Composite (architectural style)

Refers to the architectural style associated with the fifth of the traditional five classical orders of architecture, that also include Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Tuscan. It is characterized by the merging of Ionic and Corinthian stylistic elements, particularly in the capital where the Ionic volute and the Corinthian acanthus leaves are combined to create a more lavish whole. The shaft of the column may be fluted or plain. The style probably originated in the Augustine period, was fully developed in the later Roman Colosseum around 80 CE, and was used through the Renaissance and beyond. It is distinct from "Composite order," since an architectural order refers strictly to the specific system or assemblage of parts that is subject to uniform established rules and proportions, regulated by the role that each part has to perform.