1

1. Must-learn Architecture Vocabulary

1.1. Buildings
1.2. Measurements and dimensions
1.3. Construction materials and
structures
1.4. Location of buildings and
distribution of spaces (layouts)
1.5.Trades, teams and equipment in
construction
2. Restoration, Preservation and
Conservation Works
3. Pronunciation tips: -ed ending of
regular verbs
4. Architecture Projects
5. Task 3: Project Description

THE LANGUAGE OF Dr. Jorge Soto Almela (jorge.soto@upm.es)

Dpto. de Lingüística Aplicada. ETSAM.
1605. Comunicación oral y escrita en lengua
inglesa – English for Professional and
ARCHITECTURE Academic Communication in Architecture

PART 3
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1. Must-learn Architecture Vocabulary

1.1. Buildings

Reading 1. Read the text and answer the questions below.

TYPES OF BUILDINGS (adapted from Building Crafts Foundation, by Peter Brett)

A structure is defined as an organised combination of connected parts (elements) which are constructed to
perform a required function, e.g. a bridge. The term building is used to define structures that enclose space
using an external envelope. The external envelope is simply the walls or covering material which provide the
desired internal conditions for the building’s occupants with regard to: security, safety, privacy, warmth,
light and ventilation, etc.

Buildings are classified into three main categories according to their height:

High-rise Medium- Low-rise

(over seven rise (one to three
storeys) (four to storeys)
seven
storeys)

These categories are subdivided into a variety of basic shapes and styles, for example:
 Detached: a building that is unconnected with adjacent ones.
 Semi-detached: a building which is joined to one adjacent building but is detached from any other. It will
share one dividing or party wall.
 Terraced: a row of three or more adjoining buildings, the inner ones of which will share two party walls.
Another method of categorising buildings groups them according to their purpose:
DWELLINGS AND PREMISES – PURPOSE GROUPS
Main Category Purpose group Intended use
dwelling house (not a flat or maisonette) private dwelling house

flat (including a maisonette) self-contained dwelling not

being a house
institutional hospitals, schools and other
Residential homes used as living
accommodation (people sleep on
the premises)
other residential residential accommodation not
included in previous groups, e.g.
hotels, hostels, etc.
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assembly public building or assembly
building where people meet for
social, recreational, or business
activities (not office, shop or
industrial)
office premises for administration
procedures (banking, clerical,
drawing, etc.)
shop premises used for the sale of
goods or services, including
Non-residential restaurants, public houses or
pubs, cafes, hairdressers and
repair outlets
industrial premises defined as a factory in
Section 175 of the Factories Act
(1961), not including slaughter
houses.
other non-residential places used for the deposit or
storage of goods, the parking of
vehicles and other premises not
covered in the previous groups

1. Complete this sentence according to the text:

Buildings can be classified into groups depending on their …, their … or their …

2. Use the categories from the text to classify the following buildings:

For example:
1. Detached, low-rise, residential, dwelling house.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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Reading 2. Read the following text and complete it with the fragments in the box
below. You must find the corresponding fragment for each section, 1 to 10.

FUNCTIONS OF A BUILDING (adapted from How Buildings Work, by Edward Allen)

1. We expect a building to cover most of the immediate necessities for human metabolism […].
2. We expect a building to create the necessary conditions for human thermal comfort […].
3. We expect a building to create the necessary conditions for non-thermal sensory comfort, efficiency,
and privacy […].
4. We expect a building to control the entry and exit of living creatures of every kind, for example […].
5. We expect a building to distribute concentrated energy to convenient points for use in powering […].
6. We expect a building to provide up-to-date channels of connection and communication with the
world outside […].
7. We expect a building to facilitate bodily comfort, safety, and productive activity by providing useful
surfaces […].
8. We expect a building to provide stable support for the weights of all the people, belongings, and
architectural devices in the building and to provide sufficient structural resistance to the physical
forces of […].
9. We expect a building to protect its own structure, surfaces, internal mechanical and electrical
systems, and other architectural devices from wetting by […].
10. We expect a building to adjust to its own normal movements, such as […], without damage to itself
or its contents.

A. from viruses to B. foundation settlement, C. windows, telephones, mailboxes,

elephants, including
human beings.
D.
 Optimal seeing
conditions
 Visual privacy
 Optimal hearing
conditions
 Acoustical privacy
thermal expansion and
contraction, and movement
induced by changes in
moisture content of building
materials
E.
 Clean air for breathing
 Clean water for drinking,
food preparation, cleaning,
and flushing of wastes
 In many types of buildings,
facilities for the preparation
and consumption of food
 Removal and recycling of
wastes, including excrement,
wash water, food wastes, and
rubbish
computer networks, video cables,
satellite dishes, and so on.
F.
 Control of the mean radiant
temperature
 Control of the air temperature
 Control of the thermal
characteristics of surfaces contacted
directly by the human body
 Control of humidity and the flow
of water vapor
 Control of air circulation

G. snow, wind, and H. precipitation or other I. floors, walls, stairs, shelves,

earthquake. water. countertops, benches, and the like.
J. various lights, tools, and appliances.
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Reading 3. The parts of your home: Read the following text about the parts of a
house and their function, and do the exercises below.

THE PARTS OF YOUR HOME

1. Lot (also plot)
Home building starts with the selection of the perfect residential lot. It is the land your home will sit upon.

2. Flat Work
The flat work includes all the flat concrete work in your home including slab, basement floor, walks,
driveway, patio, etc.

3. Structure
The structure carries the weight of the home to its supporting element - the ground. It is convenient to think
of these structural parts in the order in which they support the load of the house, the same as the order in
which they are constructed, from bottom up (the construction sequence):

3.1. Footings
The footings are where the house meets the ground. Everything is supported by the footings. Footings may
be poured concrete, gravel, or even a portion of a slab. The type of footings is determined by the area you
live in, the soil conditions, local building code requirements, and by the recommendations of the architect
or structural engineer.

3.2. Foundation
The foundation consists of the foundation walls and other vertical elements needed to support the floor
(piers and steel columns). Foundation walls may be formed concrete, treated wood, masonry (brick or
concrete block) or non-existent - in the case of slab construction, where the walls go up directly on top of
thickened portions of the slab.

3.3. Floor
Floor systems are either wood or concrete. In residential construction, concrete floors are slab-on-grade
(concrete poured on the ground). You will usually use this type of floor system for the garage and basement,
or for the main floor.
For the rest of houses, the wood floor is the standard. The wood floor consists of the supporting members -
beams and joists - and the flooring material, usually a plywood product. Typically, there is a beam
supporting the floor joists. The beam is supported by the foundation walls and intermittent piers or posts
(the latter must have their own footing). Beams are made of a variety of materials including wood and steel.

3.4. Walls
The walls divide the interior space into rooms. They may support a load from above (load-bearing wall)
or simply their own weight (partition wall).

3.5. Ceiling
Ceilings are supported by the walls below or by a ceiling beam. The ceiling does not actually support a
vertical load. It is included in the load bearing elements of the home because it does support the weight of
the drywall attached to it.
3.6. Roof
The roof structure will either be stick built, trussed, or a combination of the two. The weight of the roof,
with the wood members, the plywood decking, and the roofing shingles or tiles, is significant. All of this
weight must be carried down through the walls, floor, foundation walls, and footings to the ground.

4. Systems
The plumbing, electrical, and mechanical - heating, ventilating, air conditioning (HVAC) - are the three
major systems of the home. Included within the electrical system would be the security, communication,
and entertainment systems for your home.
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5. Enclosure
The enclosure includes those elements which form the surfaces or as we sometimes say, the “skin” of the
home. These would include the drywall, windows and doors, exterior cladding, and roofing shingles.

6. Trims (mouldings) and Finishes

This part contains all of the interior trim (base mould, casing, crown mould, etc.), exterior trim
(shingle mould, skirt board, shutters, etc.), ceiling treatment, carpet and tile, paint and wallpaper,
and so forth.

7. Fixtures and Equipment

Here are your appliances, furniture, hardware (door, window, and bath), mirrors, fireplace, garage
door opener, etc.

8. Outdoor Elements
This category includes all the outdoor elements not included elsewhere, for example the sprinkler system,
landscaping, decks, and so forth.

