Common Architectural Terminology

AKAR’s Architectural Glossary for Custom Homes

Helping You Speak the Language of Design

Designing a home should feel exciting—not overwhelming. At AKAR, we believe clarity creates confidence. This glossary is a resource for our clients—grouped by themes—to help you better understand the terms you’ll hear throughout the process of designing and building a custom home.

Table of Contents

1. Design Process Terms
2. Drawing Terms & Representation
3. Constrution & Systems Terms
4. Windows, Doors & Openings
5. Roof Design
6. Performance Ratings & Technical Concepts
7. Architectural Styles
8. Construction Site
9. Legal Terms
10. Influential Architects

How Architects Think Through a Custom Home

These terms describe how your ideas move from early conversations to full construction.

• Bubble Diagram
  A loose, diagrammatic layout of spaces as “bubbles,” showing relationships and circulation before formal plans are drawn.
• Charrette
  A fast-paced, collaborative design session where ideas are sketched and discussed in real time with clients and the design team.
• Circulation
  How people move through the home. Good circulation creates intuitive flow and ease of movement between spaces.
• Construction Drawings (CD)
  The detailed, technical documents used to permit and build your home. Includes plans, elevations, details, and engineering.
• Design Development (DD)
  A refinement phase where scale, materials, dimensions, and systems begin to take clear form. More accurate and buildable than SD.
• Finished vs. Unfinished Spaces
  Finished areas are livable, heated/cooled, and counted in square footage. Unfinished spaces include garages, storage, or porches.
• Massing
  The overall form and proportions of a building—how it looks from the outside and fits into its surroundings.
• Pre-Design
  The initial phase where we listen, research, and establish scope, goals, site constraints, and feasibility. This sets the foundation for the entire project.
• Program
  Your architectural wish list—what you want, what you need, how you live, and what you value. It defines the scope and goals of your home.
• Redline
  A markup of drawing changes or comments during reviews—commonly used to refine and finalize plans with multiple collaborators.
• Scale
  The ratio that relates drawing size to real-life size—used to create and read accurate architectural drawings.
• Schematic Design (SD)
  The first phase of conceptual design, translating the program into rough plans, layouts, and visual direction.
• Volume Space
  Vertical openness in a room—often through raised ceilings or double-height spaces—to add visual drama and a feeling of spaciousness.

How We Communicate the Design

Architectural drawings translate vision into action. These are the core tools we use to explain design clearly to you and your builder.

• As-Built Drawings
  A final set of drawings updated to reflect the actual built conditions—used in documentation or future renovations.
• Axonometric Drawing
  A 3D-style drawing used to show spatial relationships and massing clearly without perspective distortion.
• Building Information Modeling (BIM)
  An intelligent 3D modeling process that integrates design, documentation, and building data across architecture, engineering, and construction.
• Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
  A digital drafting technology used to create precise 2D drawings or 3D models for architectural and engineering design.

• Elevation
  A straight-on drawing of one façade of the building, showing proportions, materials, and openings.
• Floor Plan
  A horizontal slice of each level, showing walls, rooms, windows, doors, and spatial layout.
• Foundation Plan
  Shows the structural base of the building, including footings, piers, slabs, and grade-related elements.
• MEP Drawings (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing)
  Coordinated plans showing HVAC systems, lighting layouts, power, water, and waste systems—all the invisible systems that keep your home running.
• Reflected Ceiling Plan (RCP)
  A mirrored ceiling layout showing lighting, beams, ceiling treatments, and any architectural features above your head.
• Site Plan
  A scaled drawing of the property showing the house, driveways, trees, utilities, and zoning elements.
• Section
  A vertical slice through the home showing interior relationships—like how floors stack and spaces open up.
• Structural Drawings
  Developed by the structural engineer, these drawings show framing (beams, joists, columns) and how the home safely holds together.

Terms that relate to how your home is physically built and how it performs.

