Horseshoe Arches: Arcs Exceeding a Semicircle

A brick horseshoe arch. The arch's curve extends beyond a semicircle, curving inward on both sides before resting on a column or wall, so the widest part of the opening is in the middle section, not at the bottom; the arch ring is formed by bricks laid on edge, each brick pointing towards the center. The outside of the arch is then framed by a square brick surround, and the triangular areas between the frame and the arch are also filled with brick patterns. Avoid: using a regular semicircular arch; making the arch ring out of stone or concrete; omitting the outer square frame; making the arch too wide and flattened.

Translated from Chinese by AI.

一道磚砌的馬蹄拱。拱的弧度超過半圓,在兩側向內收回來再落到柱或牆上,因此開口的最寬處在中段而不是底部;拱圈由立砌的磚一塊塊排出,每塊磚的方向都指向圓心。拱的外側再包一圈方形的磚砌框把拱包住,框與拱之間的三角區也填著磚的圖案。避免:使用一般的半圓拱、讓拱圈用石材或水泥做、省略外側的方框、把拱做得太寬變扁。