1. Match the building terms to the pictures. When necessary, use the dictionary to find out
their translation into Spanish.
Lot Pier Ceiling Roof tile Crown mould Appliances
Flat work Steel column Ceiling beam Plumbing Shingle mould Furniture
Slab Beam Drywall HVAC systems Shutter Fireplace
Driveway Joist Roof Exterior Carpet Sprinkler system
cladding/siding
Footing Load-bearing wall Trussed Base mould/ Wallpaper Landscaping
roof/roof truss skirting board
Foundation wall Partition wall Roof shingle Casing Deck

1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 6. 7. 8.

9. 10. 11. 12.

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13. 14. 15. 16.

17. 18. 19. 20.

21. 22. 23. 24.

25. 26. 27. 28.

29. 30. 31. 32.

33. 34. 35.

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2. Now, match the numbers (1-6) to the main components of a building (A-F).

A. MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
B. ENVELOPE / ENCLOSURE
C. FOUNDATIONS
D. SUPERSTRUCTURE
E. PARTITIONS
F. FURNISHINGS

3. Here you have a list with the basic elements in a building. What are their functions? Read the
functions on the left of the table below and write one building element at the top of each
column.

walls windows plumbing

foundations structure HVAC

partitions electrical floors
system

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

SOURCE: How Buildings Work (p. 254)

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 Confusing terms
 Tiles vs. Shingles

Tiles are most commonly seen on homes that borrow elements from Spanish architecture. The
roofing tiles themselves are generally made from terracotta or slate, and they hang in parallel rows,
overlapping to keep out rainwater.
Shingles are the most common roofing material in North America. They can be made from a wide
variety of materials, such as slate, plastic, and composites, but they are most commonly made out
of asphalt. Each roofing shingle is small and rectangular. When installed, they overlap to keep out
water. Asphalt is used because of its waterproof properties. They’re popular because the cost is
relatively low, and the installation itself is fairly easy and straightforward for professional roofers.
Source: https://americandreamrestoration.com/tile-roofs-shingle-roofs-difference/

Tiles Shingles

 Footing vs. Foundation

The footing is a formation which is in contact with the ground. It is a type of shallow foundation.
Footing includes slab, rebar which are fabricated of brickwork, masonry or concrete.
The foundation is a structure which transfers its gravity loads to earth from superstructure. It can
be shallow and deep. Foundation types include piles, caissons, piers, the lateral supports, and
anchors.

Footings Foundations
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Video-listening exercises: Special buildings

Video 1. When trees meet buildings. Watch this video and answer the questions
below.

Video 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w7lsydq8ks

Listening to the gist/general information

1. Buildings with trees are actually nothing new. When did the revival of green architecture
begin?

2. An increasing number of architects and engineers began to incorporate green roofs and
other energy saving measures into their projects. What makes a building a green and
sustainable building? What kind of components can be integrated into a building to make it
greener and more sustainable?

3. What are the benefits or impacts of green spaces on our urban environments?

4. Integrating entire trees into built structures. Explain how trees and plants have been
integrated into these buildings.

a. Cultural Centre ACROS (Fukuoka, Japan)

b. Architectural Office MVRDV (Hanover, Germany)
c. Royal Pickering Hotel (Singapore)
d. Bosco Verticale (‘Vertical Forest’) (Milan, Italy)

5. Mention the issues/challenges to consider when mixing trees with buildings.

6. What is the term used in English to refer to tall buildings incorporating trees?

7. Mention some new carbon-negative materials that are being used to replace embodied
carbon, steel and concrete in the construction of this type of buildings.

Video 2. Groundscrapers. Watch this video and answer the questions below.

Video 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9mp-2w9aFU

Listening to the gist/general information

1. What is a groundscraper?

2. When did this term come to prominence?

3. Mention some examples – 6 examples – of groundscrapers described in the video.

4. Make a list with the advantages of groundscrapers over skyscrapers.

a. Do they have any disadvantage?
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Video 3. Micro apartments. Watch this video and answer the questions below.

Video 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwS7bLAWreQ

Listening to details

1. Micro apartments have been conceived as a solution to the affordable housing crises facing
many major cities. Complete the following table about the features of a micro apartment
according to the video:

Typical size (in square feet and square metres)

Usual arrangement (rooms)

2. The city’s first micro-unit apartment building…

a. is located in ___________
b. contains ___________ that range in size from ___________ to ___________
square feet (that’s around ___________ to ___________ square metres).
3. What is the priority of students and young professionals that decide to live in micro
apartments?
4. Some solutions that architects and designers are creating to maximize space in micro
apartments are:
a. …
b. …
c. …
d. …
5. Other notable examples of micro apartments can be found in…
a. ___________, where Pocket Living has developed a ___________ in
Wandsworth town centre.
b. ___________, where Urban Capital is building a Smart House that contains
___________ that are as small as ___________.
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1.2. Measurements and dimensions

Introduction. Look at these numbers. What do they represent? How are they read
out?

a) 1993 b) $46,105 c) 45% d) 3.141 e) 2,500,000

f) 2014 g) 3/4 h) 968 566 902 i) May 5 j) 1,000,000,000

k) 319 l) 684,246 m) 1,888.59 n) December 23 1954 o) 7/9

Vocabulary: Numbers.

Cardinal numbers

1. The numbers from 13 (thirteen) to 19 (nineteen) all end in -teen and are called the teens.
This is why people from thirteen to nineteen years of age are called teenagers.

2. For numbers in the hundreds, the British usually say "and" but the Americans often do
not say "and":
a. British English: 120 = one hundred and twenty
b. American English: 120 = one hundred twenty

3. Be careful with billions and trillions in English!

In American English, and now in British English, a billion has nine zeros (so, one billion
= one thousand million).
In American English, and now in British English, a trillion has twelve zeros (so, one trillion
= one million million).
a. 1,000,000 = one million
b. 1,000,000,000 = one billion
c. 1,000,000,000,000 = one trillion

4. In English, when we write numerals or digits, we separate thousands with a comma (,)
as in this example: 5,300,000
a. We do NOT use a point (.) to separate thousands.
b. We do NOT use a space ( ) to separate thousands.
c. There is NO space before or after the comma.
Some examples:
a. 1,000 = one thousand
b. 4,500 = four thousand, five hundred
c. 96,000 = ninety-six thousand
d. 450,000 = four hundred and fifty thousand
e. $6,300,000 = six million, three hundred thousand dollars

Decimal numbers

1. To indicate a decimal number, we use a point (.) and this includes money such as dollars,
pounds, euros and cents.
a. 0.3 = nought point three / zero point three
b. 3.45 = three point four five (NOT three point forty-five)
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c. 98.4 = ninety-eight point four
d. $1.55 = one dollar, fifty-five cents / one dollar, fifty-five
e. $700.00 = seven hundred dollars
f. €3,500.50 = three thousand five hundred euro and fifty cents / three thousand five
hundred euro, fifty cents

Fractions

1. Although the system of fractions is not used much these days, we commonly use a few
simple fractions in everyday speech, for example:
a. They phoned half an hour ago.
b. Hurry up! The bus leaves in a quarter of an hour.
g. The police station is about three quarters of a mile past the traffic lights.

