Programming, Planning And Practice

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Radburn

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A community in New Jersey, planned by Henry Wright and Clarence Stein, in which superblocks were surrounded by roads, and all pedestrian paths bridged over or passed under the roads.

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guaranteed maximum cost

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An amount established in an agreement between an owner and a contractor as the maximum cost of performing specified work.

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baffle

Back 3

A partial obstruction against flow, in a duct or pipe.

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drainage

Back 4

The process of controlling, collecting, transporting, and disposing of excess water.

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zone

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An area established by a governing body for a specific use, such as residential, commercial, or industrial.

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international style

Back 6

The form of modern architecture developed in 1920s and 1930s, characterized by cubist forms, white surfaces, and large areas of glass and steel windows.

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cella

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The inner enclosed room of an ancient temple.

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concave

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Hollow and curved inward, such as the inside surface of a hollow sphere.

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arch

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A curved structure composed of wedge-shaped elements, used to span an opening.

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cluster

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A type of residential siting in which a series of housing units are grouped closely

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amphitheater

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An arena encircled by tiers of seats.

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improved land

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Land on which buildings have not yet been constructed, but which contains utilities and streets.

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obelisk

Back 13

A commemorative shaft, square in section, with a small pyramid on top.

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morphology

Back 14

The study of the form or structure of anything.

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iconographic

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Pertaining to symbolic representation of ideas or subjects by means of images.

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parti

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The general scheme for the design of a building.

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rational

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Describing a design based on reason, sound judgement, or logical good sense.

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biological clock

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The inherent system in people that causes regular cycles of function or behavior, such as periods of working, sleeping, and eating.

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land coverage

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The ratio of the area covered by buildings to the total lot area, expressed as a percentage.

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interchange

Back 20

The intersection of two roads at different levels so that vehicles may move from one road to the other without crossing the stream of traffic. Also called grade separation.

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police power

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The legal power of a government to authorize actions which are in the best interest of the general public.

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annexation

Back 22

The acquisition of territory by a municipality.

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arcade

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A group of arches on columns or pillars, which are either freestanding or attached to a wall.

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datum

Back 24

A horizontal plane elevation used as a reference for other elevations in surveying and mapping.

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cant

Back 25

To set at a slant from the horizontal or vertical.

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flood plain

Back 26

The land surrounding a flowing stream over which water spreads when a flood occurs.

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symmetry

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A balanced arrangement of elements on either side of a dividing line or plane.

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exit

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A continuous and unobstructed means of egress to a public way generally with a minimum width of 44 inches.

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dew point

Back 29

The temperature of air at which the water contained in the air begins to condense and form dew. It is therefore the temperature at which the air is at 100% relative humidity.

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test boring

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A hole drilled into the ground at the site of a proposed structure in order to obtain samples of the subsurface soil for examination and testing in a laboratory. Based on these tests, the soils engineer recommends the type of foundation and the allowable soil bearing pressure.

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bikeway

Back 31

A road or path reserved for bicycle traffic.

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sheet pattern

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The shape of an extensive urban area which lacks specific focal points, well-defined routes, or articulated form.

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cognitive mapping

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The process by which a person acquires, codes, stores, recalls, and decodes information about his or her spatial environment.

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orientation

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The location of an object in relation to the points of the compass; also, the ability to locate oneself in the environment with regard to time and place.

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cooperative

Back 35

An apartment building owned by a corporation in which shares are sold, entitling the shareholders to occupy dwelling units in the building.

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degree day (dd)

Back 36

The amount by which the average outdoor temperature at a particular location is below 65 degrees Fahrenheit for one day. Degree days may also be summed and stated for a month or year.

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abutment

Back 37

A buttressing or supporting structure.

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curvilinear pattern

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A circulation pattern comprised of curves, which closely follows the contours of the land.

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basilica

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A Roman architecture, an oblong building used for public administration, from which early Christian churches evolved.

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spatial defense

Back 40

Behavior intended to protect a specific territory by means of particular positions, postures, or gestures, such as placing one's coat over the adjacent seat.

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expressway

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A high-speed, multiple-lane highway designed to move traffic smoothly and without interruption. Also called a freeway.

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palazzo

Back 42

A palace.

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nave

Back 43

The main longitudinal portion of a church.

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districts

Back 44

A term used by Kevin Lynch to describe sections of the environment having an identifying character.

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collector street

Back 45

A street to which minor streets connect and which leads to a major arterial.

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louver

Back 46

An assembly of sloping, overlapping slats, fixed or adjustable, which excludes rain but admits air and/ or light.

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rhythm

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The recurrence of design elements in space.

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grade separation

Back 48

The intersection of two roads at different levels so that vehicles may move from one road to the other without crossing the stream of traffic. Also called interchange.

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encroachment

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The extension of a building into the property of another.

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multiple nuclei theory

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A theory suggesting that the land use patterns of some cities are not developed around a single core, but rather around several distinct nuclei.

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brutalism

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An early 1950s style base on Le Corbusier's crudely fabricated concrete work in which structural and mechanical elements were often featured.

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rehabilitation

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The restoration or substantial improvement of a building.

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GNMA

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Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), an agency which functions in the secondary mortgage market.

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hybrid

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Composed of design elements originally derived from diverse sources or styles.

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assimilation

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The process of absorbing or incorporating an element into an established design system.

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prefabricated

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Constructed off-site in standardized sections for shipment and quick assembly, such as a prefabricated house.

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metropolis

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The most important city of a country, state, or region; or any large, busy city.

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condominium

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An apartment building in which the dwelling units are individually owned.

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cloverleaf

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A type of grade-separated interchange used in highway design, named for its shape.

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macadam

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Paving using crushed stone.

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row house

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One of a continuous row of houses having a uniform plan and appearance and often sharing party walls.

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slope

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Inclination or slant, especially of the ground surface.

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cornice

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The topmost section of an entablature.

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jalousie

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A window or door blind made of fixed or movable horizontal slats.

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mortgage

Back 65

A legal instrument that pledges property as security for a debt.

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art nouveau

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A late-19th century style characterized by curvilinear motifs derived from natural forms.

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azimuth

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A horizontal angle measured clockwise from north or south.

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berm

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A bank of earth, often piled up against a wall.

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fire wall

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A wall resistant to the spread of fire.

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freeway

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A high-speed, multiple-lane highway designed to move traffic smoothly and without interruption. Also called an expressway.

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form

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The shape, outline, or configuration of a structure. Also a mold of wood or other material used to contain wet concrete in the required shape until it hardens.

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unity

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The state of being a harmonious combination of elements.