Glossary of Architectural and Building Terminology - A
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Abaciscus - An abaciscus is a tile or square of a tessellated pavement.
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Abaculus - An abaculus is a small tile of glass, marble, or other substance, of various colours, used in making ornamental patterns in mosaic pavements.
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Abacus - The term abacus is refers to the flat square slab of masonry that forms the uppermost member or division of the capital of a column, immediately under the architrave. The term is also used to describe a tablet, panel, or compartment in ornamented or mosaic work.
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Abreuvoir - An abreuvoir is a joint or interstice between stones, to be filled with mortar.
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Abutment - The term abutment refers to the solid part of a pier or wall, etc., which receives the thrust or lateral pressure of an arch, vault, or strut.
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Acanthus - An acanthus is an ornament resembling the foliage or leaves of the acanthus plant. They were used in the capitals of the Corinthian and Composite orders.
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Accelerated Weathering - Accelerated weathering is something that hastens the natural process by which an item decomposes. Paint manufacturers use accelerated weathering to test paints used for decorating buildings. These tests typically involve applying the paint to be tested to a small panel which is then placed in a revolving drum and subjected to alternating ultra-violet light - to simulate the effects of sun light - and soaking with jets of cold water - to simulate the effect of rain. In such a test several month's normal outdoor exposure can be simulated in a few days.
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Acoustic Board - Acoustic board is perforated, sound-proof board used on walls and ceilings, notably in courts, to provide sound insulation
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Acrolith - An acrolith is a statue whose extremities are made of stone, and the trunk generally made of wood.
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Acroterium - An acroterium (or acroterion) is a ornamental small pedestal or block, used for statues or other ornaments, and placed on the apex and at the basal angles of a pediment. Acroteria are also sometimes placed upon the gables in Gothic architecture.
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Adobe - An adobe is a Mexican house made of clay bricks.
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Advancing Colours - In painting and decorating, the term advancing colours is applied to colours on the yellow to red range, which when used on a particular surface make that surface appear more prominent, so that it 'advances'.
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Aegicrania - Aegicrania are sculptured ornaments, generally used in classical architecture, representing rams' heads or skulls.
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Air Brick - An air brick is a perforated brick used to provide ventilation.
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Aisle - An aisle is a lateral division of a building, separated from the middle part, called the nave, by a row of columns or piers, which support the roof or an upper wall containing windows, called the clerestory wall.
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Ajimez - The term ajimez is applied to a characteristic form of Arabic window with twin arched lights separated by a column. Ajimeces also occur in Mozarabic and Mudejar architecture in Spain and Portugal
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Albanegra - In Islamic architecture, an albanegra is the space between the rectangular frame of the alfiz and the arch it contains
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Alcove - An alcove is a recessed portion of a room, or a small room opening into a larger one. The term is especially used to describe a recess to contain a bed.
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Altar-Tomb - An altar-tomb is a raised monument resembling an altar.
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Alto-Rilievo - Alto-rilievo is an architectural term for a sculptured work in which the figures project more than half their true proportions.
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Ambulatory - An ambulatory is any part of a building intended for walking around a central space or shrine, such as the aisles of a cathedral or church. The term is used for the lateral or flanking porticos of an ancient Greek temple, and for the cloister of a monastery.
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Amphiprostyle - The term amphiprostyle describes structures that are doubly prostyle, having columns at each end, but not at the sides.
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Anaglypta - Anaglypta is an embossed decorating wall paper made from good quality rags giving the appearance of modelled plaster. The paper is typically hung on the walls and then painted.
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Angle Bead - An angle bead is a bead worked on or fixed to the angle of any architectural work, usually for protecting an angle of a wall.
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Angle Leaf - An angle leaf is a detail in the form of a leaf, more or less conventionalised, used to decorate and sometimes to strengthen an angle.
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Angle Shaft - An angle shaft is an enriched angle bead, often having a capital or base, or both.
