Architecture Glossary

The art and discipline of designing, organizing, and constructing spaces intended for human use.

Professional responsible for designing an architectural project and, depending on their assignment, overseeing its execution.

Document defining a project's needs, uses, areas, constraints, and objectives.

Guiding idea that organizes the spatial, formal, and construction choices of a project.

Organization of volumes, spaces, axes, proportions, and relationships that form an architectural whole.

Horizontal representation of a building obtained by a conventional section at a given height.

Vertical representation showing the internal organization, levels, and relationships between volumes.

Orthographic representation of a façade or side of a building.

Exterior face of a building, generally defined by its orientation or principal role.

Portion of space bounded by built forms.

Perception of an architectural volume as a solid and relatively compact whole.

Unbuilt or hollowed-out space that contributes to the architectural composition.

Regular network of axes used to organize structure, façades, or spaces.

Repeated dimensional unit serving as a basis for design and coordination.

Repeating portion of a building between two supports or two structural axes.

Real or imaginary line used to organize a composition.

Organization in which elements correspond across an axis, point, or plane.

Deliberately non-symmetrical composition based on another form of visual or spatial balance.

Dimensional relationship between parts of a building or between a part and the whole.

Relationship of size between a space, an object, a representation, and human perception.

Organization of spaces according to their importance, use, or degree of accessibility.

Succession of spaces designed as a progression of perceptions and uses.

Set of horizontal and vertical routes that allow movement through a building.

Organization of functional relationships between rooms, spaces, and circulation routes.

Positioning of a building or space in relation to the cardinal directions, sun, views, or site.

Position of a building on a plot and the relationship it maintains with its surroundings.

Maximum volume or dimensional envelope permitted or planned for a construction.

Regulatory or compositional line along which a construction may be positioned.

Distance left between a building and a plot boundary, road, or another building.

Large central interior space, often extending over several levels and sometimes covered by a glazed roof.

Interior courtyard generally open to the sky and surrounded by the building.

Open space enclosed or partly enclosed by buildings.

Recess arranged within a room to accommodate a particular use.

Recess formed in a wall, often intended to hold an object or decorative element.

Part of a building that projects beyond the main plane of a façade.

Part of a building set back from the main plane of a façade.

Lateral building section attached to a main body.

Small freestanding building or distinct part of an architectural complex.

Structure or platform designed to provide an open view.

First graphic expression of an architectural intention, still open-ended and exploratory.

Phase in which the project is refined in terms of volumes, areas, technical solutions, and costs.

Design stage that establishes the main arrangements of a project without detailing its full execution.

Stage that consolidates architectural, technical, and economic choices before execution studies.

Overall drawing showing the building, plot, access points, and main external works.

Plan showing the organization of a particular storey or level.

Plan showing the form, slopes, projections, and drainage points of a roof.

Document locating a plot or project within its geographical surroundings.

Large-scale drawing specifying an assembly or construction detail.

Precise representation of how several materials or building elements meet.

Parallel three-dimensional representation that shows all three dimensions without converging perspective.

Type of axonometric projection in which the three principal axes are represented at the same scale.

Representation of a space that conveys a sense of depth close to human vision.

Representation in which one face remains frontal while depth is shown by parallel oblique lines.

Perspective in which lines of depth converge toward a single vanishing point.

Perspective in which two sets of horizontal lines converge toward two distinct vanishing points.

Reduced physical or digital representation of a building, space, or detail.

Model representing the project within its urban, landscape, or topographic context.

Image produced to represent the future or hypothetical appearance of a project.

Image combining photography and a representation of the project to assess its integration into the site.

Area of a technical drawing containing the document's identification information.

Indication of the dimensions required to understand or execute a drawing.

Drawn reference that allows distances to be measured even if the document is enlarged or reduced.

System explaining the symbols, colors, hatching, or abbreviations used on a document.

Graphic pattern used to distinguish a material, a cut area, or a type of construction element.

Value indicating the height of a point relative to a defined reference.

Code or symbol used to identify an element on drawings and locate it in other documents.

Defined unit of land serving as the site for a building or development.

Vertical projection of a building's volume onto the ground.

Description and representation of a site's relief, slopes, and levels.

Map line connecting points at the same elevation.

Sloping ground surface created naturally or by earthworks.

Soil or material removed during earthworks.

Material added to raise, fill, or shape ground.

Set of works that modify the ground profile before or during construction.

Set of roads and facilities intended for circulation.

Technical networks serving a plot: water, electricity, telecommunications, sewerage, and other utilities.

French abbreviation for roads and utility networks, referring to external servicing works for a construction project.

Systems for collecting, conveying, and treating wastewater and stormwater.

Water from precipitation collected from roofs, ground, and developed surfaces.

Water discharged from domestic, sanitary, or professional uses.

Vegetated depressions designed to slow, infiltrate, or temporarily store stormwater.

Structure that temporarily stores water in order to limit discharge flow rates.

Part of a city bounded by streets and comprising several plots or buildings.

Continuity formed by aligned façades along a public space.

Vacant plot or unbuilt space interrupting an already established urban fabric.

Ratio between built quantity, population, or housing units and a reference area.

Presence of several uses—housing, retail, work, facilities—within the same area or building.

Space accessible to everyone and intended for collective use.

Open space laid out in front of the entrance to an important building.

Route designed for walking and discovering a site.

