Traditional architecture across the world is characterised by pillars and columns.
From slim to substantial, rectangular to cylindrical, they have been the cornerstone of European, Indian and Islamic architecture for centuries. But with the passage of time and the advent of new construction techniques, the pillar has lost its erstwhile post in most modern homes. It is still considered a load-bearing feature, but today it gets built into a wall –not like in its glory days when it was as ornamental as functional.
It’s a shame to let go of such a key feature of our architectural heritage. Thankfully, heritage homes across the country continue to cherish their pillars and columns– haveli homestays in Rajasthan and Gujarat and refurbished boutique hotels, for example, are replete with these features.
Travel down south and you will find them popping up in Chettinad mansions and old Kerala homes that continue to retain their traditional flavour. Thankfully, some architects in the south are going back to the vernacular idiom, favouring pillared courtyards and verandahs and reinterpreting them in modern homes.
Sadly, such homes are still few in number: for the simple reason that houses that give columns full and traditional play need significant space, which is unaffordable to most in today’s urban landscape. Which is why heaps of old pillars land up in antique alleys where they get sold/exported to the rich for a fortune or are relegated to junk dumps, where they go for a song.
Clever home-makers would do well to scour the latter for old columns that they can use in innovative ways. Place a pair under the arch that divides the living and dining areas for an elegant touch.
Or prop one in a corner as a purely decorative feature. If that’s too ethnic for your taste, try painting a pillar in a vivid hue and introduce accessories to match. Slim pillars can also be used to create a bookrack; simply put glass shelves in between. Stone pillars belong in a garden and can become a key landscaping feature. Nothing adds more character to space than an eclectic mix of the old and new.
So, don’t let the pillar become a post of the past. Use old columns in new contemporary houses, and watch your space become a conversation starter.