3 Flashcards
ziggurat
A mud-brick stepped pyramid in Mesopotamian sacred architecture.
base
The lowest part of a structure.
biological clock
The inherent system in people that causes regular cycles of function or behavior, such as periods of working, sleeping, and eating.
rhythm
The recurrence of design elements in space.
prefabricated
Constructed off-site in standardized sections for shipment and quick assembly, such as a prefabricated house.
gothic
The Medieval architecture of Western Europe from the 12th to the 16th century; characterized by pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and daring structural forms.
brutalism
An early 1950’s style based on Le Corbusier’s crudely fabricated concrete work in which structural and mechanical elements were often featured.
anthropomorphic
Ascribing human form or attributes to a being or thing not human.
obelisk
A commemorative shaft, square in section, with a small pyramid on top.
guaranteed maximum cost
An amount established in an agreement between an owner and a contractor as the maximum cost of performing specified work.
land coverage
The ratio of the area covered by buildings to the total lot area, expressed as a percentage.
cluster
A type of residential siting in which a series of housing units are grouped closely together and surrounded by open space.
amphitheater
An arena encircled by tiers of seats.
sheet pattern
The shape of an extensive urban area which lacks specific focal points, well-defined routes, or articulated form.
arcade
A group of arches on columns or pillars, which are either freestanding or attached to a wall.
flood plain
The land surrounding a flowing stream over which water spreads when a flood occurs.
trabeated
Construction employing the post-and-beam form, as opposed to the arch form.
synthesis
The combining of separate elements into an entity, as opposed to analysis.
convection
The heat transfer process which occurs when a warm fluid rises, displacing cold fluid which then falls.
zone
An area established by a governing body for a specific use, such as residential, commercial, or industrial.
collector street
A street to which minor streets connect and which leads to a major arterial.
annexation
The acquisition of territory by a municipality.
degree day (dd)
The amount by which the average outdoor temperature at a particular location is below 65 degrees Farenheit for one day. Degree days may also be summed and stated for a month or year.
deed restriction
A clause in a deed which places limitations or conditions on the use of property.
sale and leaseback
A form of leasehold in which the owner of a piece of property recovers the capital invested in the property, but retains the use of the property.
two-family house
A house containing two separate dwelling units, either side-by-side or one above the other.
cut and fill
Earth which is removed (cut) or earth which is added (fill) in grading.
aesthetics
The study of the quality, aspects, and perception of beauty.
housing
The type, arrangement, and quality of dwelling units in a given area.
megalith
A stone of great size, especially in ancient construction.
pad
An approximately level building area.
switchback road
A road that doubles back on itself with a hairpin curve.
Btu
The abbreviation for British thermal unit, a unit of heat energy, which is defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Farenheit.
assembly building
A building or portion thereof used for the gathering together of 50 or more persons.
landform
The shape of the earth’s surface.
flame-spread rating
A numerical classification indicating the rate at which flame will spread over the surface of a given material. Class I materials have the least flame-spread and Class III have the most.
condominium
An apartment building in which the dwelling units are individually owned.
metropolis
The most important city of a country, state, or region; or any large, busy city.
zoning ordinance
A law by which a government regulates and controls the character and use of property.
freeway
A high-speed, multiple-lane highway designed to move traffic smoothly and without interruption. Also called an expressway.
azimuth
A horizontal angle measured clockwise from north or south.
berm
A bank of earth, often piled up against a wall.
mortgage
A legal instrument that pledges property as security for a debt.
cornice
The topmost section of an entablature.
form
The shape, outline, or configuration of a structure. Also, a mold of wood or other material used to contain wet concrete in the required shape until it hardens.
fire wall
A wall resistant to the spread of fire.
swale
A graded flow path used in open drainage systems.
climate
The prevailing or average weather conditions of a place as determined over a number of years.
lot line
The boundary line of a lot.
bay
The unit of space between the supporting columns of a building.
right-of-way
The strip of land in which a railroad or highway runs. Also, the right to pass over another’s property.
