GFRC Info: Classical Columns

Classical Orders for GFRC Columns

Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada

About Classical Orders of Architecture

The ancient Greeks were the first people to build extensively using what we now call Classical Architecture.  Their extensive temples and other public buildings allowed them to hone these forms.  The Romans, particularly Vitruvius, appreciated these principles.

Vitruvius wrote Ten Books on Architecture in about 20 B.C.  This book was to influence not only Roman emperors, but was copied by scribes and used during the Renaissance as a textbook for how to build these forms.  Today, Stromberg Architectural Products has borrowed a page from this ancient text to manufacture some of the world’s finest classical columns in GFRC.

Selecting the Right Classical Order for Your GFRC Project

The five Classical Orders, or forms, as Vitruvius termed them, are:

• The Doric order is the simplest of the forms.  The oldest preserved Doric columns are in the Temple to Hera in Olympia, built around 600 B.C.  Doric columns are somewhat squat compared to the other forms.  The columns have plain capitals and no individual base, resting directly on the stylobate.  Stromberg offers classic Doric GFRC columns for your building.
• The Ionic order is slightly more ornate than Doric columns.  They are considered more feminine, being distinguished by tall, slim columns with flutes.  These rest on molded bases and are crowned by distinctive double scroll capitals.  They also have an architrave, a continuous sculpted frieze, and a cornice.  If you seek to project classical feminine beauty, the sleek Ionic GFRC column is what you want.
• The Tuscans took the Doric column and simplified it.  This yielded the third of the classical forms, the Tuscan order.  This plain, unadorned shaft looks the most solid of all the orders.  The simple capital, base, and frieze contrast with the other orders, as well.  If solid simplicity is what you seek, Stromberg GFRC offers it in the Tuscan order.
• Corinthians, in contrast to the Tuscans, chose to adapt the Greek orders by increasing the amount of ornamentation on them.  The Corinthian order is a slender, fluted column similar to the Ionic order, but with an ornate, bell-shaped capital decorated with two rows of acanthus leaves and four scrolls.  This order works well for delicate scroll-work and intricate detailing is required.  Stromberg excels at this type of GFRC work and is happy to create your Corinthian order columns.
• The Composite order mixes the spiral-like scrolls of the Ionic order with the leaves of the Corinthian order.  It was considered a subclass of the Corinthian order until the Renaissance, when it was elevated to an order.  If you require precise detailing, Stromberg GFRC will out perform many traditional materials.

Features and Benefits of Stromberg Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete

• available in many different designs
• available in many textures, colors, and finishes
• nontoxic and fire resistant
• relatively lightweight
• able to be customized to suit your needs
• able be cast with light features in the item

GFRC Projects Featuring the Classical Orders of Architecture

• Portofino Shopping Center, Shenandoah, TX
• Fendi Storefront, Las Vegas, NV
• One Morrocroft Centre, Charlotte, NC
• Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, NV

Specific Applications of GFRC Columns and the Classical Orders

• GFRC columns are available in the five Classical orders for shopping malls, plazas, and store fronts
• GFRC columns can be created in the Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Composite, or Tuscan orders for use in luxury resorts and hotels
• GFRC columns in any of the five Classical orders may be featured in local, federal, and national government buildings
• Columns in GFRC are perfect for casinos, restaurants, and themed parks, and may be designed using the five Classical orders

For More Information on Stromberg GFRC

Professionals at Stromberg Architectural Products are waiting to assist you with your GFRC project. Stromberg offers design assistance, CAD details, and specifications. Visit www.strombergarchitectural.com for more information about landmarks in quality GFRC, or call (903) 454-0904. Stromberg is here to help, and the initial consultation is free.