward.

In apartments, French windows can simultaneously be an exit to a balcony or terrace, while those located on the lower floors of a private house can open out to a garden or greenhouse.


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Venetian bay windows

This type of window consists of three parts - a central arched opening and two narrow side openings with a flat top. The Venetian window is also called “Serlian” or “Palladian”, in honor of the Italian architects Andrea Palladio and Sebastiano Serlio, who popularized it.




Thermal bay windows

A semicircular window divided into three openings by mullions, so-called mullions. This type of window was especially popular in Palladian architecture, and was based on samples found in the baths of Diocletian in Rome, for which it is also called “Diocletian”.

For the interior, the presence of a thermal window is a great success, since this type is used in construction quite rarely, and designers and architects tend to romanticize semicircular, incredibly decorative windows.




Lifting bay windows

A glazed window with a wooden frame, lowered and raised using pulleys. It was especially popular in the 18th - 19th centuries. and is associated with the Georgian era in architecture. There are also English options, for example, a Yorkshire window that slides to the side.



Pediments

For modern interiors, pediments are an indicator of the extraordinary taste of the owners, their status, as well as a completely classic, and therefore win-win and timeless element that can transform a restrained or complement an elegant interior.

Pediments, a distinctive feature of classical and imitated classical architecture, are the sides of a sloping roof, usually located above a portico. Often the pediments were decorated with high relief sculpture, corresponding to the general theme of the building.

In the interior, pediments are often used as architectural motifs in the framing of windows and doors.

Classic gables in the interior

Renaissance architecture made extensive use of classical forms as interior and exterior decorative elements. And today, windows and doors, massive furniture can be decorated with columns, pilasters and pediments with steep slopes framed by swept stucco molding.



Torn gables

The shape of gables can vary from triangular to curved segmental, but a special type is also popular - the broken gable, the outline of which is divided by an opening either at the top or at the base.

As time passed and architectural styles changed, new forms of gables were invented, such as the broken one topped by an urn.


Pediment decorations

Once upon a time, the decoration of pediments was the main thing in Dutch and Northern European knowledge, therefore they became especially skillful and expressive: with concave and convex lines of slopes, relief decoration, and sculptural forms.

Today, such fragments of pediments can easily compete with the usual wall decor, or completely replace it. For example, above the head of the bed, on the wall near the dining table, in the partition between the arched openings.


Pediments

This element became a key element even before the Roman period, and the original vault consisted of two parallel walls, gradually leaning towards each other and connected by a keystone at the highest point.

In the cathedrals of the Middle Ages, vaults were a necessary part of huge cathedrals, at the same time they reached their heyday, as if defying the force of gravity.

In our opinion, at present, cylindrical and cross vaults deserve special attention, which create a completely inimitable authentic atmosphere in the premises of the house.

Cylindrical vault in the interior

Cylindrical or barrel vault - a concave vault, identical along the entire length, is the main and most ancient type, which appeared in the 9th century. BC Cylinder vaults are built from a wooden skeletal form, which is dismantled after the stones form a complete arch that supports itself.


Cross Vault IN THE INTERIOR

When two barrel vaults intersect at right angles, they form projections, or ribs. In cases where these ribs lie on stone supports, a cross vault is formed; it is also called a sail vault.

This type of vault really looks weightless, creating a kind of dome over the room. Agree, the space under the cross vault simply cannot be boring.

The simplest cross vault is, of course, the shape of a cross, but in some Gothic cathedrals one can see a complex system of primary or ridge ribs, secondary (tiercerons), and tertiary (stellate) ribs.



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From ancient times to the present day, architectural elements of the facade have been used to give any building a perfect look, thus emphasizing the individuality of the building and its unique style.

Buildings, unlike their creators and inhabitants, express their soul precisely due to the external texture of the facade of the building, remaining for centuries in the memory of people.

Nowadays, thanks to modern technologies, the quality of materials used for the manufacture of architectural elements of facades has significantly improved, the number of types used has increased, which allows architects to fully realize their ideas, putting their soul into them, thereby emphasizing the individuality of each house.

Columns, pilasters, balustrades, arches, cornices, frescoes and other architectural decorations give buildings completeness and completeness, while increasing their commercial value.

Advantages of architectural and decorative elements

Facade elements help architects to embody bright and unique images, as well as visually correct possible imperfections in the texture of the building facade.

