ARCHITECTURAL DICTIONARY

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A
abacus a slab forming the upper part of a capital.  
acanthus A Mediterranean plant. The leaves are thick, fleshy, and scalloped. A stylization of the acanthus leaf began in Greek and Roman decoration, especially on the Corinthian capital.
aisle Open area of a church parallel to the nave and separated from it by columns or piers.
arcade a passageway or building with a series of arches and supporting columns
alter In the Roman Church, a table at which the celebration of the Eucharist takes place. It is placed in the most prominent place in the church, usually at the east end, in the choir or sanctuary, facing the main entrance to the church.
alternation of support A system of supports for an arcade or colonnade in which there are two different types of support. The alternation may be quite obvious, between one pier (strong support) and one column (weak support), or it may exist only in slight differences, such as in the treatment of the shafting on each pier.
apse A vaulted extension or projection, usually from a choir or chapel and generally circular or polygonal in shape.
arcade A series of arches supported by columns or piers.
architrave The lintel or flat horizontal member which spans the space between columns; in classical architecture, the lowest member of an entablature.
accordion door doors that folds back like the bellows of an accordion
agora the Greek market place or meeting place.
arch a curved or pointed structural member which is supported at the sides or ends
Arts and Crafts a movement protesting industrialization, infusing the crafts back into the world we see and live in.
atrium in the Roman period this was the inner courtyard of a house, left open to the sky, and generally built by the affluent urbam classes. In the 20th century the word has been adopted to describe dramatic enclosed glass-roofed indoor spaces associated with high-rise hotels and office buildings that are treated as substitutes for the public realm.
awning window a window hinged along the top edge
austragal a semiround convex molding decorated with a pattern of disks alternating with round or elongated beads
B
balcony a platform projecting from an upper story and enclosed by a railing
Baroque   Architectural style of the 1600s and 1700s characterized by the flamboyant use of classical forms.  
basilica ong halls serving a variety of civic purposed - beginning in Hellenistic Greece. They became standard in every Roman town for courts of law
Bauhaus   a school of arts and architrecture founded in Germany by architect Walter Gropius in 1919. A style of architecture that reflected the push towards functionalism and industrial design. A German design school (1919-33) promoted this style of modernist architecture and design. It was closed by the Nazis in 1933. The New Bauhaus opened in Chicago in 1937.  
balloon frame  introduced in the 1830s, a system of framing a building in which wood studs extend in one  piece from the top of the foundation sill-plate to the top roof plate; floor joists are nailed to the studs and are supported by horizontal boards. Fell out of style when it was noted that fires which broke out inside these buildings spread easily upwards through the walls
baluster a pillar or column supporting a handrail or coping, a series of such being called a balustrade
balustrade a railing with supporting balusters
bannister railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling
bay window a projecting bay with windows that forms an extension to the interior floor space. On the outside, the bay should extend to ground level, in contrast to an oriel window which doesn’t touch the ground.
barrel vault or tunnel vault; a series of pressed-together arches, they were heavy and had enormous thrust or pressure downward and outward, usually had heavy walls because of this
base The architectural element on which a column or pier rests.
bay A unit of interior space in a building, marked off by architectural divisions.  
bead and reel A decorative motif consisting of oval motifs alternating with round or elongated bead-shaped motifs. Much used in the ancient world and copied in the Middle Ages.
blind archade A row of decorative arches applied to a wall.
board and batten a form of wood siding for exterior walls, consisting of long vertical boards and thin strips, or battens, which extend over adjacent boards or joints (the spaces between adjacent surfaces)
bungalow A bungalow is modest in size and scale; is one or one-and-one-half stories high;-is low to the ground in appearance; has a rectangular or square shape; has deep roof overhangs and wide eaves; has a porch across the facade, in front, and/or on two or three sides; has an exterior typically composed of different materials; has natural wood related to the region or area; has colors and tones related to nature and the immediate environment; is affordable; is integrated with natural materials, colors and forms; is an example of art combined with form and function
buttress a structure, usually brick or stone, built against a wall for support or reinforcement to resist the pressure of a arch or vault
C
cantilever A projecting bracket used primarily to carry the weight of a cornice or the protruding eaves of a building.
caryatid sculptured female figure used as a column to support an entablature.
capital The top part of a column supporting the entablature.
casement window A window frame hinged on one side so that it swings out or in to open; A window frame that opens on vertical hinges. A casement window contains two such vertical-hinged windows, separated by a mullion.
centrally planned building A building in which the sides are of equal length and in which the main space is symmetrical when bisected laterally and longitudinally. A centrally-planned building may be square, circular, or polygonal. The most important feature of a centrally-planned building is the open space at the center of the building, developed around a vertical axis.
