Architecture Glossary

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

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

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

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

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

Treatment intended to improve sound quality within a space.

Specialist in building acoustics and the sound environment.

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

French document defining the specific administrative provisions of a contract.

Molded unfired-earth brick dried in the air.

System that primarily controls indoor air temperature and sometimes humidity.

Set of infrastructure and buildings related to air transport.

Ability of the envelope to limit uncontrolled air leakage.

Side nave running parallel to the main nave.

Recess arranged within a room to accommodate a particular use.

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

Decorative structure located behind or above an altar.

Fixed lectern or platform used for liturgical readings.

Circulation gallery surrounding the choir or apse.

Reconstruction of a ruined monument using its recovered original elements.

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

L-shaped metal section.

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

Building containing several dwellings served by shared common areas.

Usually semicircular or polygonal termination of a religious building.

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

Ornament composed of vegetal, geometric, or interlaced motifs.

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

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.

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

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

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

Precise measurement and representation of an existing building.

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

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

Curved surface beneath a vault or around certain openings.

Loophole adapted for shooting arrows.

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

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

Lighting produced by electric light sources.

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

Stone squared and precisely dressed for use in construction.

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

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

Sculpted male figure used as an architectural support.

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

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

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

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

Real or imaginary line used to organize a composition.

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

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

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

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

Building or space dedicated to baptism.

Advanced defensive work protecting a gate or strategic passage.

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

Continuous vault generated by extending an arch.

Small projecting watch turret on a fortification.

Sculpture with shallow projection that remains attached to its background.

Metal plate providing a connection or distributing forces between elements.

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

Flattened arch composed of several centers of curvature.

Projecting defensive work allowing flanking fire along the walls.

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

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

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

Horizontal or inclined element working mainly in bending.

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

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

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

Timber or structural frame supporting bells inside a bell tower.

Tower or structure housing bells.

Structure or platform designed to provide an open view.

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

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

Document listing the quantities of work to be carried out.

Material derived wholly or partly from plant or animal biomass.

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

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

Simulated or blocked opening designed as a compositional element.

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

Appliance producing heat for space heating or hot water.

Mechanical connection using bolts.

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

Oriel whose plan has a projecting curved or polygonal shape.

Channel integrated into the construction to collect roof water.

System that provides structural stability against horizontal forces.

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

Fixed or movable external device limiting direct solar gains.

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

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

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

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

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

Building technical management system supervising and controlling several technical systems.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bell tower, often separate from the main religious building.

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

Element fixed at one end and free at the other.

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

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

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

Fortified protected chamber intended to shelter people or weapons.

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

Church containing the seat of a bishop.

Concave quarter-circle molding.

Visible upper surface of an interior space.

Hydraulic binder that hardens after mixing with water.

Centralized supervision system for technical installations.

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

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

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

Building intended for Christian worship.

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

Fortress dominating or strengthening the defense of a city.

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

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

Automated detection of geometric or functional conflicts between model elements.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Regular series of columns forming an architectural ensemble.

Slender vertical element that primarily transfers compressive loads.

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

Molded lower part of a column.

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

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

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

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

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

Force tending to shorten an element.

Digital production of technical drawings.

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

Modular solid or hollow concrete element intended for masonry.

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

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

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

Manufactured concrete block used to build walls and partitions.

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

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

Intervention intended to strengthen a weakened material or element.

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

Precise representation of how several materials or building elements meet.

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

Map line connecting points at the same elevation.

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

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

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

Outer wall or slope of a fortification ditch.

Horizontal row of stones or bricks in a wall.

Open space enclosed or partly enclosed by buildings.

House organized around an internal courtyard.

Linear opening appearing in a material or construction element.

Lifting machine used to move loads on a construction site.

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

Opening between the merlons of a battlement.

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

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

Space at the intersection of the nave and transept.

Underground or semi-buried space in a religious building.

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

Section of a fortified wall between two towers or bastions.

Stair support cut to the profile of the steps.

Use of daylight to illuminate spaces.

