Architecture Dictionary

ABATEMENT: The wastage of wood when lumber is sawed or planed to size.

ABUTMENT: A masonry mass (or the like) which receives the thrust of an arch, vault, or
strut.

ADDENDUM: A supplement to bidding documents, issued prior to the submission of bids,

for the purpose of clarifying, correcting, or adding to the specifications previously issued.

ALCOVE: A small recessed space opening directly into a larger room.

AMBULATORY: A passageway around the apse of a church.

APPROVED EQUAL: Material, equipment, or method proposed by the contractor and

approved by the architect for incorporation in or use in the work as equivalent in
essential attributes to the material, equipment, or method specified in the contract
document.

APSE: A semicircular or semipolygonal space usually in a church terminating an axis and

intended to house an altar.

ARBOR: A light open structure of trees or shrubs closely planted either twined together or
self supporting on a light lattice.

ARCADE: A line of counter thrusting arches raised on columns or piers.

ARCHITECT: A designation reserved, usually by law, for a person or organization

professionally qualified and duly licensed to perform architectural services.

ARCHITRAVE: A horizontal beam or lintel, that rests on columns or piers; or the lowest
portion of an entablature; or a decorative molding around a door, a window, or an arch.

ARCHIVOLT: One of several parallel curved, and often decorated, moldings on the inside
of an arched opening; a curved architrave.

ASHLAR: Stone that has been cut square and dressed.

ATRIUM: In classical architecture, an interior courtyard that is open to the weather. In

contemporary architecture, a significant interior space, often sky lighted, used for
circulation.

BALUSTRADE: An entire railing system including top rail and its balusters, and sometimes
a bottom rail.
BALUSTER: One of a number of short vertical members often circular in section used to
support a stair handrail or a coping.

BASILICA:A Roman hall of justice, typically with a high central space lit by a clerestory
and lower aisles all around it.

BATTEN: A narrow strip of wood applied to cover a joint along edges of two parallel
boards in the same plane.

BID: An offer to perform the work described in a contract at a specified cost.

BREEZEWAY: A covered passageway, open to the outdoors, connecting either two parts of
a building or two buildings.

BUILDING CODES: Regulations, ordinances or statutory requirements of a government unit

relating to building construction and occupancy, generally adopted and administered for
the protection of public health, safety, and welfare.

CAMBER: A slight convex curvature built into a truss or beam to compensate for any
anticipated deflection so that it will have no sag when under load.

CANTILEVER: A structural member which projects beyond its supporting wall or column.

CANTON: A corner of a building decorated with a projecting masonry course, a pilaster or

similar feature.

CATHEDRA: The bishops throne, set at the end of the apse in early Christian churches.

CAVETTO: A hollow member or round concave molding containing at least the quadrant of
a circle used in cornices.

CELLA: The sanctuary of a classical temple, containing the cult statue of the god.

CERTIFICATION: A declaration in writing that a particular product or service complies with a

specification or stated criterion.

CHANGE ORDER: An amendment to the construction contract signed by the owner,

architect, and contractor that authorizes a change in the work or an adjustment in the
contract sum or the contract time or both. Construction Budget: The sum established by
the owner as available for construction of the project, including contingencies for bidding
to contractors and for changes during construction.

CLERESTORY: An upper zone of wall pierced with windows that admit light to the center of
a lofty room.
CLOISTER:A covered walk surrounding a court, usually linking a church to other buildings
of a monastery.

CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS: Drawings and specifications created by an architect that set

forth in detail requirements for the construction of the project.

CORBEL: In masonry a projection or one of a series of projections each stepped

progressively farther forward with height.

CORNICE: Any molded projection which crowns or finishes the part which it is affixed.

CRIPPLE:In a building frame, a structural element that is shorter than usual, as a stud
above a door opening or below a windowsill.

DENTIL: A band of small, square, toothlike blocks utilized in an ornamental manner.

DERRICK: A hoisting machine for heavy loads, usually has a vertical mast and a
horizontal or sloping boom whose movement is controlled by wire rope.

DESIGN/BUILD A method of project delivery in which the owner contracts directly with a
single entity that is responsible for both design and construction services for a
construction project.

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT The architect prepares more detailed drawings and finalizes the
design plans, showing correct sizes and shapes for rooms. Also included is an outline of
the construction specifications, listing the major materials to be used.

DORMER: A structure projecting from a sloping roof usually housing a window or

ventilating louver.

DOVETAIL: A splayed tenon, shaped like a dove's tail, broader at its end than at its base.

DRESSED: Descriptive of brick, lumber, or stone which has been prepared, shaped, or
finished by cutting, planing, rubbing, or sanding one or more surfaces.

EASEMENT: A right of accommodation in land owned by another, such as right of way or

free access to light or air.

ENTABULATURE: In classical architecture the elaborated beam member carried by the

columns.

EURYTHMY: Harmony, orderliness, and elegance of proportions.

FASCIA: Any flat horizontal member or molding with little projection.

FENESTRATION: The arrangement and design of windows in a building.

FORMWORK: A temporary construction to contain web concrete in the required shape

while it is cast and setting.

GIRANDOLE: A branched light holder, either standing on a base or projecting from a wall.

GROIN: The ridge, edge, or curved line formed by the intersection of the surfaces of two
intersecting vaults.

GROTTO: A natural or artificial cave, often decorated with shells or stones and
incorporating waterfalls or fountains.

HAUNCH: The middle part between the crown and the springing of an arch.

HEPTASTYLE: A portico having seven columns at one or both ends.

HIERON: The sacred enclosure of a temple or shrine.

HIP: The external angle at the junction of two sloping roofs or sides of a roof.

HYPOTHYRUM: A frieze and cornice arranged and decorated in various ways for the lintel
of a door.

