Lecture 02

PART A

1. GREEK ARCHIECTURE
The Orders: Doric, Ionic, Corinthian

2. The Classical GREEK Orders
The three classical
orders are:
Doric
Ionic
Corinthian

4. The Doric Order
Doric columns are the heaviest in
appearance
The capital is plain.
The shaft is thick –though it loses some
of its mass over time.
There is no base.
Doric entablature consist of a plain
architrave.
A frieze of alternating Triglyphs and
Metopes.
A plain crowning cornice.
Ex: The Parthenon, Athens
Temple of Hera

5. The Doric Order
IntheDoricorder,columnsarepresentedwithoutbasesandsit
directlyonthestylobate,theuppermostlevelofmasonryon
whichthetempleisbuilt.Tofacilitateproduction,thecolumns
werebuiltinpiecescalleddrums,asindicatedbythefaint
horizontallinesinthediagramabove.Theshallow,concave
groovesthatrunvertically,flutes,jointoformarrises,thesharp
ridgesvisibleasverticallinesrunningfromthebottomtothetop
ofthecolumn.Thenecking(orannulet)islocatedatthetopof
thecolumn,justbelowthecapital.

6. The Doric Order
ThecapitaloftheDoriccolumniscomprisedoftwoseparateparts.
Theechinus,sonamedforitsresemblancetoaseaurchin,servesasa
cushionfortheabacus,thesquareslabthatsupportstheentablature.
ComparedtotheIonicandCorinthiancapitalssoontobediscussed,the
Doriccapitalissimpleindesignwithnoaddeddecoration.
Doric Capital
Keypattern:
AcommonformofornamentationusedonDorictemplesisthefretworkKnownasKEY
PATTERN,Greekkeydesignmeanderorasinthiscase-labyrinthmotif.

7. The Doric Order
Theentablature,thepartofthetempleabovethecolumns,isusually
comprisedofthreeparts:thearchitrave,thefrieze,andthecornice.The
architraveisthehorizontalslablocateddirectlyabovethecolumncapital.
Moreoftenthannot,thisareaofthetemplewaskeptundecorated.Just
abovethearchitravearethetriglyphsandmetopes,thetwocomponents
oftheDoricfrieze.Here,triglyphs,stoneblockshavingthreevertical
decorativechannels,alternatewithblank,squaremetopes.Themetopes
weresometimesdecoratedwithsculpture.Abovethetriglyphsandmetopes
aredecorativeadditionscalledmutulesandguttae.Theuppermostareaof
theentablatureisthecornice,locatedjustabovethefrieze.
Guttae in Doric
Architecture

8. The Doric Order
FlutesandArrises:
Doriccolumnsaregenerallycarved
withvertical,parallelchannelsknown
asFLUTES,Whichshouldnumber
20.Doricflutesmeetinsharpridge
calledARRISES.
SIMA:
SimaorCymatiumisthetermappliedtoroofgutters
placedalongthegablesAndflanksofbuilding.Those
ofbothDoricandIonictemplesoftenhadoutletsfor
rainwater,modeledintheformofLion’shead.
Ontheapexandtwo
loweranglesofthe
pedimentwereintroduced
acroteria, sometimes
ornamentsofflowersand
tendrils,andsometimes
statuesofgodsor
animals.Thesewere
placed on small
pedestals,andofferedan
æstheticcontrasttothe
slidingeffectwhichwould
otherwisehavebeen
producedbytheoblique
linesofthepediment.
Acroteria

9. ANTEFIXAE

10. The Ionic Order
These have greater elegance.
The capital has distinctive
volutes.
The shaft is thinner than its Doric
equivalent.
A base is apparent.
Femininity, slenderness & beauty.
Ex: Propylaea, Athens(437-431 BCE)
Temple of Athena Polias, Priene(340 BCE)

12. IntheIonicorder,thestylobateandcolumnsareseparated
byhorizontally-flutedbases.Thecolumnsremainsimilarto
theDoricorder,butaremoreslenderandhavemore
verticalflutesrunningfromtoptobottom.Inlatertimes,a
flatfilletseparatedflutes,asopposedtothearrisesseenin
theDoricorder.IntheIonicorder,thereisnoannuletatthe
topofthecolumn.
ThecapitaloftheIoniccolumnconsistsofabandadorned
withacarvedleafpatterntoppedbyahorizontalslab
endinginapairofvolutescrolls.Sometimesanarrow
abacusrestsatopthecapitaltosupporttheentablature.
ThearchitraveoftheIonicorderisoftenseparatedinto
threehorizontalplanescalledfasciae.Abovethe
architrave,framedattopandbottombymoldings,isthe
frieze.UnlikeintheDoricorder,theIonicfriezeruns
continuouslyeitherwithcarvingsoffiguresoraseriesof
dentils,smallsquaresresemblingteeth.AsintheDoric
order,thecorniceislocatedabovethefrieze.
The Ionic Order

