Traditional Structural Systems In Architecture

Traditional Structural Systems In Architecture

Load-bearing Construction Also, known as stacking & piling of bricks, stones or ice. Window and doorways have to be quite narrow or the pieces will collapse. Igloos would be another example of load-bearing construction. Not too many load-bearing buildings are made any longer because the building is not very structural stability. Great Mosque of Djenné Mali, Africa

Stonehenge Post-and-Lintel Construction The oldest formation still used today. Two posts and a crosspiece. Temple of Poseidon Temple of Isis Placing post-and-lintels side-by-side creates a colonnade. Utilized for walkways and outer walls for temples.

Intersecting post-and-lintels in a perpendicular formation expands floor space in multiple directions creating a hypostyle vault. Temple of Amun-Re Karnak, Egypt Hypostyle Vault Construction using the Post-and-Lintel Construction

Cantilevered Roof Systems with brackets and eaves Cantilevers roofs are based on a variation of the Post-and-Lintel Construction Heian Jingu Shrine Kyoto, Japan

Round Arch The Romans perfected the round arch and can be used in 4 different configurations. The top wedge-shaped stone is call a keystone. It is instrumental in the success of the round arch. Scaffolding is used to support the arch as it rises on each side. When the keystone is set in place the tension of the arch goes back down each side leaving a sturdy structure. Pont du Gard Aqueduct Nimes, France Amphitheatre Nimes, France Placing round arches side-by-side and on top of one another in a tiered formation are known as arcades.

Barrel Vault System A barrel vault system stacks round arches behind one another creating a tunnel effect. As an example, the Hall of Mirrors, above has an arcade construction on the lengths to support the barrel vault on top. This was a way to provide windows on one side and mirrors on the other to have a continuous reflection.. Hall of Mirrors Versailles

Groin Vault System The Abbey of Fontevraud France 1110 CE Groin Vaults are intersecting round arches to expand floor space in multiple directions.

Dome Construction The Pantheon Built under Emperor Hadrian s reign Rome, 118-125 AD 142 diameter dome The Romans utilized poured concrete pieces Round arches assembled in a circular motion on top of a cylinder or pendentives. Originally, an oculus provided the only light within the dome. Parts of a Dome Construction: Portico (entry) Rotunda (interior) Coffered Ceiling Oculus Coffered ceilings are thicker at the base and taper thinner towards the oculus, otherwise the dome would collapse due to the weight.

Dome Construction Later on Dome Constructions windows were placed in a short cylinder and the dome was assembled on top. The oculus was filled in. Hagia Sophia Constantinople (Istanbul) 532-537 CE Built under Emperor Justinian s reign cathedral / mosque

Pointed Arch In man s quest to rise taller towards the sky, engineers modified the arch. Making it pointed had less tensile or stress on the posts. Many cathedrals used the pointed arch construction. These enormous building projects could take 85-125 years to build with cut stone. Also, known as the Gothic style, with exterior characteristics of lancets, bell towers, rose window and decorative porticos. Rose Window Lancets side-by-side pointed arches Cathedral de Notre Dame Paris, France 1160 1345 CE

Buttress System or Buttressing The taller posts from pointed arches needed extra support due to the natural effect to bow outwards, so exterior walls were shored up with solid or flying buttresses adding decorative qualities to the buildings.

Ribbed Vault System Intersecting pointed arches edged with an armature on piped masonry and placed on top of lancet walls create ribbed vaults. Ulm Minster, Germany Cathedral de Notre Dame de Paris

Cathedral de Norte-Dame de Chartres, France Ribbed Vault Construction with flying buttresses Cathedral de Notre Dame de Paris