cella main room in a ziggurat; the main room of a temple - the narrow hall that ran the entire length of the temple
clapboard horizontal or vertical siding that overlaps
clerestory An upper story row of windows; a window so placed
cloister Part of a monastery; a quadrangle surrounded by covered passages. It connects the domestic parts of the monastery with the church. Usually located on the south side of the church.
coffer The sunken area created between the crossing of structural members. Coffers often appear in a flat ceiling or on the interior surface of a dome. They are often the focus of decoration and serve also to lighten the weight of the structure.
colonade a range of columns supporting either arches or an entablature and usually one side of a roof
column An upright, often decorative pillar consisting of a shaft and a crown known as a capital.  
composite order Roman order column incorporating the scroll-shaped capital of the Ionic column with the ornate acanthus-leafs carving that distinguished the Corinthian capital.  
composite pier A type of pier that is composed not of a single member but has shafts, half-columns, or pilaster strips attached to it.
corbel a projecting bracket of stone, brick, etc., which supports a cornice, arch, or oriel; a block of stone, elaborately carved, projecting from a wall and sometimes supporting a load like the beams of a roof, floor or vault, or sometimes used for decorative effect only. Also: a projecting block supporting a beam or other horizontal element. A vault or arch can be constructed from a series of corbels each projecting from the one below it.
corbelling incremental cantilevered bricks or blocks to create a false arch
Corinthian order The most slender and ornate of the three Greek columns. Known for its decorative capital of delicately carved acanthus leaves.  
cornice any crowning projection; the top, projecting section of an entablature, supporting a roof
crenellation A parapet with alternating openings (embrasures) and raised sections (merlons), often used on castle walls and towers for defense purposes.
crocket capital A simplified adaptation of the Corinthian capital. The crocket capital was commonly used in the Gothic period.
cromlach circle of standing stones such as in Stonehenge
cross section A diagram showing a building as if it had been cut at right angles to the ground plan.
cupola a dome, usually small, topping a roof or turret
cushion A very simple cube-like capital with bottom corners tapered. The block capital is particularly characteristic of Ottonian and Romanesque Germany and England.
D
dentils Greek classical feature of a row of small rectangular shapes placed closely together  beneath the cornice.  Teeth-like in appearance.
depressed arch A flattened arch, slightly pointed on top. It appears in Late Gothic of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
descriptive perspective shows more important objects larger than less important objects
dog tooth an ornamental motif consisting of a square, four-leafed figure, the center of which projects in a point. It was a very popular in Early English (Early Gothic) architecture.
dome a vault of even curvature erected on a circular base. The section can be segmental, semicircular, pointed, or bulbous
dome-on-drum construction the Romans used this method to construct their domes. The dome section was placed on top of a round drum (like a low cut cylinder) section which often was placed over a square or rectangular section.
Doric order the oldest and sturdiest of the orders. The columns are massive, fluted, and simple with a plain capital.
dormer a window in a sloping roof, usually that of a sleeping-apartment, hence the name
double hung windows a window which operates by means of two sashes that slide vertically past each other.
dutch door a door divided horizontally in half; the halves may be opened together or individually.
E
eave that part of a sloping roof that overhangs the wall
edifice a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place; "there was a three-story building on the corner"; "it was an imposing edifice"
egg n' dart Classical ornamental design that forms a course of alternating oval shapes and arrows.
entablature a feature that is part of an Order of classical Greek architecture.  The entablature is above the capital of the column and encompasses the architrave that simulates the beam across the columns or posts, the frieze, an area left plain or highly sculpted or decorated, and the cornice, the projected border for the roof line.
eyebrow windows roof windows that look like eyebrows
F
facade the front face or elevation of a building
finial An ornament at the tip of a pinnacle, spire or other tapering vertical architectural element.
fluted a feature that is part of an Order of classical Greek architecture.  The entablature is above the capital of the column and encompasses the architrave that simulates the beam across the columns or posts, the frieze, an area left plain or highly sculpted or decorated, and the cornice, the projected border for the roof line.
flying buttress a detached pier supporting the weight of a wall
foundation the base of a house providing stability and rigidness
fresco plaster and pigment wall painting invented by the Minoan to replace mozaics
frieze a decorative band atop an interior wall below the cornice. The middle section of an entablature.
frontal a pose of figures all facing forward
G
gable the triangular upper part of a wall at the end of a roof which has two sloping sides
gambrel roof a double-sloped roof, characteristic of Dutch Colonial architecture
gargoyle A spout projecting from a rain gutter to carry water down and away from a building. Gothic Gargoyles are known for their grotesque or monstrous images.  
garret studio/ attic space
geodesic dome A strong, light dome constructed on a framework of triangular elements. Invented by architect Buckminster Fuller.
gingerbread highly decorative architectural woodworking on Victorian houses
Gothic The dominant architectural style in Western Europe from around 1250 to 1550. Characterized by fine masonry and woodworking, pointed arches, and exterior flying buttresses.
groin vault A vault produced by the intersection at right angles of two barrel (tunnel) vaults. Sometimes the arches of groin vaults may be pointed instead of round.