13. Ionic Capital (Side View)
Carved triple guilloche on torus of Ionic base.
Flutes and Fillet_ 24 nos.
Ionic Capital
Volute/ Helix

14. Egg& Dart carved molding
Entablature
Water-leaf carved molding
Double Twist on an Astragal

15. The Corinthian Order
This is also a tall, elegant form.
The capital has distinctive
acanthus leaf decoration.
A base is also employed.
Elegance and Beauty.
Ex: Temple of Apollo Epicurius, Bassae (429-390 BCE)
Choragic Monument f Lysicrates, Athens (335-334 BCE)

16. The Corinthian Order
TheCorinthianorderisinmanyrespectssimilartothe
Ionic;bothcolumnsareslender,supportedbyahorizontally
flutedbase,andcarvedwithverticalgroovesandflatfillets
inbetween.
ThecapitaloftheCorinthiancolumnisthemostornateof
theorders.Volutescrolls,asseenintheIonicorder,are
adornedwithacanthusleavesandrosettes.Abovethese
detailsistheboss,apiecesimilartotheabove-mentioned
abacus.
ThearchitraveintheCorinthianorderisdividedinto
fasciae,andservestosupportacontinuousfrieze.Dentils
maybepresentabovethefriezeasadecorativestatement.

17. Acanthus Leaf

20. IMPORTANTTERMS
abacusThesquare-shapedflatslabformingthestop
ofacolumncapital.
acanthusAplace,theleavesofwhichresemblethe
principledecorativeelementoftheCorinthiancolumn
capital.
acroterionTheornamentatthecorneroftheroofofa
templeorattheapexofagable.
apexThehighestpoint(ofatemple’sroof).
architraveThecourseofmasonryrunningabovethe
columncapitalsandsupportingthesuperstructure.Also
referredtoastheepistyle.
arrisThejoinoftheflutesofacolumnnormally
formingasharpridge,asseenintheDoricorder.
capitalTheupper,spreadingelementinacolumn,
formingatransitionbetweentheverticalshaftandthe
horizontalelementsofthearchitrave.
corniceThehorizontalcourseoftheentablatureofa
buildingimmediatelyabovethefrieze;eithersloping
memberofagable.
dentilsSmallrectangularblocksusedbelowtheIonic
corniceasdecoration.

21. IMPORTANTTERMS
echinusThelowerpartofacolumncapital,asseenintheDoricorder.
entablatureThehorizontalarchitecturalelementsformingthesuperstructureofabuilding
abovethecolumns;thearchitrave,frieze,andcornice.
epistyleSeearchitrave.
fasciaAnundecoratedbandonanIonicarchitrave.AlsoseenintheCorinthianorder.
flutesShallowgroovesrunningverticallyontheshaftofacolumn.
friezeThearchitecturalcoursebetweenthearchitraveandthecornice.
guttaePendentornamentsattachedtotheundersidesofthemutulesoftheDoric
entablature.
metopeAspacebetweentwotriglyphsinaDoricfrieze,sometimesfilledwithablock
carvedwithreliefsculpture.
mutuleAprojectingflatblockundertheDoriccornice.
pedimentThetriangularspaceformedbythegableateitherendofaGreektemple.
pedimentalsculptureSculpturefigures,carvedeitherfreestandingorinrelief,thatfillthe
triangularspaceknowsasthepedimentofaGreektemple.
rosetteAnornamentshapedlikearose.
triglyphAnuprightgroovedblockwiththreeverticalbarsinreliefseenintheDoricorder.
voluteAspiralonthefaceandbackofanIoniccapital.

22. References:
Sir Banister Fletcher-A History of Architecture. (Twentieth Edition)
Emily Cole-The Grammar of Architecture
Louis Hellman-Architecture for beginners
THANK YOU.
This is just a track line to the subject matter. students are requested to study the recommended books & also go after .