2. Look at these examples of fractions:

a. ½ = a half OR one half
b. ¼ = a quarter OR one quarter
c. ¾ = three quarters
d. ⅓ = a third OR one third
e. ⅔ = two thirds
f. ⅕ = a fifth OR one fifth
g. ⅗ = three fifths
h. ⅛ = an eighth OR one eighth
i. ⅝ = five eighths
j. 1½ = one and a half
k. 5¾ = five and three quarters

3. Note that after "one and a half", the noun is plural:

a. Go straight on for one and a half kilometres. (OR ...one kilometre and a half)
b. We had to wait for one and a half hours. (OR ...an hour and a half)

Basic Math Symbols

Plus (addition, sum)

3+5=8
+ three plus five equals eight
three added to five makes eight
if you add five to three you get eight
Minus (subtraction, difference)
8-5=3
eight minus five equals three
- five subtracted from eight equals three
if you subtract five from eight you get three
if you take five from eight you get three
Times (multiplication, product)
5 x 6 = 30
x five times six equals thirty
five multiplied by six equals thirty
if you multiply 5 by 6 you get thirty
Divided by (division, quotient)
÷ or / 15 ÷ 3 = 5
15 / 3 = 5
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fifteen divided by three equals five
if you divide fifteen by three you get five
Equals
Note that we usually say equals NOT equal:
= two plus two equals four
two plus two equal four
less than
< 3<4
three is less than four
greater than
> 4>3
four is greater than three
NOT equal to
≠ x≠z
x is not equal to z
Percent (percentage)
% 40%
forty percent
square root
√16 = 4
√ the square root of sixteen equals four
the square root of sixteen is four
Numbers Vocabulary Quiz
Source: https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/numbers-quiz.php

1. Which is an ordinal number? 6. In spoken English, 6 ÷ 2 = 3 is

a. three expressed as "six _______ two equals
b. third three".
c. point three a. divide
b. divided
2. Which is a cardinal number? c. divided by
a. three
b. third 7. What does twenty times five equal?
c. point three a. one hundred
b. twenty-five
3. Which is a decimal number? c. fifteen
a. three
b. third 8. Complete with the correct word: Two
c. point three plus two _______ four.
a. equalizes
4. Which uses a fraction to express a b. equals
period of time? c. equal
a. 1.5 hours
b. ninety minutes 9. Complete with the correct word or
c. an hour and a half words: 12 ___ 3 = 9.
a. minus by
5. How is the number 4.55 pronounced? b. minus
a. four fifty-five c. subtracted from
b. four point fifty-five
c. four point five five 10. Which number is written as XIX in
Roman numerals?
a. nine
b. eleven
c. nineteen
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 Now, complete the chart.

 16
Listening 1: Golden Gate Bridge. 2. Listen to the following news article and
complete the blanks with the numbers you hear.

Golden Gate Bridge Still Shines After 75 Years (from The Voice of America, 3 June
2012)

The Golden Gate Bridge is celebrating its 1. ________ anniversary. The bridge opened to vehicle
traffic on May 2. , . Since then, more than 3. ________ vehicles have crossed the world
famous structure between San Francisco and Marin County, California. As many as 4. ________
cars make the trip each day. The Golden Gate Bridge had the longest suspension span in the world,
at the time it was built. The suspended roadway stretches 5. meters between the bridge’s
two tall towers. Today it still rates among the top 6. ________ longest bridge spans in existence.

The Golden Gate Bridge is named after the Golden Gate Strait. That narrow passage of water
connects the San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. Joseph Strauss was the chief engineer of the
Golden Gate Bridge project. Work began in 7. . The project took 8. years to complete.
The bridge is 9. meters long from one end to the other. It is 10. meters wide. Two large
cables pass over the top of the bridge’s towers. These structures stand 11. meters above water
and 12. meters above the road. Each cable holds more than 13. strands of wire.
14. ________ pairs of vertical suspender ropes connect the support cables to the suspension
bridge. This is part of what enables the bridge to move up and down by nearly 15. ________
meters.

The Golden Gate Bridge weighed 16. kilograms when it was completed in 17. . The San
Francisco Chronicle newspaper called the finished project, “a 18. ________ dollar steel harp!”

Video 4. Burj Khalifa: Maintaining the World’s Tallest Building. Watch the video
and complete the figures about the Burj Khalifa.

Video 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dBOBoqyfMM

a. Number of apartments: > f. Average daily power consumption:

b. Floors of offices: > kw/h.
c. Level 159 is approximately m up. g. Comfort temperature: oC

d. There are window cleaners. h. Waste chute length: m.

e. The world’s highest electrical substation is i. Percentage of compacted waste:
on Level , at about m above the %
ground. j. Maintenance staff: people.
 17
Reading: Important measurements for the construction industry. Read the text
and do the activities below.

1. Which units would you use to measure…

a. a brick?
b. the amount of cement you need to prepare concrete?
c. a member of wood for the roof truss?
d. the amount of water you need to prepare concrete?
e. the lot you are going to build upon?
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Writing. Describing Spatial Dimensions. Have a look at these sample sentences

that describe dimensions such as length, width, height, etc.
Source: Eric H. Glendinning, English in Mechanical Engineering (Oxford University Press), pp. 6-10.
19
 20
1. Now, choose 3 objects from this set and describe them in as many ways as you
can. Write sentences that describe all their dimensions.
 21
2. Write sentences describing the measurements of this room and its
components.
Source: Nucleus English for Science and Technology, Architecture and Building Construction, by J. Cumming

3. What is the area of ALL the surfaces in the room? And the room’s volume?
Write full sentences.
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1.3. Construction materials and structures

Introductory video: Introduction to Building Materials. Watch this explanatory

video and complete the table with basic building materials.

Introduction to Building Materials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsFeVuVQE-E

Building Materials
Natural materials Artificial / Man-made materials

Stone

Common
Mortars tiles

Bamboo
Leaves
Ferrous metals Non-ferrous metals

 What are the factors to be considered when selecting building materials?

1. ______________
2. ______________
3. ______________
4. ______________
5. ______________
 23
Reading: Building materials in the hot climate zones. Read the text and complete
the table with notes about all the materials described.
Source: Nucleus English for Science and Technology, Architecture and Building Construction, by J. Cumming
24
 25
- Properties and uses of materials
 26

1. Read the texts and look at the images. Then complete the texts with the words in the box.

hard elastic impermeable flexible

soft combustible insulator rigid
heavy not corrosion- light permeable
resistant
non- conductor plastic transparent
combustible
corrosion-resistant opaque
 27

2. Make sentences:

3. Which sentences mean the same? Match the sentences on the left with those on the right.
 28
4. Complete the sentences below with the correct definition from the box. The first example has
been done for you. Then, match each image (A-H) with a sentence (1-8).
Adapted from: Nucleus English for Science and Technology, Architecture and Building Construction (adapted). By J. Cumming.

1. (F) Asbestos sheeting can g) be used to fireproof doors. In other words,

asbestos is non- combustible.
2. ( ) The T-shaped aluminium section can ……. because aluminium is corrosion-resistant.
3. ( ) The stone block cannot ……. because stone is heavy.
4. ( ) The corrugated iron roof can ……. since iron is a good conductor of heat.
5. ( ) Glass wool can ……. since glass wool is a thermal insulator.
6. ( ) The ceramic tiles on the floor cannot ……. as ceramic tiles are hard.
7. ( ) The polythene membrane can …… because polythene is impermeable.
8. ( ) Black cloth blinds can ...................... , i.e. cloth is opaque.

a) be scratched easily by people walking on e) help to keep a house warm in the winter and
them cool in the summer
b) resist chemical action f) be lifted without using a crane
c) not prevent the sun from heating up the g) be used to fireproof doors
house
d) prevent moisture from rising into the h) be used to keep the light out of a room
concrete floor
 29
5. Write the correct material (cement, concrete, or mortar) for each definition:

a. is rarely used by itself but it’s the active ingredient in many other building
mixes.
b. When wet, is thin and it’s poured into forms to create
foundation walls, footings, steps, even sidewalks.
c. is a fine powder that hardens when you add water.
d. is often used to hold together different building materials.
e. When it hardens, can sustain heavy structural loads.

Now watch the video “Understanding concrete, cement, and mortar” and check your answers.
According to the video, what are the elements that compose concrete? And mortar? What materials
can mortar hold together?

Understanding concrete, cement, and mortar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJIk453_j0I

 30
Reading: Stone Used in Construction. Read this text about different types of stone
and do the exercises below.

STONE USED IN CONSTRUCTION

(adapted from http://www.stonecladdinginternational.co.uk/materials/)

Granite
The term granite has been applied to almost any igneous rock or stone of visible crystalline
formation and texture that can retain a polish. Granite crystallizes from magma that cools slowly
under the Earth's surface. Granite is usually whitish or grey with a speckled appearance caused by
the darker crystals. Granite has greater strength than sandstone, limestone, and marble, and it is
more difficult to quarry. The crystal structure imparts both the high strength and porosity
necessary for a wide range of applications, not just for flooring. These characteristics are also
important in allowing the use of slabs that are thinner than other types of stone. Granite is very
hard wearing and is largely unaffected by erosion, pollution or atmospheric attack. Granite façades
are usually self cleaning, although panels at eye level benefit from occasional cleaning.

