Ancient Greek architects laid the foundation for modern European architecture. Buildings that were built more than two and a half thousand years ago are still considered standards and examples of how to build. The city planning system, the warrant system, the perfect proportions in architecture and sculpture - that’s all thanks to which the architecture of Ancient Greece became famous. One of the elements that were then widely used in construction is an architectural bummer.
Definition of a concept
Architectural fragments are called profiles of elements that are part of the external or internal cornices of buildings, decorative vases, socles, pedestal contours and so on. By the way, sometimes they are also called muleurs or profiles. Separate parts of architectural fragments are proportional to each other, that is, they have certain ratios. These elements have a fixed shape and size. Breakdowns are straightforward and curved.
Where are the bummers applied
For the first time, architectural breaks began to be used in Ancient Greece, then in Ancient Rome. They decorate furniture, picture frames, decorative elements.
Orders and architectural breakdowns were used in almost all the famous ancient Greek buildings: in the temple of Artemis in Ephesus, in the temple of Nika Apteros, in the Parthenon and many others, and later in ancient Rome: in the Colosseum, in the Roman forum and in the temple of Vesta.
Destination
Some architectural fragments, such as a heel and a shelf, served to support structures, as they supplemented the load-bearing elements of a building from above or below, primarily columns. And others performed only a decorative function. A change in the curvature of the breakage gave the structures the effect of power or lightness and sophistication.
In interior design now more and more begin to use elements of ancient architecture. Using them, you can smooth sharp corners, as well as emphasize ledges or grooves in the wall, mirrors, windows, fireplaces, niches, and so on.
Straight line breaks
Straight-line architectural fragments in the section profile do not contain arcs, but consist only of straight lines. These items include:
- a plinth is a rectangular or square large slab, usually located at the bottom of a column or base;
- shelf - a small narrow ledge of a rectangular shape;
- the belt is also a rectangular ledge, but it is much larger than the shelf.
Straight-line architectural fragments performed mainly a practical function - they supported the structural elements of a building or structure.
Curvilinear breakdowns
Curvilinear fragments contain both arcs and straight sections in the section. According to the shape of the profile, they are divided into simple and complex. The first include:
- quarter shaft - a long protrusion, which in cross section has a quarter of a circle;
- fillet - concave bummer, in the section he also gets the fourth part of the circle;
- shaft - an architectural ledge having a cross-sectional view of a semicircle;
- a roller is a bummer that resembles a shaft, but is smaller in comparison with it.
And to architectural breakdowns of a complex profile:
- a goose is a profile that is a combination of two curved and concave arcs, it is also called Doric Kimatius;
- half shaft - an architectural ledge with a semicircular section;
- heel - an ionic kimatiy, an inverted goose, which also consists of convex and concave arches;
- scocia - a bummer that has a concave profile of a two-center arc, unlike a lump and a heel, it is asymmetric;
- complex torus - a combination of the contours of two shafts.
Complex profiles are obtained with a combination of simple ones. Curvilinear bumps most often serve as components of a composition called an architectural order.
Phased construction of architectural breakdowns
To build straight-line breaks, as well as straight curved ones, is quite simple: you just need to know all sizes and proportions. Much more complicated is the situation with complex curvilinear faults, their construction is carried out in a certain sequence.
Phased construction of jib and heel
To build a forward and reverse jib, you must:
- connect two given points A and B, this will be the beginning and end of the arc;
- divide the segment in half at point C;
- from points A, B and C draw circles with a radius of AC = BC = R until they intersect at O1 and O2 ;
- from O1 and O2 describe two arcs of a circle of radius R.
The construction of the heel is made in the same sequence.
Building a complex torus
To build a complex torus contour, you should:
- set the radius R;
- draw 9 squares with sides equal to R;
- find the point O2 and O1;
- from point O2 draw an arc of a circle of radius 3R;
- from O1 draw an arc of a circle of radius R.
Building scocia
The construction of scocia is performed similarly to the drawing of a complex torus:
- select radius R;
- build 6 squares with sides that are equal to the radius R;
- find the points O1 and O2;
- from points O1 and O2 draw arcs of radius R and 2R, respectively.
Decoration of breaks
The breaks were decorated either with an organic ornament, or simply with a relief. The goose was supplemented with elements with a motif of lotus flowers, heels - leaflets resembling hearts, a quarter shaft - ovs (this is an ornament with the image of egg-shaped patterns), shelves - a meander (an ornament made up of right angles forming a continuous line) and so on.
Everything complicated is simple. The same thing happens with architectural breakdowns - surprising objects appear from primitive at first glance elements. That is why the architecture of Ancient Greece has become a classic and even now serves as an example for the authors of music frozen in stone.