analysis
The separation of an entity into its components, so that it may be examined.
paths
Lynch’s term for a city’s circulation routes.
altitude
The angle which the sun makes with the horizon.
star pattern
A pattern of land use developed in the shape of a star.
fast-track
A construction procedure in which construction on each phase of a project is begun as its design is completed, without waiting for the completed project design.
lot
The smallest identifiable parcel of land in a city.
buildable area
The net ground area of a lot which can be covered by a building after required setbacks and other zoning limitations have been accounted for.
planting strip
A landscaped strip of ground between a pedestrian walk and a street.
barrier-free
Having no environmental barriers, thereby permitting free access and circulation by the handicapped.
radial pattern
A circulation pattern in which channels spread out from a central point.
volume
The amount of space, measured in cubic feet or other similar units, occupied by a building or part of a building.
keystone
The wedge-shaped top member of an arch.
block
A division of urban land, normally private property, which is surrounded by public streets, and which is officially established and recorded.
insulating glass
Two sheets of glass with an air space between, to insulate against the passage of heat or sound. Also called double glazing.
contour
An imaginary line on the ground surface connecting all points of equal elevation.
master plan
A long-range, overall plan or concept for an area’s development.
kiosk
A small pavilion, usually in a public space.
crowding
The uncontrolled human contact that results from an absence of physical, social, or psychological barriers, characterized by a lack of privacy.
grading
Removing and/or adding earth in order to bring the ground surface to a specified elevation or profile. Also called earthwork.
conditional use
A use not strictly allowed in zoning ordinance, but permitted if specified conditions are met and if approval is granted by the local governing body.
acoustics
The science of sound and sound control.
linear pattern
A pattern of land use which develops along a line, such as a highway or river.
role
A sociological concept that prescribes the acceptable way an individual should act in specific situations.
resolution
Separating into component parts; reducing to a simpler form.
intaglio
A surface decoration formed by incised carving.
industrial revolution
The 18th century social and economic movement, begun in England, that mechanized the productive process by substituting machine power for hand power.
caisson
A waterproof boxlike structure in which construction work can be performed underwater. Also a pile constructed by pouring concrete into a drilled shaft.
strip development
A long, narrow commercial development usually located along a highway or major street.
harmony
A consistent, orderly, or pleasing arrangement of the elements of a building or other work.
architectural programming
A process leading to the statement of an architectural problem and the requirements to be met in offering a solution.
critical path method (CPM)
A system of planning and scheduling construction operations which analyzes sequences and durations of time using network diagrams.
value engineering
The systematic review of a project design to obtain the best value for the money spent, considering first costs, operating costs, and replacement costs.
alignment
The horizontal or vertical of a highway.
cul-de-sac
A short road with no outlet, serving only those buildings or properties which face it.
floor area ratio (FAR)
The ratio of the gross floor area of a building to the area of the lot.
mastic
A permanently plastic, waterproof, adhesive material used in sealing joints.
discharge
Flow from a culvert, sewer, or other channel.
patio
An open court enclosed by the walls of a building.
water table
The level below which the subsoil is completely saturated with water. Also called the groundwater level.
non-ambulatory
Referring to a disability which makes a person unable to walk and therefore confined to a wheelchair.
facade
The exterior face of a building, usually the front.
superblock
A very large area of land in which all through traffic is eliminated, but which may be penetrated by cul-de-sacs or minor loop roads
housing authority
A public body which provides and manages housing, particularly for low-income families.
bench mark
A relatively permanent surveyor’s mark of known location and elevation.
off-street parking
Space provided for vehicular parking separate from the dedicated street right-of-way.
mullion
A vertical member between windows or doors.
variance
Special permission granted to an owner permitting a deviation from zoning requirements normally applicable to the property in question.
appropriateness
The suitability of a design for a particular purpose or occasion.
court
A space, open and unobstructed to the sky, located at or above grade, and bounded on three or more sides by the walls of a building.