Perceived whole formed by the natural, built, and cultural characteristics of a territory.

Discipline concerned with designing outdoor spaces, ground surfaces, planting, and landscape uses.

Network of vegetated spaces contributing to ecological continuity and urban uses.

Network associated with waterways, wetlands, and aquatic ecological continuity.

Part of a structure that transfers the building loads to the ground.

Foundation located near the surface when the bearing soil is sufficiently strong.

Foundation placed beneath a column or point support.

Continuous foundation placed beneath a load-bearing wall or line of supports.

Thick foundation slab that distributes a building's loads over a large area.

Foundation that transfers loads to deep, resistant soil layers.

Deep vertical element designed to transfer loads to the ground through end bearing, shaft friction, or both.

Small-diameter pile used especially for underpinning or on constrained sites.

Horizontal beam linking foundations or supporting walls between several supports.

Lower part of a construction located between the foundations and the elevation walls.

Layer of compacted aggregate beneath a ground slab, providing stability, drainage, and a capillary break.

Horizontal concrete element resting directly or indirectly on the ground.

Ventilated space between the natural ground and the lowest floor of a building.

Study of soil characteristics used to determine foundation conditions and geological risks.

Ability of a soil or element to support a load without failure or excessive settlement.

Downward movement of soil or a foundation under loading.

Difference in settlement between several parts of a building that may cause cracking or deformation.

Works intended to strengthen or modify the foundations of an existing building.

Drainage pipe laid near foundations to remove water present in the soil.

Structure that retains soil where there is a difference in ground level.

Concrete wall constructed in a deep trench, often used for retaining structures and infrastructure.

Metal profile driven or vibrated into the ground to form a retaining or watertight wall.

Temporary structure designed to keep water out of a construction area.

Set of elements that carry and transfer the loads of a building.

Permanent weight of construction elements and fixed equipment.

Variable load associated with occupancy, furniture, and building use.

Action caused in particular by snow, wind, or climatic variations.

Analysis of the path followed by forces from upper elements down to the foundations.

Element that contributes to stability and carries loads.

Wall with a structural function that supports vertical or horizontal loads.

Slender vertical element that primarily transfers compressive loads.

Massive vertical support, often made of masonry or stone.

Vertical support, generally cylindrical or associated with the architectural orders.

Horizontal or inclined element working mainly in bending.

Horizontal structural element forming a floor or roof.

Thin vertical wall, usually of concrete, that provides load-bearing capacity and often lateral stability.

Structure composed of rigidly connected columns and beams.

Element fixed at one end and free at the other.

Part of a structure extending beyond its support without direct support at its end.

System that provides structural stability against horizontal forces.

Bracing formed by two crossed diagonals.

Element working mainly in tension to restrain or connect parts of a structure.

Compression element that maintains spacing between two walls or support points.

Temporary support used to carry a load during construction work.

Continuous element reinforcing the cohesion of masonry or a structural assembly.

Designed discontinuity that allows movement caused by thermal variations or deformation.

Structural separation allowing two parts of a structure to move independently.

Vertical deformation of an element under load.

Force tending to shorten an element.

Force tending to elongate an element.

Deformation of an element subjected to moments that curve its axis.

Force tending to make two adjacent parts of a material slide relative to one another.

Action that tends to rotate the cross-sections of an element around its axis.

Technique of assembling elements such as stone, brick, or blocks, with or without mortar.

Organized arrangement of stones or bricks forming masonry.

Horizontal row of stones or bricks in a wall.

Stone squared and precisely dressed for use in construction.

Small masonry stone that is roughly or only partly dressed.

Masonry filling made of irregular stones embedded in mortar.

Masonry technique without mortar in which stones are fitted together by stacking.

Manufactured element, generally of fired clay, used for walls, partitions, or facing.

Molded unfired-earth brick dried in the air.

Building technique using plastic raw earth, often mixed with plant fibers.

Technique of compacting damp earth between formwork.

Mixture of earth and fibers applied to a lightweight framework.

Manufactured concrete block used to build walls and partitions.

Modular solid or hollow concrete element intended for masonry.

Mixture of binder, fine aggregate, and water used for bonding or coating.

Hydraulic binder that hardens after mixing with water.

Mineral binder used in mortars, renders, and masonry.

Space or material providing a connection or separation between two elements.

Finishing or filling operation for masonry joints.

Coating applied to a substrate to protect, level, or decorate it.

Render finish generally having a rough or sprayed texture.

Visible face of a wall or material added to form that face.

Treatment of façade stones in which their faces project beyond the joints.

Reinforced or emphasized masonry arrangement at the corner of a building.

Alternating arrangement of stones or bricks that bonds two walls together.

Stone or brick laid with its greater length extending through the wall thickness.

Stone or brick laid with its long face parallel to the wall face.

Member that transfers loads around an opening or local interruption.

Composite material made primarily of cement, water, sand, and aggregates.

Concrete containing steel reinforcement to resist, in particular, tensile forces.

Concrete in which tendons or reinforcement are tensioned to improve structural performance.

Concrete containing fibers intended to improve certain mechanical properties.

Highly fluid concrete capable of filling formwork without significant mechanical vibration.

Concrete whose finished appearance is designed as a visible part of the architecture.

Concrete left visible after formwork removal, without a finish concealing its surface.

Concrete whose surface is treated to expose the aggregates.

