2 Flashcards
water cycle
The general pattern of movement of the water on, under, and above the earth.
finish grade
The elevation of the ground surface after completion of all work.
street-front pattern
A common housing pattern in which houses and apartments line both sides of the street.
fire-resistive construction
Construction to resist the spread of fire, as specified in the applicable building code.
air rights
The rights to the use or control of the airspace above a property.
frontage
The length of a lot line along a street or other public way.
glare
Extreme contrast between light and dark in the visual field, which can cause discomfort.
access right
The right of an owner to have ingress and egress to and from a property.
run-off
The surface flow of water from an area.
topography
The configuration of the surface features of an area of ground.
single-family house
A dwelling unit comprising an isolated structure on its own plot of ground.
urban renewal
A process of public intervention in the development of an existing urban area, in which a public agency, acquires ownership of property and administers its resale for development to mainly private owners.
scale
The relative measurement of an object, with reference to the dimensions of the human body.
coniferous
Describing cone-bearing evergreen trees and shrubs, such as pine, spruce, for, and cedar.
rotunda
A circular space covered by a dome.
double glazing
Two sheets of glass with an air space between, to insulate against the passage of heat or sound. Also called insulating glass.
intersection
The point at which two streets come together or cross.
plot
A parcel of land.
proportion
The relationships of the sizes of building elements.
conforming use
Lawful use of a building or lot that complies with the provisions of the applicable zoning ordinance.
evergreen
Trees having green leaves throughout the year, as opposed to deciduous.
space
The three-dimensional expanse, generally enclosed by building elements, which accommodates human activity.
occupant load
The total number of persons that may occupy a building or portion thereof at any one time.
ingress
An entrance.
deciduous
Trees which shed their leaves annually, as opposed to evergreens.
row house
One of a continuous row of houses having a uniform plan and appearance and often sharing party walls.
caulking
A compound used to seal the joint between two materials or surfaces.
mass
A three-dimensional volume that has density and bulk.
urban ecology
The study of the relationship between people and the urban environment in which they live.
renaissance
The European movement, extending from the 14th to the 17th century, in which classic architecture was reintroduced and became the basis for a new style.
court pattern
A housing pattern in which units face into a common open space.
territoriality
The behavior by which an organism, human or animal, lays claim to an area and defends it against members of its own and other species.
duplex
A two-story apartment or house containing two separate dwelling units, either side-by-side or one above the other.
functional
Capable of serving the purpose for which it was designed.
fair housing
Nondiscrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing.
subdivision
The division of vacant land into smaller parcels to be used as sites for individual buildings, together with public rights-of-way affecting these sites.
balance
Aesthetic equilibrium produced by the proportioning of the elements of a building.
premise
A statement supporting or helping to support a conclusion.
sewer
An underground pipe or drain used to carry off rain water (storm sewer) or waste matter (sanitary sewer).
piloti
The French term for the columns that raise a building off the ground, as used by Le Corbusier.
building code
A code regulating the design and construction of buildings, adopted and enforced by a government agency.
white noise
Innocuous background noise used to mask objectionable sounds.
industrial park
An area of land designed for industrial uses and developed as a unit.
international style
The form of modern architecture developed in the 1920’s and 1930’s, characterized by cubistic forms, white surfaces, and large areas of glass and steel Windows.
datum
A horizontal plane elevation used as a reference for other elevations in surveying and mapping.
exit
A continuous and unobstructed means of egress to a public way generally with a minimum width of 44 inches.
districts
A term used by Lynch to describe sections of the environment having an identifying character.
bikeway
A road or path reserved for bicycle traffic.
basilica
In Roman architecture, an oblong building used for public administration, from which early Christian churches evolved.
population density
The number of people or families per unit of area.
rehabilitation
The restoration or substantial improvement of a building.
assimilation
The process of absorbing or incorporating an element into an established design system.
groundwater level
The level below which the subsoil is completely saturated with water. Also called the water table.
improved land
Land on which buildings have not yet been constructed, but which contains utilities and streets.
