Glossary of Architectural Terms
Adapted from New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission Rowhouse Manual architrave 1. The lowest part of a classical entablature.
2. A molding enframing an opening such as a window. areaway The open space between a rowhouse and the sidewalk, usually beside the stoop. awning A projecting shading device, usually of canvas, mounted on the outside of a door or window. baluster One of a series of short vertical posts, often ornamental, used to support a rail. balustrade A railing composed of balusters and a top rail running along the edge of a porch, balcony, roof, or stoop. bay A regularly repeating division of a facade, marked by fenestration. bay window A projecting form containing windows that rises from the ground or from some other support, such as a porch roof; see also oriel. bracket A projecting angled or curved form used as a support, found in conjunction with balconies, lintels, pediments, cornices, etc. brick molding A milled wood trim piece covering the gap between the window frame and masonry, which can be rectilinear, curved or composite-curved. cap flashing A waterproof sheet that seals the tops of cornices and walls. capital The topmost member, usually decorated, of a column or pilaster. casement A window sash that is hinged on the side. cast iron A type of iron, mass-produced in the nineteenth century, created by pouring molten iron into a mold; used for ornament, garden furniture, and building parts. clapboard Wood siding composed of horizontal, overlapping boards, the lower edges of which are usually thicker than the upper. colonnade A row of regularly spaced columns supporting an entablature. colonnette A diminutive column which is usually either short or slender. column A vertical cylindrical support. In classical design it is composed of a base (except in the Greek Doric order), a long, gradually tapered shaft, and a capital. console A scroll-shaped projecting bracket that supports a