OBJ 1.1 Flashcards
Azimuth
The horizontal angle at the ground plane measured from compass north to the object.
Altitude
The angle measured up from the ground plane.
NIMBYism
Not in my backyard.
Metes and bounds
Method of describing real property using physical features of the local geography, along with directions and distances.
Transect
Concept drawn from ecology; a progression through a sequence of habitats. Rural-to-urban transect includes a sequence of human habitats of increasing density and complexity.
Bioswale
Shallow and elongated grass-lined channel that is moist or marshy; designed to detain stormwater runoff and remove sediment and other contaminants, while allowing water to seep back into the ground.
Infiltration basin
Closed depression in the earth from which water can only escape back into the soil.
Excavation
Removal of soil to allow construction of foundations and other permanent features below the finished level of the grade.
Rough grading
Involves the movement of soil prior to construction to approximate levels of final grades.
Invert
This is the lowest elevation of the existing public sewer line. It should be established during planning because the effluent must flow from the lowest point where the sewer lines leave the building to the main sewer. The connection of the building sewer line to the main sewer line must occur above the invert of the main line at any given point in order to interfere with free flow.
Wind rose
A circular graphical tool for showing wind speed and direction at a given location.
Prevailing wind
A wind that blows predominantly from one direction at any given location on the Earth’s surface. Global patterns, latitude, terrain, and bodies of water all influence prevailing winds.
Groundwater
Groundwater is the water that is present under the Earth’s soil. It includes water in aquifers, soil moisture, and permafrost. Groundwater, if present, needs to be drained away from buildings.
Water table
The line in the soil below which the ground is saturated.
Soils report
A report that gives an understanding of earth conditions that will affect a building. Typically required in areas with expansive or low-strength soils, where a new foundation may encounter fill, or where lots of site grading needs to be done (aka, geotechnical report).
DU/AC
Dwelling units per acre is a measurement of residential density. Single-family home: up to 10 du/ac. Row houses: 20–40 du/ac. Apartments: 30–105 du/ac.
Heat vs. temperature
Heat is the energy in a substance. Temperature is the measure of the energy in a substance.
Phase I ESA
A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment, or ESA, is a report done to help determine whether a property has been contaminated, and it is the first step in an environmental investigation. An ESA is often done before the sale of a project as a requirement from the lender. It is a thorough visual investigation that addresses the land, any structures, and surrounding properties. It also includes looking up records and reports and conducting interviews to find out prior uses of the property and whether potential environmental hazards exist. Actual sampling of materials like soil or groundwater is not done in a Phase I ESA.
Phase II ESA
A Phase II Environmental Site Assessment is done after a Phase I ESA to assess any of the findings of the Phase I ESA. It includes testing of air, soil, groundwater, or building materials to get definitive answers about contaminants. If contamination is found, another investigation is usually required, along with clean-up.
Bubble diagrams and adjacency matrix are best used for what programming tasks?
Organizing client needs for spatial relationships.
Windward vs. leeward
Windward is the side of where moist air rises; it is the wetter side of the hill. Leeward is the drier side, where dry air descends.
Recharge (groundwater)
Occurs when surface water moves down into the earth to the groundwater. Can be either natural or anthropogenic.
Gabions
A wirework container or “big cage” filled with stone or concrete rubble. Used to protect slopes against erosion, as with retaining walls, noise barriers, and other uses.
Riprap
Large stone or concrete rubble that is used to line shorelines or waterways to protect against erosion.
Ecotone
A zone of transition between two different ecological communities. For example, when there is no hard boundary between a field and a forest.
True or False? Playgrounds are exempt from accessibility regulations.
False.
Rail to trail
Old rail routes have been converted to bike trails in communities throughout the United States since the mid-1980s. They are successful because the grades of the rail lines were already relatively flat, which is good for biking.
Pedestrian vs. vehicular collisions
When vehicle speed is less than 20 mph, the pedestrian is usually not seriously injured. Vehicle speeds of 20–30 mph: serious injuries. Over 30 mph: injuries are often fatal.
Traffic calming
The use of design elements to slow vehicular traffic and bring awareness to drivers. Types include speed bumps; changes in width and grade of the street; and changes in paving material, surface, color, or texture. Speed bumps are effective but undesirable because of damage to snow removal equipment, slowing of emergency vehicles, damage to the speed bump itself, and accessibility issues.
Critical regionalism
An approach to architecture that strives to counter the placelessness and lack of identity of the International Style, while rejecting the whimsical individualism and ornamentation of postmodern architecture. Popularized by architect and urbanist Kenneth Frampton.
