100 ARCHITECTURAL
TERMS
structural component
supporting the lateral and
vertical loading of structures.
abutment
a series of arches
carried by columns.
arcade
the science of
architecture.
architectonic
a method of jointing
elements of an
architectural design.
articulation
application of
natural environment
in construction
principles.
biomimicry
architectural element
placed in a corner to
strengthen an angle.
bracket
roof, sub floor,
exterior doors,
windows and exterior
walls.
building envelope
components attached to the
primary structure of a
building to form nonstructural, external
surfaces such as curtain
walling or rainscreen.
cladding
covered walk running
along the walls of
buildings and forming
a quadrangle.
cloister
architectural order
based on multilevel
columns.
colossal
assembly of two
different materials
working better
together than apart.
composite
crown of an
architectural
structure rejecting
rainwater away from
the facade.
cornice
a framework of iron
or wood, used to
support a ceiling.
cradling
consisting of or
bounded by curved
lines.
curvilinear
having dentils.
denticulate
the principles,
elements and
components of an
architectural
concept.
diagram
columns separated
by three diameters.
diastyle
to cause an
architectural element
to taper.
diminish
construction having
a double row of
columns.
dipteral
cylindrical blocks of
stone composing a
column.
drum
a representation to
scale of the external
face of a building or
structure.
elevation
harmonious
proportions of a
design or building.
eurythmy
the face of the
building with the
main entrance.
facade
all of the openings
in the building
envelope such as
windows, doors, and
skylights.
fenestration
materials combined
together to make them
cheaper or lighter.
filler
French Gothic style
of architecture
characterized by a
wavy flame
appearance.
flamboyant
a drawing to scale giving
a bird’s eye view of the
dimension and spatial
relationships between
objects and fixtures of a
structure.
floor plan
architectural structure
with ornamentation based
on flowers and leaves.
floriated
a furrow dug in a
column.
fluting
ornamentation
consisting of
foliage.
foliation
a structure deliberately
built as an ornamente to
serve as a conversation
piece or to lend
interest to a view.
folly
the shape and
structure of
something.
form
the entrance of a
porch or chapel.
galilee
a central promenade
or court usually
separating a shopping
centre in two.
galleria
a drawing of the
ground floor of a
building.
ground plan
a portico or façade
with six columns,
usually
representative of
Greek temples.
hexastyle
importance of a form or
space by its size, shape,
or placement relative to
the other forms and
spaces, based on how
noticeable they are.
hierarchy
a roof having high
and tilted slopes.
high-pitched
the external angle
where the sloping
sides of a roof meet.
hip
an architectural structure
composed of parts that are
all of the same nature or
kind, or appearing as
uniform.
homogeneous
closed space with a
roof supported by
columns.
hypostyle
having tiles,
shingles, or slates
creating an
overlapping cover.
imbricate
the proportional
spacing between
columns.
intercolumniation
a central vertical post or
beam consisting of two
timbers joined to each
other by joggles, working
in tension to support a
beam below.
joggle post (or king
post)
intersection of two
different materials,
influencing how the
building will age.
juncture
two parts being
placed close together
or side-by-side,
permitting comparison
or contrast.
juxtaposition
diagonal arch
belonging to the
Gothic style, shaped
as the tip of a
spearhead.
lancet
a mechanical drawing tool
in which architects can
use different types of
lead to create different
types of lines.
lead holder
a short rib connecting
the intersections of the
primary ribs,
representative of the
Gothic vaulting.
lierne
horizontal piece (of
wood, stone, metal)
forming the superior
part of an opening and
supporting a structure.
lintel (or summer)
protected building
with a particular
historical or
architectural
interest.
listed building
a covered and closed
on the sides balcony,
acting as an integral
part of the housing.
loggia
a structure in two
or three
dimensions.
massing
a component part of
a building or
structure.
member
to combine, blend, or
unite so as to blur
distinctions and to make
it look similar to what
is around it.
