Practice Management Flashcards
abutment
A buttressing or supporting
structure.
acoustics
The branch of physics that deals
with sound. In architectural application, the
sound qualities of a room or space.
acropolis
In an ancient Greek city, a citadel,
usually on a high plateau.
addenda
Statements or drawings that modify
the basic contract documents after the latter
have been issued to the bidders, but prior to
taking of bids.
addition (to the contract sum)
An amount
added to the contract sum either by an accepted
additive alternate or by change order.
adobe
A sun-dried brick of earth, used in the
American Southwest.
advertisement for bids
Published public
notice soliciting proposals for a construction
project.
aesthetics
The branch of philosophy that
deals with the quality, aspects, and perception
of beauty.
agent
One who acts on behalf of another.
air rights
The rights to the use or control
of space above a property, such as highways,
railroad tracks, or buildings.
albedo
Reflectivity measured as the relative permeability of a surface to radiant energy
flowing in either direction.
alignment
Horizontal or vertical deviation
from the straight or level centerline of the road.
alternate bid
Proposal by a bidder for an
amount to be subtracted from, or added to, the
base bid if the corresponding change in the
work is accepted.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Federal civil rights legislation that establishes
the right of persons with disabilities to equal
access to sites and buildings and sets design
guidelines for its implementation.
amphitheater
An arena encircled by tiers of
seats.
annunciator
An electromagnetic device that
indicates the activation of certain circuits; a
device to signal the existence and location of a
fire in a building.
application for payment
A contractor’s
written request for payment of the amount due
on account of work completed and/or materials
suitably stored on the site. Also called payment
request.
approved equal
Material or method that is
approved by the architect as being equivalent to
what was originally specified.
apse
The eastern or altar end of a church,
usually semicircular in plan
arbitration
An alternative to litigating a dispute, in which one or more arbitrators hears the
evidence and renders a decision.
ashlar
Masonry having a face of square or
rectangular stones.
azulejo
A glazed decorative tile with the
color blue most prominent.
backfill
Earth or other fill material placed
between an outside foundation wall and the
excavation.
baffle
A partial obstruction against flow in a
duct or pipe.
balance
The proportioning of components
by offsetting or contrasting so as to produce an
aesthetic equilibrium in the whole.
Baroque
A style of European architecture
developed in the late Renaissance in reaction
to classical forms, containing elaborate curves,
scrolls, and ornament.
barrier-free provisions
Regulations that
provide for accessibility to buildings and sites
for persons with disabilities.
base bid
The sum of money stated in the bid
for which the bidder offers to do the work, not
including any alternate bids.
base lines
East-west lines from which townships are established on government surveys.
They run perpendicular to meridian lines.
basic services
The architectural sendees
normally required for a building project, usually consisting of schematic design, design
development, construction documents, bidding or negotiation, and construction contract
administration.
bat
A part, usually half, of a broken brick;
also a unit of flat insulation.
batten
A cleat-like member placed across
a series of boards to tie them together; also, a
narrow strip covering the joint between two
vertical boards.
belvedere
A roofed structure or pavilion
located to command a view.
bench
An excavated level terrace in a slope
used to collect running water
benchmark
A relatively permanent surveyor’s mark of known location and elevation.
berm
A bank of earth, often piled up against
a wall.
bid
A proposal by a contractor to do the work
required by the contract documents for a stipulated sum of money.
bid bond
A surety bond guaranteeing that the
bidder will sign a contract, if offered, in accordance with his or her proposal.
bidding documents
The invitation to bid,
instructions to bidders, the bid form, and the
contract documents.
bituminous
Describing cement, mastic, or
roofing material that contains asphalt as a principal ingredient.
blighted area
An area, usually urban, that
has deteriorated in quality and value, and which
functions well below its economic and social
potential.
block
A division of urban land, normally
private property, that is surrounded by public
streets, and which is officially established and
recorded.
bollard
A stone guard to prevent damage to a
wall; also, a freestanding stone or metal post to
divert vehicular traffic.
bonus and penalty clause
A provision in the
construction contract for payment of a bonus to
the contractor for completing the project prior
to a specific date, and for a charge (penalty)
against the contractor for failing to complete
the project by that date.
boring
Drilling into the earth to obtain soil
samples in order to determine soil bearing
capacity.
brise-soleil
A sun break, an architectural
shading device for blocking unwanted sun rays.
BTU
British thermal unit, the amount of heat
required to raise the temperature of one pound
of water 1°F.
building line
A defined limit within a property line beyond which a structure may not
protrude.
caisson
An air chamber without a bottom,
used in excavation through water or mud.
campanile
A bell tower.
cant
To set at a slant from the horizontal or
vertical.
CARREL
a small room in a library
cash allowance
An amount included in the
contract sum to cover the cost of certain items
not specified in detail. Hardware and other finish items are often handled in this manner.
catch basin
A sieve-like device at the
entrance to a storm sewer to trap matter that
could block up the sewer.
catchment
A geographical area from which
the participants in an activity are drawn, such
as the customers of a shopping center or the
employees of a manufacturing plant.
caulk (or calk)
To fill a joint with mastic,
usually done with a pressure gun.
cella
The inner enclosed room of an ancient
temple.
certificate for payment
A statement by the
architect informing the owner of the amount
due the contractor on account of work completed and/or materials suitably stored.
certificate of occupancy
A document issued
by the governing authority stating that a building complies with applicable laws and permitting occupancy for its designated use.
certificate of substantial completion
A
document prepared by the architect stating that
the work is substantially complete, thereby
establishing the date of substantial completion.
It generally fixes the time within which the
contractor must complete the unfinished work
listed.
change in services (of the architect)
Professional services rendered by the architect, upon
the owner’s request, in addition to the basic
sendees identified in the owner-architect agreement. Also called extra services.
