Glossary

Construction equipment terms explained.

Atrium

Covered or open central interior courtyard of a building that distributes light, organizes circulation, and serves a representative function.

Curtain Wall

Non-load-bearing, suspended façade system of glass and metal that encloses a building against weather without carrying structural loads.

Enfilade

Sequence of rooms where aligned doorways create a continuous sight axis and circulation connection through the entire suite.

Facade

The facade is the outer envelope of a building that combines aesthetic, climatic, and structural functions while defining its visual appearance.

Window Reveal

The lateral and upper wall surface of the window opening between the exterior and interior wall plane, defining the depth and shadow play of the facade.

Floor Slab

Horizontal load-bearing element between two stories that carries and transfers loads while simultaneously fulfilling sound insulation and fire protection functions.

Floor Plan

A floor plan is a horizontal cross-sectional drawing of a building that shows room arrangement, wall positions, and openings to scale.

Console

A projecting bracket of stone, wood, or metal that supports balconies, cornices, or sculptures and is often elaborately ornamented.

Light Court

Roofed or open inner courtyard of a building designed primarily to provide natural daylight to adjacent interior spaces.

Light Well

A vertical void within or between buildings that channels natural light and ventilation into lower or inner spaces.

Scale

Ratio between the represented size in drawing or model and actual building size, also an aesthetic criterion for the relationship between building and human.

Tracery

Ornamental stone framework of geometrically arranged arches and forms that delicately structures and subdivides window openings in Gothic architecture.

Pilaster

A flat, rectangular projection resembling a column, embedded into a wall surface for decorative or structural purposes.

Room Acoustics

Science and design discipline that controls sound behavior in enclosed spaces through material selection and room geometry.

Rustication

A masonry technique using roughly hewn or deeply jointed stone blocks to give a façade a deliberately massive and powerful appearance.

Exposed Concrete

Concrete surface left deliberately visible without cladding, serving as an architectural design element that demands high quality formwork and execution.

Load-Bearing Structure

The entirety of all load-bearing components of a building that safely transfer loads to the ground and ensure structural stability.

Eaves

The lower edge of a roof from which rainwater drips or is channelled away via guttering.

Interstitial Space

An architectural zone between defined functional areas that serves as a buffer, circulation route, or unplanned usable space.