Permanent weight of construction elements and fixed equipment.

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

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

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

Foundation that transfers loads to deep, resistant soil layers.

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

Large masonry enclosure intended for protection.

Vertical deformation of an element under load.

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

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

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

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

Large-scale drawing specifying an assembly or construction detail.

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

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

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

Temperature at which air reaches saturation and condensation may occur.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Roof or external volume often corresponding to an interior dome.

Movable element used to close or open a passage.

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

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

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

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

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

Movable bridge used to cross or close a moat.

Cylindrical or polygonal structure supporting a dome.

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

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

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

Dwelling arranged over two internally connected levels.

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

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

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

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

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

Repeated ovoid decorative motif used in certain classical moldings.

Assembly containing protection devices and electrical distribution circuits.

Orthographic representation of a façade or side of a building.

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

Motorized device for the vertical transport of people or loads.

Sloping ground surface created naturally or by earthworks.

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

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

Exit intended for evacuation in an emergency.

Ability to provide the same service using less energy.

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

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

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

Mechanical staircase whose steps move continuously.

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

Soil or material removed during earthworks.

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

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

Concrete whose surface is treated to expose the aggregates.

Vertical wall forming an external boundary of the building.

Solution in which continuous exterior insulation wraps the building structure.

Thermal insulation applied to the exterior face of walls.

Outer convex surface of an arch or vault.

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

Building or group of buildings intended for industrial production.

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

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

Concrete containing fibers intended to improve certain mechanical properties.

Material added to raise, fill, or shape ground.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Uninterrupted series of steps between two landings.

Technique of clamping a member between two parallel members.

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

Visible finishing layer applied over a floor.

Infill element placed between joists in certain floor systems.

Thin layer intended to correct the flatness of a substrate.

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

Plan showing the organization of a particular storey or level.

Horizontal construction separating two levels and supporting occupancy loads.

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

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

Temporary or permanent mold that gives fresh concrete its shape.

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

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

Structure composed of rigidly connected columns and beams.

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

Glazed opening extending to floor level and allowing passage.

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

Roof composed of two slopes meeting at a ridge.

Protection of steel by applying a zinc coating.

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

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

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

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

Specialist in soil behavior and its interaction with structures.

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

Clear, gently sloping ground in front of a fortification.

Glazed roof or façade assembly providing abundant natural light.

Set of glass panes incorporated into an opening.

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

Usable horizontal distance between successive stair nosings.

Vertical transport device primarily intended for goods.

Modern reinterpretation of the forms of Gothic architecture.

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

Horizontal beam linking foundations or supporting walls between several supports.

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

Façade associated with climbing plants or an attached vegetated system.

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

Roof incorporating a growing medium and suitable vegetation.

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

Vault resulting from the intersection of two barrel vaults.

Horizontal concrete element resting directly or indirectly on the ground.

Protective barrier preventing falls from a height.

Opening designed for firing a firearm or cannon.

Plate used to connect several bars in a metal structure.

Channel generally attached to the roof edge to collect rainwater.

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

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

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

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

Staircase with two main flights running in opposite directions.

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

Continuous element intended to be grasped to make movement safer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

System that produces or distributes heat within a building.

Staircase winding around an open void or central core.

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.

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

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

Sculpture whose forms project strongly from the background.

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

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

External ridge formed by the intersection of two roof slopes.

Roof with four sloping sides.

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

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

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

Precast element containing longitudinal voids to reduce its weight.

Automation and control of equipment in a dwelling.

Continuous horizontal element that articulates or protects a façade.

Arch whose curve extends beyond a semicircle.

Healthcare facility intended for treatment, diagnosis, and hospitalization.

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

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

European I-section with parallel flanges.

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

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

Secondary wall built in front of an existing wall.

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

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

Material with low thermal conductivity.

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

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

Landing that interrupts a long flight of stairs.

Thermal insulation applied to the interior side of walls.

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

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

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

Inner concave surface of an arch or vault.

Classical order recognizable especially by the volutes of its capital.

