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Turning Function into Fashion, an Impulse as Old as Time

25 November 2008

Ever given any thought to what it takes to stop a building collapsing under its own weight?

Unless you’re a structural engineer or an architect then the answer to that question is probably no. The reason we never think about it is that architects and designers have become very good at concealing elements like structural joists that keep ceilings from falling in and floors from collapsing down onto each other.

They have, after all, had an awful lot of practise. From ancient Egyptian carved pillars, and the Corinthian columns of Rome and Athens onwards, the trend in design has been to disguise these essential structural props as cosmetic features. While you’re gasping at the magnificence of the frontal columns of the National Gallery, for example, you’re not thinking about the fact that they’re stopping the building falling down on you, and thus the illusion of grandeur is maintained.

This impulse remains in modern design. Whilst the huge stone Doric columns of yesteryear have, perhaps sadly, fallen out of fashion, the impulse to dress up the more necessary elements of design has not. Particularly with the trend for large open-plan offices unlikely to go away any time soon.

In modern offices load bearing walls tend to be in very short supply. For this reason, a steel supporting joist or two is often required. If you’re reading this at work, have a look around the office, the chances are you’ll see one or two. Well, actually, what you’ll probably see is a column casing surrounding the supporting joist. Column casings are ways of either making load bearing joists blend in with the overall decor of the office or look like design features in their own right. Essentially, they’re a continuation of the practices set up by the Egyptians almost five thousand years ago, the prevailing logic being that, as long as they don’t look like structural features, everyone’s happy.

The practise is so widespread that there are companies making very good money by doing little other than disguising structural features like this. They do so by creating bespoke columns to fit around joists and match the technical requirements and design of a particular building. These Column casings can be made from a range of materials, including wood, metals, even various types of gypsum and polymer, whatever the design of the building demands.
Well, there you have it. That big wooden cylinder next to your desk is more than just a place to pin the fire escape plan, it’s also evidence of a design trend that’s more than five thousand years old. Your company’s building apparently has more in common with the great classics of architecture than you thought.

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