For centuries, arches were employed as entrances and to support walls in numerous buildings. A spandrel is the approximately triangular area between arches and the wall or ceiling above them in these constructions. Spandrels can be found between two arches or between an arch and the rectangular region it is surrounded by. Because they are not part of the main body of the vault, spandrels do not have any structural function; rather, they provide aesthetic appeal and allow for decorative elements. The word "spandrel" comes from two Greek words meaning "unused space" or "empty place". In architecture, these areas are usually quite large and serve mainly for decoration. They often have some kind of figure-drawing or sculptural element installed in them. Sometimes, the spandrels are used for display purposes only. For example, in the Great Hall at King's College, Cambridge, England, there are several spandrels that contain statues of kings and other rulers who have been or may be present at the college during their history. There are two types of spandrels: those with flat surfaces and those with curved surfaces. The former are easier to create in design because all you need to do is remove the material so that the desired shape is left. With curved spandrels, on the other hand, you need to take into account the size of the radius of the curvature when creating your design so that it fits properly.