merge
conventional unit of
measure adopted to
regulate the various
parts of a whole.
module
central part of a Greek
sanctuary and intended
to receive the statue of
the god in an Egyptian
temple.
naos
ornamentation of any
part built in elevation
(Doric, Ionic,
Corinthian, Tuscan, and
Composite).
order
the position of a
structure based on
the east-west axis.
orientation
organizing decisions behind
an architect’s design,
presented as a basic diagram
or a simple statement (coming
from the French expression
“parti pris”).
parti
the traditionally wooden
piles driven into the
ground and intended to
support a construction out
of water or above the
ground.
piloti
the art of using
several colors.
polychromy
construction system where
robust horizontal elements
are held by robust
vertical elements, such as
Stonehenge for example.
post and lintel (or
trabeated system)
ornament of sculpture
encrusted in an
architectural
decoration.
postiche
a representation of
an object in contour
or outline.
profile
temples having only
one row of columns in
front.
prostyle
curved convexly,
with a swelling.
pulvinate
tension member in a
truss that can span
longer openings than
a king post.
queen post
an element which is
inclined and so
arranged as to
provide a slope.
rampant
the art of creating threedimensional images or
animations in order to
demonstrate the attributes
of an architectural
design.
rendering
a pilaster bonded
into the wall and
supporting an arch or
a lintel.
respond
an architectural
feature forming an
angle with the main
part.
return
repetition of
elements in the
space, a recurrence
of lines, shapes,
forms or colors.
rhythm
houses built in a
continuous row along
a main road, with
individual accesses.
ribbon
development
the height of an
architectural
structure.
rise
a masonry treatment used
to separate blocks
thanks to large joints
and decorated with a
textured design.
rusticate
how the sizes of
different architectural
elements relate to one
another, based on a
reference standard.
scale
into (or composed of)
six parts, by two
diagonal ribs and
three transverse
ribs.
sexpartite
structural member
that supports a
vaulting rib, between
the capital and the
base.
shaft
the part separating
the external space of
the structure of a
building from the
internal one.
shell
the underside of an
architectural
element, different
from the base.
soffit
anything relating to,
involving, or having the
nature of space, in order
to place and measure an
architectural structure in
the space.
spatiality
support from below until
the keystone has been set
in place, this is the
level where an arch or
vault rises from this
support.
springing
stand at a distance
above the ground,
vertical piers between
the impost and the
springing.
stilts
a floor or level of a
building or
architectural
structure, that could
be used by people.
storey
a narrow channel, a
set of parallel
stripes on a
structure.
stria
a long horizontal beam
used for structural
purposes, supporting
cross members in floors
or ceilings.
stringer
a pedestal supporting a
colonnade, with molding,
base and cornice around
the perimeter of a
building.
stylobate
the lowest part laid on
the subgrade, on which the
base course layer is
located, to help prevent
pumping of fine-grained,
subgrade soils.
subbase
a stone on the top of a
column, pier, or wall
that supports a wall,
arch, lintel above a gap
or opening.
summertree (or
bressummer)
one colonnade above
another or placed
above a column.
supercolumnar
the uppermost part of
a pedestal above the
base of a structure.
surbase
the structure, and the
processes related to this
structure, environmentally
responsible and energy
efficient, in order to ensure
the building’s ecological
sustainable (or green
building)
element that we can
divide in two parts and
superimpose perfectly,
without anything
exceeding.
symmetry
a piece forming an
end, embedded in a
wall.
tailpiece (or tail
beam)
the science or art of
construction,
including shaping,
ornamenting, or
assembling materials.
tectonics
surface, playing with
the size, shape, light
and proportions of the
architectural
components.
texture
cut by subtracting
a significant part.
truncated
architectural
structures being
identical,
homogeneous, or
regular.
uniformity
Panels formed of clear glass
with color glass laminated to
one side and used as a wall
veneer.
Vitrolite