Architecture

St. Regis Chicago (formerly Wanda Vista Tower) St. Regis Chicago A 101‑story mixed‑use supertall skyscraper in Chicago designed by Jeanne Gang; notable for its tripartite form, mixed hotel and residences, and status as the tallest building desig…

Stable (livestock shelter) Stable A stable is a building designed to house domesticated large animals — especially horses — providing stalls, storage for feed, and shelter; designs vary by animal, climate and use.

Stade de France National multi-purpose stadium in Saint-Denis, opened for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Capacity about 80,698; hosts major football, rugby, athletics events and large concerts near Pari…

Stairs: design, types, history, uses and safety Stairs An overview of stairs (staircases): their components, common forms, historical development, uses in buildings and transport, and basic safety and accessibility considerations.

Steeple: the church tower and spire Steeple A steeple is the tall tower and pointed spire atop many Christian churches. This article explains its parts, history, functions, symbolic meaning, and common variations in design a…

Stile (rural footpath crossing) Stile A stile is a simple structure that allows people to cross fences or walls on footpaths while keeping livestock contained. Types, history, legal context, accessibility and alternati…

Stoa (Ancient Greek portico and public walkway) Stoa A stoa is a covered walkway or colonnaded porch central to ancient Greek public life. This article explains its design, variations, functions, historical development and legacy in…

Stockholm City Hall Prominent municipal building on Kungsholmen in Stockholm, Sweden; designed by Ragnar Östberg (1911–1923). Seat of the city council and site of the annual Nobel Prize banquet on 10…

Stockholm Palace: Sweden’s Royal Castle and State Residence Stockholm Palace The Stockholm Palace (Stockholms slott) is the official royal castle in central Stockholm. Rebuilt after the 1697 Tre Kronor fire, it contains state rooms, museums, the Royal Apart…

Stonemasonry: craft, history, materials, and cultural significance Stonemasonry An introduction to stonemasonry covering its techniques, materials, historical monuments, cultural roles, and modern practice, with examples from antiquity to conservation.

Street: definition, design, history and social role Street A street is a public way in an urban environment; this article explains its form, components, history, functions, and cultural importance, with examples and distinctions from roads…

Street furniture: definition, types, design and public role Street furniture Street furniture are fixed and movable objects placed in public streets and spaces—benches, lights, signs, shelters and more—that support safety, accessibility, wayfinding and the…

Streetlight An overview of streetlights: purpose, common designs and lamp types, history of public lighting, benefits and concerns, and how modern controls and LEDs are reshaping urban illumin…

Stronghold: fortified places, types, history and cultural role Stronghold A stronghold is any heavily fortified place—castle, fortress, citadel or modern defensive line—used for military defense, administration, refuge and symbolic power from antiquity t…

Sunninghill Park Sunninghill Park was a country estate in Berkshire, England, notable for an early 19th‑century house, a late 20th‑century replacement that served as a royal residence, and its demo…

Sunnyside — Washington Irving's house in Tarrytown, New York Sunnyside (Tarrytown, New York) Sunnyside is the 19th‑century home of American writer Washington Irving in Tarrytown, NY. A picturesque stone cottage, now a museum, it reflects Irving's taste and the Romantic era…

Suspension bridge: design, history, components, and uses Suspension bridge A suspension bridge supports its deck using cables hung from towers and anchored at the ends. Evolved from simple rope crossings into modern long-span steel structures used for roa…

Swing (seat): hanging playground, garden, and performance seat Swing (seat) A swing is a suspended seat that moves in a back-and-forth arc. This article describes common types, construction, basic physics, history, uses, installation and safety considerati…

Sydney Opera House: history, architecture, and cultural role Sydney Opera House A concise overview of the Sydney Opera House: its design, construction, functions, and cultural importance as an architectural landmark on Sydney Harbour.

Taipei 101 — landmark skyscraper in Taipei Taipei 101 Taipei 101 is a 101‑story skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan, known for its height, distinctive tiered design, massive tuned mass damper, fast elevators, and role in New Year celebration…

Taliesin (Frank Lloyd Wright’s Spring Green studio and estate) Taliesin (studio) Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright’s rural estate in Spring Green, Wisconsin, was his summer home, studio, and the site of his fellowship and many important works and restorations.

Taliesin West — Frank Lloyd Wright’s desert home, studio and school Taliesin West Taliesin West is Frank Lloyd Wright’s Arizona winter home and studio (1937–1959), now the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture campus and foundation headquarters, open for tou…

Tatami: Traditional Japanese Floor Mats — Construction, History, and Uses Tatami Tatami are rectangular Japanese floor mats with woven straw surfaces and straw or modern cores. They serve functional and cultural roles in architecture, room measurement, seating,…

Tel Aviv Bauhaus Center Private gallery, shop and information hub dedicated to Tel Aviv's Bauhaus and International Style architecture in the White City, offering exhibitions, tours, publications and pres…

Tent: Portable Fabric Shelter — Types, History, Uses, and Care Tent A tent is a lightweight, portable shelter made of fabric and poles. This article explains its parts, development, common types, uses, and practical care and safety considerations.

