Architecture

Palazzo Pitti — Renaissance palace, museum complex and Boboli Gardens in Florence Palazzo Pitti Palazzo Pitti is a vast Renaissance palace in Florence, Italy, long associated with the Medici and later rulers. Today it houses several museums and sits before the historic Boboli…

Palm Islands (Dubai) — artificial archipelagos and coastal development Palm Islands Three artificial archipelagos off Dubai's coast formed from large-scale land reclamation; notable for their palm-tree layout, luxury real estate, engineering challenges and environ…

Palma Cathedral (Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma) Palma Cathedral Gothic Roman Catholic cathedral in Palma de Mallorca built on a former mosque site; notable for its Catalan Gothic style, large nave, Gaudí's early 20th‑century interventions and l…

Palmolive Building — Art Deco tower at 919 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago Palmolive Building A 37-story Art Deco landmark completed in 1929 at 919 N. Michigan Avenue, originally home to Colgate-Palmolive-Peet and later known for housing Playboy Enterprises' offices and clu…

Park Güell — Antoni Gaudí's public park and architectural ensemble in Barcelona Park Güell A public park and architectural ensemble on Carmel Hill in Barcelona, designed by Antoni Gaudí. Known for trencadís mosaics, organic structures and colonnaded spaces; built 1900–19…

Park Tower (Chicago) — mixed-use skyscraper completed in 2000 Park Tower Park Tower is a 257 m (844 ft), 67-floor mixed-use skyscraper in Chicago, completed in 2000. It combines residential, hospitality and retail functions and ranks among the city's ta…

Parlour (parlor): its origin, historical roles, and modern uses Parlour A parlour is a room for receiving guests and performing specialized services. This article surveys its linguistic origin, biblical and monastic history, domestic evolution, and com…

Patio: paved outdoor living space for gardens and homes Patio A patio is a paved outdoor area adjoining a house or set within a garden, used for dining, relaxation and entertaining. This article explains types, materials, design, history and…

Patrick Geddes — Scottish biologist, sociologist and pioneering town planner Patrick Geddes Sir Patrick Geddes (1854–1932) was a Scottish biologist, sociologist, geographer and influential town planner known for the civic survey method, 'place–work–folk' approach and mast…

Pattern language A pattern language is a structured collection of design patterns—named, contextual solutions to recurring problems—used in architecture, software, urbanism, and other fields to gui…

Penthouse (top-floor apartment and rooftop structure) Penthouse A penthouse is a dwelling or structure located on a building's highest level. It commonly denotes a luxury apartment set back from the roofline but may also refer to mechanical or…

Persian architecture Architectural traditions of Iran from ancient to modern times, known for brickwork, domes, courtyards, gardens, iwans and tile decoration and for influencing buildings across the I…

Philadelphia City Hall Landmark municipal building in Philadelphia noted for its Second Empire design, the William Penn statue atop its 167 m (548 ft) tower, and its brief status as the world's tallest h…

Pier (raised walkway and coastal structure) Pier A pier is a raised platform built over water to provide access, berthing, recreation, or support for structures; designs range from simple wooden walkways to large commercial or le…

Pierhead Building, Cardiff: history, architecture and significance Pierhead Building Late 19th-century red-brick landmark in Cardiff Bay. Designed by William Frame (1897), originally dock offices and now an exhibition and visitor building owned by the Welsh legisla…

Pillar: architectural element, history, types and symbolic uses Pillar A pillar is a vertical support element in architecture and engineering, also used metaphorically. This article covers parts, styles, historical development, practical uses and cult…

Pittsfield Building A 38‑story 1920s skyscraper at 55 E. Washington in Chicago's Loop, noted for its decorative masonry, mixed‑use history and designation as a Chicago Landmark in 2002.

Plan view (top view) in orthographic projection Plan view A plan view is the top-down orthographic projection of a three-dimensional object or building, showing layout and relationships by cutting along a horizontal plane and omitting the…

Playground slide An introduction to playground slides: design, materials, safety, varieties (including water slides and helter-skelters), history and common uses in public play areas.

Powys Castle — medieval fortress, country house and terraced gardens near Welshpool Powys Castle Powys Castle is a fortified medieval residence and stately home in Mid Wales, noted for its red sandstone siting, extensive terraced gardens and long association with private famil…

Price Tower: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Vertical Landmark in Bartlesville Price Tower A comprehensive overview of the Price Tower in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, its design by Frank Lloyd Wright, history, architectural features, uses and significance as a rare Wright sky…

Prudential Tower (The Pru) — Boston office skyscraper and observation landmark Prudential Tower A 1960s-era skyscraper in Boston's Back Bay, the Prudential Tower houses offices, shops and an observation level. Designed by Charles Luckman, it remains a prominent element of Bos…

Q1 (Queensland Number One) — Gold Coast skyscraper and observation tower Q1 (building) Q1 is a landmark residential skyscraper on the Gold Coast, Australia, noted for its tall spire, observation deck and status among the nation's tallest buildings.

