Architecture | Terminology

ARH 314 and 315 Terminology

All definitions are reproduced from the required course textbook:

Trachtenberg, Marvin and Isabell Hyman, Architecture, From Prehistory to
Postmodernity: the Western tradition, 2nd Ed., Englewood Cliffs, N.J.:
Prentice-Hall; New York: H.N. Abrams, 2002

Abacus
At the top of a capital, a thick
rectangular slab of stone that
serves as the flat, broad surface on
which the architrave rests.

Acanthus
A plant of the Mediterranean region
whose serrated leaves were copied
in stone to ornament Corinthian
and Composite capitals; used also
to decorate moldings and friezes.

Aedicule
A framing motif consisting of an
entablature and pediment
supported by two columns.

Aisle
A passage or corridor parallel to the
nave of a church or an ancient
basilica and separated from it by
columns or piers.

Altar
A table like structure for the
celebration of the Sacraments in a
Christian building; for sacrifice or
offerings in antiquity.

Ambulatory
A semicircular or polygonal
passageway around the apse of a
church. Image courtesy of Gretchen
Ranger

Apse
A semicircular, polygonal, or
rectangular extension at the end of
a Roman basilica or a Christian
church.

Anta
In Classical temples, the pilaster
like projecting end of a portico wall
often framing columns, which are
then said to be in antis

Arcade
A series of arches supported on
piers or columns. A "blind" arcade is
a row of arches applied to the wall
as an ornamental feature.

Arch
A structural devise, curved in
shape, to span an opening by
means of wedge-shaped bricks or
stones (voussoirs) that support
each other by exerting mutual
pressure and that are buttressed at
the sides.

Architrave
A square beam that is the lowest of
the three horizontal components of
a Classical entablature.

Archivolt
A molded band carried around an
arch.

Arcuated
Any form of construction using
arches.

Ashlar
Building stone that has been
squared and finished, and the
masonry constructed of such
blocks.

Barrel Vault
A half-cylindrical vault, semicircular
or pointed in cross section; also
called tunnel vault.

Bay
A vertical compartment of a
building in which several such
compartments are repeated; each
bay mignt be defined by columns,
piers, windows, or vaulting units.
Michelangelo Museo Capitolino is
divided into 7 bays by pilasters.

Basilica
In ancient Roman architecture, a
large rectangular building used as a
tribunal or for other public purposes
and generally arranged with nave,
aisles, and one or more apses. In
Christian architecture, a
longitudinal church of related form.
Image courtesy of Gayle Goudy
Kochanski

Boss
Sculpted ornament of joints, found
primarily in vaults. Image courtesy
of Gretchen Ranger

Buttress
A projecting mass of masonry
serving to provide additional
strength for the wall as it resists
the lateral thrust exerted by an
arch or vault. Plying Buttress: in a
church, a buttress in the form of an
arch, or set of arches, that carries
the thrust of a nave vault over the
side aisle roofs down to a massive
external pier. Image courtesy of
Gretchen Ranger

Capital
The uppermost part of a column,
usually shaped to articulate the
joint with the lintel or arch
supported; in Classical types,
comprising an abacus, echinus, and
other carved detail. Image courtesy
of Heather Russell

Caryatid
A sculpted female figure used as a
support in place of a column or pier.
Image courtesy of Heather Russell

Cella
The body and main sanctuary of a
Classical temple, as distinct from its
portico and other external parts;
sometimes used synonymously with
naos, the principal room of a
temple where the cult statue is
housed. Image courtesy of Gayle
Goudy Kochanski

Centering
Temporary wooden framework used
to hold construction material in
place until a vault or arch is self-
sustaining. Image courtesy of Gail
Gould

Chancel
The eastern portion of a church set
apart for the clergy, and often
separated from the main body of
the church by a screen, rail, or
steps. The term is also used to
describe the entire east end of a
church beyond the crossing.
Image courtesy of Gretchen Ranger

Chevet
A French term used to describe the
developed east end of a church,
usually a French Gothic cathedral,
with its apse, ambulatory, and
radiating chapels. Image courtesy of
Gretchen Ranger

Choir
The part of a church, generally
located toward or in the apse,
reserved for clergy and singers.
(This photograph was taken looking
down the nave toward the apse.
The choir screen is highlighted,
which is just beyond the transept.)
Image courtesy of Gretchen Ranger

