Abstract
Architecture deals with the principles of construction, design and ornamentation of fine environments and buildings with the thought of their splendor and esthetic effect. In the design of buildings, there are various forms of architecture used before constructing them. Various forms of architecture were used in the Greece and Roman countries by the designers to construct buildings during the ancient times. These forms included the ionic, Doric and Corinthian architectures. Each of these architectures was designed in its own way and they provided great importance to the designers before they lay down any given construction (Greeka.com, 2010). This paper discusses the Doric order and why it is being used in the modern world. The paper further aims to answer the question on the message offered in the application of ancient architecture in the modern world.
Doric Architecture
The Doric order is one of the architectures used in the ancient Roman and Greek world. It is the simplest order used in the design of buildings. It is the plainest and oldest architectural order used although it has a powerful impression in its design. In the Greek version, the columns have no bases and they rise directly above the ground. The columns of the buildings in the Doric order are fluted and they contain plain capitals (top or crown) which is made up of a circle with a squared top. The plain part of the column that appears tall is called a shaft and it contains twenty sides (Schulman, n. d).
The Doric order works better in horizontal orientation on buildings, making it preferred with the elongated rectangular shaped buildings that the Greek people made. The area above the column is called the frieze and has simple patterns. The triglyphs and the metopes are positioned just on top of the columns. The metope is a stone section that is smooth and plain and is positioned between the triglyphs which sometimes has statues of gods or heroes placed on them. The triglyphs patterns consist of three lines that run vertically between the metopes (Schulman, n. d).
In the Roman Doric version, the truglyph of the column is centered and the columns are also stronger in their proportions. The columns also consist of moldings on the bases making them stand on the little pads that are square in shape or they are elevated on the plinths. The crown moldings help in the softening of the transitions linking the cornice and frieze emphasizing the edge above the abacus. This forms the capital’s topmost part. In the Roman Doric architecture, there are no flutes in the columns which make both the columns and triglyphs to be arranged in the same distant order and are both well centered together (Schulman, n. d).
There are various places where the Doric order architectures can be found. These include temple building in the Delians Delos, Temple of Poseidon in Paestum in Italy, Temple of Hephaestus in Athens, Pharthenon in Athens and Hephaisteion building in Athens. The use of Doric order on the temples has been of great importance to the designers because they are basic and easy to build (Schulman, n. d).
Reasons for using Doric order
Doric order has been one of the most used forms of architecture in Greece and Rome. Due to its simplicity most designers use the order in the construction of buildings. The Doric columns have a different appearance which is thicker and shorter compared to the Ionic columns. In general, the Doric columns have better proportions in terms of their diameters compared to the Ionic columns. The proportions of the columns to that of diameter used, makes the Doric columns to have a masculine look and the sense of femininity and masculinity (Greeka.com, 2010).
The other reason why the Doric order is used in architectures is that it functions best in horizontal orientation on the buildings especially those that have a rectangular shape which were designed by the Greek people. Due to the application of the wooden pins the Doric orders are used to fasten the original structures and the sculptured metopes. This not only provides a decorative look on the buildings but also a robust support. The parts on the Doric architecture are easily built and repaired. Doric order uses wooden materials its design. The wooden materials used are cheaper and it is easier to find compared to other forms of architecture (Greeka.com, 2010).
Importance of Doric order as a form of architecture
Although the Doric order is mainly known to be popular with the ancient architecture in the Greek and Roman people, it is also of great importance in the modern world. The Doric order gives a better and decorative look to buildings due to the use of metopes. The wooden materials used in constructing buildings are easily available and more cheaply compared to other forms of architecture. Also the Doric order has been proved to be the simplest to build and this makes it of great importance in the modern world. Most designers in the modern world use the Doric order because of its masculinity in the column designing in particular structures giving them masculine appearance (Lahanas, n. d).
Message Derived from the Doric order
The Doric order is the simplest form of architecture used in modern world. The impression of its use tells us how much credit the modern architecture owes ancient discoveries and developments. It also indicates how technology has developed and matured from the ancient times tracing back the histories of ancient world of the Greek and the Romans. Doric orders are easier to build making them cheaper compared to other forms of architecture. This might explain why it is still being used in the modern day.
In conclusion, the design of various buildings in the modern world is influenced by the three forms of architecture; Ionic, Corinthian and Doric. In the Greek and Roman versions, the three forms have different features each with its own advantages. The Doric order mostly used in Greece provides greater importance to the designers since it is easier to build by the use of wooden materials which are cheaper and easily available. They also give a decorative look to the buildings due to the good proportions of the columns to diameter used in the construction of buildings.
Reference
Greeka.com (2010). Greece architecture: A guide to the architecture of Greece and the Greece Islands. Retrieved May 31, 2010 from: http://www.greeka.com/greece-architecture.htm
Lahanas, M (n. d). Ancient Greek architecture: Temples and the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian orders. Mlahanas.de. Retrieved May 31, 2010 from: http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Arts/GreekTemple.htm
Schulman, B. R (n. d). Classical orders of architecture. Historic Landmarks Commission. Retrieved May 31, 2010 from: http://www.cmhpf.org/kids/dictionary/classicalorders.html
