Architecture

Moroccan riad: traditional inward-facing house built around a courtyard Moroccan riad A riad is a traditional Moroccan urban house centered on an enclosed courtyard garden with a fountain; historically wealthy residences, many riads are now restored as guesthouses a…

Mortar (building material, mortar and pestle, and weapon) Mortar Comprehensive overview of mortar in three main senses: masonry binding material, the mortar and pestle grinding tool, and the indirect-fire mortar weapon — their composition, uses,…

Motte-and-bailey (castle type) Motte-and-bailey A motte-and-bailey is a medieval fortification with an earthen mound (motte) and an enclosed courtyard (bailey). Common in 11th–12th century Europe, it was quick to build and later…

Multiple nuclei model of urban structure Multiple nuclei model A mid-20th century urban geography model proposing that large cities develop several focal centers (nuclei) rather than a single downtown; explains patterns of land use and decentr…

Nakagin Capsule Tower Mixed-use modular building in Tokyo by Kisho Kurokawa, an icon of the Metabolism movement known for its detachable prefabricated capsules and experimental approach to urban housing…

National Building Museum A Washington, D.C. institution devoted to the history, design, and practice of building in the United States, housed in the historic Pension Building and offering exhibitions, educ…

Nave (church architecture) Nave The nave is the principal central space of a church where the congregation gathers. This article explains its form, parts, history, liturgical role, common variations and architect…

NBC Tower — Chicago office and broadcast building NBC Tower NBC Tower is a 37‑story office and broadcast tower in downtown Chicago, completed in 1989. It houses NBC Chicago operations and television stations near the Magnificent Mile.

Nelson Mandela Bridge, Johannesburg Nelson Mandela Bridge A cable-stayed road and pedestrian bridge in Johannesburg completed in 2003, linking Braamfontein and Newtown and named for Nelson Mandela; an urban landmark and part of inner-city…

NEMA (Chicago): High-rise Residential Tower in the Central Station Neighborhood NEMA (Chicago) NEMA (formerly 113 East Roosevelt) is a tall residential skyscraper in Chicago's Central Station neighborhood, designed by Rafael Viñoly. It contains hundreds of apartments and is…

Neo-futurism: Art, Design and Architecture of a Tech-Inflected Future Neo-futurism Neo-futurism is a contemporary aesthetic across architecture, design and the arts that emphasizes advanced technology, dynamic forms, and an aspirational view of the future.

New York City Hall Historic seat of New York City government in Lower Manhattan. Built 1810–1812, it houses the Mayor's Office and City Council chambers and is a designated National Historic Landmark…

New York State Capitol Seat of New York's legislature in Albany: a late‑19th‑century landmark building notable for its mixed architectural styles, carved interiors, public functions, and place beside the…

Nonsuch Palace A Tudor royal palace built by Henry VIII in Surrey, renowned for its lavish decoration, unique name, and eventual demolition in the late 17th century; the site now lies within Nons…

Norfolk House (31 St James's Square, London) Norfolk House Georgian London town house built for the Dukes of Norfolk in 1722, briefly a royal residence where King George III was born; its architecture, royal connections and historical role…

Norman architecture Norman architecture is the Romanesque building style developed by the Normans in the 11th–12th centuries across Normandy, Britain, Sicily and parts of Europe, known for massive for…

Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum (Oakland Coliseum) Oakland Alameda Coliseum Open‑air multipurpose stadium in Oakland, California, opened in 1966. Longtime home of the Oakland Athletics and former home of the Raiders; known for its dual-use design and conte…

Observation deck — elevated viewing platforms Observation deck An observation deck is an elevated platform built to provide wide views of the surrounding landscape or cityscape. Found on towers, tall buildings, hills and mountains, they serve…

Office Spaces and Roles — Design, Functions, and Modern Hybrid Work Trends Office Overview of office spaces and roles: design, layouts, functions, and how hybrid and remote work reshape workplace use, team roles, and organizational support structures.

Old Chicago Main Post Office Redevelopment (proposed project) Old Chicago Main Post Office Redevelopment A proposed, large-scale redevelopment of Chicago's historic Old Main Post Office into a mixed-use riverfront complex featuring new towers, retail and connected infrastructure; appr…

Old College, University of Edinburgh Old College is the principal historic building of the University of Edinburgh in the city’s Old Town, noted for its neoclassical design, central quadrangle and long association wit…

Olympia Centre — Chicago skyscraper Olympia Centre Olympia Centre is a 221 m (725 ft), 63-floor mixed-use skyscraper in downtown Chicago, completed in 1986. It combines offices, residences and street-level retail and remains a nota…

One Bennett Park (Streeterville residential skyscraper) One Bennett Park One Bennett Park is a high-rise residential tower at 451 East Grand Avenue in Chicago’s Streeterville. Named for planner Edward H. Bennett, it pairs classical proportions with mode…

One Canada Square One Canada Square is a prominent skyscraper in London’s Canary Wharf, rising to 235 m (771 ft). Completed in 1991, it has 50 storeys and is a focal point of the Docklands financial…

One Chase Manhattan Plaza (28 Liberty Street) One Chase Manhattan Plaza International-style office tower in Manhattan's Financial District, completed 1961; 60 floors, 813 ft; known for its large public plaza and role as the headquarters of Chase Manhat…