The variety of forms is achieved through the use and constant improvement of advanced technologies, and the low cost is achieved through the use of more economical materials to create unique architectural details.

The main advantages of architectural elements

Preserving or emphasizing the geometry of shapes and linear dimensions of facades, parts are produced quickly or sold as blanks,

The ability to implement the most incredible ideas on the walls of a building, a high level of resistance to physical, chemical and bacterial influences, the absence of unpleasant odors;

long service life on the building facade.

Main types of architectural elements of buildings

The facade of a building today can be decorated with different materials, creating certain decorative details and elements to decorate and design the building in a particular style.

Regardless of the material, the most commonly used architectural elements of facades are: columns, cornices, pediments, sandriks, balusters, bas-reliefs, high reliefs, frescoes on the facade and others. Let's take a closer look at each of the listed types.

The cornice is a protruding element that visually separates the roof from the walls. There are crowning cornices, sandrias, bay windows, balconies and loggias, as well as belts.

Pediments are a triangular part that is the completion of a building, that is, they are used to give the walls a completed look under the roofing. This decorative part of the facade is located between the roof slope and the cornice at the base.

Sandriks are most often architectural elements topped with a pediment that are installed above the windows of a house.

A baluster is the lower or upper part of a building's facade in the form of figured columns/columns, used to decorate terraces, loggias or balconies.

Bas-reliefs are protrusions in the form of various images.

Frescoes are depictions of monumental painting used directly on wall surfaces, ceilings or vaults.

Typically, such elements were not used for external decoration, although they look very impressive, since they were exposed to the harmful effects of moisture and lost their original appearance.

Facade frescoes

Facade frescoes differ depending on the technique used: applying paints to wet or dry plaster.

A parapet is a part of the facade of a building that can serve both as a fence above the roof and as a decoration/addition.

All of the above facade elements, as well as many others, can be clearly seen in the photo.

Features of finishing facades with frescoes

Many people associate fresco with methods of decorating the interior. Today, thanks to modern building materials, such an element rightfully takes its place among external architectural facade elements.

Facade fresco for external finishing works is a revolutionary product, which has a considerable number of positive qualities:

  • she is not afraid of high levels of humidity;
  • she is not afraid of slanting rains and frosts;
  • not affected by temperature changes;
  • the sun's rays do not spoil the images;
  • is not afraid of washing from dirt/dust;
  • resistant to fungi and mold.

The fresco canvas used for external decoration includes a reinforced mesh, which keeps the entire surface from tearing, and polymer elements used in wall paints.

The fresco canvas can be of various sizes and does not necessarily have to contain an episodic action or portrait. If, for example, the upper part is decorated with a large fresco canvas, the decorative element can be printed sector by sector, and the joints will not be noticeable at all due to special finishing work.

Fresco canvas is very often used to decorate the ledge, since it is thin and light, unlike plasters, stucco moldings and finishing stones. Finishing work on the external facades of buildings with architectural fresco elements is carried out very quickly due to the fact that large areas are immediately covered.

Using examples of the composition of architectural structures, the following concepts can be especially clearly shown and explained: firstly, the dependence of the decorative parts of the composition of any thing on the design of this thing, determined by its purpose, material and method of processing; secondly, the concept of style not in the sense of studying the characteristics of historical styles, but in the sense of a unified style of artistic design of a modern building and the things in it.

The construction of any building, as you know, begins with drawing up a project. The basis for drawing up the project is data on the purpose of the building (residential building, club, station, etc.), its volume (number and size of rooms in it), the main materials for construction, for example, a stone or wooden building and a plot of land, on which the building is to be built. In Soviet conditions, when designing, the connection of a new building with neighboring ones, with the street, quarter and the style of the city as a whole is always taken into account.

These are the technical conditions that determine the direction of the architect's work on the project. But every architectural structure, especially a large building, is subject to not only requirements for compliance with its purpose and convenience for people living, working or relaxing in it, but also artistic requirements - concern for the beauty of the building. These latter requirements determine considerations of proportionality and unity of style in the design of all parts of the building, considerations that the external appearance of the building, its internal premises and objects located in these premises must, by their appearance, reveal the purpose of this building or other architectural structure (for example, a water station, river terminal, stadium, etc.).

7. Eastern portico of Erechtheion and crowning ornaments on it.

Ornament in the classical architecture of the ancient Greeks, by its nature, always corresponds to the constructive purpose of the parts of the building it decorates.