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Annulet - An annulet is a small, flat fillet, encircling a column, etc., used by itself, or with other mouldings. It is used, several times repeated, under the Doric capital.
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Anta - An anta is a species of pier produced by the thickening of a wall at its termination, treated architecturally as a pilaster, with capital and base. Porches, when columns stand between two antae are called in Latin in antis.
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Antechoir - An antechoir is a space enclosed or reserved at the entrance to the choir, for the clergy and choristers. The term is also used to describe the place where a choir is divided, as in some Spanish churches, that division of it which is the farther from the sanctuary.
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Antefix - An antefix is an ornament, often of terracotta, placed at the eaves or along the cornice of classical buildings to mask the end of each ridge of tiling
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Antepagment - Antepagment is the name given to the ornamental architrave of a doorway.
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Apophyge - An apophyge or scape is a small hollow curvature given to the top or bottom of the shaft of a column where it expands to meet the edge of the fillet.
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Apron-Piece - An apron-piece is a small piece of timber projecting from a wall to support the ends of the joists underlying the landing place in a staircase.
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Apse - An apse is a projecting part of a building, especially of a church, having in the plan a polygonal or semicircular termination, and, most often, projecting from the east end. In early churches the Eastern apse was occupied by seats for the bishop and clergy.
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Apteral - The term apteral means without lateral columns. The term is applied to buildings which have no series of columns along their sides, but are either prostyle or amphiprostyle, and opposed to peripteral.
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Arabesque - Arabesque describes a style of ornamentation in which are represented men, animals (mythical and actual), plants, with leaves, flowers and fruit; mathematical figures &c. the whole put together in a whimsical way, so that, for instance, the animals not merely rest upon the plants, but grow out of them like blossoms. There are three types of arabesque. The oldest is that of the Romans which does not include animals. These occur in the mural paintings of Pompeii, Herculaneum and other places. The second form is that of the Arabs which is also without animals. The third form is that of the Christians in which animals were first introduced into the designs, and these appear in illuminated mediaeval manuscripts and other places.
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Arcade - An arcade is a series of arches with the columns or piers which support them, the spandrels above, and other necessary appurtenances; sometimes open, serving as an entrance or to give light; sometimes closed at the back (as in the cut) and forming a decorative feature then known as a 'blind arcade' or 'wall arcade'. The term is also applied to a long, arched building or gallery and to an arched or covered passageway or avenue.
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Arcboutant - An arcboutant is a flying buttress.
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Arch - An arch is a usually curved member made up of separate wedge-shaped solids, with the joints between them disposed in the direction of the radii of the curve; they are used to support the wall or other weight above an opening. In this sense arches are segmental, round (i.e. semicircular), or pointed. A flat arch is a member constructed of stones cut into wedges or other shapes so as to support each other without rising in a curve. Scientifically considered, the arch is a means of spanning an opening by resolving vertical pressure into horizontal or diagonal thrust. The simplest form of an arch is two almost vertical supports lent inwards against one another.