Limestone
Limestone consists largely of calcium carbonate (CaCO). It may be produced biologically,
chemically, or physically. Most of the world’s ocean floors contain limestone that formed from the
shells of dead marine organisms. Limestone may contain a small percentage of the mineral
dolomite and still be called a limestone, or sometimes dolomitic limestone. Chalk is a particularly
pure form of limestone. Metamorphosed limestone is known as marble; however, not all the so-
called marble is of true limestone origin. In fact, sometimes the same stone can be sold as a
limestone in one place and as marble in another place. Unlike marble, most varieties of limestone
do not take a polish well, so that the surface is typically a matte finish, no-gloss surface. Although
it is porous and soft, the simple beauty and warmth imparted by limestone makes it an ideal
medium for exterior façades as well as internal wall cladding and paving.

Marble
Marble is a crystalline, compact variety of metamorphosed limestone, capable of taking a high
polish. The surface of marble crumbles when exposed to a moist, acid atmosphere, but marble is
durable in a dry atmosphere and when protected from rain. The purest form of marble is statuary
marble, which is white with visible crystalline structure. Other varieties of marble contain varying
amounts of impurities, which cause the multicolored patterns for which many marbles are prized.
They are used in building, particularly for interiors, and also in small ornamental works, such as
lamp bases and tabletops.

1. Look for the following details in the text:

a) A rock that originates under water:

b) The names of two varieties of limestone:

c) A rock that does not like water:

d) Different colours of granite:

 31
2. Write the main uses of each mineral:

a) Granite:

b) Limestone:

c) Marble:

3. Match these words from the text (a-e) with their translation (1-5):

a) slab (N) 1. arenisca

b) speckled (adj) 2. pulir/pulimento
c) hard wearing (adj) 3. losa
d) polish (vb/N) 4. moteado
e) sandstone (N) 5. duradero

Speaking. In pairs, answer the following questions and justify your answers by
explaining and comparing the features of the material chosen.

For example:
Which material would you use to make a table?
- Wood, because it’s lighter than stone, its surface is as hard wearing, and it has a good
appearance.

Which of the three minerals in the text would you use …

a) … to sculpt a fountain?
b) … to clad the entrance hall of a building?
c) … to carve a beautiful photo frame?
d) … as the surface for kitchen countertops?

Grammar. Review of comparatives and superlatives.

32
 33
- Types and components of structures

1. Look at these images of five structural systems and do the exercises below.

A C

B
D
E
Source: Nucleus English for Science and Technology, Architecture and Building Construction. By J. Cummings.

1.1. Which structural system above do these texts describe?

 This structure consists of three upright walls and three joists. The walls support the joists
which carry the floor. The walls are spaced 2 meters apart. This type of structures is usually
made of timber, brick and cement. ______________
 This structure is composed of straight members. It is made up of three upright members and
two horizontal members. Each horizontal member spans a distance of 1 meter. Materials
used for this type of structures usually include stone and timber. ______________
 This structure looks like a skeleton; it does not have any surfaces. Walls and other surfaces
are attached to the skeleton. The vertical members and horizontal members are usually
made of the same materials, for example steel or reinforced concrete. ______________
 This structure is curved and bridges the opening in a wall. It is made up of small curved
pieces called voussoirs. If we reproduce this structure along a longitudinal axis, it generates
a curved roof. ______________

1.2. Complete these other descriptions with verbal expressions from the texts above:

a. In the post-and-lintel structure, the posts ______________the lintels which

______________ the roof.
b. The arch ______________ stone.
c. The posts and lintels ______________ stone.
d. The frame structure ______________ beams and stanchions.
 34
e. A vault ______________ several arches reproduced along a longitudinal axis.
f. The vault ______________ 3 meters.

2. Now, watch this video on “Infrastructure” and make your list with the elements
mentioned.

1. ______________ 6. ______________
2. ______________ 7. ______________
3. ______________ 8. ______________
4. ______________ 9. ______________
5. ______________

For further reading on building materials, go to “Archdaily Construction

Materials”:
https://www.archdaily.com/catalog/us/search/category/construction-
materials?ad_name=flyout&ad_medium=categories_first_level

Some recommended articles are:

 What is Glued Laminated Wood (Glulam)?

https://www.archdaily.com/928387/what-is-glued-laminated-wood-glulam
 Is Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) the Concrete of the Future?
https://www.archdaily.com/922980/is-cross-laminated-timber-clt-the-concrete-of-the-
future

Video-listening exercises: Construction Material Innovations

Video 1. Three Awesome Construction Material Innovations. Watch the video and
fill in the gaps with the correct term(s). Check your spelling.

3 Awesome Construction Material Innovations:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVv_i0LRxaI

Numerous innovations in technology are fast-advancing the world of construction materials,

bringing new products to market that could make a big difference to our (1) ______________.
Here, we take a look at three particularly impressive (2) ______________.

Whilst (3) ______________ is one of the most widely used materials in construction for its (4)
______________ and (5) ______________ properties, it can (6) ______________ when
exposed to water or chemicals over time, undermining structures. A research team at the University
of Bath in the UK are now developing a form of (7) “______________” by adding micro-capsules
to mixes than contain calcite-precipitating bacteria. When water enters cracks in the concrete, these
bacteria germinate to produce (8) ______________, filling the cracks and preventing any (9)
______________ from corroding due to prolonged exposure. If scaled and applied effectively,
this self-healing solution could extend the life of concrete structures and reduce (10)
______________.
 35
(11) ______________ is a new concept that harvests energy from the footsteps of pedestrians
moving around a building or a public space and converts energy into electricity. A UK-based start-
up called Pavegen have developed the energy-harvesting (12) ______________ made almost
entirely from (13) ______________. The slabs flex 5mm when stepped on, generating 8 watts of
kinetic energy. Each (14) ______________ has its own wireless transmitter that uses 1% of its
power to store and send data on its performance to a central database. The tiles can be installed on
a permanent basis or temporarily at events. They were used on a main through-fare in the London
2012 Olympic Park, on a portion of the Paris Marathon and under a football pitch in Rio de Janeiro,
powering the (15) ______________. The key to success with this technology is of course traffic
volume. Pavegen estimated some 12 million steps fell onto their tiles during the London 2012 games,
generating 20 kilowatt hours of electricity.

In a nutshell, 4D printing refers to 3D printed objects that have the ability to (16)
______________ or (17) ______________ over time. Now we recognise that’s quite a
complicated “nutshell” to get your head around, so here’s a bit more details. 4D printing was born
out of the Self-Assembly Lab established by Skylar Tibbits at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology or MIT. It was a concept he developed alongside Stratasys and Autodesk. It involves
strategically positioning rigid and (18) ______________ materials next to each other within one
3D printed component. When the expandable materials come into contact with water, they grow to
up 200% of their original volume, changing their shape and effectively (19) ______________ the
rigid materials either side of them. The expandable materials effectively create (20)
______________ in the components that are activated in certain conditions, causing the entire
component to adopt a different form. Depending on the expandable material used, the contact (21)
______________ necessary for it to change shape could be water, or it could be (22)
______________, (23) ______________ or a range of other simple energy inputs. Software
enables components to be programmed on-screen before they are created and for that data to have
effectively been programmed into the components once it has been created. Going beyond this range
of (24) ______________ demonstration pieces, it’s thought the technology could be used in some
form of (25) __________________, in pipework that changes size in relation to water flow or in
hot and cold temperature water (26) ______________. Beyond (27) ______________, it also
has potential in medicine, clothing and footwear that adapts to (28) ______________ or in
childcare products that respond to temperatures changes.

