Essential Urban Planning and Architectural Terminology

Urban Planning and Architectural Glossary

Public Spaces and Infrastructure

• Greenwatch: Ground surface primarily for recreation or pedestrian circulation, composed of plants and complementary elements.
• Street: A vehicular route that connects to other roads, typically including sidewalks between two private properties.
• Calzada (Roadway): The portion of a path designated for vehicular transit.
• Sidewalk: The section of a street located between the curb or edge of the roadway and the property line.
• Public Space: Areas designated for national circulation, public use, and recreation.
• Passage: A path intended for pedestrian traffic, occasionally used for vehicle circulation.
• Trail: The paved portion of a sidewalk.
• Via: A space designated for transit.

Building Types and Structures

• Detached Building: A structure separated from property boundaries, maintaining distances required by local zoning regulations.
• Continuous Edification: Buildings occupying the entire front of a site, maintaining the same level and alignment as adjoining structures.
• Paired Edification: Two buildings located against a common boundary, sharing the same front line, height, and length.
• Facilities: Buildings designed to supplement basic functions of living, production, and circulation.
• House: A space designated for residential transit.
• Single-family House: A residence for one family with a separate exit to a public thoroughfare.

Technical and Zoning Terms

• Building Line: The line established by territorial planning tools that defines where a structure may be built on a property.
• Mansard: The space located under the sloping roof of a building.
• Separation Wall: A wall dividing an estate or building owned by the same person.
• Partition Wall: A wall separating two different properties.
• Dividing Wall: A wall held in common by the owners of two adjoining estates (a common boundary).
• Ochavo (Chamfer): A beveled corner applied to a building or enclosure at the intersection of vehicular or pedestrian roads.
• Flush: An imaginary line that defines the theoretical envelope within which a building project can be developed.