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

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

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

Small repetitive beam used notably in floor systems.

Repeated horizontal member supporting a floor or ceiling.

Main and heavily defended tower of a medieval castle.

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

Central vertical member of a roof truss.

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

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

Safety glazing made of glass sheets bonded by an interlayer.

Narrow opening terminating in a pointed arch.

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

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

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

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

Small openwork structure located at the top of a dome.

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

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

Pivoting movable panel of a door or window.

Movable part of a door, window, or gate.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mineral binder used in mortars, renders, and masonry.

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

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

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.

Document locating a plot or project within its geographical surroundings.

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

Narrow opening intended for observation and firing.

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

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

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

Steep lower part of a mansard roof.

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

Significant crack that may indicate structural movement.

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

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

Traditional perforated screen filtering light and views while allowing ventilation.

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

Organized arrangement of stones or bricks forming masonry.

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

Circulation route or exit contributing to occupant evacuation.

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

Solid part of a battlement between two crenels.

Japanese movement envisioning adaptable, modular, and expandable architecture.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Small projecting element supporting or decorating a cornice.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Multi-level building intended for vehicle parking.

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

Entrance space at the western end of certain churches.

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

Main longitudinal space of a church.

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

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

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

Small circular or oval opening.

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

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

Large shared workspace with few fixed partitions.

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

Movable part of a window or door assembly.

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

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

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

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

Convex molding corresponding approximately to a quarter circle.

Foundation placed beneath a column or point support.

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

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

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

Method in which geometry depends on editable parameters and relationships.

Raised perimeter element at the edge of a flat roof.

Floor covering made of wood or wood-derived elements.

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

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

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

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

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

Small freestanding building or distinct part of an architectural complex.

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

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

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

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

Colonnade surrounding a building or space.

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

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

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

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

Massive vertical support, often made of masonry or stone.

Section of wall between two closely spaced openings.

Vertical part supporting an arcade, lintel, or vault.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Set of installations related to water supply and drainage.

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

Arch formed by two curves meeting at a point.

Finishing or filling operation for masonry joints.

Covered space preceding an entrance.

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

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

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

Electrical networks primarily intended for energy supply.

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

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.

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

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

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

Inclined member of a truss following the roof slope.

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

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

Route designed for walking and discovering a site.

Temporary support used to carry a load during construction work.

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

Space accessible to everyone and intended for collective use.

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

Horizontal roof-framing member supporting rafters.

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

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

Staircase changing direction by approximately 90 degrees.

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

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

Chapel arranged around an ambulatory.

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

Inclined member supporting battens or roof decking.

Horizontal member connecting studs.

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

Vertical pipe carrying water collected by gutters or box gutters.

Collection and storage of rainwater for compatible uses.

Elevated floor creating a technical void beneath the walking surface.

Technique of compacting damp earth between formwork.

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

Defensive wall or embankment surrounding or protecting a fortified place.

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

Construction material using unfired earth in a variety of techniques.

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

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

Visualization computed quickly enough to allow immediate interaction.

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

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

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

Communal dining room in a monastery.

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

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

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

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

Set of reinforcement bars and the operation of placing them.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wall thickness and splay around an opening.

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

Duration characterizing the decay of sound level in a room.

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

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

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

Arch or projecting element reinforcing a vault.

Vault whose main edges are reinforced by diagonal ribs.

Upper line where two opposite roof slopes meet.

Purlin located at the top of the roof.

Vertical face between two successive treads.

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

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

Connection using rivets, common in historic metal structures.

Set of roads and facilities intended for circulation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Waterproofing assembly surrounding a roof penetration such as a chimney.

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

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

Main triangulated roof frame assembly supporting the purlins.

Roof structure providing light, ventilation, or access.

Treatment of sound propagation and perception within enclosed spaces.

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

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

Masonry filling made of irregular stones embedded in mortar.

Small masonry stone that is roughly or only partly dressed.

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

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

Salt deposit, often associated with moisture in masonry.

