1 Flashcards
FHA
Federal Housing Administration, founded in 1934 to provide mortgage insurance.
FNMA
Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), an agency whose function is to stabilize the housing market by purchasing mortgages or providing mortgage money directly.
Bauhaus
The school of design established by Walter Gropius in Weinmar and Dessau, also it’s design philosophy. Emphasis was on the merger of art with technology and the functional design which resulted.
end-on pattern
A housing pattern consisting of rows of units located perpendicular to the street.
finger plan
An urban pattern in which development occurs along public transit corridors and expressways.
dedication
Appropriation of private property for public use, together with acceptance for such use by a public agency.
environmental impact statement
A statement, often required by a governmental body, which assesses the environmental impact of a proposed development.
runoff coefficient
The percentage of total rainfall which is not absorbed into the ground and, hence, runs off. It must be collected in a system of surface and subsurface drains.
craze
To develop minute surface cracks in stucco, concrete, or glaze.
cluster zoning
A type of zoning that permits a developer to reduce the minimum lot size below the requirements of the zoning ordinance, if the land gained thereby is preserved as permanent, community open space.
dwelling unit
An independent living area which includes its own private cooking and bathing facilities.
holistic
Relating to an entity, rather then to its parts; overall.
central business district
The core of a city, containing the main concentration of stores, offices, and services.
restriction
A limitation on the use of property defined by covenant in a deed, by private agreement, or by public legislative action.
greenbelt
A beltlike area around a city, reserved for parks, farms, open spaces, and so on.
nonconforming use
A use for property which is no longer permitted by the zoning ordinance. Unless it is unsafe, such a use is generally allowed to continue.
pagoda
In far eastern architecture, a tower-like structure, often used as a shrine.
abstract
To summarize; to get to the essence of something.
bearing
In surveying, a direction stated in degrees, minutes, and seconds as an angular deviation east or west from due north or south.
zoning envelope
The volume within which a building may legally be placed.
drain tile
Clay pipe, usually with open joints, used to convey water away from a footing or to disperse liquid in a septic tank field.
ring pattern
A landuse pattern which is developed in a circle or donut shape.
axis
An imaginary principal line along which forms are arranged or organized. Often, an axial line bisects a form, resulting in symmetry.
transpiration
The process by which water vapor escapes into the atmosphere from plants.
acropolis
A citadel in an ancient Greek city, usually on a plateau.
soil boring log
A log showing the types of soil encountered in a test boring and other relevant information.
personal distance
The space which feels comfortable between one person and another, often thought of as a protective space bubble varying between two and four feet.
setback
The minimum distance from the property line into which a structure may not extend.
plane
A flat or level surface.
storm sewer
A sewer for carrying away surface rain water, as opposed to sanitary sewage.
property line
A legal boundary of a parcel of land.
golden section
A concept of proportion in which a whole is divided so that the ratio of the smaller part is the same as the ratio of the larger part to the whole. Mathematically, C, B = B, A
gradient
The rate of slope between two points on a surface, determined by dividing their vertical difference in elevation by their horizontal distance apart.
comfort zone
The combination of thermal and environmental conditions within which a human is comfortable, often shown on a psychometric chart.
integration
The elimination of segregation or discrimination in public facilities by making such facilities available to persons of all races.
organic
Pertaining to architecture having directness of form and economy of materials, as is common to organisms.
neighborhood
A community of people living in a general area, which can generally support an elementary school.
survey
The process of determining location, form, and boundaries of a parcel of land by measurement, computation, and drawing.
earthwork
Removing and/or adding earth in order to bring the ground surface to a specified elevation or profile. Also called grading.
yard
An open, unoccupied space, other than a court, unobstructed to the sky, on the lot on which a building is situated.
zoning
The legal means whereby land use is regulated and controlled for the welfare of the community.
module
A repetitive dimension used in architectural design and planning.
occupancy
The purpose for which a building is to be used.
deductive reasoning
A logical process in which a conclusion follows necessarily from the premises, as opposed to inductive reasoning.
multiple dwelling
A building containing three or more dwelling units.
utility
A public service, such as telephone, water, gas, or electricity.