Clerestory
A part of a building that rises above
adjoining roof-tops and is pierced
by window openings to admit light
to the interior. Image courtesy of
Gretchen Ranger

Cloister
An open square court surrounded
by a covered ambulatory, often
archaded. It is generally attached
to a church or monastery and is
distinguished from a secular
courtyard by its function as a lace
of seclusion and repose. Image
courtesy of Gretchen Ranger

Coffering
Recessed panels, square or
polygonal, that ornament a vault,
ceiling, or the underside (soffit) of
an arch. Image courtesy of Gretchen
Ranger

Colonnette
A small or greately attenuated,
slender column. Image courtesy of
Gayle Goudy Kochanski

Colossal/Giant Order
Columns or pilasters that rise
through several stories; also called
a Giant Order. Image courtesy of Phil
Gruen

Column
A vertical, usually cylindrical,
support, commonly consisting of a
base, shaft, and capital; in Classical
archtecture, its parts are governed
by proportional rules. Image
courtesy of Heather Russell

Composite Order
One of the five Classical orders;
favored in late Roman architecture.
On the capital, large conjoined Ionic
volutes are combined with the
acanthus leaves of the Corinthian
order. Image courtesy of Gail Gould

Compound Pier
A pier with columns, shafts, and
pilaters attached, sometimes in
clusters, to its faces. Image
courtesy of Gayle Goudy Kochanski

Corbel
A masonry block projecting from a
wall to support a superincumbent
element. Image courtesy of Gretchen
Ranger

corbeled arch
Corbeled Arch
Masonry constructed over a wall
opening by a series of courses
projecting from each side and
stepped progressively further
forward until they meet at
midpoint; not a true arch.

Corinthian Order
The most richly embellished of the
thre orders (Doric, Ionic, and
Corinthian) developed by the
Greeks, with a tall capital composed
of a bell-shaped core (kalathoss)
envelped by layers of acanthus
leaves terminating in the corner
volutes, surmounted by concave-
sided abacus.

Cornice
The uppermost, projecting portion
of an entablature; also the crowing
horizontal molding of a building or
wall.

Crossing
The area where the nave and
transept intersect in a cruciform
church, frequently surmounted by a
tower or dome.
(This tower is over the crossing).
Image courtesy of Gail Gould
Crypt Cript
A vaulted space beneath the
pavement of a church, often
housing relics or tombs.

Diaphragm Arch
A transverse arch across the nave
of a church partitioning the roof
into sections. Image courtesy of
Gretchen Ranger

Dipteral
Referring to a temple surrounded
by a double range of columns.
Image courtesy of Gayle Goudy
Kochanski

Distyle in Antis
In a Classical temple referring to a
portico with two columns between
piers (antae) projecting from the
cella walls. Image courtesy of Gayle
Goudy Kochanski

Dome
A curved vault that is erected on a
circular base and that is
semicircular, pointed, or bulbous in
section. If raised over a square or
polygonal base transitional
squinches or pendentives must be
inserted at the corners of the base
to transform it into a near circle.
Image courtesy of Gayle Goudy
Kochanski

Doric Order
The column and entablature
developed on mainland Greece; the
fluted columnar shaft is without a
base; its capital is an abacus above
a simple cushionlike molding
(echinus). The entablature has a
plain architrave, a frieze composd
of metopes and triglyphs, and a
cornice with projecting blocks
(mutules). In Roman Doric, the
colun is slimmer than the Greek
prototype, is unfluted, and stands
on a low base; the capital is
smaller. Image courtesy of Heather
Russell

Drum
1. The cylindrical or polygonal wall
supporting a dome. Image courtesy
of Gayle Goudy Kochanski

2. One of the cylindrical sections

comprsing the shaft of a column.
Image courtesy of Heather Russell

Dry Masonry
Masonry laid without mortar.
Image courtesy of Heather Russell

Echinus
A convex, cushion like molding
between the shaft and the abacus
in the Doric or Tuscan order; in an
Ionic capital, found beneath the
volutes, generally in decorated
form. Image courtesy of Heather Russel