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

Fixed or movable frame holding glazing or a panel.

Temporary structure providing access and working platforms at height.

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

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

Facility intended for teaching and educational activities.

Deep concave molding used notably in classical bases.

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

Perforated envelope or fine structure superimposed on a façade.

Space traditionally associated with copying and studying manuscripts.

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

Arch with a low rise in relation to its span.

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

Arch forming approximately a half-circle.

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

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

Downward movement of soil or a foundation under loading.

Main vertical part of a column between base and capital.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Residential building intended primarily for a single household.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

Horizontal structural element forming a floor or roof.

Thin stone split into sheets and used as roofing material.

Joinery system in which one or more leaves move laterally.

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

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

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

Accumulation of particles and dirt on building surfaces.

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

Reinforced-concrete slab cast continuously through its full thickness.

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

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

Reduction of sound transmission between two spaces.

Part of a wall located below a window.

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

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

Helical staircase organized around a central newel or core.

Zone where the curvature of an arch or vault begins.

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

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

Vertical air movement caused by differences in temperature and density.

Sports facility organized around a playing field and spectator stands.

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

Projecting edge at the front of a stair tread.

Usable width of a staircase between its lateral limits.

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

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

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

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

Staircase whose flights follow a straight direction.

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

Continuity formed by aligned façades along a public space.

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

Removal of formwork after the concrete has hardened sufficiently.

Inclined lateral or central member supporting stair treads.

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

Professional responsible for the calculation and design of structural elements.

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

Zone where several structural members meet and transfer forces.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vertical member of a lightweight frame.

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

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

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

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

Secondary ceiling installed below the structure or floor above.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Force tending to elongate an element.

Building managing passenger or freight flows within a transport infrastructure.

Attached house repeated as part of a linear group.

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

Render finish generally having a rough or sprayed texture.

Building designed for stage performance before an audience.

Area of the envelope where thermal resistance is locally lower.

State of occupant satisfaction with the thermal environment.

Ability of a material to conduct heat.

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

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

Ability of a material layer to resist heat flow.

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

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

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

Finish composed of tiles laid on a substrate.

Window that can swing inward or tilt partially for ventilation.

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

Floor structure made mainly of joists and boarding or panels.

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

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

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

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

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

Convex molding shaped like a half-cylinder or ring.

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

Category of profession or technical work package involved in construction.

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

Fixed or opening section located above a door or window.

Horizontal element dividing a window or opening.

Transverse arch reinforcing or separating vault bays.

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

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

Member that transfers loads around an opening or local interruption.

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

Dwelling arranged over three internally connected levels.

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

Beam made of chords and diagonals forming a triangulated system.

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

Order of Roman or Renaissance origin, simplified and robust.

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

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

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

Shallow-pitched upper part of a mansard roof.

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

Localized warming of an urban area compared with surrounding areas.

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

Internal angle formed by the meeting of two roof slopes.

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

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

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

Façade with a ventilated air cavity behind the exterior cladding.

Controlled or natural renewal of indoor air.

Lateral edge of a roof slope.

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

Small intermediate space enclosed by two successive doors.

Immersive digital environment viewed using dedicated devices.

Immersive or interactive exploration of a digital project or building.

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

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

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

Portion of space bounded by built forms.

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

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

Large formwork panel used in particular for casting concrete walls.

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

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

Ceramic wall covering commonly used in wet rooms.

Decorative covering supplied in strips and adhered to a wall.

Building intended for storing goods or materials.

Vertical pipe used notably to discharge wastewater.

Water discharged from domestic, sanitary, or professional uses.

Set of materials and processes preventing water penetration.

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

Mixture of earth and fibers applied to a lightweight framework.

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

Voussoir cut to form part of an arch.

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

Glazed framed opening providing light, views, and ventilation.

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

Lateral building section attached to a main body.

Interior wood covering or decorative treatment applied to a wall.

Traditional wooden shingle used for certain roofs and façades.

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

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

Bracing formed by two crossed diagonals.

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

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