Concrete formulated to reduce its carbon footprint compared with conventional mixes.

Bar, mesh, or tendon embedded in concrete to resist forces.

Set of reinforcement bars and the operation of placing them.

Temporary or permanent mold that gives fresh concrete its shape.

Large formwork panel used in particular for casting concrete walls.

Removal of formwork after the concrete has hardened sufficiently.

Measures taken to maintain conditions favorable to concrete hydration and hardening.

Thickness of concrete between reinforcement and the outer surface of the element.

Manufacture of building elements in a factory or workshop before assembly on site.

Thin precast element serving as formwork and as part of the structural floor slab.

Precast panel forming part of the formwork and wall of a concrete wall system.

Infill element placed between joists in certain floor systems.

Small repetitive beam used notably in floor systems.

Load-bearing framework, generally of timber or metal, supporting in particular a roof.

Main triangulated roof frame assembly supporting the purlins.

Inclined member of a truss following the roof slope.

Horizontal member connecting the feet of the principal rafters and limiting their spread.

Horizontal member placed above the main tie beam in certain trusses.

Central vertical member of a roof truss.

Inclined compression member reinforcing a truss or supporting a framing element.

Inclined member connecting a vertical support to a beam to strengthen them.

Horizontal roof-framing member supporting rafters.

Purlin located at the top of the roof.

Longitudinal member at the lower part of a roof slope that receives the rafters.

Inclined member supporting battens or roof decking.

Small timber member fixed to rafters and supporting certain roofing materials.

Thin board laid over roof framing to form a continuous roof-supporting surface.

Assembly of laths forming a lightweight support for roofing, render, or other work.

Construction system in which loads are carried by a network of timber studs and rails.

Vertical member of a lightweight frame.

Horizontal member connecting studs.

Repeated horizontal member supporting a floor or ceiling.

Beam made of glued timber laminations, allowing large dimensions and spans.

Mass timber panel made of crossed and bonded layers of wood.

Wood used as pieces obtained directly by sawing, without major reconstitution.

Framing joint in which a projecting tenon fits into a corresponding mortise.

Joint made by removing part of the thickness of two pieces so that they fit together.

Technique of clamping a member between two parallel members.

Set of diagonals or panels providing stability to a timber frame.

Load-bearing structure made primarily from steel sections or other metals.

Iron-based alloy used for structures, reinforcement, envelopes, and connections.

High-carbon ferrous alloy historically used for columns, cast components, and ornament.

Metal element manufactured with a constant cross-section suited to structural use.

I-shaped steel section with tapered flanges, historically common in construction.

European I-section with parallel flanges.

Wide-flange steel section, relatively light within the HE family.

Wide-flange steel section heavier than an HEA of comparable depth.

L-shaped metal section.

Circular, square, or rectangular hollow section used as a load-bearing member.

Structure composed of bars assembled into triangles to span large distances.

Beam made of chords and diagonals forming a triangulated system.

Zone where several structural members meet and transfer forces.

Mechanical connection using bolts.

Permanent process for joining metal parts by fusion or an equivalent method.

Connection using rivets, common in historic metal structures.

Metal plate providing a connection or distributing forces between elements.

Plate used to connect several bars in a metal structure.

Profiled sheet steel used as roofing, cladding, or as part of a composite floor.

Floor system generally combining profiled steel decking and a concrete slab acting together.

Chemical or electrochemical degradation of a metal caused by its environment.

Protection of steel by applying a zinc coating.

Set of elements covering a building and protecting it from the weather.

Outer layer of a roof whose main function is to shed water.

Roof composed of two slopes meeting at a ridge.

Roof with four sloping sides.

Very low-pitched roof, accessible or not, treated with a waterproofing system.

Double-pitched roof with a steep lower slope and a shallower upper slope.

Single-slope roof attached to a wall or covering a secondary structure.

Small two-slope roof, often used over a gable, dormer, or crowning element.

Upper line where two opposite roof slopes meet.

External ridge formed by the intersection of two roof slopes.

Internal angle formed by the meeting of two roof slopes.

Lower edge of a roof slope where water is collected or discharged.

Lateral edge of a roof slope.

Part of the roof projecting beyond the plane of the façade.

Steep lower part of a mansard roof.

Shallow-pitched upper part of a mansard roof.

Roofing element, often made of clay or concrete, laid with overlapping joints.

Thin stone split into sheets and used as roofing material.

Metal commonly used for roofing, gutters, and waterproofing details.

Small roofing element made of wood, bitumen, or composite material and laid with overlaps.

Traditional wooden shingle used for certain roofs and façades.

Set of materials and processes preventing water penetration.

Continuous flexible or semi-rigid layer providing watertightness to a roof or wall.

Waterproofing detail formed at the junction between a roof and a wall or penetration.

Waterproofing assembly surrounding a roof penetration such as a chimney.

Channel integrated into the construction to collect roof water.

Channel generally attached to the roof edge to collect rainwater.

Vertical pipe carrying water collected by gutters or box gutters.

Raised perimeter element at the edge of a flat roof.

Vertical opening formed in a roof and covered by a small projecting roof structure.

Type of dormer whose small roof has a slope opposite or distinct from that of the main roof.

Roof structure providing light, ventilation, or access.

Glazed roof or façade assembly providing abundant natural light.

Set of walls and assemblies separating interior spaces from the outdoor environment.

