Exterior/Elevations
This is the standard numbering for the exterior elevation series in an architectural set (e.g., A-200 or A-201
What is the A-200 Series
This term describes the pattern or solid fill used in a section cut to indicate where a wall or structural member has been "sliced"
What is Poché
This is the "short story" an architect writes to explain the inspiration behind a design (like saying a building looks like a tree)
What is a Design Statement
Ancient Romans used this "liquid stone" to build the Pantheon; we still use it today for sidewalks and skyscrapers
What is Concrete
This is the maximum height (in inches) of a single stair riser allowed by the International Building Code for most occupancies
What is 7 inches
To ensure accuracy, the existing grade line for each outside wall on an elevation should be obtained from this specific consultant's plan
What is the Site Plan
This "cloud-like" symbol is drawn around a specific area of a drawing that has been changed after the initial permit set was issued
What is a Revision Cloud
This is the "Negative Space" on a layout or board that is left empty to allow the viewer's eyes to rest and focus on the main images
What is White Space
This type of "skin" describes a building’s exterior glass wall that hangs from the structural frame rather than supporting any weight itself
What is a Curtain Wall
In an ADA-compliant restroom, this is the diameter of the "clear floor space" required for a wheelchair to turn around
What is 60 inches (or 5 feet)
In a masonry wall detail, this small gap is left in the mortar joint to allow moisture trapped in the cavity to escape
What is a Weep Hole
This specific plan type is essentially a "mirror on the floor" view used to coordinate lighting and HVAC with architectural features
What is a Reflected Ceiling Plan (RCP)
This three-letter acronym refers to the formal document a client sends out to invite firms to submit their qualifications for a project
What is an RFP (Request for Proposal)
This city is widely considered the birthplace of the skyscraper following its "Great Fire" of 1871
What is Chicago
This term describes the "unobstructed path" that leads occupants from any point in a building to a public way
What is the Means of Egress
When measuring a window, you should always record the "RO," which stands for this.
What is the Rough Opening
This section lists the "Quality Control" steps the firm takes to ensure the drawings don't have errors before they go to the contractor
What is the QA/QC Plan
To make a proposal legally binding, it must include this section, which lists exactly what the architect will do—and just as importantly, what they won't do
What is the Scope of Services
This 1916 NYC law required "setbacks" in skyscrapers to ensure sunlight reached the street, resulting in the iconic "wedding cake" silhouette
What is the Zoning Resolution
This is the maximum allowable slope for a ramp in new construction
What is 1:12? (1 inch of rise for every 12 inches of run)
To protect framing from moisture, building codes generally require the top of the foundation to be at least this height above the finished grade.
What is 8 inches
This specific sheet type (usually A-600 series) provides a detailed list of every door, window, and room finish in the project
What is a Schedule
This is the term for "Proprietary Information" within a proposal that a firm can request be kept confidential even under public record laws
What is Trade Secret Protection
In his "Five Points of Architecture," Le Corbusier used this French term for the slender reinforced concrete stilts that lift a building off the ground.
What are Pilotis
This is the maximum allowable "lip" or threshold height for a doorway to be considered accessible without a ramp
What is 1/2 inch