Arch 252 Vocabulary Exam 3

Art nouveau

a style of decorative art, architecture, and design prominent in western Europe characterized by intricate linear designs and flowing curves based on natural forms

whiplash

a long, sinuous, and flowing curve

sinuous

having many curves and turns

gradins

series of steps or seats raised one above another; “the stepped-back block”

Renaixenca

a literary movement which promoted the romantic quest for an autonomous Catalan culture

modernisme

a style that emerged in the 20th century emphasizing function, simplicity, and a rejection of historical ornamentation (Spanish art nouveau)

parabolic

a curved shape often used in structures like arches and bridges

trencadis

mosaics composed from
broken colored tiles

Jugendstil

German Art Nouveau

Werkbund

a German association of artists, architects, designers, and industrialists founded in 1907

typisierung

German for typology

The Craftsman

an american arts and crafts magazine

Prairie Style

characterized by horizontal volumes and low-pitched roofs with deep eaves

inglenook

a partly enclosed space, typically found alongside a large open fireplace, designed for seating and warmth

bow window

a type of bay window that features a curved, outward projection from the exterior wall of a building, typically composed of four or more glass panels arranged in a gentle arch

Zoning

The legal restrictions determining specific uses, such as commercial , industrial, or residential, for set zones of a city

floor-area ratio

a limit to how vertical a building could be (how many floors) based on the initial footprint

Manhattanism

characterized by the step-back of the massing of commercial towers to allow an angle of daylight into the street, resulting in the ziggurat profiles of New York skyscrapers during the 1920s

Zigzag Modern

characterized by its stepped, ziggurat-like forms

Broadacre City

Wright’s vision of a decentralized urban future

Cantilever

An overhang supported at only one end by a wall or a column

panopticon

a single,
windowless hall oriented to a balcony from which the owner could observe the employees

dendriform

tree-like columns

Purism

emphasizes simplicity, rationality, and functionality; rejects ornamentation and focuses on clean lines, simple forms, and a minimalist aesthetic

Dom-Ino

method of concrete construction, based on a grid of columns supporting horizontal slabs

pilotis

The French term , popularized by Le Corbusier, for the wooden piles of stilt houses raised over land or water, leaving the grade level open

beton brut

French, “raw concrete” precursor to Brutalism

Expressionism

aesthetic of distortion, fragmentation, and over-communication of emotion

New Objectivity

a rejection of ornamentation, a focus on efficiency and functionality, and the use of simple, geometric forms

Minimalism

prioritizes simplicity, clean lines, and a reduction of unnecessary ornamentation to reveal the essence of a space

De Stijl

Dutch, “the style,” known for its minimalist, geometric, and abstract aesthetic (see Piet Mondrian)

Urban Renewal

combined the 1949 Housing & Urban Development Act and the 1956 Highway Act; Intended to stimulate affordable housing and to improve interurban connections

Tract Housing

mass-produced, standardized homes built in large developments, often with similar designs and floor plans

cul-de-sac

a dead-end street, lane, or passage, typically residential, with only one entrance and exit

sprawl

the unplanned and often low-density expansion of urban areas

Universal Space

Space that isn’t built for one specific purpose

exoskeletal

a structural system where the main load-bearing components are located on the exterior of a building, rather than within the structure

I-beam

A length of steel with an /-shaped section, used in modern steel-frame construction

mullion

An upright that divides windows or other openings

Hybrid

designs that combine elements or characteristics from different approaches or styles to create something new and adaptable

abstract expressionism

emphasizes form, abstraction, and the emotional experience of space, rejecting classical order and traditional box shapes

catenary arch

a U-shaped curve formed by a freely hanging chain or cable

canopy

a projecting hood or cover, often suspended above a building entrance, altar, or other architectural element, to provide shade or shelter from weather

servant/served

a hierarchy of spaces within a building

Vierendeel truss

A spanning member made with square, rather than triangular, braces

cycloid curve

a geometric shape formed by a point on the circumference of a circle as it rolls along a straight line without slipping

transcultural

architectural design that transcends national or regional boundaries and embraces elements from diverse cultures