THE ENTABLATURE IN CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE

Today, the entablature is no longer a structural necessity but primarily a design element that architects reinterpret to suit modern contexts. While many contemporary designs simplify the entablature’s proportions and reduce decorative detail, adapting its horizontal divisions to fit contemporary façades, this simplification is not universal. Skurman Architects prides itself on its relationships with master stonemasons and craftspeople as well as its commitment to classical architecture.  Wherever possible, we realize the classical orders in our design, in full detail.  In some cases, practices such as our own will use plaster moldings and other lightweight materials to recreate detailed profiles and ornamentation, allowing for a richer classical reference without the expense or weight of carved stone. This approach preserves the order and rhythm associated with classical architecture while making it relevant to contemporary construction techniques.

Modern building materials such as concrete, steel, glass, and composite panels expand the possibilities for the use of the orders, enabling lighter construction and easier integration into large-scale projects. In these contexts, the entablature often functions more as a visual cue than a structural support, emphasizing building tops, unifying design elements, or establishing compositional hierarchy.  Oftentimes, the entablature is the only element of a classical order expressed on a building.  Twenty story apartment buildings can’t reasonably be built using columns, but there’s still a frieze and a cornice at the very top.

Cities like San Francisco provide vivid examples of this balance between historic character and contemporary innovation. Architects here commonly incorporate entablature-inspired features by drawing on classical proportions while simplifying their execution. A modern residential building might include horizontal cornice lines crafted from precast plaster, concrete, or metal, echoing the classical entablatures from buildings in older neighborhoods.

Entablature of Erechtheum

Entablature-like elements also play a crucial role in shaping the scale of urban developments. Large mixed-use or residential buildings often divide façades into base, middle, and top sections, mirroring classical compositional logic. By incorporating simplified entablature forms at upper levels, architects create visual terminations that contribute a more human sense of scale and a harmonious and naturalistic rhythm to tall buildings. This approach respects traditional architectural language while helping new construction blend with its context, especially where planning emphasizes historic compatibility.

Overall, entablatures and their design variations remain important identifiers of architectural order and style. Though no longer always structural, they reinforce the harmony between columns and the overall structure through proportions and detail. The longstanding proportional and detailing systems of classical architecture have shaped our built environment for centuries.  They continue to bring ancient principles of balance, and proportion, and a timeless cultural relevance to contemporary buildings.