The pediment of the facade of a classical building, such as the Erechtheion, is crowned acroteria And antefix
(Fig. 7, 8), below the sima (Fig. 9) and an ornamented cornice.

8. Antefix.

Door and window frames also often have crowning decorations at the top. The Greek builders gave a special character to the ornamentation of the parts of the building that carried the load; most often they used the motif of a sheet placed obliquely forward and elastically bent, as if resisting the pressure of the gravity of the parts of the building located above. These are the so-called Cymatia; they are used on cornices. on architraves(as limiting a frieze), on the capitals of columns. There are three types of Greek cymatii known; a) Doric, b) Ionic and c) lesbian; according to the profile, the Ionic cymatium is called the fourth shaft, the lesbian one is called the heel (Fig. 10)

9. Sima (three types). a-flat; b-quarter shaft; v-jib,

10. Kimathiya:

a - Doric; b - ionic; c - lesbian.

The supporting parts of the building, such as columns and pilasters, were decorated with grooves - flutes running in the direction of the column rod, and the shape of each flute on the column follows the changes in the thickness of the column rod, thinning upward. In ancient Roman and Renaissance architecture, the flutes of columns and pilasters in the lower third of their height were filled with convex posts, which achieved a peculiar effect of juxtaposing concave and convex surfaces. Sometimes the flutes were directed around the column rod, wrapping around in an elastic spiral.

11. Bracket from the Arch of Septimius Severus in Rome.

The supporting parts of the building also include brackets (Fig. 11 and 12), which are supports for various architectural details: for cornices, balconies, etc. The bracket has, usually in profile, an elastically curved shape, expressing stress, and in the upper part it is large, and at the bottom there are small curls or a straight cut. The front part of the bracket is decorated with flutes or acanthus leaves, and sometimes with floral patterns, strictly subordinated to the structural forms of the bracket. A separate group should include various types of ornamental ribbons that encircle and, as it were, connect architectural elements. Such ornamentation, in accordance with its purpose, most often stretches horizontally in the form of belts, cords and ribbons with intersecting elements (Fig. 13).

The simplest decoration of the Doric order is torus
— a belt (Fig. 14), directed horizontally; it is sometimes decorated with interlacing strips in the form of a braid, painted or embossed.

Cords, beads, astragalus(roller with shelf) consist of symmetrically alternating beads and combinations of beads with elongated beads strung on a cord (Fig. 15).

13. Braided belts.

Architect 3. M. Rosenfeld. Brackets on the facade of a building in Moscow

14. Tori-belts.

Ornamental ribbons in the form meander(Fig. 16) - correct combinations of straight strips, bending at right or oblique angles. This is one of the most common and richest types of ornament. A rectangular meander is drawn along a grid of squares, and the width of the meander strip is equal to the width of the spaces between the bends of this strip.

16. Meanders.

Stars, rosettes and ornaments, closed in various forms, for example, in ceiling cassettes. Dividing the ceiling into cassettes forms a mesh pattern of squares, polygons and their combinations with curvilinear figures. The space inside each cassette is filled with a star, a rosette, or an ornament that occupies the entire plane of the cassette (see Fig. 74).

So, in classical architecture, ornament always has a specific purpose - to contribute to the expressiveness of the architectural form it decorates.

An important means of architectural composition is the use of contrast - a comparison of elements that are dissimilar in nature, for example, a wall and a portico, a strongly protruding relief of a detail and a plane, rough and fine processing of the wall surface, etc.

A typical example of an architectural composition based on the contrast of individual parts of the structure is the “Stroganova Dacha”, built according to the design of the architect Voronikhin, shown in Fig. 17. The compositional expressiveness of the wall of this dacha is achieved by juxtaposing dissimilar elements. A window with a semicircular shape at the top is inscribed into the horizontal division of the wall; the stones of the wall have different surface treatments - smooth and roughly cut; the plot bas-reliefs are juxtaposed with a higher relief mask on the triple lock above the window. The sculptural figures of lions, located symmetrically on both sides of the window, are also a contrasting juxtaposition with the surface of the wall. And finally, the contrast in color of the light bas-reliefs, the castle mask and the smooth cornice with the dark surface of the wall.