stoa
A portico used in Greek Architecture, often as a covered meeting place or promenade.
texture
The characteristic visual and tactile quality of a surface.
morphology
The study of the form or structure of anything.
expressway
A high-speed, multiple-lane highway designed to move traffic smoothly and without interruption. Also called a freeway.
spatial defense
Behavior intended to protect a specific territory by means of particular positions, postures, or gestures, such as placing one’s coat over the adjacent seat.
exedra
A semicircular open area, with or without a roof, providing a continuous seat.
louver
An assembly of sloping, overlapping slats, fixed or adjustable, which excludes rain but admits air and/or light.
hybrid
Composed of design elements originally derived from diverse sources or styles.
latitude
The number of degrees north or south of the equator of a point on the earth’s surface.
ecology
The study of the total pattern of relations between a community of organisms and its environment.
channelization
The separation of traffic lanes by the use of islands or dividers.
furring
Wood or metal strips used to make a plane surface; also a cavity within a wall or ceiling.
design
The organization of the elements of a building or other work to achieve a desired result.
iconographic
Pertaining to symbolic representation of ideas or subjects by means of images.
occupancy group
A designation for a group of several occupancies which have comparable fire safety considerations, and which are therefore grouped together by code.
local access street
A street which carries relatively low traffic and provides access to low-intensity uses which front on it.
symmetry
A balanced arrangement of elements on either side of a dividing line or plane.
palazzo
A palace.
nave
The main longitudinal portion of a church.
baffle
A partial obstruction against flow, in a duct or pipe.
noncombustible
A material of which no part will ignite and burn when subjected to fire.
modular
A system composed of standardized units or sections used for simplified construction or flexibility.
joint tenancy
Equal and undivided ownership of property by two or more persons that upon the death of one, interest passes to the survivor(s).
drainage
The process of controlling, collecting, transporting, and disposing of excess water.
way
A street, alley, or other thoroughfare or easement permanently established for passage of persons or vehicles.
concave
Hollow and curved inward, such as the inside surface of a hollow sphere.
police power
The legal power of a government to authorize actions which are in the best interest of the general public.
cella
The inner enclosed room of an ancient temple.
catch basin
A sievelike device at the entrance to a storm sewer which traps matter that could block the sewer.
deed
A legal document which is used to transfer property title from one party to another.
unity
The state of being a harmonious combination of elements.
grade separation
The intersection of two roads at different levels so that vehicles may move from one road to the other without crossing the stream of traffic. Also called interchange.
test boring
A hole drilled into the ground at the site of a proposed structure in order to obtain samples of the subsurface soil for examination and testing in a laboratory. Based on these tests, the soils engineer recommends the type of foundation and the allowable soil bearing pressure.
dew point
The temperature of air at which the water contained in the air begins to condense and form dew. It is therefore the temperature at which the air is at 100% relative humidity.
interchange
The intersection of two roads at different levels so that vehicles may move from one road to the other without crossing the stream of traffic. Also called grade separation.
multiple nuclei theory
A theory suggesting that the land use patterns of some cities are not developed around a single core, but rather around several distinct nuclei.
curvilinear pattern
A circulation pattern comprised of curves, which closely follows the contours of the land.
parti
The general scheme for the design of a building.
convex
Curved outward, such as the outside surface of a sphere.
cooperative
An apartment building owned by a corporation in which shares are sold, entitling the shareholders to occupy dwelling units in the building.
abutment
A buttressing or supporting structure.
Radburn
A community in New Jersey, planned by Henry Wright and Clarence Stein, in which superblocks were surrounded by roads, and all pedestrian paths bridged over or passed under the roads.
orientation
The location of an object in relation to the points of the compass; also, the ability to locate oneself in the environment with regard to time and place.
construction management
A procedure in which an owner contracts with a construction manager (CM), who is generally responsible for control of a project’s time, cost, and quality.
rational
Describing a design based on reason, sound judgement, or logical good sense.
arch
A curved structure composed of wedge-shaped elements, used to span an opening.
