Theory
The Five Orders
Explore in the Atlas →The canonical comparative set of architectural orders (Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Composite) treated as a single sequence. A sixteenth-century print construction: Vitruvius treats four orders plus the Composite as a Roman variant; Serlio's 1537 plate and Vignola's 1562 Regola fix the five as an equal canonical set and an algorithmic kit-of-parts.
Proportion Type Representation
Details
- Introduced
- 16th century
Referenced by
- Regola delli cinque ordini d'architettura articulates
- Tutte l'opere d'architettura et prospetiva (I sette libri dell'architettura) articulates
- Sebastiano Serlio proposed
- Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola proposed
- The Four Books of Architecture articulates
Sources
- Vignola. Regola delli cinque ordini d'architettura. 1562.
- Bodleian Libraries. Cabinet catalogue. n.d..
Cite this entry
First published May 2026Last revised Jul 2026
CLAD. "The Five Orders." Atlas of Architectural Thought. CLAD, 2026. https://www.cl-ad.com.au/research/atlas/theory/the-five-orders/. Accessed July 17, 2026.