Arch: is a structure in
the shape of an inverted U around an opening. The arch construction overcame
several limitations of the post and lintel.
Bearing walls: bearing
walls are solid walls that provide support for each other and for the roof.
Buttress: it is a
protruding structure that was added at the base to add support to an arch or
wall.
Dome: a dome is a further
refinement of the arch. It is made of many arches arranged so that their bases
form a circle and the tops meet in the center.
Early American style: it
refers to all styles that developed in various regions of the colonies. The
styles that primarily dominated were brought form England and France.
English style: it was
developed in England and it includes several variations of some common
architectures features. They share high-pitched roofs, massive chimneys,
half-timber siding, small windows, and exterior stone walls.
French style: French
Provincial houses contain steeply pitched up roofs, long projecting windows,
corner quoins, curved lintels, and towers.
Gothic arch: it is a
variation of the arch. The pointed arch was called Gothic arch and became very
popular in cathedrals during the Middle Age.
Italian style: it
originated in Italy and featuring columns and arches that are generally part of
an entrance and windows or balconies that open onto a loggia.
Keystone: wedge-shaped
stone that locks the other stones in an arch in place. Each stone is supported
by the keystone in the center.
Mediterranean style:
Italian and Spanish architectural styles, also called Southern European style.
Mid-Atlantic style: architectural style common in the Mid-Atlantic
states and resulting from the availability of brick, a seasonal climate, the
influence of Thomas Jefferson and early Greek and Roman architecture, also
known as classical revival.
New England Colonial:
architectural style developed by the colonists who settled the New England
coastal areas. One of the most popular was
the Cape Cod.
Post-and-lintel construction:
is a horizontal bean. This is placed across two vertical posts, such as for a
door or window. It was the solution of bearing walls. It is also called a
lintel.
Ranch style: architectural
style adapted to the needs of settlers as they moved west, featuring a
single-level, rambling plan, usually with a patio in the centrel.
Skeleton frame construction: construction in which wall covering are attached to an open frame
in which small structural members share the loads.
Vault: a vault can be viewed
as a series of arches that forms a continuous arched covering.
