The "Alphabetical Architecture: Part II Of IX" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Continuing with my architectural letters which I first posted on October 20, 2017.  On that post I explained "A" Arches, "R" Roundels and "T" Tympanum.  If you missed it you may want to navigate back through my blog and see what these letters illustrated.  As you see, I'm not following in alphabetical order, since it is easier to take photos and find letters that will describe what I have taken then trying to find samples of a particular letter.  Today I will examine "B" Brackets, "D" Dormers and "K" Keystones.  Follow along with me and check my samples and see for yourself if you agree with me.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

"B" - Bracket - Brackets can be seen on many styles of architecture and may be featured with other styles of architecture.  Brackets can be found on bridges, buildings, porches, roof eaves and even on light fixtures.  They can be made of wood, metal, concrete and stone.  A bracket is really a support device such as a brace or strut.  At times it may not even be functional, but purely decorative.  I found that most brackets I photographed were wooden brackets that were primarily decorative with a few that were functional and necessary for support.  Stone and concrete brackets are usually found when the majority of the structure is made of stone or concrete.  Iron brackets are most often fond on balconies, entranceways, gazebos and as part of decorative light fixtures or mail boxes.  No matter what it is made from or what it supports, the bracket adds visual interest to the architecture of the structure.

Easy to see the wooden brackets on this sample.

This is the Fulton Opera House in downtown Lancaster.  At the top of it you can see the brackets that were used.  My guess is they are also wooden brackets.

This is the Hager Building in downtown Lancaster.  It displays brackets at the very top as well as one floor below.  These seem to be concrete brackets.

These multi-colored brackets seem to be more ornamental than functional.

"D" - Dormer - Dormer was an easy one to photograph, since it is a structural element that projects vertically from a building's roof.  The dormer usually is to add light, ventilation or extra headroom on the top floor of a structure.  At times people will add a dormer if their family grows and they need to expand their home.  Going up is easier than trying to expand horizontally for most people who may be confined by property size.  There are several types of dormers: gable, flathead, hipped, segmental, arched and eyebrow.  There are also "blind" dormers that can be placed on a roof just for ornamentation and don't actually run into the roof of the house.  Small dormers found on roofs and steeples are referred to as lucarnes.  Most dormers are made of wood or masonry.

Dormers can be seen on the top floor of the beautiful building in Lititz, PA.  This building also illustrates brackets as well as keystones. Click on photo to enlarge it.

A series of 4 dormers can be found on this home.  Notice the brackets that are also part of the architecture.

Two dormers appear on the roof of this home.

This brick building features dormers on the top floor.

This photograph illustrates an unusual dormer as well as brackets on the roof above the dormer.

"K" - Keystone - The keystone is the most important part of an arch.  It is found at the top of the arch and usually carries no stress.  It is actually a wedge at the top of the arch upon which other components lean.  It locks all other components into place.  Many are decorative to draw your attention to them.  The use of the keystone dates back to 6,000 BC.  The Romans used it for long span construction.  Being that I live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the use of the word Keystone is important to me, since Pennsylvania is known as the "Keystone State".  It was Thomas Jefferson who called PA the keystone state since it was the keystone of the federal union.  Lancaster has many buildings that use the keystone as part of its architecture.  The keystone is also referred to as the headstone.

The Masonic Hall in downtown Lancaster has keystones above every window.

The Andrew Ellicott House in downtown Lancaster, PA displays keystones on the front, but not on the side of the house.