Hierarchy: The order of spaces as we perceive them within our social or cultural construct. How do you know if a place is public or private? You can usually feel it. This has to do with the way spaces are inter-connected with the existing context; how they are scaled to their environment; and how they are scaled to the human being. There are many tools to create hierarchy: changes in level, volume, view, materials, opening size, and so on. Hierarchy of spaces helps the person subconsciously differentiate areas along a public-private gradient. Creating privacy gradients and spatial hierarchy – ie. order – is at the core of architectural design.

Ergonomy / Ergonomics: “Ergonomics is the process of designing or arranging workplaces, products and systems so that they fit the people who use them… Ergonomics aims to improve work spaces and environments to minimise risk of injury or harm” (Source). There are 3 dimensions to Ergonomics: Physical, Cognitive and Organizational, which you can read more about here.

As Built Drawing: A measured drawing of the building as it currently stands. At times, existing buildings do not have existing plans available. In most cases, plans that do exist are out of date and do not contain the “additions and alterations” those buildings may have undergone over the years. In conservation or heritage projects, documenting the “as built” is especially important in establishing the status quo of a building and to create a historical record of the building before adding, altering or demolishing. To generate as built drawings, the Architect and their team document the building by measuring and photographing it, thereafter drawing it in 2D or 3D CAD software.

Plans: Some people generally refer to all architect’s drawings as “plans”, but this is not quite right. Plans are a specific set of drawings or two-dimensional diagrams used to describe the layout of a building or space if viewed from above. In architecture, the way plans are generated is by taking an imaginary slice through the building or space at roughly 1m above the ground or floor level, thereby showing door and window openings, counter tops, fittings and so forth. Types of plans include but aren’t limited to: Site Plans, Ceiling Plans, Fire Escape Plans, Electrical Layout Plans, and many more. Other common kinds of drawings include Elevations (building facades), Sections (cuts through the building showing internal space and volume), and Detail drawings (specific and technical aspects of a building at a very zoomed in scale).

Building Fabric: “This term refers to structural materials, cladding, insulation, finishes, etc., that enclose the interior of a building, separating the internal from the external” (Source). Also sometimes called the Building Envelope, “meaning the entire outer shell of a building enclosed by its roof, walls, doors, windows, and foundation. The envelope can minimize temperature gain or loss and moisture infiltration, and protection from colder and warmer outdoor temperatures and precipitation, and it includes both an insulation layer and an air infiltration layer. It is a key factor in the “sustainability” of a building”. (Source)

Fenestration: The windows of the building, including the frame. There are different types of frames, such as timber, aluminum and steel, each with their pros and cons in terms of performance, maintenance and embodied energy (carbon footprint).

Finish / Finishes: The final surfaces which you will see and feel once the building work is done. Examples of a few common finishes include porcelain tiles, polished concrete, epoxy screed, paint, face brick, timber veneer, vinyl and so on. Finishes can vary considerably in cost, quality, and environmental impact. It is highly recommended that you request a sample swatch of your selected finish from the supplier before committing to using it. Or if you are already on site, get your builder to provide samples before going all the way. Lastly if using a paint or sealer, make sure to check the levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and consider where this finish will be applied.

Fittings: Fittings refer to built-in items which aren’t part of the building structure. Some examples include kitchen units and counter tops, vanity basins, taps, lighting, build-in cupboards and so on. Furniture on the other hand can be moved, and is thus not considered a fitting.

Glazing: This word refers to just the glass part of a window. There are different types of glass for different applications. For in depth info click here.

Orientation: The cardinal direction (North, east, south, west) in which a building or space is “facing”, ie. Opening up to, usually via door or window openings. Orientation is critical to passive (sustainable) design, and incorrect orientation can result in buildings or spaces which are either too hot or too cold, which increases the energy load on the building, but more importantly reduces quality of life for the occupant. A badly orientated building can be a drain on your finances as you continually heat or cool it mechanically, and the systemic nature of the problem can mean that a badly orientated space can be difficult and costly to fix. Moreover, mechanical systems also produce heat and noise, which may increase levels of discomfort.

Circulation: Sometimes called “Flow”, circulation refers to how people move in and around a building. This is an important aspect of architectural design as there are various dynamics at play. For example, spatial hierarchy and public-private thresholds and gradients can be defined and reinforced by controlling circulation.  “Desire lines” – the way people naturally want to move – also help to understand spaces and discover opportunities. At times the word circulation may be used to refer to air flow, and you will know by the context of the conversation.       

National Building Regulations (NBR): Also known as SANS 10400 (available here and here), this government gazetted code forms the framework by which buildings are “deemed to satisfy” by the local authorities.  The code covers all aspects of the building, and includes things like minimum spatial requirements, minimum ablutions requirements, materials and construction detailing, safety glazing, staircases, and many more technical and safety aspects of a building. A professional architect resolves designs within the parameters of the NBR so that the local authorities can approve the building application.

Rational Design: If you want to do something outside the “deemed to satisfy” framework of the NBR, it is possible to appoint a competent person to generate a “rational design”, which is submitted with your building application and which supersedes the “deemed to satisfy” requirements of the NBR. An example of this is if a client wanted a lot of glazing on a house, say 50% of floor area which is way above the recommended standard for “deemed to satisfy”. The NBR in its current form does not provide sufficient framework for architects to calculate the energy efficiency of a building with 50% glazing. Thus in this case, the client would appoint an Energy Efficiency Specialist who digitally models the building and provides a rational design report proving the building’s thermal and energy performance.

Passive Design: A sustainable design strategy which uses the variables and patterns of existing natural phenomena – such as geo-location, climate and context – to design spaces which can thermally regulate themselves without the need for machines. Passive design strategy focuses on, but is not limited to: orientation, solar design and shading, wind breaks, material selection, thermal mass, ventilation, site water management, and so on. Read more here.

Thermal Mass: “In building design, thermal mass is a property of the mass of a building which enables it to store heat, providing “inertia” against temperature fluctuations. Thermal mass is effective in improving building comfort in any place that experiences these types of daily temperature fluctuations—both in winter as well as in summer. When used well and combined with passive solar design, thermal mass can play an important role in major reductions to energy use in active heating and cooling systems. The use of materials with thermal mass is most advantageous where there is a big difference in outdoor temperatures from day to night (or, where nighttime temperatures are at least 10 degrees cooler than the thermostat set point). The correct use and application of thermal mass is dependent on the prevailing climate in a district”. (Source)

Services: When talking about building projects with your architect, the term “services” usually refers to systems or components dealing with water, waste water, electricity, and sewerage.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s): These are carcinogenic chemicals which off gas from certain treated materials, paints and finishes. For example, some wall paint contains VOC’s, and if such paint is used in a poorly ventilated space this will result in poor air quality. In order to create healthy environments, suitable low-VOC or VOC-free paints and finishes are specified by the architect.

Volume: In architecture, this refers to the cubic content or three dimensional size of a space. Floor area multiplied by the height of a space gives us the volume. Small volumes are easier to cool and heat, but bigger volumes give the sense of something grand and have different acoustic properties. Connecting different volumes can be used to define spatial hierarchy in a building or complex. Volumes can be used to create transitions and points of tension or release which affect the way architectural space is perceived by people.

Anything Else?

If there are other terms or concepts you would like demystified, please leave us a comment below.