A
column or
pillar in
architecture and
structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through
compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member. The term column applies especially to a large round support (the
shaft of the column) with a
capital and a
base or
pedestal and made of stone, or appearing to be so. A small wooden or metal support is typically called a post, and supports with a rectangular or other non-round section are usually called
piers. For the purpose of
wind or
earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces. Other
compression members are often termed "columns" because of the similar stress conditions. Columns are frequently used to support
beams or
arches on which the upper parts of walls or ceilings rest. In architecture, "column" refers to such a structural element that also has certain proportional and decorative features. A column might also be a decorative element not needed for structural purposes; many columns are "engaged", that is to say form part of a wall.