Selected Bibliography Architecture - Form Space and Order | Page 431

G L O SSARY

parapet A low, protective wall at the edge of a terrace, balcony, or roof, esp.
that part of an exterior wall, fire wall, or party wall that rises above the
roof.
parterre An ornamental arrangement of flower beds of different shapes and
sizes.
parti Used by the French at the École des Beaux-Arts in the nineteenth
century, the design idea or sketch from which an architectural project will
be developed. Now, the basic scheme or concept for an architectural design,
represented by a diagram.
passage grave A megalithic tomb of the Neolithic and early Bronze Ages found
in the British Isles and Europe, consisting of a roofed burial chamber and
narrow entrance passage, covered by a tumulus: believed to have been used
for successive family or clan burials spanning a number of generations.
pavilion A light, usually open building used for shelter, concerts, or exhibits,
as in a park or fair. Also, a central or flanking projecting subdivision of a
facade, usually accented by more elaborate decoration or greater height
and distinction of skyline.
pedestal A construction upon which a column, statue, memorial shaft, or the
like, is elevated, usually consisting of a base, a dado, and a cornice or cap.
pediment The low-pitched gable enclosed by the building’s horizontal and raking
cornices of a Greek or Roman temple. Also, a similar or derivative element
used to surmount a major division of a facade or crown an opening.
pendentive A spherical triangle forming the transition from the circular plan of
a dome to the polygonal plan of its supporting structure.
pergola A struc