H
Half-timbering in late medieval architecture, a type of construction in which the heavy timber framework is exposed, and the spaces between the studs filled with wattle-and-daub, plaster or brickwork. The effect of half-timbering was imitated by the Stick, Queen Anne, Tudor and Jacobethan styles-architectural styles fashionable in the 19th-20th C.
hammer beam a short horizontal beam, usually made of wood, extending from the top of a masonry wall outward towards the center of the enclosed space, but not completely traversing it. The projecting end is usually connected to the roof with a diagonal brace. It is The protruding ends of hammer beams were often elaborately carved.
hipped roof a roof which slopes upward on all four sides
hypostyle a building having a roof or ceiling supported by rows of columns; used to describe a hall constructed of many columns
I
insulation any material designed to control the passing of heat and / or sound
intersecting arches Arches which cross over each other in an arcade
Ionic order a fluted column, more slender than Doric easily distinguished by its scroll-shaped capital.
J
jamb the Side of a door or window.  
jamb figures Statues carved on the jambs of a doorway or window. Jamb statues were often human figures- either religious figures or secular or ecclesiastical leaders.
joist Wood framing members, usually set 16" apart on center, carefully chosen to support all "live" and "dead" loads
K
keep A freestanding defense tower in a castle complex.
keystone the central, topmost stone of an arch. It locks in the voussoirs before the centering scaffolding can be removed
knee wall a wall supported by jack studs in half- story construction
L
lintels horizontal support member used in building
live load the weight of people, things and materials that are not always present at the same place in a building
lozenge A diamond shape.
M
mansard roof a roof having two slopes on each of its four sides; the lower slope is steeper than the upper.  Mansard roofs have dormers in them so that a usable third floor is created as opposed to an attic
mastaba rectangular Egyptian tom of mud brick and masonry with sloping sided and a flat top. It covers a burial chamber.
megaron architectural form consisting of an open porch, a vestible, and a large hall with a central hearth and a throne
minaret a high tower, part of a mosque, with a balcony from which a muezzin calls Moslems to prayer.  
modular planning planning a home in multiples of four feet in order to reduce material waste and cut labor cost
mosaic A decoration created by setting small pieces of glass, stone, or marble in a matrix- often concrete. Wall mosaics were most prevelent in the Early Christian and Byzantine periods, during which they were a very important form of wall decoration.
moulding shaped decorative outlines on projecting cornices and members in wood and stone
motte and bailey A defensive system consisting of a mound of earth (the motte) with a wooden tower on top, placed within a courtyard (the bailey, also called the ward).
mullions the vertical member separating adjacent windows
N
nave the principal interior section of a church, extending from the main entrance down the main aisle to the sanctuary and flanked by the aisles.  
newel the terminating baluster at the lower end os a handrail
niche a recess in a wall to place various decorations
nosing the rounded fore-edge of a stair tread
O
ogee a double curve that resembles teh letter "S," formed by a joining a concave and convex line.  
orders in classical Greco-Roman architecture, a reference to the principal styles of columns with their bases, capitals, and entablatures. The three Greek orders are Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. The two Roman orders are the Composite and Tuscan  
oriel a projection from the upper story of a building. Oriels very often contain windows.
P
Palladian window window divide into three parts: a large, arched central window, flanked by two smaller rectangular windows. It is sometimes called Venetian window.
parapet a low wall used as protection in any location where there is a drop like at the edge of a roof, balcony or terrac
pediment a low triangular gable in classical architecture, surrounded by a cornice.
pergola covered walk in a garden
pillar similar to but more slender than a pier, also non-circular
pilaster a rectangular column projecting slightly from a wall.  In classical architecture it conforms with the order used
pier solid masonry supports with no base or capital; Romanesque and Gothic pillars; the solid support between openings in buildings
pitch the rate at which a roof or other surface slopes measure in x/12 format where the x is the run for a 12" rise
plinth The square that comes below the base of a column
plumb exactly vertical; "the tower of Pisa is far out of plumb"
porch an open or enclosed gallery or room on the outside of a building
portico an open porch with columns supporting a pedimental roof, creating the entrance and\or centre piece of a facade.
post and beam vertical timber posts with interlocking horizontal beams forming bents and bays of a colonial style house
post and lintel vertical post supporting a cross member on the top of the posts (lintel)
prairie house a house style associated predominantly with the early work of Frank Lloyd Wright, the design was influenced by the open prairie of mid-western American. The houses featured open plans with a low, horizontal emphasis.
pyramid
pylon a huge entrance structure of an Egyptian free-standing temple, formed by a pair of square tapering piers with a flat top and not connecting lintel
Q
quatrefoil An ornamental form which has four lobes or foils. It may resemble a four-petaled flower.
quadripartite rib vault A rib vault which is divided into four sections by two diagonal ribs.
quoins cornerstone of a building, rising the entire height of the wall, and distinguished from the main construction material by size, texture, or conspicuous joining.  In masonry construction, they reinforce the corners,; in wood construction, they do not bear any load, are made of wood and imitate the effect of stone or brick.