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Architecture - Architecture is the art or science of designing and building structures for human use. The term is particularly applied to the design and construction of large structures for human use which incorporate both practicality, and aesthetics. Buildings may be classified architecturally by period and by style. The chief British architectural periods are: Mesolithic (12000 BC to 3000 BC), Neolithic (2000 BC to 1800 BC), Bronze Age (1800 BC to 550 BC), Iron Age (550 BC to AD 43), Roman (43 to 400), Dark Ages (400 to 650), Anglo-Saxon (650 to 1066) ,Norman (1066 to 1189), Early English (1189 to 1307), Decorated (1307 to 1350), Perpendicular (1327 to 1520), Tudor (1520 to 1558), Elizabethan (1558 to 1603), Jacobean (1603 to 1625), Stuart (1625 to 1689), Queen Anne or Baroque (1689 to 1714), Georgian (1714 to 1830), Late Georgian or Regency (1810 to 1830), Victorian (1837 to 1901), Edwardian (1901 to 1914), Modern or International (1922 to present). Among the most notable styles of architecture are Art Deco, a style popular in the 1920's and 1930's characterised by geometrical shapes and stylised natural forms and symmetry; Art Nouveau, a style popular between the 1880s and early 1900's with sinuous natural forms; Arts and Crafts, a reactionary style which rebelled against industrialisation and encouraged manual skills and simplicity; Baroque; Classical which is based upon Greco-Roman styles; Gothic which originated in Europe and was popular between the late 12th century and early 16th century, characterised by pointed arches; Queen Anne which was based on the Baroque style but included the intricate use of brick and Victorian which while partially associated with a revival of Gothic style also incorporated Classical elements and made great use of cast iron, typified in many of Britain's older railway stations before they were torn down and replaced with Modern style structures during the late 20th century.
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Architrave - Architrave is the lower division of an entablature, or that part which rests immediately on the column, especially in classical architecture. Architrave also applies to the group of mouldings, or other architectural member, above and on both sides of a door or other opening, the term being used especially if they are square in form.
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Archivolt - An archivolt is the architectural member surrounding the curved opening of an arch, corresponding to the architrave in the case of a square opening. The term is also used to describe the moulding or other ornaments with which the wall face of the voussoirs of an arch is charged.
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Armature - An armature is the iron bars or framing employed for the consolidation of a building, as in sustaining slender columns, holding up canopies, etc.
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Arris - An arris is the sharp edge or salient angle formed by two surfaces meeting each other, whether plane or curved. The term is applied particularly to the edges in mouldings, and to the raised edges which separate the flutings in a Doric column. An arris presents a particular challenge to decorators as paint tends to recede from a sharp angle.
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Arris Fillet - An arris fillet is a triangular piece of wood used to raise the slates of a roof against a chimney or wall, to throw off the rain.
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Arris Gutter - An arris gutter is a gutter of a V form fixed to the eaves of a building.
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Asbestos Cement - Asbestos cement is a mix of 15% asbestos and 85% cement, formerly much used to make prefabricated building units
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Asbestos Wood - Asbestos wood is a mix of half asbestos and half cement formerly used to make sheets for making fire-resistant walls and ceilings in buildings. Asbestos wood was designed to be cut to shape and have holes bored in it, while the related asbestos cement units were designed to be used as supplied
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Ashlar - Ashlar is hewn or squared stone, as distinguished from that which is rough, as when it came from the quarry. The term also extends to masonry made of squared or hewn stone.
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Astragal - The term astragal refers to a convex moulding of a rounded surface, generally from half to three quarters of a circle.
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Astylar - The term astylar means without columns or pilasters.
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Atlantes - In Greek architecture, atlantes are figures or half figures of men, used as columns to support an entablature. The term is the plural of Atlas, and originates from the giant in Greek mythology who had to support the heavens upon his shoulders
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Atrium - An atrium is a square hall lighted from above, into which rooms open at one or more levels. Originally, the entrance hall to a Roman house, the concept was adopted as an open court with a porch or gallery around three or more sides at the entrance of a basilica or other church. The name was extended in the Middle Ages to the open churchyard or cemetery.
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Attached Column - The term attached column refers to a column engaged in a wall, so that only a part of its circumference projects from it.
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Attic - An attic is a low story above the main order or orders of a facade, in the classical styles. The term was introduced in the 17th century and describes a room or rooms behind that part of the exterior and all the rooms immediately below the roof.
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Attic Base - An attic base is a peculiar form of moulded base for a column or pilaster, described by Vitruvius, applied under the Roman Empire to the Ionic and Corinthian and Roman Doric orders, and imitated by the architects of the Renaissance.
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Axis of the Ionic Capital - The axis of the Ionic capital is a line passing perpendicularly through the middle of the eye of the volute.
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