Queen's Apartment at Versailles (Grand appartement de la reine) Queen's apartment at Versailles The Queen's Apartment at the Palace of Versailles is a suite of ceremonial and private rooms for the French queen. It faces the Parterre du Midi and complements the King's Apartmen…

Quonset Hut: Prefabricated Semi-Cylindrical Steel Shelter Quonset hut Quonset huts are lightweight, prefabricated semi-cylindrical steel buildings developed in the U.S. for rapid wartime construction; they later found broad civilian and industrial re…

Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, Qutb Complex (Delhi) Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque Early Delhi Sultanate mosque begun under Qutb-ud-din Aibak and enlarged by later sultans; noted for its reuse of temple sculpture, the ancient Iron Pillar, and its role within the…

Radiant heating: principles, types, history, uses and considerations Radiant heating Radiant heating warms objects and people by emitting infrared energy from heated surfaces. This article explains how it works, common systems, historical origins, benefits, limitat…

Rashtrapati Bhavan — Official Residence of the President of India Rashtrapati Bhavan Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence of India's president in New Delhi. An architectural landmark by Edwin Lutyens, it blends Western and Indian styles and includes extensi…

Rättvik Church (Rättviks kyrka) Rättvik Church Parish church in Rättvik, Dalarna. Stone church with medieval roots, belonging to the Church of Sweden; serves religious, cultural, and community functions and is part of local her…

Red Bull Arena (Wals-Siezenheim) — football stadium in Salzburg region Red Bull Arena (Salzburg) Red Bull Arena is a modern football stadium in Wals-Siezenheim near Salzburg, Austria. Home to FC Red Bull Salzburg and FC Liefering, it hosted matches at UEFA Euro 2008 and seats…

Redevelopment: urban renewal, adaptive reuse, and site redevelopment Redevelopment Redevelopment is the process of replacing or repurposing existing built environments. This article explains types, typical steps, history, benefits, risks, and how it differs from…

Regents Park (Chicago) — large apartment complex in Kenwood Regents Park (Chicago) Regents Park is a 1,026‑unit upscale apartment complex located in the Indian Village section of Kenwood on Chicago's South Side, notable for its scale and role in local housing.

Reichstag (building) — Berlin's parliamentary seat, history and architecture Reichstag (building) Historic Berlin building completed in 1894 that houses Germany's parliament. Notable for its 19th-century façade, wartime damage, the 1933 fire, and a modern glass dome from its 19…

Rem Koolhaas: Architect, Theorist, and Urban Thinker Rem Koolhaas Overview of Rem Koolhaas, the Dutch architect and urban theorist: education, major works, writings (Delirious New York, S,M,L,XL), OMA/AMO, influence, and recognition including the…

Renaissance architecture: revival of classical forms and urban ideals Renaissance architecture Renaissance architecture (14th–16th c. Italy) revived classical Roman and Greek principles of proportion, symmetry and ornament, producing domes, palaces, churches and villas that…

Renzo Piano: Italian architect and engineer Renzo Piano Renzo Piano (born 1937) is an Italian architect and engineer known for projects such as the Centre Pompidou, The Shard and the New York Times Building; he received the 1998 Pritzke…

Reynolds Building (Winston-Salem) Reynolds Building A 21-story Art Deco tower in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, built in 1929 as R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company offices and later converted to residences; historically noted as a protot…

River East Center: Chicago residential skyscraper in the River East complex River East Center River East Center is a 58‑story residential skyscraper in Chicago's River East complex, completed in 2001. It contains around 620 condominium units and rises approximately 644 feet…

Robie House Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House in Chicago’s Hyde Park (5757 S. Woodlawn Ave) is a landmark Prairie School residence noted for its long horizontals, cantilevers, art-glass windows…

Rockefeller Center, New York City Rockefeller Center Large Art Deco complex in Midtown Manhattan built in the 1930s; a cultural, commercial, and broadcast hub known for 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the skating rink and annual Christmas tree…

Domestic Architecture in Ancient Rome: Domus, Insulae, and Villas Roman house Explore domestic architecture in Ancient Rome: domus, insulae, and villas—their layouts, materials, social roles, construction methods and archaeological legacy.

Roman Temple: Design, Function, and Legacy Roman temple An overview of Roman temples: their architectural features, materials and column orders, religious and civic roles, historical development, notable examples, and differences from G…

Roman villa: architecture, types, and social role Roman villa Comprehensive summary of the Roman villa: definition, principal spaces (atrium, peristyle), types (urbana, rustica), features (hypocaust, mosaics), historical development and legac…

Romanesque architecture: form, history and regional variations Romanesque architecture Romanesque architecture is the dominant medieval European style before Gothic, known for heavy masonry, round arches and fortress-like churches, developed roughly from the 10th to…

Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center Federal building and mixed-use international trade center in Washington, D.C., opened in 1998 and named for President Ronald Reagan; combines government offices, public spaces, tra…

Ronald Reagan Federal Building and Courthouse (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) Ronald Reagan Federal Building and Courthouse (Pennsylvania) Federal courthouse in downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Built in 1966, twelve stories, owned by the GSA and renamed for President Ronald Reagan in 2004; houses federal court funct…

Roof: function, types, materials, and maintenance Roof A roof is the top covering of a building that protects interior spaces from weather. This article explains its functions, common types, materials, history, maintenance, and environ…

Room (interior space) Room A room is an enclosed interior area within a structure or building, typically bounded by walls and assigned a use such as sleeping, cooking, bathing or working.