A Gibbs surround is a classical frame around a door or window in which the moulding is interrupted at regular intervals by bold, projecting blocks. The motif is named after the British architect James Gibbs, who used it extensively in the eighteenth century.
Application
The Gibbs surround is used to give emphasis to an entrance or an important window. The alternation of smooth moulding and heavy blocks gives the opening a robust, sculptural character. At the top the surround is often finished with a keystone that projects slightly further than the other blocks.
The motif is characteristic of (Palladian) classicism and the Georgian style, and was later applied to town houses and public buildings as well. The blocks are executed in natural stone, rendered masonry or, nowadays, in prefabricated elements.
Characteristics
Characteristic is the rustication: the blocks are deliberately kept coarse or block-like and project from the facade surface. The rhythmic interruption of the surround distinguishes the Gibbs surround from an ordinary, smooth door frame. Because the blocks follow both the vertical jambs and the lintel above, a coherent frame is formed around the opening.
Related terms
- surround
- keystone
- classicism
- rustication
- Georgian style
- cornice
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