R
rafter an inclined timber which forms the side of a roof, to which the roof covering is attached
register one series of horizontal bands which are placed one above the other
Renaissance a period in history that was the first to become aware of its own existence and coin a label on itself.  People knew they were no longer in the Middle Ages and had reached a time of rebirth of individualism, humanism, of intellectual activity, revivals of ancient architectural styles.  The goal was not to duplicate but to equal the great works for antiquity by studying Classical architecture.
ridge the top- most portion of a roof from which roof sides fall away
rise the vertical distance from one stair tread to the next
riser The vertical portion of a step. The board covering the open space between stair treads.
Romanesque a pre-Gothic (pre-1200s) medieval architectural style with links with the Mediterranean tradition.  Round arches were used, and buildings were solid and heavy like buildings in ancient Rome, hence the name.
rose window a circular window composed of patterned tracery arranged in petal-like formation.
rotunda a circular building, usually domed.  
run the horizontal distance of one step tread
S
saltbox a type of wood-frame building, one-and-a-half or two stories in the front and one story in the rear. The double-pitched roof is short in the front and long in the rear, extending close to the ground.
semi-dome a half dome.
shed roof a roof type with one high pitched plane covering the entire structure
sill a horizontal piece forming the bottom frame of a window or door opening
skylight a window in a roof to give light to a loft or room without other lighting
soffit underpart of an arch, architrave, or overhanging cornice
sole the horizontal wooden member supporting wall studs
spiral staircase staircase whose steps wind around a central, vertical axis.
spire the pyramidal structure soaring from a tower or roof a church
step pyramid solid stone structurebuilt of six hugh steps and used as a tomb for Egyptian Pharohs
story a horizontal division of a building, from the floor to the ceiling above it
stucco a textured exterior plaster finish consisting of cement, lime, sand, and water.  
stud a vertical wood support in a frame wall
sub-floor a floor beneath the finish floor designed to strengthen the bearing surface and prevent dust from passing through floors
T
timber large wooden boards used in creating the structure of a wall.
transom horizontal glazed opening above a door or window
truss a framework for supporting a roof
Tudor This time period includes the styles called Tudor (a style developed during the reign of Henry VIII in the 1500s), Elizabethan, Jacobean, and Jacobethan (styles developed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I of England during the 1500s and 1600s). These buildings were derived from English Renaissance buildings of the 16th and 17th centuries.  The Jacobethan style refers to the mixture of Jacobean and Elizabethan styles.
turret A small tower, often at the corner of a building. Common in Queen Anne Styles among others. A turret is a smaller structure while a tower begins at ground level.
Tuscan order A Roman order modeled after the Greek Doric, but even simpler, having no flutes.  
U
Unite d'Habitation Le Corbusier's name for an ideal housing type, the multistory block including social facilities, shops, and play space contained within a single building, around what he called streets in the sky. Realized by Le Corbusier himself most famously in Marseilles, but also in Berlin and at the new town Firminy, the Unite was to prove hugely influential, far from universally socially sucessful.
V
valley a low region on a roof between gables
vaulted having a hemispherical vault or dome
verandah a porch along the outside of a building
Victorian this style represents a break with the classical restrictions of proportion and order. The Victorian era was a time of “free expression” in architecture. On Victorian buildings you often see a loose interpretive style of Italian Renaissance design that is sometimes called “free classical”. Buildings were highly detailed and were built during the reign of Queen Victoria of England, hence the name “Victorian”.
volute a spiral scroll-like ornament commonly found on Ionic, Composite or Corinthian columns
voussior one of the wedge-shaped blocks forming the curved parts of an arch or vault
W
wainscoting A paneling applied to the lower portion of a wall
Water Closet (WC) toilet; commode
wattle and daub method of constructing walls in which vertical wooden stakes, or wattles, are woven with horizontal twigs and branches, and then daubed with clay or mud. This method is one of the oldest known for making a weatherproof structure.
wind bracing diagonal bracing in timberframing that stops the roof from shifts side to side during windy conditions
X
Y
Z
ziggurat Pyramid-shaped, tiered tower used in Mesopotamia to support a temple.