天花板是地板的对应物。与屋顶一起，它是实用的，因为它的作用是提供庇护和建筑的必需品。但天花板可能具有更多的形而上学意义。由于离得很远，而且常常遥不可及，所以这里是最受欢迎的粉刷、壁画、马赛克的地方，一种表达梦想、理想和神圣的方式。涂鸦是一种自发的表达方式，很少在天花板上出现。在二十世纪的先驱建筑师中，很少有人能赋予天花板以其潜在的崇高作用。当它被小心处理时，通常是通过一个美丽的结构的美学效果：暴露的框架。很少有人像阿尔瓦·阿尔托那样，总是认可天花板设计的重要性：阿尔托的天花板赋予空间以意义。
The ceiling is the floor’s counterpart. Together with the roof it is pragmatic, due to the role of giving shelter and to the necessities of construction. But the ceiling may accept more metaphysical meanings. Being far removed and most often out of reach, it is the favourite place for stuccos, frescos, mosaics – a means of expression of dreams, ideals, the sacred. Graffiti – which are a spontaneous means of expression – are rarely found on ceilings. Amongst the pioneer architects of the twentieth century, there are very few who have bestowed upon the ceiling the sublime role of which it is potentially capable. When it is treated with care it is usually through the aesthetic effect of a beautiful structure: the exposed frame.Rare are those who, like Alvar Aalto, have always subscribed to the importance of a ‘ceiling design’: Aalto’s ceilings give meaning to space.
《 Elements of Architecture：From Form to Place 》
古希腊神庙的天花板建在水平横梁之上。在主要神庙中，内殿天花板无一例外都是木制的，现已完全遗失，但墙壁和外面柱廊之间的天花板应该是石制的，其花格镶板搁置在石梁上，这显然源自木结构形式。通往雅典卫城的山门（Propylaea）是个例外，其大厅有石梁和石天花板。其跨度和重量是如此之大，使得横梁需用铁加固，再用大理石饰面，这是独一无二的。
弗莱彻建筑史 Banister Fletcher’s A History of Architecture
