Architectural Terms Beginning With "H"

Below are definitions and photographic illustrations of architectural term beginning with the letter "H".

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Hanging Gutter - A gutter attached to the ends of rafters or a fascia board at a roof's eaves.

Half-timbered - A structure with an exposed wooden frame that has the gaps between the framing elements filled with plaster, brick, or masonry.

Haunch - One side of an arch (the part of the arch between the impost and the crown).

Header - A brick or block laid horizontally in a wall so its shorter edge faces out.

Heading Course - A row of header bricks.

Helicline - A ramp that curves over the course of its run.

Hip - An inclined projecting angle between two adjacent roof segments.

Hip Roof - A roof where all of the sides slope upwards and meet in the middle. (Sometimes also called a hipped roof.)

Hipped Gable - A gable roof with one or more hipped ends.

Honed Finish - A very smooth stone finish, resembling the smoothness of a whetstone. Usually obtained by rubbing the face of the stone with a medium abrasive.

Honeycomb Slating - A method of laying roof slates similar to diagonal slating, except with the tail ends of the tiles cut off.

Horseshoe Arch - An arch with an intrados that narrows at its base, so the arch is shaped like an upside-down horseshoe. Also called a Moorish Arch.