100 Terms Every Architect Should Know

100 Terms Every Architect Should Know

No. Term Definition
1. ADA compliance Accessibility requirements under U.S. ADA law.
2. Adaptive reuse Repurposing existing buildings for new uses.
3. Aggregate Sand, gravel, or crushed stone in concrete.
4. Air barrier Layer preventing uncontrolled air leakage.
5. Air changes per hour (ACH) Hourly rate of indoor air replacement.
6. Albedo Surface reflectivity; higher reduces heat gain.
7. Anchor bolt Bolt securing structure to concrete.
8. Apron Paved area at building entrance or drive.
9. Architect of record Licensed architect responsible for documents.
10. As-built drawings Drawings reflecting actual constructed conditions.
11. Atrium Large interior open space, often skylit.
12. Axonometric 3D drawing with parallel projection.
13. Back-of-house (BOH) Nonpublic service and support areas.
14. Ballast Weight holding roofing or fixtures in place.
15. Baluster Vertical rail support in a balustrade.
16. Balustrade Guardrail system with balusters and handrail.
17. Batten Strip covering joints or securing panels.
18. Beam Horizontal structural member resisting bending.
19. Bearing wall Wall supporting structural loads above.
20. BIM (Building Info Modeling) Digital model integrating building data.
21. Bollard Short post protecting or guiding vehicles.
22. Bond beam Reinforced masonry course tying walls.
23. Breezeway Roofed open passage between structures.
24. Brise-soleil Sun-shading architectural screen or fins.
25. Building envelope Exterior assembly separating inside and outside.
26. Building section Cut-through drawing showing vertical relationships.
27. Bulkhead Boxed-out soffit concealing services.
28. Cantilever Projection supported at one end only.
29. Capillary break Layer stopping moisture wicking by capillarity.
30. Casework Built-in cabinets and millwork.
31. Cavity wall Two wythes separated by air space.
32. Change order Contract modification to scope, cost, time.
33. Charrette Intensive collaborative design workshop.
34. Cladding Exterior protective and aesthetic skin.
35. Clearance Required free space around an element.
36. Clerestory High windows admitting light above eye level.
37. Cold-formed steel (CFS) Light-gauge steel framing members.
38. Column Vertical load-bearing structural member.
39. Composite deck Metal deck with concrete slab acting together.
40. Concrete slump Measure of fresh concrete workability.
41. Construction documents (CDs) Drawings/specs used for permitting and building.
42. Contractor submittal Shop drawings and product data for approval.
43. Coping Protective cap on top of a wall.
44. Cornice Projecting decorative molding at roofline.
45. Coursing Pattern of masonry unit placement.
46. Curtain wall Nonload-bearing exterior wall system.
47. Datum Reference level or line for dimensions.
48. Daylighting Using natural light to illuminate interiors.
49. Dead load Permanent weight of building components.
50. Detail Enlarged drawing showing specific construction.
51. Dew point Temperature where moisture condenses from air.
52. Diaphragm Floor/roof plane transferring lateral loads.
53. Dimension string Aligned dimensions indicating distances.
54. Door schedule List of doors, sizes, hardware, ratings.
55. Drainage plane Layer directing water out of assemblies.
56. Drip edge Profile directing water away from edges.
57. Easement Legal right to use another’s land.
58. Egress Safe path of exit from a building.
59. Elevation Orthographic view of a building face.
60. Expansion joint Gap allowing movement from temperature changes.
61. Fascia Vertical board at roof edge.
62. Fenestration Arrangement of windows and exterior openings.
63. Fire rating Time assembly resists fire exposure.
64. Firestopping Sealing penetrations to limit fire spread.
65. Flashing Material diverting water at joints.
66. Floor area ratio (FAR) Building floor area divided by site area.
67. Footing Foundation element spreading loads to soil.
68. Furring Strips creating space or leveling surfaces.
69. Gantt chart Timeline bar chart for project scheduling.
70. Gasket Sealing material preventing air or water leaks.
71. Glazing Glass and its installation in frames.
72. Grade Ground level around a building.
73. Green roof Vegetated roof system managing stormwater and heat.
74. Gridline Reference line for layout and coordination.
75. Guardrail Barrier preventing falls at edges.
76. Gusset plate Plate connecting structural members at joints.
77. Handrail Graspable rail along stairs or ramps.
78. Hardscape Nonliving landscape elements like paving and walls.
79. Header Structural member spanning over an opening.
80. Heat island effect Urban areas warmer than surrounding regions.
81. Heel height Truss depth at bearing point.
82. HVAC Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.
83. I-beam Steel beam with I-shaped cross-section.
84. Insulation R-value Measure of thermal resistance.
85. Interior elevation Orthographic view of an interior wall.
86. Jamb Vertical side of a door or window.
87. Joist Repeated horizontal framing supporting floors or roofs.
88. Kerf Width of cut made by a saw.
89. Kick plate Protective plate at bottom of a door.
90. Lateral load Sideways force from wind or earthquakes.
91. LEED Green building rating certification system.
92. Lintel Support over masonry opening.
93. Live load Variable loads from occupants and furniture.
94. Load path Route loads travel to the foundation.
95. Massing Overall building form and volume composition.
96. Mechanical chase Concealed vertical space for services.
97. MEP Mechanical, electrical, plumbing building systems.
98. Mullion Vertical/horizontal member dividing window units.
99. Net-to-gross ratio Usable area divided by total area.
100. Noncombustible Material that does not ignite or burn.