Looking at Buildings

Glossary

Curtain wall: A non-load-bearing external wall applied to a framed structure, in architecture of the 20th century onwards. Also a connecting wall between the towers of a castle.
Curvilinear tracery: Bar tracery with uninterrupted flowing curves, typical of the 14th century; also called flowing tracery.
Cusps: Projecting points formed by curves within the arches or tracery of Gothic architecture. A Kentish cusp or split cusp has a v-shaped opening set within the apex. In sub-cusping the sides of the cusps have smaller cusps, usually on a recessed plane.
Cutwater: A curved- or angle-ended stage at the bottom of a bridge pier.
Cyclopean masonry: Large irregular polygonal stones, smooth and finely jointed.
Cyma recta and cyma reversa: Classical mouldings with double curves.
Dado: The finishing (often with panelling) of the lower part of a wall, usually in a classical interior; in origin a formalized continuous pedestal. Dado rail: the moulding along the top of the dado.
Dagger: In tracery, an elongated ogee-ended lozenge shape.
Dais: A raised platform at one end of a medieval hall, where the lord or head of the household dined; also found in college or school halls, etc.
Dalle-de-verre: (French, lit. glass slab): A stained-glass technique invented in the mid- 20th century, setting large, thick pieces of cast glass into a frame of reinforced concrete or epoxy resin.