FEBRUARY DESIGN INTERVENTION: B IS FOR BRACKETS

B is the second of a 26-part series by Gregg Scott focusing on architectural definitions. Last month ‘A’ was for arch; this month’s letter, ‘B,’ is for bracket.  Architectural brackets come in all shapes and sizes and can be structural or decorative elements on buildings, bridges, balconies, porches, pergolas, canopies, roof eaves and even light fixtures. Materials used to construct brackets include wood, stone and metal.  An architectural bracket is a broad term that includes other related support devices such as struts, spandrels, braces, consoles and corbels.

Many documented architectural styles include brackets in their ‘kit of parts.’ The most decorative and ornate brackets are found on the Victorian styles such as Queen Anne, Stick, Italianate, Second Empire and Shingle. These wooden brackets were easily cut and shaped using an 1860s invention, the scroll saw, which allowed the carpenters to introduce curves and organic shapes in their designs.  To read the full article, avialable through Lancaster Online, CLICK HERE.