Columns are not merely structural
elements; they are tools for organizing
and shaping space.
Although their primary purpose is of course structural, columns are invaluable in
other ways: a row of columns can define the spaces on one side as different from
those on the other side; distinguish circulation pathways from gathering spaces; act
as a “wayfi nding” element in a building interior; or serve as a rhythmic element on
a building exterior.
Different column shapes have different spatial effects: square columns are directionally
neutral; rectangular columns establish “grain” or directionality; and round
columns contribute to a flowing sense of space. Complex column shapes were often
employed in traditional masonry architecture to create richly interwoven spaces