ILLUMINANCE: The luminous flux density incident on a surface, ie the luminous flux per
unit area.

JALOUSIE: A shutter or blind with fixed or adjustable slats which exclude rain and provide
ventilation, shade, and visual privacy.

KEYSTONE: In masonry the central often embellished voussoir of an arch.

LANCET: A narrow window with a sharp pointed arch typically found in Gothic
architecture.

LIFE CYCLE COST ANALYSISThe architect calculates expected future operating,

maintenance, and replacement costs of desired designs and features to assist
homeowners in developing a realistic design and budget estimate.

LINTEL:A horizontal structural member over an opening which carries the weight of the
wall above it.

LOGGIA: An arcaded or colonnaded structure, open on one or more sides, sometimes

with an upper level.
LUNETTE: A crescent shaped or semicircular area on a wall or vaulted ceiling framed by
an arch or vault.

MASTERSPEC: A proprietary master specification for the construction industry developed

by the AIA.

MEGALITHIC: Structure built of unusually large stones.

MEZZANINE: A low ceilinged story or extensive balcony, usually constructed above the
ground floor.

MORTISE: A hole, cavity, notch, slot, or recess cut into a timber or piece of another
material usually receives a tenon.

NAVE: The middle aisle of a church.

NICHE: A recess in a wall usually to contain a sculpture or an urn.

OBELISK: A monumental, four-sided stone shaft tapering to a pyramidal tip.

ORTHOSTYLE: A colonnade in a straight line.

PAGODA: A multistoried shrine like tower, originally a Buddhist monument crowned by a

stupa.

PARAPET: A low guarding wall at any point of sudden drop, as at the edge of a terrace,
roof, or balcony.

PEDIMENT: In classical architecture, the triangular gable end of the roof above the
horizontal cornice.

PERGOLA: A garden structure with an open wooden framed roof, often latticed, supported
by regularly spaced post or columns.

PERIPTERAL: Surrounded by a single row of columns.

PIAZZA: A public open space or square surrounded by buildings.

PROGRAMMING The architect and homeowner first discuss the goals, needs and function
of the project, design expectations and available budget, pertinent building code and
zoning regulations. The architect prepares a written statement setting forth design
objectives, constraints, and criteria for a project, including special requirements and
systems, and site requirements.

PROJECT BUDGET The sum established by the owner as available for the entire project,
including the construction budget, land costs, costs of furniture, furnishings, and
equipment; financing costs; compensation for professional services; cost of owner-
furnished goods and services; contingency allowance; and similar established or
estimated costs.

PROSCENIUM: In a theater, the part of stage which lies between the curtains and the
orchestra.

QUADRIPARTITE: Divided by the system of construction employed, into four compartments,

as a vault.

REGULATION: Any rule prescribing permitted or forbidden conduct, whether found in

legislation or in the actions of an administrative agency.

RELIEF: Carving, chasing, or embossing raised above a background plane.

RETEMPERING: The addition of water and remixing of concrete or mortar which as started
to stiffen.

SCALLOP: One of a continuous series of curves resembling segments of a circle used as

a decorative element.

SCHEMATIC DESIGN The architect consults with the owner to determine the requirements
of the project and prepares schematic studies consisting of drawings and other
documents illustrating the scale and relationships of the project components for approval
by the owner. The architect also submits to the owner preliminary estimate of
construction cost based on current area, volume, or other unit costs.

SCUPPER: An opening in a wall or parapet that allows water to drain from a roof.

SERVICE CONNECTION: An electrical connector that attaches the utility company's

conductors to the customer's wiring.

SERVICE DROP: The portion of service conductors between the last pole of the utility
supply and the junction with service entrance conductors of the building supplied.

SPECIFICATIONS A part of the construction documents contained in the project manual

consisting of written requirements for materials, equipment, construction systems,
standards and workmanship.

SQUARE FOOTAGE Can be calculated as both gross and net square footage. No uniform
standard for computing residential square footage yet exists. Architects, builders and
realtors each measure square footage differently. Square footage is not always an
indication of the livable space available in a structure. Buyers are encouraged to ask for
an explanation of which spaces were included in the square footage calculation.
STUCCO: An exterior finish, usually textured composed of portland cement, lime, and
sand, which are mixed with water.

TABERNACLE: A decorative niche often topped with a canopy and housing a statue.

TENON: The projecting end of a piece of wood, or other material, which is reduced in
cross section, so that it may be inserted into a corresponding cavity, a mortise, to form a
secure joint.

TORCHERE: An indirect floor lamp which sends all or nearly all of its light upward.

TRACERY: The curvilinear openwork shapes of stone or wood creating a pattern within the
upper part of a Gothic window.

TRAVERTINE: A variety of limestone deposited by springs, usually banded.

TRELLIS: An open grating or latticework, of either metal or wood.

TRIFORIUM:In medieval church architecture, a shallow passage above the arches of the
nave and choir and below the clerestory.

UNDERLAYMENT: A material such as plywood placed on a subfloor to provide a smooth

even surface for applying the finish.

VISTA: A usually unobstructed view into the distance.

VOMITORY: An entrance or opening usually one of a series which pierce a bank of seats
in a stadium.

VOUSSOIR: A wedge shaped masonry unit in an arch or vault whose converging sides are
cut as radii of one of the centers of the arch or vault.

WAINSCOT: A decorative or protective facing applied to the lower portion of an interior

partition or wall.

WEEP HOLE: A small opening in a wall or window member, through which accumulated
condensation or water may drain to the buildings exterior.

XYST: In classical architecture, a roofed colonnade, opened to at least one side for
exercising in bad weather.

YOKE: The horizontal piece forming the head of a window or door frame.

ZONING: The control by a municipality of the use of land and buildings.