Past vs present tense in relative clause


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?




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)

