What Pilasters Are, and When They Work in Modern Architecture

Many of our clients confuse pilasters with columns. And that's perfectly understandable! Most people don't deal with architectural terminology every day.

A pilaster is a flat vertical projection on a wall surface that imitates a column. Essentially, it's a "ghost column" embedded in the wall. It has all the same parts—base, shaft, capital—but it projects from the wall by only a third or a quarter of its width.

Historically, pilasters served not only as decoration but also had a structural role—reinforcing the wall at points of greatest stress. In the classical orders, pilasters often "supported" an entablature or a pediment (which sounds like a good topic for the next explanatory note).

So when do they work in modern architecture? It's an interesting question we often kick around with colleagues.

Here are a few situations where pilasters can be a great solution:

— When renovating or restyling historic buildings, pilasters help preserve the authentic character of the facade, even when the interior is fully modernized.

— In modern minimalist projects, pilasters can be a subtle way to add rhythm and vertical articulation to a facade without overloading it with detail. We recently finished a project where very shallow pilasters in light-colored concrete created a barely perceptible play of light and shadow on a monochrome facade.

— Pilasters can also help correct a building's proportions visually. On a tall, narrow house, horizontal articulation and wide pilasters create a sense of stability. Conversely, on a squat building, vertical pilasters add a sense of height.

— An interesting modern approach is to use contrasting materials for the pilasters. On a plastered facade, for example, pilasters of clinker brick or natural stone become striking accents.

Have you noticed pilasters on buildings in your city? They're far more common around us than you might think at first glance.