On Dec 8, 4:13*pm, Jules
wrote:
Our late '40s place has concrete pillars in the basement - about 7' high,
12"x12", but tapered in toward the top by maybe 2". Fair enough... but I
just noticed that they're also tapered by 2" at the bottom, albeit just in
one axis (I've never noticed before as they've had junk piled
around them - I've just been having a tidy-up though)

Any particular reason for the tapering at the base? I don't think I've
ever seen that before, and can't think of a good reason for it.

cheers

Jules

Just as an FYI, the columns on many ancient structures, such as the
entrances to amphitheaters, were wider at the top than at the bottom.

This was done on purpose so that the columns look like they are the
exact same diameter from bottom to top. If they *were* the same
diameter, they would look narrower at the top when viewed from the
bottom, which happens to be where most folks view them from.

Many other surfaces that appear straight and even from the ground were
actually curved and/or wider/narrower to give the illusion of them
being "even" in the mind of the observer.

Them there ancients were pretty darn smart.