Thatching: Traditional Roof Covering Using Dry Vegetation Thatching Thatching is the craft of making roofs from bundled dry vegetation such as straw, reeds or palm. It is a long-standing, sustainable roofing method with regional styles, maintenance…

The Eldridge Hotel: Lawrence, Kansas landmark and historic downtown hotel The Eldridge Hotel Historic downtown Lawrence hotel named for Shalor Eldridge. Built in the mid-19th century, rebuilt after Civil War–era violence, and today serving as a preserved hotel and communit…

The Fordham — Chicago residential skyscraper The Fordham A 52‑story luxury residential tower in Chicago, completed in 2003. Noted for its château‑style crown, high-end penthouses and prominent place in the city's residential skyline.

30 St Mary Axe — The Gherkin, landmark office tower in London The Gherkin Overview, design, history and significance of 30 St Mary Axe (the Gherkin), a distinctive London office skyscraper known for its tapered glass form, energy-conscious engineering an…

The Grant (formerly One Museum Park West) — Chicago residential tower The Grant The Grant, previously One Museum Park West, is a 181 m residential high-rise at the north end of Central Station in Chicago's Near South Side, adjacent to One Museum Park and near…

The Heritage at Millennium Park, a 57‑story Chicago residential tower The Heritage at Millennium Park Residential skyscraper at 130 N. Garland Court in Chicago, completed in 2005. Mixed‑use condominium high‑rise rising 631 ft with downtown views and proximity to Millennium Park and…

The Illinois (Mile‑High skyscraper proposal by Frank Lloyd Wright) The Illinois A visionary 1956 proposal by Frank Lloyd Wright for a one‑mile‑high vertical city in Chicago: design, specifications, engineering challenges, urban planning aims and its lasting in…

The Legacy at Millennium Park A 250 m (819 ft), 72-floor mixed-use skyscraper in downtown Chicago completed in 2009, adjacent to Millennium Park. Noted for its height, residential focus and prominent location i…

The New York Times Building: architecture, history, and significance The New York Times Building A summary of the New York Times Building in Manhattan: its design by Renzo Piano, key features, development history, uses as a newsroom and office tower, and notable architectural…

The Parkshore (Chicago skyscraper) The Parkshore The Parkshore is a 556 ft, 56‑floor residential skyscraper in Chicago, completed in 1991 and designed by Barancik Conte. It forms part of the city's late-20th-century lakefront hig…

The Shard (London Bridge Tower) — a glass skyscraper in Southwark The Shard The Shard is a 309.6 m glass-clad skyscraper in Southwark, London. Designed by Renzo Piano and opened in 2012, it houses offices, dining, a hotel, residences and a public viewing g…

Three First National Plaza — Chicago office skyscraper Three First National Plaza Three First National Plaza is a 234 m (767 ft), 57‑floor office skyscraper in downtown Chicago, completed in 1981. It forms part of the city's late‑20th‑century commercial skyline.

Tile (manufactured building material) Tile Durable manufactured pieces—commonly ceramic, stone, porcelain, glass or metal—used to cover roofs, floors, walls and decorative surfaces; available in many sizes, shapes and finis…

Time‑Life Building (Chicago) Time-Life Building (Chicago) 1969 modernist office tower in Chicago's Near North Side, designed by Harry Weese; notable for its double‑deck elevators and current role as the Chicago Park District headquarters.

Tongue and groove joint Tongue and groove A construction joint where a projecting 'tongue' on one board fits into a matching 'groove' on another, commonly used in flooring, panelling, siding and traditional timber work.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium A multi‑purpose sports and events venue in north London, home to Tottenham Hotspur, known for its 62,062 capacity and an innovative retractable, dividable pitch used for football a…

Tower (architectural structure) Tower A tower is a tall, freestanding structure used for observation, defence, support or communications. This article explains types, parts, history, uses and notable variations such as…

Tower 42 (formerly NatWest Tower) Tower 42 Tower 42, formerly the NatWest Tower, is a landmark City of London skyscraper completed in 1980. Originally NatWest's headquarters, it now contains offices, dining venues and event…

Tower house (fortified residential tower) Tower house A tower house is a compact, vertically oriented fortified dwelling that combined defense and domestic accommodation. Common in medieval Europe and other regions, it shaped local se…

Townhouse (Townhome): Urban multi-storey housing and row dwelling Townhouse A townhouse (townhome) is a medium-density urban dwelling typically built as a narrow, multi‑storey unit sharing walls with neighbors. Common in cities, it blends private living wi…

Transamerica Pyramid A landmark San Francisco skyscraper completed in 1972, known for its stepped pyramid form, light-colored quartz façade, and long-standing role as a city symbol and corporate emblem…

Trap door (trapdoor): design, history, uses, and cultural role Trap door A trap door (trapdoor) is a hinged or removable door in a floor or ground that opens vertically. This article covers types, history, uses in architecture and theatre, safety, and c…

Trdat the Architect Armenian chief architect of the Bagratuni court (c. 950–1020), traditionally credited with the cathedral of Ani and the late-10th-century repair of the Hagia Sophia dome in Constan…