Winged Horseshoe
Copyright Architectural Structure VA 953-434 USA 3/18/99
When viewed upwardly from front center against the blue backdrop of a
cloudless sky, the structure as a whole takes on the appearance of spread
eagle wings. Hence the title: Winged Horseshoe.
This arbor is simple in its overall design yet complex in its detail.
Built atop a horseshoe shaped spa, two parallel, but horseshoe shaped beams
serve as the backbone of this curvature. The 4 x 4's crossing these beams
perpendicularly emphasize the canopy's planar dimensionality.
Since it takes only three points to determine a plane, three columns
anchor the planar canopy parallel to the horseshoe shaped spa apron. The
capital of each column is a complex of intersecting parallel stub-beams
whose carved ends match those of the horseshoe beams. Taken together, the
capitals exhibit a complexity of highlight and shadow anytime of day. This
pattern of light and dark is further complicated by the shadows the flat 4 x 4's
cast on either side of the curved beams.