Vertical wall forming an external boundary of the building.

Lightweight non-load-bearing façade fixed to the building structure.

Non-load-bearing envelope made of low-mass elements attached to the structure.

Façade with a ventilated air cavity behind the exterior cladding.

Envelope formed by two layers separated by an intermediate ventilated or buffer space.

Exterior covering attached to a façade to protect and finish it.

Exterior facing system combining a cladding layer and generally thermal insulation.

Solution in which continuous exterior insulation wraps the building structure.

Thermal insulation applied to the exterior face of walls.

Thermal insulation applied to the interior side of walls.

Visible lower part of a façade, often treated differently to resist impact and moisture.

Continuous horizontal element that articulates or protects a façade.

Projecting horizontal crowning element generally located at the top of a façade.

Slightly projecting vertical band that articulates a façade without a major load-bearing function.

Flat vertical support or motif engaged in a wall and inspired by a column.

Section of wall between two closely spaced openings.

Part of a wall located below a window.

Wall thickness and splay around an opening.

Vertical lateral face of an opening within the thickness of the wall.

Horizontal element spanning an opening and carrying the loads above it.

Lower element of an opening supporting the window frame and helping drain water.

Raised feature on a window sill that helps prevent water infiltration beneath the frame.

Fixed or movable external device limiting direct solar gains.

Traditional perforated screen filtering light and views while allowing ventilation.

Openwork wall that separates spaces while partially allowing light and air through.

Perforated envelope or fine structure superimposed on a façade.

Opening formed in a wall for passage, lighting, or ventilation.

Simulated or blocked opening designed as a compositional element.

Glazed framed opening providing light, views, and ventilation.

Movable element used to close or open a passage.

Glazed opening extending to floor level and allowing passage.

Fixed or opening section located above a door or window.

Small circular or oval opening.

Window, often round or oval, used notably in façades or roofs.

Large circular opening decorated with tracery, characteristic especially of Gothic architecture.

Narrow opening terminating in a pointed arch.

Window divided into two openings by a small column or mullion.

Vertical stone, timber, or metal member dividing an opening.

Horizontal element dividing a window or opening.

Fixed frame of a door or window secured to the structural opening.

Movable part of a window or door assembly.

Pivoting movable panel of a door or window.

Movable part of a door, window, or gate.

Fixed or movable frame holding glazing or a panel.

Set of glass panes incorporated into an opening.

Glazing made of two panes of glass separated by a gas- or air-filled cavity.

Glazing made of three panes of glass separated by two insulating cavities.

Safety glazing made of glass sheets bonded by an interlayer.

Glass heat-treated to increase its strength and alter its fracture behavior.

Joinery system in which one or more leaves move laterally.

Window that can swing inward or tilt partially for ventilation.

Glazed volume projecting from a façade and supported without direct contact with the ground.

Oriel whose plan has a projecting curved or polygonal shape.

Device made of adjustable slats used to control light, views, and ventilation.

Horizontal construction separating two levels and supporting occupancy loads.

Floor structure made mainly of joists and boarding or panels.

Floor whose main load-bearing element is reinforced or prestressed concrete.

Floor made of joists, infill blocks, and a compression slab.

Reinforced-concrete slab cast continuously through its full thickness.

Precast element containing longitudinal voids to reduce its weight.

Layer of mortar or equivalent material intended to receive a floor finish.

Screed separated from the structure by a resilient or insulating layer.

Thin layer intended to correct the flatness of a substrate.

Visible finishing layer applied over a floor.

Floor covering made of wood or wood-derived elements.

Finish composed of tiles laid on a substrate.

Finish made of mineral fragments bound in a matrix and then polished.

Flexible floor covering such as linoleum, PVC, or certain rubbers.

Strip protecting the junction between the floor and the bottom of a wall.

Visible upper surface of an interior space.

Secondary ceiling installed below the structure or floor above.

False ceiling carried by a framework hung from the upper support.

Technical space located, in particular, between a suspended ceiling and the floor above.

Visible underside of a floor slab, balcony, or horizontal structure.

Curved surface beneath a vault or around certain openings.

Construction made of steps used to overcome a difference in level.

Horizontal surface on which the foot is placed on a stair.

Vertical face between two successive treads.

Usable horizontal distance between successive stair nosings.

Projecting edge at the front of a stair tread.

Uninterrupted series of steps between two landings.

Horizontal platform at the start, end, or between two flights of stairs.

Landing that interrupts a long flight of stairs.

Inclined lateral or central member supporting stair treads.

Stair support cut to the profile of the steps.

Clear vertical height available above a stair tread or walking line.

Usable width of a staircase between its lateral limits.

Theoretical line following the usual path taken by a user on a staircase.

Staircase whose flights follow a straight direction.

Staircase changing direction by approximately 90 degrees.

Staircase with two main flights running in opposite directions.

Staircase winding around an open void or central core.

Helical staircase organized around a central newel or core.

Inclined element allowing a difference in level to be overcome without steps.

Continuous element intended to be grasped to make movement safer.

Protective barrier preventing falls from a height.

Motorized device for the vertical transport of people or loads.

Vertical transport device primarily intended for goods.

Mechanical staircase whose steps move continuously.

Opening formed in a floor for a stair, elevator, or service passage.

Set of works that make a building habitable or usable after the main structure is complete.

