Iran Nezam Architecture Design Exam flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Figure-ground ratio

The ratio of built footprint to open space on a site plan. A higher ratio increases density but reduces daylight, ventilation, and courtyard potential.

Golden section

A proportion of approximately 1.618, used to size rectangles, facade bays, and window openings for visual harmony in architectural composition.

Concrete design strength

Design compressive strength f_cd equals α_cc times characteristic strength f_ck divided by the partial safety factor γ_c, typically 1.5.

Slenderness ratio

Lambda equals effective length divided by radius of gyration. Higher slenderness increases second-order moments and reduces column axial capacity.

Sensible heat load

Q_s equals 1.2 times airflow in liters per second times temperature difference in kelvin, giving watts for air at standard conditions.

Trap seal depth

The water depth in a plumbing trap, typically 50 to 75 millimeters, that prevents sewer gas from entering the building.

Occupant load factor

Floor area per person used to calculate egress requirements; offices about 9 square meters per person, classrooms about 2.

Floor area ratio

Total gross floor area divided by plot area. It is capped by the local detailed plan and governs building massing.

Solar orientation rule

In Iranian latitudes, orient the long axis east-west with south glazing to maximize winter solar gain and allow summer shading.

Chahar iwan plan

A courtyard plan with four vaulted halls on each axis, canonical in Seljuk and later mosques and madrasas.

Badgir

A wind catcher tower with internal partitions that captures prevailing wind and exhausts warm air, common in Yazd and Kashan.

Vitruvian triad

Firmitas, utilitas, and venustas: firmness, commodity, and delight, the traditional basis of architectural value.

Five Points of Le Corbusier

Pilotis, free facade, open plan, ribbon windows, and roof garden, defining modernist architectural principles.

Orthographic projection

Plan, section, and elevation linked so that a section line on the plan matches the section drawing exactly.

Building information modeling

An object-based federated model with attributes supporting clash detection, quantities, coordination, and facility management.

Heating degree-days

A measure of climate severity calculated from temperature differences below a base temperature, used to size heating systems.

Shading coefficient

The ratio of solar heat gain through glazing to that through clear glass; lower values reduce cooling loads.

Simply supported beam moment

For uniform load w over span L, the maximum bending moment is w times L squared divided by eight.

Euler buckling load

Critical load equals pi squared times EI divided by the square of effective length KL, governing slender column capacity.

Daylight factor

Interior illuminance divided by exterior horizontal illuminance times 100; a target of 2 percent is common for habitable rooms.

Chiller COP

Coefficient of performance equals cooling output divided by electrical input; higher values mean lower energy use and operating cost.

Fire compartmentation

Division of a building into fire-rated zones with rated walls and self-closing doors to limit fire and smoke spread.

Solar envelope

A volume within which construction does not shade neighboring properties beyond a permitted duration, derived from sun angles.

Soltaniyeh dome

An early fourteenth-century Ilkhanid double-shell dome, notable for its monumental scale and structural innovation.

Flying buttress

A Gothic structural element that transfers vault thrust to external piers, allowing tall naves with large stained-glass windows.

Poché

Solid fill in a section drawing that distinguishes cut material from open space, usually shown with heavier line weight.

Bioclimatic chart

A graph plotting temperature and humidity against a comfort zone, indicating heating, cooling, or ventilation strategies.

Shear reinforcement

Stirrups in a concrete beam that resist diagonal tension, spaced more closely near supports where shear is highest.

Visual balance

Symmetrical or asymmetrical distribution of visual weight achieved through mass, color, and detail in a composition.

Drainage slope

Horizontal soil pipes fall 1 to 2 percent, about 10 to 20 millimeters per meter, to maintain self-cleansing velocity.

Travel distance

The maximum permitted distance from any point to an exit, set by occupancy type and building code requirements.

Qanat

An underground aqueduct that supplies water to Iranian settlements and gardens, a major hydraulic innovation.