Below are definitions and photographic illustrations of architectural term beginning with the letter "P".
| Palladiana - A terrazzo finish made by placing large, cut marble slabs in a mosaic pattern with smaller marble chips filling the gaps inbetween. |
| Pantile - Roofing tile with an S-shaped cross section. |
| Parapet - A low protective wall at the edge of a roof or balcony. |
| Parquet - A floor made from short strips of wood arranged to from a repeating, decorative pattern. Sometimes other materials, such as marble, are inlaid with the wood strips. |
| Parterre - An ornamental arrangement of variously sized and shaped flower beds. |
| Party Wall - A common wall used by two different buildings, usually sitting directly on a property boundary. |
| Paver Tile - Very large and thick unglazed ceramic floor tile. |
| Pavillion - A subdivision of a facade usually denoted by being taller and more ornately decorated. Traditionally, pavillions are located at the center of the facade and/or both ends of the facade. Can also refer to a small, ornamental building in a formal garden or park. |
| Pavillion Roof - A four-sided pyramidal hip roof. |
| Pedestal - The construction that a column or statue rests on. A pedestal consists of a cap, a dado, and a base. |
| Pendentive - A rounded triangle-shaped section of wall forming part of the transition from a dome to its flat supporting wall. |
| Pendentive Dome - A dome created by removing four equally spaced segments so it can sit on a square support. |
| Pergola - An open roof of beams supported by two parallel colonnades. Climbing plants such as ivy are usually trained to grow over the structure. |
| Perlite - A type of volcanic "glass" created by very slow-cooling lava that forms round, lightweight particles used as an aggregate in non-structural concrete. |
| Piano Nobile - The main story of a formal villa or palace that contains reception and dining rooms. |
| Pictograph - A picture-like symbol or sign. |
| Pier - Any vertical support, such as a wall between two windows. |
| Pilaster - A shallow rectangular structure projecting from a building's wall with a capital and a base, treated as a non-load bearing column. |
| Pillar - A thin, upright support. |
| Piloti - A series of columns supporting a building above ground level. |
| Pitch - The steepness of a roof's slope, determined by dividing the roof's rise by its run. The higher the pitch, the steeper the roof. |
| Pitched Roof - A roof that has one or more slopes. |
| Plafond - A flat or vaulted ceiling covered in decoration of some sort. |
| Plaza - Public square or central open space in a town. |
| Plenum - The space between a drop ceiling and floor above, especially when that space is used to move air back and forth between a conditioning or heating plant. |
| Plinth - A slab beneath the base of a pier, statue, or column. Usually square in shape. |
| Pointed Arch - An arch that rises to a pointed crown. |
| Porch - An external attachment to a building that provides a covered approach to an entrance. |
| Portal - An imposing entrance with large-scale architectural treatments. |
| Porte-Cochere - A roof projecting over a driveway near the entrance of a building designed to protect people getting in or out of a car from the elements. |
| Portico - A porch with a roof supported by columns. |
| Portland Cement - A cement made by burning clay and limestone in a kiln, and then grinding the result into a fine powder. |
| Post - A thick, rigid upright support. |
| Postern - A private entrance, usually on the side of a building or protective wall. |
| Promenade - A public area used for walks or strolls. |