Interior wall, generally non-load-bearing, used to separate spaces.

Lightweight partition made with a frame and boards, without significant wet masonry work.

Gypsum-faced panel used for partitions, linings, and ceilings.

Secondary lining added to a wall for insulation, finishing, or integration of services.

Secondary wall built in front of an existing wall.

Set of interior timber or similar works: doors, trims, storage, and other elements.

Interior wood covering or decorative treatment applied to a wall.

Cladding made of boards or panels installed on a wall or ceiling.

Covering added to conceal, protect, or finish an element.

Non-structural enclosure concealing a duct, structural element, or piece of equipment.

Elevated floor creating a technical void beneath the walking surface.

Furniture designed as a fixed or coordinated part of the interior architecture.

Set of cabinets and equipment designed as a coordinated system within a space.

Equipment related to water use and hygiene, such as a basin, shower, bathtub, or toilet.

Ceramic wall covering commonly used in wet rooms.

Liquid coating applied to a substrate to protect, decorate, or alter its appearance.

Decorative covering supplied in strips and adhered to a wall.

Treatment of sound propagation and perception within enclosed spaces.

Set of signs and devices used to guide, inform, or identify spaces.

Set of techniques used to reduce heat transfer through the building envelope.

Material with low thermal conductivity.

Ability of a material to conduct heat.

Ability of a material layer to resist heat flow.

Area of the envelope where thermal resistance is locally lower.

Ability of a material or building to store and later release heat.

Time required for a temperature variation to pass through a wall assembly.

Ability of the envelope to limit uncontrolled air leakage.

Layer that limits the passage of water vapor through an assembly.

Membrane that regulates water-vapor transfer without blocking it completely.

Movement of water through small pores under the effect of surface forces.

Migration of moisture from the ground into walls by capillary action.

Change of water vapor into liquid water when temperature and humidity conditions cause saturation.

Temperature at which air reaches saturation and condensation may occur.

Controlled or natural renewal of indoor air.

Air renewal driven by wind, pressure differences, or thermal buoyancy.

French term for controlled mechanical ventilation using powered equipment to renew indoor air.

Mechanical system that extracts stale air while fresh air enters through dedicated inlets.

System providing both supply and extract ventilation while recovering part of the heat from outgoing air.

State of occupant satisfaction with the thermal environment.

Quality of a space in terms of noise, speech intelligibility, and reverberation.

Reduction of sound transmission between two spaces.

Ability of a material or device to reduce reflected sound energy.

Persistence of sound in a space after the source has stopped.

Duration characterizing the decay of sound level in a room.

Treatment intended to improve sound quality within a space.

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning: systems that provide thermal comfort and air renewal.

System that produces or distributes heat within a building.

System that primarily controls indoor air temperature and sometimes humidity.

Machine that transfers heat from a colder environment to a warmer one using an energy input.

Appliance producing heat for space heating or hot water.

Network of pipes carrying cold water, hot water, or heat-transfer fluid.

Set of installations related to water supply and drainage.

Vertical pipe or service route distributing a fluid or service between several floors.

Vertical pipe used notably to discharge wastewater.

Reserved vertical or horizontal space for building services and technical equipment.

Room dedicated to equipment required for the operation of a building.

Assembly containing protection devices and electrical distribution circuits.

Electrical networks primarily intended for energy supply.

Networks for communications, security, data, control, or signaling.

Building technical management system supervising and controlling several technical systems.

Centralized supervision system for technical installations.

Automation and control of equipment in a dwelling.

System detecting smoke, heat, or other signs of fire.

Automatic fire-suppression device that discharges water when a set temperature is reached.

Set of systems used to remove smoke and heat in the event of fire.

French term for a fixed fire hose reel intended for first response to a fire.

Use of daylight to illuminate spaces.

Lighting produced by electric light sources.

Amount of light falling on a surface, expressed in lux.

Codified system combining column, capital, proportions, and entablature.

Classical order characterized by a robust expression and a simple capital.

Classical order recognizable especially by the volutes of its capital.

Classical order whose capital is richly decorated, especially with acanthus leaves.

Order of Roman or Renaissance origin, simplified and robust.

Roman order combining, notably, Ionic volutes and Corinthian decoration.

Regular series of columns forming an architectural ensemble.

Colonnade surrounding a building or space.

Upper platform of the base of an ancient temple on which the columns stand.

Molded lower part of a column.

Main vertical part of a column between base and capital.

Upper element of a column receiving the entablature or an arch.

Upper slab of a capital on which the supported element rests.

Small rounded molding, notably used at the junction between shaft and capital.

Horizontal assembly resting on columns and classically composed of architrave, frieze, and cornice.

Lower part of the entablature, directly supported by the columns.

Horizontal band located within an entablature or used as continuous decoration.

Crowning element, often triangular or curved, placed above a façade or opening.

Surface enclosed within a pediment or between an arch and its framing.

Ornament placed at the edge of an ancient roof to conceal or terminate roof tiles.

Small projecting element supporting or decorating a cornice.

Projecting element appearing to support a cornice, balcony, or other architectural feature.

Projecting or recessed profile used to articulate and decorate a surface.

Convex molding shaped like a half-cylinder or ring.

Deep concave molding used notably in classical bases.

Concave quarter-circle molding.

Convex molding corresponding approximately to a quarter circle.

