Architectural and Engineering Glossary
A
A separate entrance space,as a porch or vestibule,in front of a chapel.
The space,more or less enclosed,between the inner and outer gates of the choir screen.
A deep narthex at the front of a church,usually with a nave and side aisles.
An entrance court or outer court which precedes the principal court,as at Versailles;a forecourt.
The outerworks or wall surrounding and protecting a castle.
A narthex or porch of any description leading into the nave of a church.
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A wooden hanging which was once displayed over, and in front of,the altar of a medieval church.
A seat behind the dais in a choir,reserved for the clergy.
A preliminary portal;an outer gate or door.
A room adjacent to a larger, more important one;frequently used as a waiting area.
Material applied to plants prior to transplanting to reduce the amount of moisture lost from transpiration.
A white opaque pigment used in paints and plastics to provide flame retardant properties.It has better opacity than extenders but is not as good as titanium dioxide.
See Naples yellow.
One of two chapels at the entrance end of a Byzantine church.
A feature that prevents the reclosing of a circuit breaker until the cause of the closing has been corrected.
A heraldic device consisting of a headband with an indefinite number of pointed rays projecting from it.
A textured cylinder glass of uneven thickness,used primarily in stained glass windows;similar in characteristics to the stained glass of the Middle Ages.
A technique of handling wet paint,by combing,graining,or marbling,so as to expose parts of the undercoat;also called broken color work.
Same as opusincertum.
See in antis.
Same as low noise lamp.
An adjective applied to a mechanical device,such as a valve,that eliminates siphonage.
See deep seal trap.
Same as back vent.
A paint with a high coefficient of friction,caused by addition of sand,wood flour,or cork dust;used on steps,porches,and walkways to prevent slipping.
A frame attached around the perimeter of a ceiling mounted air diffuser,which minimizes the formation of rings of dirt on the ceiling.
An agent which minimizes static electricity in plastics;may consist of chemical additives or metallic devices connected to an electrical ground.
See coated glass and tinted glass.
Abbr.for “access panel.”
Abbr.for “American Plywood Association.”
The columnar audience hall in a Persian palace.
1.A room or suite of rooms designed to be lived in,containing at least one bathroom;is separated from,and is usually one of,many similar units within a multiple dwelling.2.A building containing at least three such dwelling units;an apartment house.Also see efficiency apartment,garden apartment,apartment hotel.
A group of rooms used as a dwelling by one person or one family.
On drawings,abbr.for “acoustical plaster ceiling.”
In architecture or construction,the highest point,peak,or tip of any structure.
saddle stone The uppermost stone in a gable,pediment,vault,or dome;usually triangular,often highly decorated.
A room in Greek or Roman baths,or in the palaestra,where the bathers or those taking part in gymnastic exercises,undressed and dressed.
A shed roof having rafters that are let into,or rest upon,a wall.
1.That part of a column where the shaft of the column springs from its base or where the shaft terminates at its capital;usually molded in a concave sweep;also called a scape or congé.2.The hollow (i.e.,scotia) beneath the echinus of some Classical capitals.
Same as apophyge.
A unit of luminance equal to (1/) candela per square meter.
In ancient Greece and Rome,a storeroom of any kind,but esp.one for storing wine.
An electric lamp designed for high temperature service.
A regulator for controlling and maintaining a uniform pressure of gas supplied to an appliance.
The contractor’s written request for payment of amount due for completed portions of the work,1 and, if the contract so provides,for materials delivered and suitably stored pending their incorporation into the work.
Same as working life.
A molding that is nailed on,laid on,or otherwise fastened to a surface,rather than cut into the surface itself.
Supplementary and separate decorative strips of wood or moldings applied to the face or sides of a frame,as on a doorframe.
1.An accessory decorative feature applied to an object or structure.2.In ornamental work,one material affixed to another.
In building construction,one of the drawings furnished by a manufacturer to a purchaser for his approval.Such an approval affirms that the manufacturer has correctly interpreted all contractual requirements.