17. Architect A. N. Voronikhin. B. Stroganova dacha

18. Facade of a building on Gorky Street in Moscow (1948).

19. Residential buildings on Peschanaya Street in Moscow (1949).

Modern examples of the use of contrasting solutions for the walls of the lower and upper floors in the composition of the facade of a building can be new residential buildings on the street. Gorky and on Peschanaya street. in Moscow (Fig. 18, 19). Skillful use of the specific properties of a particular material makes it possible to improve the artistic qualities of an architectural structure.

In the best works of architecture, the structural and decorative parts of the structure are always closely related to each other and to the material from which the architectural form is created. And all this as a whole comes from the artistic image of this structure.

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Gypsum

Modern original designs of facades with stucco help to achieve completely unique decorative results in the Empire, Art Nouveau, Rococo or Classicism styles. It is the stucco molding that gives the building a completely unique appearance, decorates and makes each building unique.

To make stucco on the facade of a building, a wide variety of materials are used; modern composite compositions have been developed, but gypsum continues to be the leader among them. The popularity of gypsum is explained simply: it is very easy to work with this material, it is environmentally friendly and docile, easy to use.

Detailed video on how to create stucco molding from gypsum and more

Gypsum is used for stucco molding both inside the building and for decorating facades. It is from plaster that expressive figures are created to decorate buildings. Many works can be done with your own hands, giving each amazing new shape. There are many templates that you can use to create a finishing element for a building, however, each of them can be easily modified to make it unique.

Glass fiber reinforced concrete

Glass fiber reinforced concrete is a modern, very light and durable material, completely permeated with glass fiber, reinforcing dry cement mixtures. Thanks to such unique components, the strength is significantly increased, and the weight of the material is significantly reduced. Glass fiber reinforced concrete has the following unique properties:

  • Ability to withstand large sudden temperature changes;
  • Resistance to precipitation;
  • Good resistance to mechanical stress;
  • Low cost.

Textured products made from glass fiber reinforced concrete can be painted in any color. Dye is added to the mixture, due to which the figure immediately acquires the desired shade and does not require additional painting. Thanks to the ease and simplicity of working with glass fiber reinforced concrete, today it has become possible to replace old decorations on building facades with similar, but lighter ones.

Polymer concrete

Polymer concrete is a composition of natural materials that have been crushed (sand, granite chips, quartz flour). The fastening element for polymer concrete is special resins. Among the main advantages of the material, it should be noted its light weight combined with fairly high strength characteristics. Externally, decorative elements made of polymer concrete most often imitate various types of natural stone.

Polyurethane

Facade decor made of polyurethane can easily be called the lightest in comparison with the above-mentioned materials. Due to its light weight, polyurethane stucco molding places virtually no load on the foundation and walls of the building. Such stucco molding is mounted with special glue, and after installation it is painted in the desired color.

An example of a solution using polyurethane stucco molding

Assortment of decorative elements

To decorate buildings today, a wide variety of forms have been created, standard standard details for decorating facades are made, and you can create stucco molding from ready-made forms yourself, which is quite simple. There are instructions for installing such parts of facade decorations; it is suggested to use special glue on the walls prepared for installation.

Detailed overview of different types of facade decorative elements

Installation

In order to decorate a new building, you can use such decoration elements as cornices, pediments, sandriks, columns, consoles, balusters, bas-reliefs and high reliefs. Each of the decorations has its own specifics, so choose the best for your building depending on what exactly you want to emphasize on the facade: the entrance, windows or pediment.

  • The cornice will decorate the facade of knowledge from above; it protrudes above the vertical of the facade, divides the horizontal of the wall and visually separates the roof.
  • The pediment gives the building a complete look; it is located at the eaves, next to the roof slope.
  • Sandriks are the most common window decoration elements. There are especially many options for such decorative elements; these are small cornices ending with pediments.
  • The column was usually used to additionally strengthen the roof, but often this element is used as a decorative element that does not bear mechanical stress. Modern architecture involves just such vertical decoration of building facades.

  • Console - used as a support for protruding parts of the facade, for example, a balcony. One end of the console is firmly fixed, the other holds the structural part.
  • Rusts are depressions of various configurations on facade plaster. With the help of rustics, the facade is visually divided into different parts.
  • A baluster consists of several low columns on stairs or balconies. You can call this design a balustrade.
  • Bas-reliefs and high reliefs are figures and images against the background of the facade.