Engaged Column
A column attached to or appearing
to be partly embedded wthin a wall.
Images courtesy of Heather Russell (left)
and Gayle Goudy Kochanski (right)

Entablature
The upper part of a Classical order
comprising architrave, frieze, and
cornice. Image courtesy of Heather
Russell

Entasis
The slight swelling of the vertical
profile of a Classical column as it
tapers toward the top to counteract
the illusion of concavity that
accompanies straight-sided
columns. (orange lines
exaggerated) Image courtesy of
Heather Russell

Exedra
A semicircular recess or niche; a
large apse. Image courtesy of
Gretchen Ranger

Extrados
The upper surface of an arch or
vault. Image courtesy of Gayle Goudy
Kochanski

Facade
The principal exterior face of a
building, usually the front. Image
courtesy of Phil Gruen

Fluting
The shallow concave channels cut
vertically into the shaft of a column
or pilaster. In Doric columns, they
meet in a sharp edge (arris); in
Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite
columns, they are separated by a
narrow strip.
Image courtesy of Heather Russell

Frieze
A horizontal band, sometimes
painted or decorated with sulpture
or moldings. It may run along the
upper portion of a wall just beneath
a cornice or it may be that part of a
classical entablature that lies
between the architrave and cornice.
A Doric frieze often has continuous
relief sculpture. Image courstesy of
Heather Russel

Gable Gable
A triangular element. It may be the
end of a pitched roof framed by the
sloping sides. It also refers to the
top of a Gothic panel, or to the
triangular area above the portals of
a Gothic building. Image courtesy of
Gretchen Ranger

Gallery
An upper story projecting from the
interior wall of a building, or placed
above the aisles of a church. It may
function as a corridor or as an area
for assembly or seating. Image
courtesy of Gail Gould

Groin Vault

Groin Vault
A vault formed when two barrel
vaults of identical size intersect at
right angles (also called a cross
vault). Image courtesy of Gail Gould

Hall Church

Hall Church
A church in which the nave and
aisles are the same height, giving
the building the appearace of a
great hall.

Impost
In a pier, the projecting molding at
the springing of an arch. A
rectangular impost block transmits
the weight of an arch to a
supporting member; it may appear
between the capital of a column
and the springing of an arch.
Image courtesy of Gayle Goudy
Kochanski
In Antis
The term used to describe columns
placed between the ends of two
walls, commonly projecting from
the ends of the cella of a small
Greek Temple. Image courtesy of
Gayle Goudy Kochanski

Intrados
The undersurface (as opposed to
extrados) of an arch (or vault); also
called a soffit. Image courtesy of
Gayle Goudy Kochanski

Intercolumnation
The space between adjacent
colunms in a colonnade, frequently
determined by some multiple of the
diameter of the column itself.
Image courtesy of Heather Russell

Ionic Order
One of the five Classical Orders, the
Ionic is characterized by a scroll-
shaped (voluted) capital element,
the presence of dentils in the
cornice, and a frieze that mighta
contain continuous relief ornament.
Image courtesy of Gretchen Ranger

Keystone
The central voussoir at the top of a
completed arch. Image courtesy of
Gayle Goudy Kochanski

Lancet Window
A tall, slender window with a
sharply pointed arch (like a lance),
common in early Gothic
architecture. Image courtesy of
Gretchen Ranger

Lantern
A cylindrical or polygonal structure
that crowns a dome, its base
usually open to allow light to enter
the area below. Image courtesy of
Gretchen Ranger

Loggia
An arcade supported by piers or
coluns, open on one side at least;
either part of a building (as a
porch) or a separate structure.
Image courtesy of Gayle Goudy
Kochanski

Lunette
A semicircular wall area, or
opening, above a door or window;
when above the portal of a church,
often called a tympanum. Image
courtesy of Gretchen Ranger

Martyrium
Martyrium
A struction, oftenof central plan,
erectred on a site sacred to
Christianity, symbolizing an act of
martydom or marking the grave of
a martyr who died for the faith.

Megaron
The principal hall of an Aegean
dwelling, oblong in shape and
formed with sloping sides and a flat
top, with a passage leading to an
underground burial chamber.

