four-centered arch
A builder carefully sets the stones of a four-centered arch in a garden wall.
Noun: A four-centered arch is a type of architectural arch characterized by its specific geometric construction. It is a low, wide arch whose curve is not a single arc from one center point. Instead, its shape is created by drawing four separate arcs from four different center points, resulting in a profile that is either a shallow ellipse or has a slightly pointed apex. This design allows for a broader span while maintaining a relatively low rise.
The term is used specifically in architecture, history, and construction to describe a particular arch design common in certain periods and styles. * The Tudor-style building is famous for its four-centered arch over the main gateway. * To construct a four-centered arch, the mason must carefully locate the four centers of the arcs.
- The four-centered arch is a defining feature of Perpendicular Gothic architecture in England, distinguishing it from the earlier, sharper two-centered (pointed) Gothic arches.
- In architectural analysis, a four-centered arch is often described as having a "depressed" or "flat" appearance compared to a semicircular Roman arch.
- Tudor arch (noun): A common synonym for a four-centered arch, named for its prevalent use in English architecture during the Tudor period (1485–1603).
- Elliptical arch (noun): A related arch type formed from a single ellipse. A four-centered arch can approximate an elliptical shape but is constructed differently.
- Depressed arch
- Tudor arch
- Two-centered arch (pointed Gothic arch)
- Semicircular arch (Roman arch)
A builder carefully sets the stones of a four-centered arch in a garden wall.
- a low elliptical or pointed arch; usually drawn from four centers