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A 'pilaster', as used in architecture, is a slightly-projecting column built into or onto a wall. A pilaster is a flattened or abbreviated column that can appear with a capital and entablature, also in "low-relief" or flat against the wall. The pilaster is an in classical architecture and is used to give the appearance of a supporting column, with only an ornamental function. In contrast, an engaged column or buttress can support the structure of a wall and roof above.
Pilasters often appear on the sides of a door or window opening on the facade of a building, and are sometimes paired with square or round columns set at some distance away from the wall that support a roof structure above, such as a portico. These vertical elements can also be used to support a recessed archivolt around a doorway. The pilaster can be replaced by ornamental brackets supporting the entablature or a balcony over a doorway.
A pilaster can have a simple rectangular profile (cross section) or can be ornamented in one of the styles of the classical orders, appearing in the giant order as two-story tall, fluted columns. The fashion of using this element from Ancient Greek and Roman architecture was adopted in the Italian Renaissance and later Greek Revival architecture.

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See also

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See also

★ Archivolt

★ Buttress

★ Post and lintel

★ Engaged column

★ Classical architecture

★ List of classical architecture terms
Pilaster (civil Engr) a vertical rectangular member that is structurally a pier, and architecturally a column. Pilasters are used to decrease the slenderness ratio for the height of masonary walls - L/R<120.

References

★ ''Dictionary of Ornament'' by Philippa Lewis & Gillian Darley (1986) NY: Pantheon

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