Repeated ovoid decorative motif used in certain classical moldings.

Decoration formed by a series of small rectangular blocks beneath a cornice.

Masonry treatment emphasizing the visual weight of joints and stone blocks.

Sculpted male figure used as an architectural support.

Sculpted female figure serving as support for an entablature or load.

Ornament composed of vegetal, geometric, or interlaced motifs.

Sculpture with shallow projection that remains attached to its background.

Sculpture whose forms project strongly from the background.

Curved structure spanning an opening and transferring loads to its supports.

Arch forming approximately a half-circle.

Arch formed by two curves meeting at a point.

Arch with a low rise in relation to its span.

Arch whose curve extends beyond a semicircle.

Flattened arch composed of several centers of curvature.

Arch built above an opening to transfer loads toward its sides.

Transverse arch reinforcing or separating vault bays.

Arch located at the junction of a vault and a longitudinal wall.

External arch transferring the thrust of a vault to a buttress or pier.

Stone or brick unit forming part of an arch or vault.

Voussoir cut to form part of an arch.

Central voussoir placed at the crown of an arch or vault.

Inner concave surface of an arch or vault.

Outer convex surface of an arch or vault.

Zone where the curvature of an arch or vault begins.

Vertical part supporting an arcade, lintel, or vault.

Curved structure covering a space and transferring its loads to supports.

Continuous vault generated by extending an arch.

Vault resulting from the intersection of two barrel vaults.

Vault whose main edges are reinforced by diagonal ribs.

Diagonal arch forming part of the structure of a Gothic vault.

Arch or projecting element reinforcing a vault.

Vault, generally circular in plan, covering a central space.

Roof or external volume often corresponding to an interior dome.

Cylindrical or polygonal structure supporting a dome.

Curved triangular surface allowing transition from a square plan to the circular base of a dome.

Small arch or corner vault allowing a dome to be supported over a square or polygonal plan.

Small openwork structure located at the top of a dome.

Monastic complex led by an abbot or abbess and organized around an abbey church.

Complex of buildings housing a religious community living according to a rule.

Building intended for Christian worship.

Church containing the seat of a bishop.

Title or building type whose meaning varies between ancient architecture and Christian buildings.

Small building or space dedicated to worship, freestanding or incorporated into a building.

Main longitudinal space of a church.

Side nave running parallel to the main nave.

Transverse part of a church that often gives the plan a cross shape.

Space at the intersection of the nave and transept.

Part of a church historically reserved for the clergy and associated with the sanctuary.

Usually semicircular or polygonal termination of a religious building.

Small secondary apse opening from an apse, transept, or ambulatory.

Circulation gallery surrounding the choir or apse.

Chapel arranged around an ambulatory.

Entrance space at the western end of certain churches.

Covered space preceding an entrance.

Covered gallery surrounding an internal courtyard in a monastery or religious institution.

Room where a religious community gathers to deliberate and read the rule.

Communal dining room in a monastery.

Space traditionally associated with copying and studying manuscripts.

Tower or structure housing bells.

Timber or structural frame supporting bells inside a bell tower.

Bell tower, often separate from the main religious building.

Building or space dedicated to baptism.

Sacred table or structure forming a central point in certain liturgies.

Fixed lectern or platform used for liturgical readings.

Decorative structure located behind or above an altar.

Underground or semi-buried space in a religious building.

Narrow gallery formed within or in front of the wall above the main arcades of a church.

Upper level pierced by windows that bring light into the central nave.

Composition of pieces of glass, often colored, assembled to close an opening.

Large circular window of the Gothic tradition, often filled with stained glass.

Set of defensive works intended to protect a place against attack.

Defensive wall or embankment surrounding or protecting a fortified place.

Large masonry enclosure intended for protection.

Section of a fortified wall between two towers or bastions.

Projecting defensive work allowing flanking fire along the walls.

Tall structure used notably for defense, lookout, or control.

Main and heavily defended tower of a medieval castle.

Opening between the merlons of a battlement.

Solid part of a battlement between two crenels.

Opening in an overhanging defensive structure allowing the base of a wall to be defended from above.

Timber defensive gallery built projecting from the top of a wall.

Narrow opening intended for observation and firing.

Loophole adapted for shooting arrows.

Opening designed for firing a firearm or cannon.

Advanced defensive work protecting a gate or strategic passage.

Small fortified work controlling an entrance, bridge, or passage.

Movable bridge used to cross or close a moat.

Heavy vertical grille that can be lowered to close a passage.

Ditch surrounding a fortification, either dry or filled with water.

Small projecting watch turret on a fortification.

Fortified protected chamber intended to shelter people or weapons.

Fortress dominating or strengthening the defense of a city.

Detached triangular defensive work placed in front of a curtain wall or gate.

Clear, gently sloping ground in front of a fortification.

Outer wall or slope of a fortification ditch.

Architecture of ancient civilizations, especially Greek and Roman, based on codified construction systems and orders.

Medieval architecture characterized notably by massive masonry, semicircular arches, and vaults.

Medieval architecture using pointed arches, rib vaults, and flying buttresses to achieve greater height and light.

Phase of Gothic architecture emphasizing structural refinement and expanded glazed surfaces.

Late phase of Gothic architecture characterized by complex, flowing decorative tracery.

Architectural period that reinterpreted ancient models and proportions in the early modern era.

