Spandrel facts for kids
A spandrel is a special space found in buildings and bridges. It's usually the area between two arches. Imagine two rounded doorways next to each other; the flat space above and between them is a spandrel. It can also be the space between an arch and a straight, rectangular border around it.
In buildings with many floors, the word spandrel can also describe the space between windows. It's the part of the wall between the top of a window on one floor and the bottom of the window directly above it. Spandrels are important in both architecture (how buildings are designed) and art history (how art has changed over time).
Spandrels in Bridges
Many bridges use arches to support them, so spandrels are often seen in these structures. For a long time, most arch bridges had "solid spandrels." This means the spaces next to the arches were completely filled in with masonry, which is like building with stone or bricks.
This changed in the 1800s and 1900s when people started using steel and reinforced concrete to build. These new materials allowed for different designs, and spandrels could be left open or designed in new ways.
Spandrels in Domes
Large domes, like those found on famous cathedrals, also have spandrels. When a round dome needs to sit on top of a square or rectangular base, special three-dimensional spandrels are used. These are called pendentives.
Pendentives are like curved, triangular sections of a sphere. They help to smoothly connect the round base of the dome to the square walls or pillars below. They are very strong and help to spread the heavy weight of the dome down onto the supporting columns.
Images for kids
-
Spandrels of a circle within a square
-
Spandrel figures of winged victories, Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, Paris
-
Spandrel panels
See also
In Spanish: Enjuta para niños
