Colonnade
In classical architecture, a colonnade is a row of columns spaced at regular intervals in a similar way to a balustrade. They can be used to support a horizontal entablature, an arcade or covered walkway, or as part of a porch or portico. The most iconic example of a portico lined with a colonnade is the Parthenon in Greece. Colonnades can also be used to line open courtyards, and may often be a feature of landscape design.
The use of colonnades dates back to Ancient Greece and Roman architecture where they were used for large public buildings to border open spaces, such as temples and marketplaces.
Colonnades were later used in Baroque and Neoclassical architecture for buildings such as museums and courthouses to create an aesthetic of importance and ‘grandness’, such as the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C (see image above).
Colonnade size and design can vary. They are usually made from materials such as marble, limestone and painted timber. Larger columns are used for more monumental buildings, while smaller and more slender columns can be found in the Regency architecture of formal homes.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Do you know your Rococo from your De Stijl, your Gothic from your Post-modernist?
May outlines a new funding strategy for housing associations and says the 'stigma' of social housing needs to end.
RIBA launches a consultation on a new Plan of Work for Fire Safety.
This article offers some basic rules to follow when writing your next specification.
The iconic Mackintosh Building will definitely be rebuilt, board chairwoman confirms.
The machinery used to fashion stone has changed dramatically - and so have the products.
This type of pile provides support to the building, as well as acting as a heat source and a heat sink.
Why investors are adopting the SDGs and why civil engineering could be crucial for delivering them.
Read about all the winners from the London ceremony of CIAT's 2018 Architectural Technology Awards.
How do you find the right stone to conserve historic buildings?
Appointment agreements often include a ‘scope of services’ setting out the consultant's performance on a project.