Architectural Column Styles Possible with GFRC

Architectural Column Styles Possible with GFRC

Architectural Column Styles Possible with GFRC 150 150 gcproductsinc

The column has been a dominant architectural element for millennia. From ancient cultures to modern construction, columns provide structural support and lend distinctive elegance to your property. Outdoor columns framing an entryway, surrounding a courtyard, or lining a drive are an ideal way to welcome visitors to your hotel, casino, theater, government building, school, or any other property.

There are several column styles to choose from when designing a building with options from many cultures. Today, Greek and Roman columns are often the most popular. Choosing one of these classic column styles will bring a neoclassical style to buildings that are both luxurious and stately. 

Classical Columns for Your Architectural Design

Column types are also called “orders” and each has characteristics that set it apart from other styles. Within the classical order, types of columns include:

  • Doric Columns – The first and simplest type of column designed by the Greeks, the Doric column has a shaft with 16 flutes. These columns often rest directly on the ground without a base or plinth, and the tops of the column have limited decoration. Historically, these columns were often short and wide, but you can adopt this style for column covers of any size today.
  • Ionic Columns – These columns have a fluted shaft and are topped with an iconic scroll-shaped capital. This scrolling, along with other ornamentation at the top makes this column a focal point wherever it is installed. It is often used for educational buildings, government buildings, and other prestigious properties.
  • Corinthian Columns – This is the most decorative of the columns. Also with a fluted shaft, it has a capital carved with leaves motifs and scrolls that bow outward from the column. Its elaborate design has made it the column of choice for state and public buildings, and adds luxury wherever it is used.
  • Tuscan Columns – A Roman column, Tuscan columns are simple and stately. The shaft is smooth and the base and capital have minimal decoration. They are often used to line walkways, frame entryways, and are a common feature in architecture from the American South.
  • Composite Columns – The composite column combines features of other columns. It has the smooth shaft of the Tuscan column, the carved leaves of the Corinthian column, and the scrolled top of the Ionic column. These are a popular option since they combine some of the favorite elements of other column types.

In the past, Greek and Roman columns were carved from limestone or other stone materials. Today, the best material for exterior columns is GFRC. The interior of the column is made from steel, cement, or another structural material, and then a GFRC column cover is installed over it.
At GC Products, we make custom GFRC columns in any of the classic column styles. Whether you want the extravagance of a Corinthian column, the dignified simplicity of a Tuscan column, or another style from any historical period, GFRC offers a customizable and affordable way to create it. Contact us to start planning your classic GFRC columns.

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