environment
The natural and manmade things, conditions, and influences surrounding a person, community, or place.
gazebo
A belvedere or viewing place.
party wall
A wall built astride a property line between two adjoining buildings.
lot area
The total horizontal area within the boundary lines of a parcel of land.
indigenous
Native.
satellite
In urban planning, an outlying community of secondary importance, dependent on a larger city.
spatial invasion
Encroachment on personal space, such as sitting very close to a person on an otherwise empty park bench.
microclimate
The climatic characteristics unique to a very small area.
lane
A part of a highway marked off to carry a single line of moving vehicles.
excavation
The digging or removal of earth.
rake
A slope or incline, as on a roof.
manhole
A hole through which a person can enter a sewer, pipe, conduit, and so on for inspection, repair, or maintenance.
catchment
The geographic area from which participants in an activity are drawn, such as the customers of a shopping center or the employees of a manufacturing plant.
aggression
The violation of the spatial or territorial rights of another, usually by show of force.
order
An arrangement that is neat, efficient, harmonious, and comprehensible.
high-rise apartment
One of many apartment units contained in a multi-floor building and accessible by elevators.
criteria
Standards or rules by which something is tested.
dominance
The hierarchical order in a society by which some individuals or groups control others.
erosion
The gradual wearing away or disintegration of land caused by water, wind, and so on running over its surface.
windbreak
Structures or plants which, because of their form and location, reduce wind velocities.
megalopolis
A group of cities which adjoin to form an urban region.
fire-resistant rating
The time, in hours, that a material or assembly of materials can withstand exposure to fire.
public way
Any street or similar parcel of land, at least 10 feet wide and unobstructed to the sky, which is permanently appropriated to the public for public use.
census
A periodic enumeration of the population, including details of age, sex, occupation, and other data.
status
The societal standing one has relative to others, which serves to determine spatial and social order.
underpass
A road which crosses under another road.
grid pattern
A pattern of circulation named for its shape, consisting of equally spaced streets running perpendicular to each other.
easement
The right held by one party to make limited use of the property of another.
smokeproof enclosure
A required exit which consists of a vestibule and continuous stairway enclosed from the highest point to the lowest point by walls of 2 hour fire-resistive construction and which exits into a public way or an exit passageway leading to a public way.
amenities
The aesthetic or pleasurable features of a place or facility.
humidity
The amount or degree of moisture in an area, a determining element of weather.
conductivity (k)
The rate at which a given material conducts heat, per inch of thickness.
landscaping
The design and arrangement of natural elements on a site.
nodes
Lynch’s term for the central points of reference in a city.
bollard
A stone guard to prevent damage to a wall; also a free standing stone post to divert vehicular traffic.
muntin
A short, secondary member within a window frame, either vertical or horizontal.
style
A specific or characteristic manner of expression or design, in any art, period, or work.
landmark
As used by lynch, a point of reference in a city that cannot be entered into or traversed.
grade
The rate of rise or descent of a sloping surface. Also, to remove and/or add earth in order to bring the ground surface to a specified elevation or profile.
backfill
Earth that is replaced around a foundation or retaining wall after the concrete forms have been removed.
building line
A line, usually parallel to a property line, beyond which a structure may not extend.
aquifer
An underground geological formation through which water flows.
line
The path described by a moving point having position, direction, and length, but no thickness.
frost line
The expected maximum depth of frost penetration in the ground in a given area.
elevation
The height above a known in point of reference, often taken as the height above sea level.
slope
Inclination or slant, especially of the ground surface.
cloverleaf
A type of grade-separated interchange used in highway design, named for its shape.
point
An indication of position having no dimension or area; the intersection of two lines.
spot elevation
The elevation of a specified point on the ground or on a structure.
icon
A sacred picture or object.
wind chill index
A fictitious temperature assigned to a combination of actual temperature and wind velocity which has the same physiological effect as still air at the wind chill index temperature. It is also known as chill factor.
ecosystem
An ecological system, consisting of a community of living organisms and it’s physical environment.
hypothesis
A theory offered as a possible explanation for certain phenomena.
circulation
The flow or movement of people, goods, or vehicles from place to place.