One Chicago — mixed‑use twin‑tower development in River North, Chicago One Chicago Square One Chicago is a twin‑tower residential development in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. Approved with a zoning change, it will contain up to 869 dwelling units and a shared podi…

One Liberty Plaza — office skyscraper in Lower Manhattan One Liberty Plaza One Liberty Plaza is a 54-story office tower in Lower Manhattan, completed in 1973. Known for its black facade and large floor plates, it replaced the Singer Building and houses ma…

One Magnificent Mile — mixed-use high-rise at the north end of Chicago's Magnificent Mile One Magnificent Mile One Magnificent Mile is a 673.01 ft (205 m) mixed-use tower completed in 1983 at the northern end of Michigan Avenue in Chicago, known for retail, residences and its prominent skyl…

One Museum Park — residential skyscraper in Chicago's Museum Campus One Museum Park One Museum Park is a 62‑story residential skyscraper in Chicago's Near South Side, completed in 2009. It is notable for its height, lakeside views and role in the Museum Park devel…

One North Wacker (Chicago office skyscraper) One North Wacker One North Wacker is a 50-story, 199 m (653 ft) office skyscraper in Chicago’s Loop. Completed in 2002 and formerly known as UBS Tower, it occupies a prominent site on North Wacker…

One Prudential Plaza (Chicago office tower) One Prudential Plaza One Prudential Plaza is a 41-story office tower in downtown Chicago, completed in 1955 as Prudential's Mid‑America headquarters. It is known for a 601 ft roof, a 311 ft antenna, an…

One South Dearborn — Chicago office tower One South Dearborn One South Dearborn is a 571 ft (174 m), 39‑story commercial skyscraper in downtown Chicago, completed 2005. Designed by DeStefano Keating Partners; major tenant Sidley Austin LLP s…

One Worldwide Plaza One Worldwide Plaza is a prominent late-20th-century office skyscraper in New York City, completed in 1989. It rises 237 m (778 ft) with 50 floors and includes office, retail and p…

Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building Operations and Checkout Building A multiuse processing and testing facility at Kennedy Space Center where crewed spacecraft, modules and station components are assembled, checked out, and prepared for transfer to…

Orvieto Cathedral (Duomo di Orvieto) — Gothic masterpiece in Umbria Orvieto Cathedral The Duomo di Orvieto is a 14th‑century Roman Catholic cathedral in Orvieto, Umbria. Renowned for its ornate façade and the San Brizio Chapel frescoes, it is a key work of Italian G…

Otsego Hall — ancestral home of James Fenimore Cooper Otsego Hall Otsego Hall was the Cooper family residence in Cooperstown, New York. Built in the 1790s by William Cooper, it became the lifelong home of novelist James Fenimore Cooper and a regi…

Ottoman architecture: form, development, and cultural legacy Ottoman architecture An overview of Ottoman architecture: its features, historical development, principal building types, major influences, notable examples, and lasting legacy.

Outhouse: Outdoor Simple Toilet Structures and Their Variants Outhouse An outhouse is a small outdoor building that shelters a non‑plumbed toilet. This article describes its types, design features, history, uses, maintenance and sanitation considerati…

Pagoda — East Asian tiered religious tower Pagoda A pagoda is a multi‑eaved tower found across East and Southeast Asia, evolved from South Asian stupas and adapted into Buddhist and Taoist architecture for relic housing and ritual…

Palace: grand residences, architecture, history and modern uses Palace A palace is a large, ornate residence or public building associated with royalty, heads of state, or lavish private life. This article covers form, history, functions, examples, an…

Palace of Ardashir — Sasanian royal complex near Firuzabad Palace of Ardashir Early Sasanian palace and probable ceremonial complex founded by Ardashir I (AD 224) near Gor (Firuzabad), notable for its large domed hall, vaulted iwans and influence on later Pe…

Palace of Culture and Science (Pałac Kultury i Nauki) Palace of Culture and Science A landmark high-rise in central Warsaw completed in the 1950s. The Palace houses cultural institutions, offices and an observation deck and is a prominent, contested symbol of Pola…

Palace of Fine Arts (Palacio de Bellas Artes) — Mexico City's cultural landmark Palace of Fine Arts An encyclopedic overview of the Palace of Fine Arts (Palacio de Bellas Artes) in Mexico City: architecture, history, murals, programs and practical visiting notes.

Palace of the Shirvanshahs A major medieval palace complex in Baku's Inner City, the Palace of the Shirvanshahs is a leading example of Shirvan-Absheron architecture and an important cultural and historical…

Palacio de la Magdalena (Magdalena Palace), Santander, Spain Palacio de la Magdalena Early 20th-century palace on Santander's Magdalena Peninsula. Built as a royal summer residence, now a cultural and academic venue overlooking the Bay of Santander.

Palaestra: Ancient Greek wrestling school and training court Palaestra A palaestra was a Greek open-air and colonnaded training courtyard for wrestling and close-contact athletics, connected to gymnasia and civic life and later adopted in Roman comple…

Palais-Royal, Paris — history, architecture and cultural role Palais Royal A central Paris complex founded for Cardinal Richelieu, later the Orléans residence. The Palais-Royal combines 17th‑century architecture, a public garden, theatres and modern insti…

Palazzo Chiablese — historic palace in Turin Palazzo Chiablese A former ducal residence in Turin, Italy, associated with the House of Savoy. Today it hosts a cultural collection on Piedmont history and opens to the public for exhibitions and e…