Glossary

This website makes references to a number of terms that may not be familiar to you. Use the links below to explore this glossary.

A

American Colonial Revival

a period revival based upon broad interpretations of New England Colonial, Beaux-Arts Classicism, Georgian or Southern Colonial styles; Dutch and Spanish Colonial elements were also popular

Arcade

series of arches

Arch

curved structure spanning across the top of an opening in a vertical surface (such as a wall)

Architecture

the art and science of designing and building structures

Architrave

lowest member of an entablature

Art Nouveau

design movement shunning imitation of past styles; popular primarily in the 1890s; characterized by stylized undulating natural forms such as waves, flower stems, leaves and flowing hair

Arts and Crafts Movement

design movement in architecture led by the British designer, William Morris (1834-1896); characterized by stylized, two-dimensional forms, naturally finished materials and hand-crafted production; in the first two decades of the 20^th century The Craftsman magazine was an influential exponent of these design principles in the Unites States; often referred to as the Craftsman movement

Ashlar

hewn stone blocks with straight-cut edges

Asymmetrical/Asymmetry

composition that is off-balance with respect to a point of reference, such as an imaginary centre-line, as it is drawn through the plan of a facade

Attic

space beneath the sloping pitch of a roof and above the uppermost full storey of a building

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