VILLAS IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC LUXURY VILLAS DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION: COLUMNS Building a villa in the Caribbean might bring to mind the creation of a classic thatch roofed structure made of wood and other materials, but in reality there are a lot of luxury villas built with neoclassic architectural styles that involve Greek and Roman pillars, or columns as some may say. It is useful to learn a bit about the history behind these artful details that have captivated the eye of visitors to the most glorious palaces and villas since more than two thousand years, also present in so many of the villas we see built in the Caribbean islands such as the Dominican Republic. The three main classic types of columns are the Greek the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. These columns were used by the Romans, later by the renaissance architects and designers and lastly by neoclassical artists of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The Doric column is the simplest and oldest of all, and was taught as art in the old school. The Ionic is the order of the column more stylized. The shaft has a flat edge. The capital represents the hair of a woman, represented by scrolls on the abacus and the horse. And the Corinthian, the most elaborate of the three, is a clear example of art in the Hellenistic Greek. Roman orders such as the Tuscan and the composed column are included in this article. Let`s take a look at the three with some illustrations: Doric Columns It is the most sober of forms and proportions. Its decoration is characterized by austerity preserved as possible. Often associated with male deities. The pedestal consists of a tier of three steps, both inferior and superior call stylobate estereóbatos. It has 16 to 20 longitudinal grooves that are known sharp edges. It has a widening at its center and it has no base. The capital consists of a core collar-shaped dish known as horses and a square prism called abacus. The abacus rests horizontal pieces of the entablature consists of three parts: architrave, frieze and cornice. The Doric architrave is like a big beam resting on the columns, no decoration. Does exist in the frieze decoration where alternate triglyphs and metopes. The Doric order mainly used by the Dorians (southern Italy and Sicily "Magna Graecia") and in Athens (Parthenon). Some characteristic elements are the triglyphs and metopes and the column capitals (with the convex echinus and the square abacus). The Doric Order is the earliest and simplest of the Greek architectural orders. By the Classical period, when architects used the Doric order for the Parthenon (447-432 BC), they had devised rules to govern the proportions of each part of the building’s facade. Ionic Columns They originated on the banks of the rivers of Asia Minor. Often associated with the feminine, therefore, is used in the temples of the goddesses. The pedestal is the same as the Doric. The column starts from a basis formed by a Scotland and two bulls. The column is between 20 and 24 separated by vertical fluting flat surfaces, no one rests. The capital is topped with an abacus. The architrave is constituted with three horizontal stripes. The frieze is a beam that is decorated with reliefs, while the cornice is decorated on its underside with denticles. The shafts had a special characteristic: entasis, which is a little bulge in the columns to make them look straight, even at a distance. Since you would see the building from eye level, the shafts would appear to get narrower as they rise. This bulge allows for the illusion that the columns are straight. The Ionic style is a little more decorative than the Doric. The spreading scroll-shaped capital is the distinctive feature of the Ionic order. It was primarily a product of Asia Minor, where early embryonic forms of this capital have been found. In the Ionian colonies of Greece on the southwestern shores of Asia Minor, the Ionic order had attained a full development in the 6th cent. B.C. Corinthian Columns The Corinthian is the most elaborate of the main three orders, used mainly for interior columns until in the late Hellenistic period the Greeks began to build temples with Corinthian columns on the exterior. It is a lot like the Ionic order, has the same features, but its capital is decorated with acanthus leaves, and the frieze may be decorated or not. Differ only in the capital of the column. This order is not widely used by the Greeks, since it arises in the Hellenistic period. Instead, it was widely used by the Romans. The temple of Zeus in Athens show tall, slender columns with its capitals carved with stylized, curling acanthus leaves. Classification of the temples is performed according to the appearance of the columns. The classifications used are based on the number and position of columns. On some Corinthian columns volutes appear to grow out of the leaves. The base is similar to the Ionic but more refined. The Corinthian column evolved in the second century BC and continued to be a popular element in Roman architecture. Nowadays this order is one of the finest ones applied in neoclassical architecture. Several luxury villas have been decorated with Corinthian columns as is the case of Lions Gate, shown in the photos below. Tuscan Columns The Tuscan column is a simplification of the Doric column, the column presents the Tuscan order with a small base, a shaft without grooves and the capital with a simple molding, such as simple innovations have prevailed in the history of art over the Doric column. The Tuscan column is a bit higher than the Doric: its height is about seven diameters. Of all the Roman architectural designs, Tuscan style columns are flatter. Some may compare the Greek Doric and Tuscan columns design style and say there are quite similar. However, on closer examination, you will see that there is no base, flute or saucer shape that supports the flat square. The Tuscan is the simplest design of all, and many villas have been built using it when the architectural design is intricate and overload might be an issue. Villa Castellamonte in Cabrera are purely Tuscan in style and has this late Roman order supporting its elegant archways that define the villa`s main structure. Villa Lions Gate shows Indo-Arab archways with splendidly carved Corinthian Columns in an opulent multi-million dollar mansion in Sea Horse Ranch, Dominican Republic. The whole property has the same archways in every threshold, and it is up for sale by Golden Treasures Real Estate. The acanthus leaves in the columns used in this villa cover the entire column capital, which is a variation of the original design. Before you decide on building a luxury villa with a neoclassical style, these examples are worth a lot because you can tell how everything will look like once construction is completed. Having a rendering done also contributes to the final decision on which order to use, because it`s so tasteless to choose a column style without knowing what you want in terms of the overall villa architectural design. Custom made column capitals will perform better than pre-fabricated ones unless the quality is guaranteed by serious providers. Having an architect show you previous work can be a great help. This purely Tuscan style oceanfront villa in the Dominican Republic impresses with its naturally shaped pool and classic look. Few villas can achieve the grandness of Castellamonte, and the villa itself is a magnet for wedding planners worldwide because its dream-like architectural design fits perfectly as an excellent, and very impressive wedding venue for wealthy individuals. Al fresco paintings in the villa complement the elegant furnishings and fixtures, further idealizing it as a unique piece of Tuscan style in the Dominican Republic and perhaps the Caribbean. Composite Columns Another special and less known type of column is the composite; The Composite order created by the Romans is a combination of the Ionic and Corinthian orders invented by the Greeks. It usually combines the Corinthian foliage. Although it wasn’t named until the 16th century, it is speculated that this decorative column has been around as early as the first century AD. The Composite order is a mixed order, combining the scroll shapes of the Ionic with the leaves of the Corinthian order. Until the Renaissance it was not ranked as a separate order. Instead it was considered as a late Roman form of the Corinthian order. The column of the Composite order is ten diameters high. The Arch of Titus, in the forum in Rome, built in 82 AD, is considered the first example of a Composite order. This illustration shows the Greek and Roman orders, including the modern ionic capital that was also used by the Greek. Many villas have adapted these designs and simplified according to their own taste, as can be seen in the photos we are including below from many villas in Sea Horse Ranch, Sosua. The clean lines are mostly Tuscan with some variations resembling the Doric order. The villas depicted in this article can be found along the North coast, in the areas of Sosua, Cabarete, Puerto Plata, Cabrera and Cofresi. BY EDWARD RIVAS, SUMMER 2010 Golden Treasures Villas DOMINICAN REPUBLIC LUXURY VILLAS FOR SALE 809-377-2038 / 829-477-2038 .