In the Romanesque nave wall, the convex or concave angular edges made by intersecting the flat surfaces are dominant. These edges accentuate the impression of massiveness. In order to eliminate the massive feeling from the wall, it was necessary not only to reduce the thick construction to a skeletal and membrane-like structure, but also to a) divide the large surface into smaller parts, b) conceal the thickness of the wall, and c) exclude the angular edges. In the Gothic wall, a), b), and c) were realized by articulating the wall surface with the thin, round, bar-like members, or linear elements., For the purpose of achieving the fullest effect of the linear articulation, the following three steps were indispensable : A) dividing and bordering the wall surface with linear elements, B) progress of independency and thinning of the linear element, and C) exclusion of the remnant angular edges in the compound pier. The third step C) was realized by replacing the compound pier with a column.