Whaddaya call this shape in a building?

[Kristi Silber]

There must be a name for these areas with angular bits, like part of an octagon. There's a name for everything else! Please help?

EDIT: have to remove photo per company policy. Sorry.

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[Billy Stephens]

I'd call them a bank of bay windows (right side ) bay window left side.

Construction Glossary
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The Retaining Wall Block appear to be Dry Stacked !
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[Jerry Peck]

The Retaining Wall Block appear to be Dry Stacked !

And those stairs are missing the required guards too.

[Kristi Silber]

I don't think there's anything wrong with dry stacking as long as it's well done. Think of the stone walls that are 100s of years old and still standing. It's been there since '88. There's a bit of subsidence, but it's withstood the test of time fairly well. Well drained!

I've been working on dry stacking a short limestone wall for someone, same material. It's tough getting them to interlock well, and they've done a beautiful job, much better than mine!

I don't think landscape railing requires anything more than is shown, does it? and the railing and bannister near the door have glass under 'em.

[Jerry Peck]

I don't think landscape railing requires anything more than is shown, does it? and the railing and bannister near the door have glass under 'em.

If it is man made, it is a structure by definition, and being as it is not the primary structure, it is an accessory structure, and the IRC covers dwelling units and their accessory structures.

I was making reference to the stairs, which are definitely structures and which required guard rails.

As to the terraced affect, yes, if the drop from terrace to terrace is greater than 30 inches in height, which is why those are almost always made at less than 30 inches in height (no guard rail would be required at the terraces that way).

[Ken Bates]

I see a lot of dry stacking in New England that withstands the freeze/thaw cycle because it is thoughfully constructed as were the exquisitely interlocked joining of ashlar stones at Machu Pichu and other Incan places.
I have visited many Mayan constructions in Mexico and Central America that did not rely on mortaring as did Roman and European edifices (Amphitheaters and Cathedrals)

So, you asked for help in labeling. D.K.CHING has several publications.

The photo you show has some elements that can be labeled. But most aspects can not be described by words as can a Gothic cathedral, which has dozens of components that can be labeled. It's nice to be specific but we are not compensated for it. A tour guide will increase his gratuities if he can describe the archtechtural and structural components of a Cathedral whilst describing how it was constructed but we never are compensated for that kind of knowledge. So, do not worry about it. Jerry is correct in pointing out the code/safety deficiencies that relate to ambulation and that is another issue. WE HAVE A LOT OF LIABILITY FOR LITTLE COMPENSATION.

Ace Home Inspections

[Raymond Wand]

Portico - a structure consisting of a roof supported by columns at regular intervals, typically attached as a porch to a building.

The roof portion on the left is a hip and ridge.

[Garry Sorrells]

Kristi,
Are you referring to the roof on the garage????

[H.G. Watson, Sr.]

Right of entry Left of attached garage foundation projection continued up to roof overhang?

multi-story three-canted bay-like projection upon foundation irregularities, of irregular structure:
Canted (three-cant or three-canted) reentrant (or re-entrant) foundation irregularities.

Jettied or cantilevered (projected out) over foundation?: jettied or cantilevered multi-story 3-canted wall (cant wall), 3-canted bay (cant bay).

Cant wall, canted wall, cant bay, canted bay, 3-canted wall, 3-canted bay. 3-canted irregularity, reentrant foundation wall.

HTH.


P.S. Dictionary of Architecture and Construction, edited by Cyril M. Harris, published by The McGraw-Hill companies, Inc (2003?).

Answers.com links to on-line reference material referenced above, i.e. "cant wall" (clickable link): cant wall: Information from Answers.com

Cant Wall
reentrant (re-entrant)
irregular

Cant (or Canted) is the architectural term describing part, or segment, of a facade which is at an angle to another part of the same facade. The angle breaking the facade is less than a right angle thus enabling a canted facade to be viewed as, and remain, one composition.
Canted facades are a typical of, but not exclusive to Baroque architecture

[Kristi Silber]

Ah, canted, I think that must be what I'm looking for. Thank you! I knew the ones to the left of the entrance were bay windows, but on the right didn't quite qualify, and wanted to be able to easily refer to them.

Portico is a good word, too!

Ken, I'm in a different line of work - insurance replacement cost assessments, not inspection - and have to describe the structure itself.

For the same reason, I'm not looking for code violations, although I do report blatant safety issues. Because the landscaping does have a railing of some sort, and because there is thick glass acting as a guard under the portico, I'm not going to report it as a hazard.

[Michael Thomas]

"CAD gone BAD"

[Joseph Ehrhardt]

we used to call it a Dutch gable or clipped gable, the correct term is Jerkinhead

[Billy Stephens]

,
we used to call it a Dutch gable or clipped gable, the correct term is Jerkinhead

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The Roof Maybe Wall NO WAY.
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Are We Really Comparing A Pile of Stacked Blocks to Mayan Construction ?
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[Kristi Silber]

"CAD gone BAD"

Yes, a bit much, isn't it?! The homeowner designed it herself. The back is just as bad.

Jerkinhead! Now there's a word I'll have to squeeze into my report somehow, keep Quality Assurance on their toes!