Movement that plays with classical rules through distortion, tension, and sophisticated composition.

Architecture based on movement, staging, contrast, and spatial or decorative richness.

Eighteenth-century style favoring lightness, asymmetry, and refined ornamentation.

Return to the forms and principles of Antiquity, particularly influential in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Nineteenth-century approach that reused or combined architectural styles of the past.

Modern reinterpretation of the forms of Gothic architecture.

Academic tradition based on monumental composition, hierarchy of spaces, and classical references.

Movement around 1900 characterized by organic lines, integration of the arts, and renewed ornament.

Style of the 1920s and 1930s combining geometry, refined materials, and a modern aesthetic.

Twentieth-century movement favoring function, new materials, abstraction, and rejection of much historical ornament.

Expression of modernism based on simple volumes, rational structures, and stripped-down façades.

School and movement combining architecture, design, arts, and industrial production.

Architecture that often foregrounds structure, mass, and raw materiality, especially concrete.

Japanese movement envisioning adaptable, modular, and expandable architecture.

Movement reintroducing historical references, symbols, colors, and ambiguity in reaction to strict modernism.

Movement characterized by fragmentation, unstable geometries, and challenges to conventional composition.

Architecture that displays structure, building services, and technological components.

Approach seeking formal reduction, spatial continuity, and material restraint.

Approach reconciling modern architecture with attention to climate, materials, and local cultures.

Architecture arising from local know-how, available resources, and the building traditions of a territory.

Approach seeking continuity between building, uses, forms, and the natural environment.

Approach in which project geometry and relationships are driven by digital parameters and rules.

Design that uses climate, orientation, sunlight, ventilation, and thermal mass to reduce energy needs.

Approach aiming for a high level of comfort with very low energy needs.

Building designed to greatly limit heating and cooling needs through a high-performance envelope.

Building that produces more energy over a given period than it consumes within a defined scope.

Reduction of energy needs through use patterns, design, and limitation of unnecessary consumption.

Ability to provide the same service using less energy.

Energy consumed to extract, manufacture, transport, install, and process materials over their life cycle.

Greenhouse-gas emissions mainly associated with materials and construction before the building is used.

Method for assessing the environmental impacts of a product or building across several stages of its life.

New use of an element or material without major transformation of its function or substance.

New use of a product or component, sometimes different from its original use.

Processing of waste or used materials into raw material for new products.

Material derived wholly or partly from plant or animal biomass.

Material derived from minimally processed mineral resources, such as raw earth or stone.

Plant used in insulation, hemp-based composites, and other construction materials.

Lightweight mixture of hemp shiv and binder, used mainly for envelope construction and insulation.

Plant-based material used notably as insulating infill in walls and roofs.

Construction material using unfired earth in a variety of techniques.

Collection and storage of rainwater for compatible uses.

Roof incorporating a growing medium and suitable vegetation.

Façade associated with climbing plants or an attached vegetated system.

Ability of a building to maintain acceptable conditions during hot periods.

Device limiting unwanted solar gains through openings and the building envelope.

Natural ventilation using openings on different façades to encourage airflow through a space.

Vertical air movement caused by differences in temperature and density.

Ratio between useful volume and envelope area, influencing heat losses among other factors.

Localized warming of an urban area compared with surrounding areas.

Reduction of impervious surfaces to restore water infiltration and soil functions.

Computer-aided design: digital tools used to assist in designing and representing a project.

Digital production of technical drawings.

Working method based on structured data and shared digital building models.

Geometric and information-rich digital model representing a built asset.

Digital component containing geometry, properties, and data usable within a BIM model.

Open BIM data-exchange format developed for interoperability between software applications.

Ability of several tools or systems to exchange and correctly use data.

Level of development or detail associated with a BIM object or model according to the convention used.

Common data environment used to centralize, manage, and share project information.

BIM execution plan defining project methods, responsibilities, conventions, and exchanges.

Automated detection of geometric or functional conflicts between model elements.

Digital capture of the geometry of a site or building using a scanner.

Dense set of three-dimensional points describing the surveyed geometry of an object or space.

Technique for producing measurements and 3D models from a set of photographs.

Digital representation connected to a real asset and enriched with operational data.

Method in which geometry depends on editable parameters and relationships.

Approach using rules or algorithms to produce and evaluate multiple design solutions.

Node-based graphical programming used to automate or generate geometry and data.

Visualization computed quickly enough to allow immediate interaction.

Immersive or interactive exploration of a digital project or building.

Immersive digital environment viewed using dedicated devices.

Overlay of digital information or objects onto the perception of the real world.

Set of buildings, sites, and built works recognized for their historical, artistic, social, or cultural value.

Building or object benefiting from specific heritage protection under the relevant legal framework.

Set of actions aimed at maintaining a heritage asset and limiting its deterioration.

Intervention intended to reveal, stabilize, or recover certain values of a historic building.

Transformation of an existing building to adapt it to new uses or performance while retaining a significant part of its fabric.

Works intended to return a building to good condition or improve its performance, with varying degrees of transformation.

Change of use of an existing building accompanied by architectural adaptations.

Ability of an intervention or building to evolve or be modified without excessive destruction.

Heritage concept relating to the credibility and transmission of the significant characteristics of an asset.

Degree to which all elements necessary for understanding a heritage asset have been preserved.

Reconstruction of a ruined monument using its recovered original elements.

