Resources
P.P., Potomac, MD
“ We are loving our new space and are so happy we did it 🙂 ”
Architecture Terms & Definitions
When talking to an architect or builder, it can be helpful to know basic terminology and architectural vocabulary you may encounter. We’ve compiled a list of important architectural terms.
01.
Architecture
The art or practice of designing and constructing buildings.
02.
Balconet
A false balcony or railing at the outer plane of a window.
03.
Balustrade
A railing composition composed of upper and lower rails, balusters, and pedestals. Materials used can range from stone to brick, wood, and sheet metal.
04.
Belt course
Also known as a stringcourse. A projecting horizontal molding separating parts of a wall surface in a facade.
05.
Brackets
Applied ornamental elements often used at a cornice or to flank windows and doors.
06.
Brick header
A brick oriented with the smaller end exposed on the face of the wall and smaller dimension vertical; typically placed over window and door openings.
07.
Canopy
A projecting roof structure that shelters an entrance.
08.
Casement
A single window sash hinged on one side that swings open.
09.
Chamfer
A 45-degree bevel cut at an outside corner of a building element, often seen in wood, stone, or brick.
10.
Chimney pot
A decorative terra cotta chimney extension usually placed above a brick or stone chimney.
11.
Circulation
Used to describe the flow of people throughout a home or building.
12.
Clapboard
One of a series of boards used for siding. It is usually installed horizontally, and the board is most often tapered in cross-sections.
13.
Chimney pot
A decorative terra cotta chimney extension usually placed above a brick or stone chimney.
14.
Corinthian
The most ornate and recent of the Greek classical order. The capital’s design is heavily ornamented.
15.
Cornice
The projecting moldings that form the top band of an entablature or wall.
16.
Cresting
A repetitive metal ornament installed at a roof ridge or parapet.
17.
Cupola
A small structure projecting above a roof that provides ventilation and can serve as a “look-out.”
18.
Dependency
A subsidiary building connected to the main building, often one of a symmetrical grouping.
19.
Doric
A subsidiary building connected to the main building, often one of a symmetrical grouping.
20.
Dormer
A small structure that projects from a sloping roof, with a window in the facade face.
21.
Double-hung window
A window with top and bottom sashes that slide past each other vertically.
22.
Eaves
The projecting overhang at the lower edge of a roof.
23.
Entablature
The horizontal band of elements above the column capitals in classical architecture.
24.
Facade
The exterior faces of a building, often used to refer to the wall in which the building entry is located.
25.
Frieze
The flat, middle portion of an entablature (sometimes decorated).
26.
Gable
The wall that encloses the end of a gable roof; triangular gable end below a roof overhand.
27.
Gambrel
A roof shape characterized by a pair of shallow pitch slopes above a steeply pitched slope on each side of a center ridge.
28.
Half-timbered building
A building constructed with timber frame filled with plaster or brick.
29.
Hip roof
A roof that slopes inward from all four exterior walls.
30.
Ionic
TheIonic order from the Greek classical styles distinctive by the volutes (spiral scroll-like ornaments) used in the capital’s design.
31.
Mansard
A two-pitched roof with a steep lower slope that typically rises to a more gently sloped upper portion. The space formed by the mansard roof allows for additional living space.
32.
Motif
A theme or predominant feature of a design.
33.
Neo-colonial
Residences built after 1955 with allusions of the colonial revival architectural style.
34.
Ogee cap
A molding with an S-shaped cross-section used on top of a baseboard or other structure.
35.
Oriel
A bay window cantilevered out from a facade that starts above the ground level.
36.
Palladian
Neo-classical architecture in the style modeled after the Italian architect Andrea Palladio aka Andrea di Pietro Della Gondola.
37.
Parapet
The portion of wall that projects above the adjacent roof.
38.
Pediment
The triangular gable end of a classical building, or the same form used elsewhere in the building.
39.
Pier
A square or rectangular masonry or wood pier that supports a building and carries the weight of it down to the ground.
40.
Post and beam construction
A simple building framing system that uses a series of vertical posts and horizontal beams.
41.
Quoin
A large rectangular block of stone or brick (sometimes wood) used to accentuate an outside corner of a building, typically in a toothed form with alternate quoins projecting and receding from the corner.
42.
Rosette
A bas-relief ornament (sometimes painted) in the form of a stylized flower.
43.
Rough-hewn
Lumber left exposed in construction that looks hand-cut and is heavily textured.
44.
Sash
The part of a window frame that holds the glazing, usually moveable or fixed.
45.
Shed roof
A roof with a single slope and rafters spanning from one wall to the other.
46.
Sidelights
Narrow windows flanking an entry door.
47.
Spandrel panel
The panel formed by the bottom of a window and the head of a lower window.
48.
Spire
A cone-shaped roof element with a steep point.
49.
Terra cotta
Fired ceramic clay used in architectural wall elements or ornaments.
50.
Transom
A small window placed above a door or window.
51.
Turret
A small tower at the corner of a building.
52.
Veneer
A thin decorative finish typically made of brick, stone, or stucco.
53.
Verge board
Decorative boarding (also called bargeboard) along a projecting roof eave. It is often carved or scrolled and is highly ornamental.
54.
Vitrolite
Panels formed of clear glass with color glass laminated to one side and used as a wall veneer.
55.
Window hood
A projecting shelf-like decorative element over a window.
56.
X bracing
A pair of diagonal braces or struts from corner to corner forming an “X.”
“I want to thank all of you for all your work and effort put into my renovation project. I am extremely grateful and satisfied with the outcome.”