How Porch Column Proportions Shape The Feel Of A House

The thickness of a column in proportion to the height of a porch is a little thing, but I think it can make a huge difference in how a house feels. It’s one of the relationships we’re learning to pay closer attention to at Den & Burrow.

As a team, we study the classical orders of architecture. We’re learning how ancient architecture was designed and how its proportions worked. I’m drawn to the relationship between those proportions and the experience of a beautiful building: a place people want to live in and stay in.

What interests me is the connection between the form of a building and the people who inhabit it. I believe the form can help shape how we live. That’s the dynamic we’re trying to understand and use to guide our design decisions.

The porch column is a concrete example. Its thickness needs to be considered in relation to the porch’s height, rather than judged on its own. We’re also using more lintels and moldings, and we’re learning about architraves. Those details are part of the same study of how the pieces relate to one another.

Our clients don’t necessarily see every little decision behind those relationships. But I think that attention matters. We’re studying older architectural ideas because they give us a way to think carefully about the proportions of the homes we design.