Re-creation of a lost state based on documentary, archaeological, or comparative evidence.

Precise measurement and representation of an existing building.

Analysis of the condition, values, materials, and defects of a historic building.

Study of defects, deterioration, and mechanisms affecting a building or structure.

Linear opening appearing in a material or construction element.

Significant crack that may indicate structural movement.

Crystalline salt deposit on the surface of a material caused by moisture migration.

Salt deposit, often associated with moisture in masonry.

Accumulation of particles and dirt on building surfaces.

Surface transformation of a material caused by time, use, and environmental exposure.

Intervention intended to strengthen a weakened material or element.

New stone substituted for an element that is too deteriorated, selected for compatibility with the existing fabric.

Principle seeking interventions that can be removed or modified with minimal alteration to the historic substrate.

Person or organization for whom the project is designed and built.

Team or professional responsible for designing the project and, according to their scope, directing or coordinating its execution.

Professional specializing in estimating, monitoring, and optimizing project costs.

Professional responsible for the calculation and design of structural elements.

Technical engineering office carrying out specialized studies in structures, building services, acoustics, environment, or other fields.

Professional who designs the organization, fit-out, and atmosphere of interior spaces.

Professional who designs landscapes, outdoor spaces, and relationships between site and uses.

Professional responsible notably for measurements, boundaries, surveys, and land or topographic setting-out.

Specialist in soil behavior and its interaction with structures.

Specialist in building acoustics and the sound environment.

Company responsible for all or a large part of the construction works.

Category of profession or technical work package involved in construction.

Works providing a building's stability, structure, and primary weatherproof shell.

Part of the works grouped by trade, technical discipline, or contract.

Contract defining the conditions for carrying out works between a client and a contractor.

French tender documentation package containing the documents required to obtain bids from contractors.

French document setting out the specific technical requirements of a construction contract.

French document defining the specific administrative provisions of a contract.

French document breaking down the items that make up a fixed lump-sum price.

French schedule listing the unit prices applicable to items of work.

Calculation of the quantities of work required for estimating or billing.

Document listing the quantities of work to be carried out.

Priced proposal describing works, quantities, prices, and conditions.

Time-based organization of tasks, resources, and milestones for a project.

Set of temporary facilities and resources required for the operation of a construction site.

Temporary premises for construction workers, such as changing rooms, sanitary facilities, dining area, and offices.

Temporary structure providing access and working platforms at height.

Lifting machine used to move loads on a construction site.

Periodic meeting for coordination, progress monitoring, and resolution of construction issues.

Act by which the client accepts the completed works, with or without reservations.

Defect or outstanding work identified at the time of acceptance and requiring correction.

French dossier compiling documents and information describing the works as actually built.

French file containing information useful for later interventions on the completed structure.

Ability of a building and its services to be used by people with diverse abilities.

Term referring to people with reduced mobility and to certain accessibility requirements in the built environment.

Route designed to be usable with minimal obstacles by disabled people or persons with reduced mobility.

Small localized difference in level that may create an obstacle to movement.

Tactile floor feature indicating a hazard to some visually impaired people.

Perceptible difference in color or luminance that makes elements easier to identify.

Unobstructed width available to pass through a door, corridor, or other route.

Space required to make a U-turn with a wheelchair.

French regulatory category for buildings open to the public, subject notably to safety and accessibility requirements.

Organization of routes and means allowing occupants to leave a building in a dangerous situation.

Circulation route or exit contributing to occupant evacuation.

Exit intended for evacuation in an emergency.

Division of a building into fire-resistant zones to limit the spread of fire.

Performance of an element in resisting fire and limiting the passage of flames, smoke, or heat according to defined criteria.

Behavior of a material in terms of whether and how it contributes to the development of a fire.

Length of time for which an element retains specified functions when exposed to fire.

Small intermediate space enclosed by two successive doors.

Adaptation of spaces and equipment to human abilities, dimensions, and patterns of use.

Residential building intended primarily for a single household.

Building containing several dwellings served by shared common areas.

Dwelling with openings on at least two opposite or significantly distinct façades.

Dwelling arranged over two internally connected levels.

Dwelling arranged over three internally connected levels.

Small dwelling consisting mainly of one living space with combined functions.

Large open-plan living space, often created by converting an industrial or craft premises.

House organized around an internal courtyard.

Attached house repeated as part of a linear group.

Building falling within a specific regulatory category because of its height and safety conditions.

Space or building intended primarily for administrative or service-sector work.

Large shared workspace with few fixed partitions.

Premises or building intended for the sale of goods or services.

Large covered long-span space, often intended for commerce, transport, or collective activities.

Building intended for storing goods or materials.

Building or group of buildings intended for industrial production.

Space devoted to a craft, artistic, or technical activity.

Facility intended for teaching and educational activities.

Healthcare facility intended for treatment, diagnosis, and hospitalization.

Building intended to preserve, study, and present collections to the public.

Building or space intended for consulting, preserving, and mediating documents and collections.

Building designed for stage performance before an audience.

Room designed primarily for listening to lectures, concerts, or sound-based events.

Sports facility organized around a playing field and spectator stands.

Building and infrastructure organizing passenger reception and interchange related to transport.

Set of infrastructure and buildings related to air transport.

Building managing passenger or freight flows within a transport infrastructure.

Multi-level building intended for vehicle parking.