• Beam
  A horizontal structural element that spans openings and carries loads from above.
• Cantilever
  A projection—like a deck or overhang—that is supported only at one end.
• Flashing
  Thin metal pieces that direct water away from roof edges, chimneys, and windows to prevent leaks.
• Frost Footing
  A below-ground foundation element placed beneath the frost line to prevent shifting from freeze-thaw cycles.
• Glu-Lam
  Glued laminated timber—a structural beam made from layers of wood for strength and architectural character.
• Header
  A beam above a door or window opening to support the weight above.
• HVAC
  Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning systems—controls your home’s indoor environment.
• I-Beam
  A steel beam shaped like an “I,” used to span long distances without excessive deflection.
• Ice Guard
  A waterproof membrane used beneath shingles near eaves to prevent ice dam-related water infiltration.
• Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs)
  Concrete-filled foam blocks that serve as both structure and insulation for energy-efficient construction.
• Insulation Types:
  • Batt Insulation – Rolled fiberglass or mineral wool placed between studs.
  • Closed-Cell Spray Foam – Dense, rigid, and moisture-resistant.
  • Open-Cell Spray Foam – Softer, air-sealing, with sound insulation benefits.
  • Cellulose – Eco-friendly blown-in insulation made from recycled paper.
• Joist
  A horizontal structural member used in floors and ceilings to support loads and distribute weight to beams or load-bearing walls. Joists are typically spaced in parallel and are crucial for the integrity of floor and roof systems.
• Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)
  An engineered wood product used for strong structural beams—resistant to warping or twisting.
• Moisture Barrier
  A protective layer that resists water intrusion into walls, floors, or roofing assemblies.

Details and terminology related to daylight, views, and ventilation.

• Awning Window
  Hinged at the top and swings outward. Useful for ventilation even during light rain.
• Casement Window
  Hinged at the side and swings outward like a door. Great for maximizing airflow.
• Clerestory Window
  A high wall window that brings in light without sacrificing privacy or wall space.
• Double-Hung Window
  Both the upper and lower sashes can slide vertically—classic and versatile.
• Fenestration
  The design and arrangement of openings—windows and doors—on a building’s façade.
• Grill
  A decorative or functional grid of bars that divides a window into smaller panes or gives the appearance of multiple panes. Grilles can be removable, fixed, or sandwiched between layers of glass.
• Mullion
  The vertical or horizontal element that divides adjacent panes or window units.
• Sill
  The horizontal base or bottom part of a window frame. It sits at the bottom of the window opening and can be made of wood, stone, or other materials. It often slopes outward to shed water away from the building.
• Transom
  A smaller window placed above a door or another window, often for ventilation or light.

• Butterfly
  A modern-style roof formed by two sloping roof surfaces angled downward toward the center, resembling a butterfly’s wings. It allows for large windows and rainwater collection.
• Cricket
  A small, peaked structure built on the high side of a chimney or roof penetration to divert water around it and prevent pooling or leaks.
• Dormer
  A structural element that protrudes from a sloped roof and contains a window. It adds space and light to upper floors or attics.
• Downspout
  A vertical pipe that carries rainwater from the gutter down to the ground or drainage system.
• Eaves
  The horizontal edges of the roof that extend beyond the walls. Eaves help to protect the building from rain and sun.
• Fascia
  The vertical band or board that runs along the edge of the roof, attached to the ends of the rafters. It supports the gutter and helps seal the roof edge.
• Flat
  A roof that is nearly level, typically with a slight slope for drainage. Common in commercial buildings and modern residential designs.
• Gable
  A roof with two sloping sides that meet at a ridge, creating a triangular wall segment (gable) at each end. It is one of the most common roof types in residential construction.
• Gutter
  A narrow channel at the edge of the roof that collects and directs rainwater away from the building's foundation.
• Hip
  A roof type where all sides slope downwards to the walls, typically with a gentle slope. It has no vertical ends, making it more wind-resistant than gable roofs.

• Rain Chain
  A decorative alternative to a downspout that guides rainwater visibly down a chain or series of cups into a drain or basin.
• Ridge
  The horizontal line at the top of a sloped roof where two roof planes meet. It’s often capped with shingles or tiles and may house a ridge vent.
• Ridge Vent
  A ventilation strip installed at the peak of a sloped roof to allow warm, humid air to escape from the attic.
• Shed
  A single-sloped roof that is pitched in one direction only. Also called a "skillion" roof, it’s simple to construct and often used on modern or minimalist buildings.
• Soffit
  The underside of the roof overhang (eaves), often finished with a ventilated panel to allow airflow into the attic.
• Soffit Vent
  A vent located in the soffit to let cool air enter the attic and help promote circulation with ridge or gable vents.
• Valley
  The internal angle formed by the intersection of two sloping roof planes, which channels water toward the gutters.