GLOSSARY OF ARCHITECTURE TERMINOLOGY

ABACUS:                       A slab forming the crowning member of the capital.

ABUTMENT:                   Solid masonry which resist the lateral pressure of the  arch.

AGORA:                          The Greek equipment of the roman forum, a place of open air assembly or market place.

AMPHETHEATRE:          The circular structure characterized by rising tier of stone seats contained within an arched stone outer wall that was used by Romans for circus performance and gladiatorial contest.

ARCHADE:                      A series of arches supported by piers or column or roof passageway or a lane.

ARCH:                            A structure of welded shape bricks over an opening , so disposed as to hold together when supported only by one side.

ARCHITRAVE:               The beam or lowest division of entablature which extend  from column. Also the moulded frame round a window or door-frame.

ASHLAR MASONARY : Masonry construction using a square stone.

ATTIC :                             Upper storey of a building above the main cornice, also the rooms in a Roof.

BALCONY:                        A platform projecting from an upper story and enclosed by a railing.

BALUSTER :                       A pillar or column supporting a handrail or coping, a series forming a balustrade.

BANDING:                          Horizontal subdivision of the column or wall using a change in profile Or change in material.

BASEMENT:                      The lowest stage of the building , usually an underground storey.

BASE:                                  The lowest part of the structure.

BAY:                                    The principal division of an interior of exterior elevation.

BAY WINDOW:                 A set of two or more window that protrude out from the wall. The window is moved away from the wall.

BEAM:                                Horizontal load bearing member of structure of building framework.

BELL ROOF:                       A roof whose cross section is shaped like a well.

BOARD FEET:                    A unit of measurement based on volume. 144 cubic  inches of the wood equals one board feet.

BOND:                                 A term adopted to describe the various pattern used to lay bricks in order to give a maximum strength. For example English bond , Flemish bond etc.

BUILDING CODE:              A set of law drafted by the governing body of a borough, town or city to control building construction “ to promote the public health safety and general welfare” of the people in that locality.

BUTTRESS:                        A projection of masonry or a brick work frame to give additional strength to the wall.

CANOPY:                           A projection or a hood over the door, window, niche, etc.

CAPITAL:                           The elaboration at the top of a column, pillar, pier or a pilaster.

 

CANTELEVER:                  Part of beam or a floor which projects beyond his  

                                          supports.

CASEMENT WINDOW: A window that opens by swinging inwards or outward much like door. Casement windows are usually vertical in shape but are often grouped in a band.

CHAITY:                          A Buddhist meeting hall.

CHATRI:                          A domed pavilion supported by columns at each corner, which is characteristic element of mugal architecture in India.

CHIMNEY:                      A passage of structure extending above the roof, through which smokes escapes.

CLADDING:                    The light weight outer skin of the building that does not carry any weight or support the building , but does keep the wind and rain out. A term used to describe the siding or materials covering the exterior of the building.

CLERESTORY WINDOW:A window (usually narrow) placed in the upper wall of the room, usually at a angle, to provide extra light.

COFFERS:                        Used for and aesthetic purpose enabling column free large span structure.

COLONADE:                    A row of column forming an element of an architectural composition, carrying a flat-topped entablature or an row of arches.

COLUMN:                       A vertical structural support support of a building carrying a compression load.

COPING:                         A flat cover of stone or brick that protect the top of the wall from rain.

CORNICE:                        Cornice is the decorative band of moulding that round the wall of the room, just bellow the ceiling.

COURSE:                         A continuous raw of building materials, such as single brick or stone.

CURTAIL WALL:              In older times, it was a fortified wall of castle.    Nowadays, a non-structural or non-load bearing wall either of glass or reinforced plastic.

DUCT:                             A sheet metal enclosure carrying a warm or a cool air from a forced air heating or cooling plant.

EAVES:                             Lowermost edge of the roof, sloping, or otherwise, generally employed where roof over hangs sides of the building.

ELEVATION:                   Any vertical face of the building be it exterior or interior or a drawing of the same.

ENGLISH BOND:            Brickwork pattern with alternate course of header and stretchers.

FACADE:                         The front face of the elevation of a building or any structure, which can also be sculpted.

FANLIGHT:                     A semi-circular or semi elliptical window with a horizontal sill often above the door.

FLYING BUTTRESS:       A detached pier supporting the weight of a building.

FOUNDATION:             Sub structure on which the building stands.

FRESCO:                         It is the art of decorative or painting on walls by application of pure pigments dissolved in the water on the wall plaster.

FRIEZE:                            A band with deigns or a carvings along a wall or above doorways and window.

GABLE:                            A triangular area of an exterior wall formed by two sloping roofs.