Melon Dome/Umbrella Dome

A dome subdivided into individual
concave webs; sometimes called an
umbrella dome. Image courtesy of
Gretchen Ranger

Metope
In the frieze of a Doric order, the
rectangular area between
tryglyphs; often left plain but
sometimes decorated with relief
ornament. Image courtesy of Heather
Russell

Molding
A sculpted, ornamental band,
carved with a distinctive profile or
pattern; highly developed in
Classical architecture. Image
courtesy of Heather Russell

Mullion
A slender upright dividing an
opening, usually a window, into two
or more sections. Image courtesy of
Gayle Goudy Kochanski

Naos
The principal enclosed area of a
Greek temple, containing the cult
statue of god or goddess. Image
courtesy of Gayle Goudy Kochanski

Narthex Narthex
A colonnaded porch in front of the
facade of a church, in early Chrisian
architectue often serving as the
fourth side of an atrium; also a
transverse vestibule preceding the
church nave and aisles. Image
courtesy of Gayle Goudy Kochanski

Nave
The central, longitudinal space of a nave
basilican church, separated from
the aisles or from side chaples, and
extending from the main entrance
to the transept or to the apse.
Image courtesy of Gretchen Ranger

Niche
A concave recess in a wall, often
used to house statuary. Image
courtesy of Heather Russell

Oculus
A round window. Image courtesy of
Gretchen Ranger

Opisthodomos
The room at the rear of a Greek
temple, behind the naos. Image
courtesy of Gayle Goudy Kochanski

Order Order
A system for the forms and
relationship of elements in the
column and entablature of Classical
architecture according to one of five
modes: Doric, Ionic, Corinthian
(developed by the Greeks), and
Tuscan and Composite (developed
by the Romans).

Palladian Motif/Serliana
A triple opening formed by a central
semicircular arch springing from the
entablature of narrower flanking
square-headed bays, used by
architect Andrea Palladio. Also
known as a Serliana because it was
first illustrated in the architecture
treatise of 1537 by Sebastiano
Serlio. Image courtesy of Gail Gould
Parapet
A low wall for protection at the
edge of a balcony, terrace, roof,
bridge, etc. Image courtesy of Gayle
Goudy Kochanski

Pedestal
A supporting substructure for a
column or statue. Image courtesy of
Heather Russell

Pediment
A triangular space formed by the
raking cornices (sloping sides) and
horizontal cornice of a gabled
temple; also used above a door or
window. If the apex or base is split,
the pediment is described as
broken. Image courtesy of Heather
Russell

Pendentive
An inverted, concave, triangular
piece of masonry serving as the
transition from a square support
system to the circular base of a
dome. Image courtesy of Gretchen
Ranger

Peripteral
Pertaining to a building surrounded
by a row of columns on all sides.
Image courtesy of Heather Russell

Piano Nobile
The principal reception and living
area in an Italian palace, the first
floor above the ground. Image
courtesy of Gretchen Ranger

Piazza
The Italian term for a city square.
Image courtesy of Phil Gruen

Pier
A massive vertical support often
rectangular in plan and therefore
differing from a column, sometimes
having its own capital and base.
When combined with pilasters,
columns, or shafts, it is called a
compound pier. Its proportions are
far more variable than a Classical
column. Pier is also the term used
for the solid mass between
windows, doors, and arches.
Image courtesy of Heather Russell

Pilaster

Pilaster
A column is flattened, rectangular
shape, projecting slightly form the
face of the wall. Image courtesy of
Gayle Goudy Kochanski

Plinth
Plinth
A generally square block forming
the bottommost element of a
column base; or the projecting
lowest portion of a wall. Image
courtesy of Gayle Goudy Kochanski

Podium
A massive platform on which an
Etruscan, Roman, or other ancient
building was sometimes placed.
Image courtesy of Gail Gould
 Podium

Portico
An open, colonnaded, roofed space
serving as a porch before the
entrance to a building. Image
courtesy of Gail Gould

Post and Lintel

A system of construction in which
two or more uprights support a
horizontal beam; also called
trabeated. Image courtesy of Heather
Russell

Pronaos
The porch in font of the cella of a
Greek or Roman temple formed by
the projection of the side walls and
a range of columns between the
projections. Image courtesy of Gayle
Goudy Kochanski

Pylon

Pylon
In ancient Egyptian architecture,
the sloping, tower-like walls
flanking the entrance to a temple.
Image courtesy of Phil Gruen

