Architectural elements

See also Church architectural elements

A

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  Acroterion, architectural ornament on plinth

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  Aedicula, small shrine

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  Aisle, a space for walking with rows of seats on either side

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  Alfiz, rectangular frame around an arch

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  Ante-fixae, ornament at the eaves of a building covering the ends of the joint tiles of the roof

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  Apse, a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault.

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  Arcade, passage or walkway covered over by a succession of arches or vaults supported by columns.

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  Arch, opening in a building that is curved on top.

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  Architrave, moulded or ornamental band framing a rectangular opening

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  Arcosolium, arched recess used as a burial place in a catacomb.

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  Arris, the sharp edge formed by the intersection of two surfaces

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  Arrow slit, or called Balistraria, thin vertical aperture in a fortification

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  Ashlar, dressed stone work of any type of stone.

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  Atlas, a support sculpted in the form of a man, which may take the place of a column, a pier or a pilaster

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  Atrium, a large open space, often several stories high and having a glazed roof and/or large windows

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  Attic, a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house

B

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  Ball flower, an architectural ornament in the form of a ball inserted in the cup of a flower

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  Baluster, a moulded shaft standing on a unifying footing and supporting the coping of a parapet or the handrail of a staircase.

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  Balcony, a platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade

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  Barrel vault, an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve (or pair of curves, in the case of a pointed barrel vault) along a given distance

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  Bartizan, or guerite is an overhanging, wall-mounted turret projecting from the walls of medieval fortifications.

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  Battlement, a low wall around the top of a castle, or wall with gaps for shooting through

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  Bay, the distance between two supports of a vault or the unit of an opening and its framing on a façade

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  Blind arcade, an arcade that is composed of a series of arches that has no actual openings and that is applied to the surface of a wall as a decorative element

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  Blind arch, an arch found in the wall of a building which has been infilled with solid construction so it cannot serve as a passageway, door, or window

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  Bossage, a stone in a building, left rough and projecting.

C

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  Cable railings. Safety rails that use horizontal or vertical cables in place of spindles, glass, mesh etc. for infill.

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  Camber beam. A piece of timber cut archwise, or with an obtuse angle in the middle, commonly used in platforms, as church leads, and other occasions where long and strong beams are required.

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  Coffer. A sunken panel in the shape of a square, rectangle, or octagon in a ceiling, soffit or vault. (images)

P

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  Pergola. A garden feature forming a shaded walk or passageway of pillars that support cross-beams and a sturdy open lattice, upon which woody vines are trained.

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  Porch. A structure attached to a building, forming a covered entrance to a vestibule or doorway.

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  Portico. A porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls.

W

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  Wall anchor