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

pagoda tower - a tower that has several levels of roofs with upturned corners

pailou - a large gateway made of stone or wood; it has one, three, or five openings and a decorated roof

painter - person who paints the building walls

passive system - a system that heats and cools a building without the use of mechanical fans, pumps, or electricity

pediment - the triangular end of a roof

perimeter - The outer limits of an area

permeable landscape - ground that is porous and allows rain to pass through; example: grass

pilings - long slender columns (usually of timber, steel, or reinforced concrete) driven into the ground to carry a vertical load

plans/prints - pages with drawings of the building (architects no longer reproduce drawings by the method that creates blue sheets, so the term “blue prints” is no longer common)

plumber - person who works with pipes and plumbing systems

pointed arch - any arch that has a pointed top

population - the number of people living in an area

population density - how close people live to other people

primary source - actual records that have survived from the past, such as letters, photographs, government statistics (like census records, oral histories, and maps)

private building - a building owned by an individual person, group, or organization; its function is to sell something (a product or service) or to provide a place to live or work; it is open only to specific users of the building

public building - a building owned by the city, state, or national government; its function is to serve all people