Video 2. Building the architectural future with new technologies. Watch the video
and complete these sentences:

Building the architectural future with new technologies:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35DjNZFCCl0

1. The materials and tools used in this exhibition included …

_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
2. James Solly (Structural Engineer): “The effective strength of these materials is …
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
 36
3. Saman Saffarian (Architect Designer): In relation to elastic materials able to
produce and store energy, “you need to…
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
4. Tom Svilans (Architect): “The problem with the glue laminated timber is that ...
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
5. Mette Ramsgaard Thomsen (Architect):
“Building smarter with less means …
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
“Building lighter means …
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

Video 3. Architecture is in crisis and sustainable design. Watch the video and
answer these questions with your own words:

Architecture is in Crisis and sustainable design:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2EXsoiZ-To

According to Nicolas Duval, …

1. What are the constraints of most architects today? What worries them? Which values are
disregarded?

2. What’s the ecological footprint? What does it measure?

3. What are the basics of sustainability? Explain the interconnectivity among the 3 systems.

4. So, what’s sustainable architecture?

5. Regarding the environmental system, what should be done? And regarding the social
system? And the economic system?
 37

Recommended Podcast: The concrete cleaners (People fixing the world) – BBC

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07l12s5

1.4. Location of buildings and distribution of spaces (layouts)

Vocabulary: Construction Drawings. Match each type of construction drawing

with its definition and image.

1. Site plans
2. Floor plans
3. Elevations
4. Sections
5. Component and assembly drawings

a) Used to locate site, buildings, define site levels, indicate services to buildings, identify parts of
site such as roads, footpaths and boundaries and to give setting out dimensions for the site
and buildings as a whole.
b) Used to show external appearance of all faces and to identify doors and windows (it could be
front, rear, side, etc.).
c) Used to provide vertical views through the building to show method of construction.
d) Used to identify and supply data for components to be supplied by a manufacturer or to show
how items fit together or are assembled to form elements.
e) Used to identify and set out parts of the building such as rooms, corridors, doors, windows,
etc.

A B

C D E
 38
Orientation on the building site

1. Complete the description of this building site with words from the image.

The building site is approximately (1) _______________ in shape. It is bounded by (2)

_______________ to the north, and (3) _______________ to the east. Vehicular access is
from (4) _______________, which runs along the western boundary. The existent building has
(5) _______________ from the open space to the (6) _______________. The long axis of the
building is orientated (7) _______________ to minimise the area of wall exposed to the sun.
The front of the building faces (8) _______________1. The back of the building is a (9)
_______________- facing wall.

1 We consider the front of the building to be the side where the main/pedestrian entrance is located.
 39

Writing: Write a similar description of the following site plan (shape, boundaries, accesses,
location and orientation of existent constructions). You can add any other relevant information and
details.

Elevations and floor plans

1. Look at these different graphic images of one house and complete the descriptions with words
from the box.
 40
at the on the right- in the centre perpendicular / elevation
under parallel to at right angles
top of hand side of of
to
on either side at the beyond plan
between over parallel to
of bottom of

A view at right angles to the front, rear and sides of a building is known as a (A)
_______________. The side walls of this house are (B) _______________ the front wall.
The front wall is (C) _______________ the back wall. The ground slab foundation extends (D)
_______________ perimeter walls.

Viewed from the front, the chimney stack is (E) _______________ the house. There is a lintel
(F) _______________ the window opening and a sill (G) _______________ the window
opening. There is a window (H) ______________ the door, and a knocker (I)
______________ the door. The letter box is (J) _______________ the door. There are
windows (K) _______________ the door – i.e. the door is (L) _______________ the
windows.

If the roof of the house is removed by cutting along line AB which is (M) _______________ the
floor, the view looking straight down on that cut-away view of the interior of a building is known as
a (N) _______________.

2. This is a plan view of the same house. Look at it and complete the text:

Looking north, the (A) _______________ is on the right of the house. The (B)
_______________ is to the left of the living room and next to the (C) _______________.

Viewed from the front, the kitchen is behind the (D) _______________ - or the (E)
_______________ is in front of the kitchen.
 41
3. Read the description of the plan of House A and match the letters with the names of the areas.

The house is a single-storey building with a square-shaped plan. It contains seven rooms. The
entrance which is located on the south side leads into a hall. On the left of the hall is the living room
and beyond that in the north-west corner is the dining area. The kitchen is adjacent to the dining
area. A terrace is situated outside the living room on the west side. A toilet is located in the centre
of the house. Access to the toilet is from the hall. The two bedrooms are located on the east side
with a bathroom between them. There is also an entrance to the kitchen on the north side.

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
 42

4. Comparing floor plans: Are these statements related to House A, House B or both?

a) The front door of this house opens inwards. ………….

b) The toilet is located in the south-east corner of the house. ………………..
c) The terrace extends the whole length of the western wall. ………………..
d) It has a longer and narrower shaped plan. …………..
e) The kitchen door opens outwards. ……………
f) The bathroom has a window. ………………
g) This house has a study. ………….
h) It does not have a separate dining room. …………..
i) The windows of the living room face west. ………….
j) The kitchen window faces north. ……………

5. Say whether the statements about these house plans are true (T) or false (F). Correct the false
ones.

a. The dining room is located under the main bedroom.

b. A hall is located in the centre of the first floor.
 43
c. There are three adjacent bathrooms on the first floor.
d. There is a toilet between the kitchen and dining room.
e. Bedroom 2 is situated over the family room.
f. There is a closet under the stairs.
g. Bedrooms occupy most of the ground floor.
h. Viewed from the front, the dining room is to the left of the entrance.
i. Viewed from the rear, the living room is behind the family room.
j. Entering the house from the garage, you pass through the dining room to
enter the family room.
k. The stairs are situated opposite the entrance.
l. The kitchen and family room are located on either side of the toilet.
m. A door in the garage leads to the kitchen.
 44

Writing: Write a description of the following house plan. Use words and expressions from
the previous exercises.
 45

Video 1. Space Planning: Watch the video and answer these questions:

Space Planning a new project - Designer Life!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h0aAGIxaoc

Before the space planning meeting…

1. What type of project is she starting with?

2. What’s the planning she’s going to present to her clients today?

After the meeting …

3. What’s the first step of the process of planning?

4. How is the space going to be filled?

5. What do the dark walls represent? And the dotted walls?

6. What kind of information does she need to know in order to start space planning?

7. Before she begins planning with AutoCAD, what does she do?

8. Which option did the client like?

9. After the client reviews the space planning and agrees on it, she will proceed to other
drawings. How are these drawings called?
 46
Trades, teams and equipment in construction

Reading: Read this text about the process of construction of a building, and
underline the names of the people involved in it.
Source: Nucleus English for Science and Technology, Architecture and Building Construction. By J. Cumming.

1. Find words or expressions in the text with the following meanings:

a. an order to perform a task, job, or duty

b. an approximate calculation
c. to present for approval or consideration
d. to offer to do some work at a certain price
e. offers or proposals made for acceptance
f. to formulate and write out in appropriate form
g. to look at the building work in detail at regular intervals
h. an interval of time after the building has been finished during which the contractor is
responsible for correcting any faults in it
 47

Vocabulary: People involved in the construction of a building. Look at this chart

of the sequences of jobs when constructing a prefabricated steel-framed building.
Match the trades in the table with their job. Then write under each picture the trade it
represents.

contractor
contractor
foreman
glaziers
machine drivers
carpenters
bricklayers
labourers
plumbers
 48

Vocabulary: Equipment in construction. What equipment does each trade use for
their job? What items from the list below can you recognize in the drawings? Place
them in the correct column:

Nails A wrench A welding torch A screwdriver A hard hat A spirit level

Wire A saw A spade A bulldozer A trowel Brushes

Heating
Labourers Bricklayers Plumbers Carpenters Electricians
contractor

Form meaningful sentences with the following words.

Verticality a plumb-bob
Illumination from the sky a daylight factor meter
Sound pressure sound pressure meter
Relative humidity a hygrometer
by means of
Vertical and horizontal work can a square
be checked by using
Temperature may a thermometer
with
The voltage of a circuit a voltmeter
Squareness a spirit level
Distances a steel tape
The strain on a structure a strain gauge

Find out the name in English of each piece of equipment/tool. Use the terms from the
two previous exercises.

1. 2. 3. 4.
 49

5. 6. 7. 8.

9. 10. 11. 12.

13. 14. 15. 16.

17. 18. 19. 20.

21.
 50

2. Restoration, Preservation and Conservation Works

Source: https://www.campbellsmithandco.co.uk/case-studies/

*Livery Halls: fine venues to hold private and corporate events. Several livery halls can be rented today for corporate
and private events.