GARBHA GRIHA:            The small unlit shrine of Hindu temple.

GOPURAM:                    A gate tower of Hindu temple, ornate, pyramid shaped, and sometimes very large.

 

GUTTER:                         A metal or plastic through along the edge of a roof that collects water off eave and carries it to the downspout.

HEADER:                         Short side of the brick faces out.

HIPPED ROOF:              A roof which slopes on the four sides. The “hipes” are the line formed when the slopes meets at the corner.

JAMB:                             The vertical member of the window or a door frame

KEYSTONE:                   The central, topmost stone of the an arch which     

                                        tight  the All stone of the arches.

LINTEL:                           A horizontal beam like a structure that span an opening such as door and window.

LOUVER VENT:             An opening fitted with a series of sloping slats arranged to admit light and air but shed rain.

MEZZANINE:                  Strictly speaking it is the leave or floor between the ground floor and first floor.

MODULE:                      A measure of the proportion adopted for a building on which all other dimension are based. In other words a basic unit from which other part of building are derived.

MOULDING:                 Shape decorative outlines on projecting cornices and

                                       members in wood and stone.

MULLION:                    The vertical member separating the adjacent window.

NECROPOLIS:                A burial ground.

NICHE:                           A recess of wall to place various decorations.

OBELINK:                      An Egyptian monument with a tall, tapering shaft of stone with a pyramidal top.

PARAPET:                     Portion of the wall that extend above the roof (wall surrounding the flat roof).

PARTITION:                 The name gives to the interior wall. Simply the wall separate the room from another room.

PIAZZA/PLAZA:            An open public square.

PIER:                              A vertical, non-circular masonry support, more massive than a column.

PILASTER:                      A rectangular vertical member projecting only slightly from a wall, with abase and a capital as with a column.

PILLAR:                          Similar to pier but more slender than it, it also non-circular.

PITCH:                            The rate at which a roof or the other surface slopes.

 

PLAN:                             A plan simply a two-dimensional drawing of the size and a shape of a space usually with dimensions. It is an orthographic projection, usually top view of an object.

PODIUM:                       A raised platform derives from the poda for feet, also the platform on which building is constructed.

PORTICO:                      It is an entry porch or vestibule supported by columns.

QUION:                         A stone or a block reinforcing or accenting the corners of a building.

RENDERING:                The art or a various technique are used to make a drawing as realistic as possible or sometimes to make their art non-realistic as well in order to express their work effectively.

RIDGE:                           The top-most portion of the roof from which sides fall away.

RISE:                               The vertical distance from one stair tread to the next..

RISER:                            The vertical portion of a step.

ROSE WINDOW:          Decorative circular window.

RUBBLE:                         Masonry construction using stones of irregular shapes and size.

 

SECTION:                       it is representation of a solid object or a building as it would appear if cut by an intersecting plane, so that the internal configuration is clearly visible making it easier to read the drawing.

SHIKHARA:                    A spire like structure , conical or pyramidal in shape, erected above the shrines of Hindu temple.

SHINGLES:                     These are the wooden or clay tiles used for covering roof or cladding of walls.

SHUTTER:                       A movable cover of window used for protection from  weather and intruders.

SILL:                                 A horizontal piece forming a bottom frame of the window or door opening.

SKYLIGHT:                      A window on the roof to provide light to a loft or a room without other lighting.

SKIRTING:                     Protective tiling to on vertical plane at base of the  wall to protect wall from water while cleaning the floor.

STAMBHAS:                Free standing monumental pillars, characteristic of Buddhist architecture.

STILE:                          The vertical side of window sash.

STOREY:                     A horizontal division of building, from floor to the ceiling above it.

STRECHER:                 Long side of the brick faces out.

STUPA:                       Hemispherical structure of Buddhism, used for keeping relics or belonging of Buddhist teacher.

TERRAZO:                 A colorful flooring material made of cement and marble  chips or stones. After the floor hardened it is ground and polished to smooth and durable finish.

TOUNGH AND GROOVE:A type of wooden siding with the edge of other board fitting into the groove of the next:

TRANSOME:             The horizontal member separating adjacent window.

TREAD:                      The horizontal portion of step, on which feet lies to accent for next one.

TRUSS:                       A framework for supporting a roof. they are structural member to support the roof usually made in steel or wood.

VASTUSHASTRA:     Traditional Hindu system of Architecture.

VAULT:                      An arched covering/ a series of arches one behind the other.

VIHARA:                   A Buddhist monastery.

VERNACULAR:        Style or type of architecture or design philosophy peculiar to the culture or race or locality.

WASTE PIPE:           The name generally applied to all household drainage pipe.