Glossary of architecture

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Crow-stepped gables, typical Dutch tradition at Zaltbommel - panoramio

Classical orders from the Encyclopedie

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Screen MoorhayesChapel CullomptonChurch Devon

Glossary of Architecture

The Glossary of Architecture is a comprehensive list of terms and concepts used in the field of architecture. This glossary serves as a fundamental tool for architects, students, historians, and enthusiasts to understand the diverse aspects of architecture, from styles and techniques to materials and historical periods. Below is an overview of some key terms that are essential to the study and practice of architecture.

A

• Arch - A curved structure designed to span a space while supporting weight, such as a bridge or doorway.
• Architrave - The lowest part of an entablature in classical architecture, resting directly on top of columns.
• Atrium - A large open space within a building, often featuring a skylight or glass roof, and typically found in modern commercial buildings and ancient Roman houses.

B

• Balustrade - A row of small columns topped by a rail, used as a barrier or decorative element on stairways, balconies, and terraces.
• Barrel Vault - A simple form of vault consisting of a continuous surface of semicircular or pointed sections resembling a barrel or tunnel.

C

• Capital - The topmost part of a column, which transitions from the column to the load it supports.
• Clerestory - High windows above eye level, used to bring light into the middle of a large building, such as a church.
• Cornice - A decorative framework of projecting moldings along the top of a wall or building.

D

• Dome - A rounded vault forming the roof of a building or structure, typically with a circular base.

E

• Entablature - A horizontal, continuous lintel in classical architecture that rests on columns and consists of the architrave, frieze, and cornice.

F

• Facade - The front or face of a building, often designed with architectural emphasis.
• Flying Buttress - A specific form of buttressing most strongly associated with Gothic church architecture, designed to spread the weight of the roof.

G

• Gargoyle - A carved stone grotesque, often functioning as a spout to convey water from a roof away from the side of a building.

H

• Hip Roof - A type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope.

I

• Ionic - One of the classical orders of architecture, characterized by the use of volutes in the capital.

L

• Lintel - A horizontal support of timber, stone, concrete, or steel across the top of a door or window.

M

• Mansard Roof - A four-sided gambrel-style hip roof characterized by two slopes on each of its sides, with the lower slope being steeper.

O

• Oculus - A circular opening in the center of a dome or in a wall.

P

• Pediment - An architectural element found above the horizontal structure of the entablature, typically placed above a portico or the entrance of a building.

R

• Rustication - A masonry technique where the visible faces of stones are cut back around the edges to give a clear outline while leaving the central part of the face either rough or with a less finished texture.

S

• Spire - A tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower.

T

• Tracery - The stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window.

V

• Vault - An architectural term for an arched form used to provide a space with a ceiling or roof.

W

• Wainscoting - A paneling style used on the lower part of walls, originally for insulation but now mostly decorative.

Z

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