1. Read the text above and find decoration-related words having the following meanings:

a. Paint technique that produces an image or pattern by applying pigment to a surface over an
intermediate object with designed gaps in it which create the pattern or image by only
allowing the pigment to reach some parts of the surface.

b. Something that completes or perfects, such as the fine or decorative work required for a
building or one of its parts.

c. Technique used in art in which objects are painted their normal size in a very realistic way,
to make people think that the objects are solid and real.

d. Coat of pain.
 51

Grammar. Passive Voice, Need + Passive Infinitive, Need + V_ing

We use NEED + PASSIVE INFINITIVE and NEED + V_ing when we are talking about
the things that should be done. If something was/is/will be finally done, we can use
the passive voice. These structures are particularly useful when describing
restorations of buildings.

Look at these examples:

The damaged paint needed to be cleaned. The damaged paint was cleaned.
The damaged paint needed cleaning.

Flaking paint needs to be re-adhered. Flaking paint will be re-adhered.

Flaking paint needs re-adhering.

The earlier coats of paint needed to be washed off. The earlier coats of pain
The earlier coats of paint needed washing off. were washed off.

Joinery needs to be repainted. Joinery is being repainted.

Joinery needs repainting.

1. The following buildings need to be restored. What should be done in each case? Use “Need +
Passive Infinitive” and “Need + V_ing”.

a. Leeds Castle (location: Maidstone, Kent)

- Dining Room and Library / redecorate
- Paintwork / strip
- Dining table / restore
- Leather chairs / upholster

b. Kenwood House (location: London)

- Front elevation / restore
- Façade / re-model

c. Queen’s Chapel, St James’ Palace (location: London)

- Damaged stucco / repair with lime-based render
- String course, quoins and cornice / enrich in white

2. Complete the following texts with the correct form of the verb in brackets. When necessary, use
the passive voice. The texts are about the restoration work that was undertaken by Campbell
Smith & Co Ltd. in the National Gallery and St Paul’s Cathedral.

National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London (year of completion: 2003)

The current building housing the National Gallery opened in 1838, built to the designs of William Wilkins.
During the late 1990’s a section of ornate plaster (1) ________ (fall) from the ceiling of the main entrance
hall, revealing a section of the original decorative scheme created by John Crace, the well-known victorian
artist.
 52
Following exhaustive research to uncover the full scheme, Campbell Smith & Co (2) ________ (engage) to
carry out the full re-creation of the scheme, including extensive ornate stencil, and gilding works, as part of
a major refurbishment and remodelling project. Details of the frieze and borders (3) ________ (build up)
layer by layer and stencil by stencil and colour by colour to achieve the complexity and clarity required. The
scheme was a great success for which Campbell Smith & Co (4) ________ (win) the coveted Rose Bowl
from the Painting and Decorating Federation at the annual awards.

St Paul’s Cathedral, London (year of completion: 2003)

St Paul’s is one of the most iconic buildings in the world. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren in the aftermath
of the Great Fire of London, it (1) ________ (consecrate) in 1708, and was for two centuries the dominant
profile on the London Skyline.
As a result of its age, and exposure to increased levels of atmospheric pollution, the three clock faces in the
South East Tower, and the copper ‘pineapples’ on the pinnacles of the South East & North West Towers (2)
________ (degrade) seriously and causing concern.
Campbell Smith operatives (3) ________ (undertake) a major restoration project to repaint the clock faces,
and re-gild the numerals, the hands and the pineapples. Following thorough cleaning, preparation and
painting of the clock faces, two layers of double weight gold leaf (4) ________ (apply) to provide the most
durable finish possible.

3. Change these sentences from active to passive.

a. Specialist operatives from Campbell Smith & Co carried out marbling to two 4m high hollow
plaster columns and pilasters in the main entrance hall.

b. Campbell Smith have carried out a variety of additional works to the property in recent
months.

c. Our restorers also decorated the walls and associated woodwork in the entrance hall.

d. Campbell Smith restorers hand painted the columns in successive layers of colour to achieve
the marble effect required.

e. They cleaned, restored and re-gilded the mural in the apse.

 53
3. Pronunciation tips: -ed ending of regular verbs

In the past simple regular verbs end in 'ed' and there are three different ways of pronouncing these
two letters - / ɪd /, / d / and / t /.

1. Regular verbs that end in the sound / t / or / d /, in the past simple the 'ed' ending is
pronounced / ɪd /. Here are some examples:
start – started want – wanted decide – decided
invite – invited need – needed paint – painted

2. The pronunciation of the 'ed' ending for other regular verbs in the past simple depends on
whether the last sound of the infinitive of the verb is voiced or not. Regular verbs that end in
voiced sounds will have / d / as the pronunciation of the 'ed' ending in the past simple.
Here are some examples:
smile - smiled love - loved restore – restored
turn - turned seem – seemed clean – cleaned

All vowel sounds are voiced.

3. Finally, regular verbs that end in unvoiced/voiceless sounds will have / t / as the
pronunciation of the 'ed' ending in the past simple. Here are some examples:
jump - jumped wash - washed watch – watched
kiss – kissed look - looked pick – picked
 54
Pronunciation exercises

1. Write the past tense of the verbs from the box in the correct part of the table. Then listen, check
and repeat.

2. Complete each sentence with the past tense of a verb from the box. In each sentence, the first
sound of the verb is the same as the first sound in the person’s name! Then listen, check and
repeat.

3. Listen and circle the verb form you hear, past or present.

Further resources to practice your –ed pronunciation

 -ed Pronunciation Matching Games: https://www.englishclub.com/esl-

games/pronunciation/matching-ed.htm
 Pronunciation of –ED (Youtube video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TPe_x80Pgs
 Pronunciation of final –ed Quiz: http://www.eflnet.com/grammar/edpron.php
 55

4. Architecture Projects

Reading project descriptions

Read these 4 project descriptions and do the exercise below. Pay attention to the type
of information that is included in each description. Use a dictionary when necessary.

 Project description 1: CityLife Milano Residential Complex

Source: https://www.zaha-hadid.com/architecture/city-life-milano-residential-complex/

Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects

The buildings can accommodate up to 230 luxury apartments, with

common facilities.
The skyline of the residential complex is defined and characterized by a
sinuous fluid line. The roof outline raises continuously from building to
building, starting from 5-storey C2 building facing Piazza Giulio Cesare it
reaches its maximum height at building C6 13th floor, thus ideally setting
a unified and unique skyline.
Great care has been given to site and building orientation, taking into
account environmental and comfort requirements so that most
apartments face south-east and at the same time allocate the best views
from the terraces, towards the city or the public park.
The façades design involves continuity and fluidity: the volumetric
envelope of the buildings is defined by a curvilinear movement of
balconies and terraces, opening up into a rich variety of private spaces,
both interior and exterior, echoing the landscape below.
The façade materials – fibre concrete panels and natural wood panels –
emphasize this complex volumetric movement and at the same time give
a private and “domestic” quality to the interior of the residential
courtyard.
 56
 Project description 2: Great Court at the British Museum (London, UK)
Source: https://www.fosterandpartners.com/projects/great-court-at-the-british-museum/

Architect: Foster + Partners

Area: 19,000m2
Capacity: 1,000
Completion: 2000

The courtyard at the centre of the British Museum was one of London’s long-lost spaces. Originally
a garden, soon after its completion in the mid-nineteenth century it was filled by the round Reading
Room and its associated bookstacks. Without this space the Museum was like a city without a park.
This project is about its reinvention.

With over six million visitors annually, the British Museum is as popular as the Louvre or the
Metropolitan Museum of Art. However, in the absence of a centralised circulation system it was
congested and difficult to navigate. The departure of the British Library was the catalyst for
removing the bookstacks and recapturing the courtyard as a new public focus. The Great Court is
entered from the Museum’s principal level and connects all the surrounding galleries. Within the
space there are information points, a bookshop and café. At its heart is the magnificent volume of
the Reading Room, now a major exhibition space, which for the first time in its history is open to
all. Broad staircases encircling the Reading Room lead to a temporary exhibitions gallery and a
restaurant terrace. Beneath the courtyard are the Sainsbury African Galleries, an education centre
and facilities for schoolchildren.

