Looking at Buildings

Glossary

Pargeting: (lit. plastering): Exterior plaster decoration, either moulded in relief or incised.
Parlour: In an abbey or monastery, a room for talking to visitors in; in a medieval house, the semi-private living room below the solar or upper chamber.
Parterre: Level space in a garden laid out with low, formal beds of plants.
Passing braces: Long straight braces in a timber roof, passing across other members of the truss.
Patent glazing: Large-paned glazing with minimal framing, developed in the 20th century.
Patera: (lit. plate): Round or oval classical ornament in shallow relief.
Patte d’oie: (French, lit. goose foot): A feature in garden design in which three radiating avenues focus on a single point; derived from French Baroque layouts.
Pavilion: Ornamental building for occasional use in a garden, park, etc.; or a projecting subdivision of a larger building, often at an angle or terminating a wing.
Pebbledashing: A form of wall covering in which pebbles or gravel are thrown at the wet plaster for a textured effect.
Pedestal: A tall block carrying a classical column, statue, vase, etc.