I found [this](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/25376/how-to-
appropriately-pair-tenses-in-subordinate-and-main-clauses) thread that was
really useful, but I'm still have some doubts, especially because
[this](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/73567/what-tense-of-a-
verb-should-be-used-in-the-subordinate-clause) other thread seems to suggest
that there isn't significative difference between using one or the other.

The sentence that triggered my interest is the following:

> ｛丸い・四角い｝形をした建物を構築する。

Since it's just an example sentence found in a grammar blog, it may not have
much depth of meaning, but I wanted to try. Using the line of thought found in
the first linked thread, I interpreted the past form in the relative clause as
indicating that the intention of making the building into a certain shape was
planned.

If the clause had instead used 〇〇形をする建物, I guess the focus on the intention
fades, and the construction just ends up with a round or square building.

  * Does my interpretation make any sense?
  * Is thinking about such choices practical in any way, or, as the second thread linked asserts, there isn't much of a difference between using past or present (in most/many cases)?
  * In what cases do substantial differences arise?
  * in such cases, is the explanation provided in the first cited thread sufficient, or could there be more nuances in some circumstances?
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question
grammar relative-clauses past
Past vs present tense in relative clause
You're thinking the other way around. 丸い形をする建物 would mean "a building that
_will_ be round (in the future)", which is almost certainly a wrong
expression. You need to say either 丸い形をした建物 or 丸い形をしている建物.

  * ["太ってる猫" vs "太った猫"](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/3361/9831)
  * [What are the general principles of using verbs to modify nouns (e.g. 焦げるトースト/焦げたトースト)?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/11975/9831)
  * [Why does 音を表したことば use the past tense?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/43864/9831)
  * [Use of かける (N5 question)](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/29671/9831)

Besides, this type of する is just "have (a trait)" in English, and does not
involve someone's intention or planning. For example, 赤い色をした葉っぱ is just "red
leaves".

  * [「〜がする」 the extended use of する (to do)](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/17850/5010)
  * [What does する mean when it does not mean "do"? （血のにおいがする）](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/2289/5010)
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answer