The glazed canopy that makes all this possible is a fusion of state-of-the-art engineering and
economy of form. Its unique geometry is designed to span the irregular gap between the drum of
the Reading Room and the courtyard facades, and forms both the primary structure and the
framing for the glazing, which is designed to reduce solar gain. As a cultural square, the Court also
resonates beyond the confines of the museum, forming a new link in the pedestrian route from the
British Library to Covent Garden, the river and the South Bank. To complement this artery, the
Museum’s forecourt was restored to form a new civic space. Together with the Great Court, it is a
major new amenity for London.
 57

 Project description 3: Apple Piazza Liberty (Milan, Italy)

Source: https://www.fosterandpartners.com/projects/apple-piazza-liberty/

Architect: Foster + Partners

Completion: 2018

Apple Piazza Liberty is an ensemble of two fundamental elements, a stepped plaza and a fountain.
Located just off the Corso Vittorio Emanuele – one of the most popular pedestrian streets in Milan
– visitors are drawn towards the piazza by the sight of the dramatic new fountain.

A celebration of the joys of city life and embodying its dynamic nature, the signature water feature
is an interactive, multisensory experience. Visitors enter the fountain through a glass-covered
entrance enveloped by the sights and sounds of vertical jets of water that splash against the 26-foot
high glass walls. An immersive recreation of the childhood game of running through fountains, the
experience changes throughout the day as sunlight filters through the water, while at night the glass
ceiling creates a kaleidoscopic effect, with the water falling down the walls, and its reflections
travelling infinitely up the sky.

The fountain flows down into the base of the Amphitheatre, a new social hub and an outdoor
extension of ‘Today at Apple’. The Amphitheater is defined by broad and sun-soaked stone steps
descending below street level and opening up to a stage, backed by a second fountain’s wall of water.
The entire plaza is newly created and paved with Beola Grigia – a typical local stone from
Lombardy, and surrounded by 21 new Gleditsia Sunburst trees.

The interior is a bright, monolithic space, metaphorically carved out of the same stone as the plaza
above. The ceiling follows the stepped profile of the amphitheater, with skylights and backlit ceiling
panels that innovatively combine artificial and natural light. Through the roof and stairs, warm
shafts of sun penetrate deep into the sunken store, connecting the interior with the light and rhythm
of Milan and giving it a feel of a spacious daylight-filled art gallery. The stairs leading into the store
consist of polished stainless-steel clad cantilevering treads that also become a sculptural light
installation, creating a theatrical and exciting experience.
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 Project description 4: Business Incubator in Archena (Murcia)

Source: https://www.archdaily.com/897686/business-incubator-in-archena-amaa

Architect: Amaa
Area: 346m2
Completion: 2017

Text description provided by the architects. There were several premises when facing the design
of the building. It had to be located in the limit of an unconsolidated Partial Plan, to become an
activating milestone in the area. It had to be executed in a short period of time and with a reduced
budget.
A sculptural building with different responses in each of its elevations has been the final design.
Avoiding discrimination, the building is a link between both urban and rural worlds. It gets closer
to the village through the outer space that was designed as an extension of the building. There are
shady and wooded areas to stay, where the occupants can expand. It invites people to travel in it.
On the top, a grandstand directs the views to the rural world.
A Business Incubator is a place where start ups share knowledge, experiences, ideas and emotions.
The building materializes these ideas through a dynamic space of work. It is an alive and agile
building that represents the movement of a company in a rapidly changing environment. The
solution is an open interior space enveloped by a translucent polycarbonate double skin. This allows
sensing what happens inside and changes its appearance according to the time of the day.
The building manages energy and natural resources in an efficient way. It self-stores rainwater. It
is pre-acclimatized by a renewable energy system of Canadian wells. The southern cantilever
creates a shadow that indicates the main access and welcomes you.
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Which of the following items have been included in the project descriptions? Put a
tick (√) if the item has been mentioned in the text. Then, justify your answer with
words from the text.

Great Court at the Apple Piazza Business

Items CityLife Milano
British Museum Liberty Incubator
Site, plot,
surrounding √
context
Type of building,
purpose (people √
who will use it)
Construction
details (including
materials)
Orientation √
Distribution of
spaces
Concept
Story behind the
project
Services provided
Facilities
Construction
constraints

For example:
CityLife Milano includes:
 Site, plot, surrounding context: “The Residential plot is composed of … The land areas are
divided by a strip of public park”.
 Type of building: “residential”, “residential complex”, “can accommodate up to 230 luxury
apartments”.
 Orientation: “most apartments face south-east and at the same time allocate the best views
from the terraces, towards the city or the public park”.
 Etc.

Additional examples of project descriptions can be found on these websites:

 https://www.zaha-hadid.com/archive
 https://www.fosterandpartners.com/projects/
 https://www.archdaily.com/search/projects
 60

Writing project descriptions

Writing tips: Warming up before writing your own project description

1. EFFECTIVE PARAGRAPH WRITING

Source: Oshima, A. and Hogue, A. (2006). Writing Academic English, 4th edition. Pearson Longman.

A paragraph is a group of related sentences that discuss one (and usually only one) main idea.
The paragraph should be long enough to develop the main idea clearly.

The 3 parts of a paragraph:

1. Topic sentence: it states the main idea of the paragraph. It limits the topic to one specific
area that can be discussed completely in the space of a single paragraph. The part of the topic
sentence that announces the specific area to be discussed is called the controlling idea.
Look at this example: Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics.
This is a topic sentence where “gold” is the topic and “two important characteristics” is the
controlling idea.
2. Supporting sentences: they develop the topic sentence. They explain or prove the topic
sentence by giving more information about it. Supporting sentences of the previous topic
sentence about gold could be: First of all, gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to
corrosion. Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry and
science.
3. Concluding sentence: it signals the end of a paragraph and leaves the reader with
important points to remember: In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but
also for its utility. Not all paragraphs have a concluding sentence. Indeed, paragraphs that
are part of a longer piece of writing usually do not need concluding sentences.
 61
Write a good topic sentence for the following paragraph. Remember to include both
a topic and a controlling idea.

2. TRANSITION SIGNALS
Source: Oshima, A. and Hogue, A. (2006). Writing Academic English, 4th edition. Pearson Longman.

Transition signals are linking words or phrases that connect your ideas and add cohesion to
your writing. They signpost or indicate to the reader the relationships between sentences and
between paragraphs, making it easier for the reader to understand your ideas.
62
 63

3. GRAMMAR REVIEW FOR ACADEMIC/FORMAL WRITING

Source: Hewings, M. and Thaine, C. (2012). Cambridge Academic English C1 Advanced Student's Book. UK:
Cambridge University Press.

This section will provide you with some useful grammar pills that can help you improve your
academic/formal writing.

1. –ing clauses with prepositions and conjunctions

 64
2. Prepositions after passive verbs

3. Complex conjunctions
 65
4. Being

5. Of which: Expressing ideas efficiently

 66

WRITING IN AN ACADEMIC/FORMAL STYLE

These are some general principles to help you write in a style appropriate for academic/formal
writing. Please, consider these principles when describing your architecture project.
 67

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN AN ARCHITECTURE PROJECT DESCRIPTION

When describing an architecture project, the following sections are usually included. However,
some of them can be adapted or omitted according to the type of project you are writing about. For
instance, the description of a building may not have the same sections as the description of an
architectural element such as a dome or a fountain.

The order of these sections can be changed and the paragraphs can be arranged or mixed as you
wish as long as the description is cohesive and coherent.

Describe the type of project (e.g. residential, commercial, education,

PROJECT healthcare, community, arts and culture, conservation, etc.), its purpose,
TYPOLOGY the services it provides, the facilities it has, the people who will use it,
and how it should work.
PROJECT Describe the story behind the project: its concept.
NARRATIVE
Describe the features and characteristics of the site and its surrounding
context. Location.
SITE If possible, describe its orientation and how it sits on the plot (e.g.
“northwest corner”). Use cardinal compass points (north, east, south,
and west).
Identify the dominant building materials used in the project, and
describe its general features (when applicable): its shape or ground plan,
CONSTRUCTION
the number of stories, its components (foundation, walls, roof, façade,
DETAILS
doors, windows, etc.) and any decorative details. Always talk about larger
features first, then move to the details.
If applicable, mention the construction constraints of the project. For
OTHER example, constraints related to location, services, time or budget.
FEATURES Here you can include any other relevant feature you have not mentioned
before.
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Remember!