Quoin
Quoin
Large stone or block laid at the
corner of a building (or at an
opening) used either for
reinforcement of the angle or for
ornament. Image courtesy of Gail
Gould

Revetment
The facing of a surface, usually a
wall, with stone for ornamentation
or protection.
(Notice how the ornamental
revetment is only on the facade and
does not continue on the side
surfaces.) Image courtesy of Gretchen
Ranger

Rib
A slender, projecting arched
member of a vault, used to
facilitate its construction, reinforce
its structure, or articulate its form
in varying ways in Roman,
Byzantine, and Islamic, Gothic, and
Baroque architecture. Image
courtesy of Gretchen Ranger

Rib Vault
An arched ceiling or roof supported
or reinforced by ribs. Image
courtesy of Gretchen Ranger

Rustication
Masonry with massive, strongly
textured or rough-hew blocks and
sharply sunk joints, distinguished
form smooth ashlar. Image courtesy
of Phil Gruen

Scotia
A concave molding used as the
intermediate part of a base.
Image courtesy of Heather Russell

Shaft
The cylindrical body of a column
between capital and base. Image
courtesy of Heather Russell

Spandrel
The triangular area between
adjoining arches, or the triangualr
area next to a single arch. Image
courtesy of Gayle Goudy Kochanski

Spire
A tall pointed termination of a tower
or roof. Image courtesy of Gretchen
Ranger

Splay

Splay
The widening of windows,
doorways, and other openings by
slanting the sides.

Springing
The point from which an arch or
vault springs or rises from its
supports. Image courtesy of Gayle
Goudy Kochanski

Squinch
A small arch, or sometimes a lintel,
thrown across the angle of a square
or polygon to make them more
nearly round and thus able to
recieve the circular base of a dome.
Image courtesy of Gail Gould

Stringcourse
A continuous, projecting horizontal
course of masonry, ususally
molded, running along, the surface
of a wall, to mark an architectural
subdivision. Image courtesy of Gayle
Goudy Kochanski

Stylobate
The continuous platform of masonry
on which a colonnade rests; the
uppermost level of the stepped
base (crepidoma) of a Greek
temple. Image courtesy of Heather
Russell

Thrust
The outward force exerted by an
arch or vault. Image courtesy of
Gayle Goudy Kochanski

Torus
A large convex molding found
principally at the base of a column.
Image courtesy of Heather Russell

trabeated
Trabeated
An architectural system using a
horizontal beam over supports, as
opposed to an arched or arcuated
system; synonymous with post and
lintel. Image courtesy of Heather
Russell

Tracery
Ornamental intersecting stonework
in Gothic windows, panels, and
screen of Gothic buildings; also
used on the surface of late Gothic
vaults. Varied techniques and
patterns are given names such as
plate tracery (built up in corsed
layers like the framing walls), bar
tracery (constructed of complex
fragments of the total pattern),
flowing tracery (seemingly
freehand, curvilinear design, though
compass drawn), etc. Image
courtesy of Gail Gould

Transept
In a basilican church, the arm that
crosses the nave at right angles,
usually separating it from the apse;
twin transept arms may also project
from the nave without interrupting Transcept
it.

Triforium
An arcaded wall passage in a Gothic
nave wall, between the clerestory
and the main arcade in a three-
story elevation; in a four-story
elevation, it appears between the
gallery and the clerstory. Image
courtesy of Gail Gould

triglyph
Triglyph
In a Doric frieze, the projecting
block marked by vertical grooves
(glyphs) between the rectangular
areas known as metopes Image
courtesy of Heather Russell

Vault
An arched ceiling or roof made of
stone, brick, or concrete (cf. barrel
vault, fan vault). Image courtesy of
Heather Russell

Volute
Ornament in the form of a spiral
scroll, and the principal feature of
the Ionic capital. Image courtesy of
Gayle Goudy Kochanski

Voussoir
A wedge-shaped stone used in the
construction of an arch or vault.
Image courtesy of Gayle Goudy
Kochanski

Westwork
In a Carolingian or Romanesque
church, the towerlike west end,
often containing an entrance
vestibule surmounted by a large
room open to the nave. Image
courtesy of Gail Gould