 An architectural description is generally written in the present—observations are what you

see, not your experience with the project.

 Cluster your ideas in paragraphs that have topic sentences and a logical structure. A
series of run-on thoughts that constantly shift from overall to very particular is unnecessarily
difficult to read.

 There is a whole vocabulary of architectural terms and virtually every element has its own
name. The use of correct terminology can make your description clear and complete.

See “Task 3” for further details on how to describe your architecture project.

Listening to project descriptions

The following videos show different types of architectural descriptions. Watch them and answer
the questions below.

Video 1. 425 Park Avenue by Foster + Partners. Complete the description of the
building with the correct terms. The gaps can be filled in with one, two or three
words.

425 Park Avenue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnZWHW61qxY

425 Park Avenue is a significant location. The prime location is Park Avenue itself because it is
probably unique in the world in terms of being an (1)_____________________, so it has a life,
it has a scale, and the first thing that 425 has to do is contribute to that (2)___________. Then,
secondarily, in the spirit of those individual buildings, Seagram, Lever House, Pepsi-Cola now
Olivetti are individual buildings which have their own identity and which contribute to the
(3)_____________. So the second aspect of our design is that it should bring back something
to their community in terms of public space, and beyond adding to their vanity, respecting the
(4)______________, those planes which define Park Avenue, it should also have its own
individual identity on the (5)__________.
In the spirit of New York skyscrapers and one can go back to Hugh Harris, those extraordinary
images that are typified by setbacks, and here those setbacks are also working in terms of the kind
of spaces that the developer, the patrons behind this project, can offer to the market. We’re making
the (6)_____ compact giving it its identity and articulating that from the main body of the space,
that is working (7)________ from the outside, it’s working in terms of (8)______________,
and is also creating much more flexible, (9)____________,___________ spaces. All these
features come together to give it LEED Gold Status.
As I look back at the experience of the project as a competition working with David and his
colleagues at L&L, a great total team, as that team expands to (10)____________________,
and to demonstrate the way in which this building not just at the ground level in terms of the
public domain and public space, but the way it can contribute to the wider entity of the city. That’s
really exciting to look forward to.
 69
 Which aspect(s) does Norman Foster prioritise in his description? Use the table
on page 67 to help you.

 Now, look at the words highlighted in bold in the description of 425 Park
Avenue. What type of words are they? What’s their function in an oral
description like this?

Video 2. Chicago's O'Hare Global Terminal by Foster + Partners. Complete this

table with information from the video. Feel free to use your own words.

Chicago's O'Hare Global Terminal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvThQyO13xE

Personal story
behind the project
and influences

Project concept

Type of project

Spaces and
facilities

Services provided

 Multiple adjectives are used to describe Chicago’s O’Hare Global Terminal.

Write down at least 5 adjectives mentioned in relation to the Terminal.
 70
Video 3. Oldham Town Hall by BDP. Answer the questions below after watching
the video. Please, provide clear and concise answers.

Oldham Town Hall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsA5zkquewc

1. What type of project is being described?

2. What was the initial objective of the project?

3. Did they have to cope with any constraints?

4. What was their main challenge?

5. What was the architectural expression they considered to be more appropriate for a
cinema? Which materials did they use for it?

Presenting your own project description

Adapted from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/business/talkingbusiness/unit3presentations/expert.shtml

Signpost Language

A good way to make your presentations effective, interesting and easy to follow is to use signpost
language. “Signpost language” is the words and phrases that people use to guide the listeners
through the presentation and tell them what has just happened, and what is going to happen next.

Section of
Signpost language
presentation
The subject/topic of my talk/presentation is ...
I'm going to talk about ...
Introducing the topic
My topic today is…
My talk is concerned with ...
I’m going to divide this talk into four parts.
There are a number of points I'd like to make.
Basically/ Briefly, I have three things to say.
I'd like to begin/start by ...
Overview (outline of
Let's begin/start by ...
presentation)
First of all, I'll … and then I’ll go on to …
In Part One I’ll explain... and in the next section I’ll show...
Then/ Next ...
Finally/ Lastly ...
 71
Moving on now to …
Turning to...
Let’s turn now to …
Starting a new The next issue/topic/area I’d like to focus on …
section I’d like to expand/elaborate on …
Now we'll move on to...
I'd like now to discuss...
Let's look now at...
That's all I have to say about...
Finishing a section We've looked at...
So much for...

Where does that lead us?

Let's consider this in more detail...
Analysing a point and
What does this mean for...?
giving
Translated into real terms...
recommendations
Why is this important?
The significance of this is...
For example, ...
A good example of this is...
Giving examples As an illustration, ...
To give you an example, ...
To illustrate this point...
Simply put...
In other words, ...
So what I’m saying is....
Paraphrasing and
To put it more simply....
clarifying
To put it another way...
As I have said earlier...
As we saw in Part One...
To sum up ...
To summarise...
Right, let's sum up, shall we?
Let's summarise briefly what we've looked at...
If I can just sum up the main points...
Summarising and
Finally, let me remind you of some of the issues we've covered...
concluding
To conclude... / In conclusion ... / In short ...
So, to remind you of what I’ve covered in this talk, …
Unfortunately, I seem to have run out of time, so I’ll conclude
very briefly by saying that …
I'd like now to recap...
I’m happy to answer any queries/questions.
Invitation to Does anyone have any questions or comments?
discuss / ask Please feel free to ask questions.
questions If you would like me to elaborate on any point, please ask.
Would you like to ask any questions? / Any questions?
 72

5. Task 3: Project Description

Title ‘PROJECT DESCRIPTION’

Aim(s)  To describe your best architecture project from a professional
viewpoint.

Type of task Individually

Written task Choose a project you designed and describe it following strictly these
guidelines:
1. As for the structure of the description, no strict rules have to be
followed as long as your description is coherently arranged in
paragraphs that have topic sentences. You can include information
related to project typology, project narrative, site, construction
details, and other features, always depending on the type of project
you choose (see page 67 “What to include in an architecture project
description” for +info). Do not forget to include images, drawings or
plans to make it clear to understand your description.
2. As for the language, please use an academic/formal style. See page
66 “Writing in an academic/formal style” for +info. Consider these
principles strictly as they will be taken into account when assessing
your task.

Oral presentation ‘Selling your architecture project in 3 minutes’

Each student is expected to prepare an oral presentation describing his/her
project. The presentation should last about 3 minutes, and should cover the
main aspects and features of the project.
The presentations will take place on Wednesday, 29 April 2020,
and Thursday, 30 April 2020.
A list containing the order of the presentations will be published on Moodle
before the lesson.

Format guidelines For the written task:

Students should upload to Moodle (English for Professional and Academic
Communication in Architecture > Task 3: ‘Project description’) a written
paper of their task in PDF format.
The deadline will be Wednesday, 29 April 2020 at 23.55.
When naming your file, please use the following convention: TASK3_YOUR
FULL NAME (e.g. TASK3_JORGE SOTO ALMELA).
Please, follow the next format guidelines strictly:
 The task must be written in English.
 The task must have an approximate length of 280 words, and in
no case it should exceed 300 words (ONE-PAGE
description).
 Project name: 16pt Times New Roman, bold and ranged left.
 Student’s full name: 14pt Times New Roman, ranged left.
 Text: 12pt Times New Roman, justified.
 Margins: right and left margins 3 cm; up and down margins 2,5 cm.
 Spacing 1,5 cm.
 Images must be placed after the description.
 Plagiarism will be penalized to the fullest extent.
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For the oral presentations:

 The presentations should NOT be handed in or uploaded to Moodle.
 Use PowerPoint to create a presentation of 10 slides, each of
which is to be presented for 20 seconds (10 slides x 20 seconds
each).
 Use visual material to illustrate your presentation: key terms, key
phrases, images, drawings … This means avoiding the use of long
sentences or paragraphs which are more likely to be read.
 Organise the information coherently throughout the 10 slides.
 Do not learn by heart. Make sure you understand everything you are
saying and can pronounce all the words.
 Speak clearly and make sure everybody can understand you.

Assessment Task 3 is worth 20% of the total mark (10% written paper and 10% oral
presentation).