Design Speak lets you in on a some industry lingo so that you will sound oh-so-smart. From abbreviations to acronyms to phrases to trendy words, we’ll do our best to cover it, and we’ll do it in language you’ll understand.
No, not Play-Doh, but a very weird and confusing word nevertheless. It can mean a few things. That’s why it’s so confusing…
1. The most common use of the word is to describe the middle portion of ornamental and protective paneling (regardless of material, i.e. wood, stone, etc.) placed on the lower portion of a wall. This is more commonly referred to as wainscoting.
2. You will also see dado to name the middle part of a pedestal between the plinth (one of our favorite words!) and the top cap.
3. Lastly, the word dado can be used as a type of joint between piece of wood (or stone). It’s a rectangular groove cut across the piece to allow it to receive the end of the adjoining piece.
Heard of Damascus? The capital of Syria and one of the world's oldest cities? This port city began exporting beautifully ornamental silk textiles to Europe waaaay back in the in the 1100’s; hence, the origin of the name. (FYI: Damascus is also a type of steel, but we digress…) If you’ve never seen damask, then you have obviously been floating on a raft in the middle of the ocean much of your life. It is a very popular, common fabric – cotton, silk, linen, and/or rayon in composition – woven on jacquard looms and possessing flat patterns in a satin weave on a plain-woven ground. The name initially referred to the type of weave, but now the term is commonly used to refer to the effect in terms of ornamentation. That’s why you’ll hear people use the word to describe symmetrical, duo-toned floral and scroll patterns, even if it’s not occurring on fabric. However, a true damask weave, otherwise known as a "reverse warp and weft weave," creates a fabric with reverse patterns on front and back, just like negative. What is the pattern on the front becomes the background on the other side, and vice verse. Pretty nifty, huh? Damask’s long history automatically pegs it as “traditional,” but many modern designers, inspired by its timelessness, are creating modern interpretations for more contemporary settings.
Daylighting is the accepted term to refer to the art and science of controlling natural light within spaces as to minimize energy use and maximize occupant performance and well-being. As you might imagine, trying to site and design a building and its interiors in order to take maximum advantage of the sun’s daily-shifting orbit is a challenge, and that’s where daylight modeling comes in. A variety of computer software applications exist to help designers predict the sun’s trajectory – taking into account latitude, orientation, and topography – and thereby plan for peak performance depending on the building’s specific use.
A bolt is the portion of a lock located in the doorjamb that is inserted into a door in order to secure it. A dead bolt (or dead lock) is the term for a type of locking mechanism that requires that the lock cylinder be decidedly rotated – with a key or latch – to move the bolt to the open position. Conversely, the more common, less secure spring bolt lock simply uses a spring to hold the bolt in place, allowing movement of the bolt by turning the doorknob or lever. The two types of locking mechanisms – dead bolt and spring bolt lock – are commonly used together for enhanced security and maximum flexibility.
It’s sad that we have this term because it means that we still have something to defend ourselves against. The concept, however, is as old as time: think The Great Wall of China and impenetrable castles with eight-foot walls, moats and drawbridges. Even though today we defend ourselves against domestic criminals and foreign terrorists instead of Barbarians and Mongols, the idea remains. Much defensive architecture takes place on a municipality’s urban planning level, taking into consideration lighting, sight lines, and paths of travel when planning out parks and public spaces. The next step occurs when designing the structures themselves, thinking through myriad security issues such as preventing unwanted guests from accessing – physically and/or visually – certain portions of a building or complex of buildings. On the interior, concepts such as bullet-proof glass, wall partitions taken to the deck, and thumbprint security access systems come into play.
OK, let’s first think of this word in terms of what we know. If you are reading this entry, you probably already have an inkling what plastic laminate is. (Think Formica – the “Kleenex” of the plastic laminate industry.) When something is laminated, how is it made? It’s formed by merging two or more layers of material together, usually sandwiching something between layers of plastic and sealing them with heat and/or pressure. Ah ha! Then if something is DElaminating, then it’s layers must be separating, breaking down the bonds (a.k.a. debonding). Blistering, cracking, and peeling are examples of this. And since many materials that designers use are created through a laminating process – carpet being one of them – delamination is anathema to a designer, not to mention the manufacturer and end user! However, a naturally occurring material like slate, as well as a poured material like concrete or an applied material like plaster or paint, is also subject to nasty delamination. The causes? Water damage, air bubbles, penetrating material trauma, poor bonding material, etc. The list is long.
From the French word for “half-moon”, you will also see this term written as “demi lune” and “demi-lune”. This style of console table is typical in that the flat side rests against the wall. In larger versions, the shape is elongated into more of a bowed, crescent silhouette, and in smaller versions, it is precisely half of a circle. In some cases, the table is constructed with a flip-top that includes a pullout support so that the table may be extended into a full circle.
If you end up working in either corporate design or tenant development, you will encounter this phrase often. The term refers to the wall separating a tenant's (i.e. an occupant’s) suite from either another tenant's suite or the building’s common areas. Most of the time, a demising wall is constructed from floor to either the building roof deck or floor deck above (in the case of multiple stories). Depending on the local building codes and the tenant’s security needds, the wall may also be fire rated and/or reinforced.
Most people hear this word and think demonstration – say like what the Home Shopping Network does all day with knife sets, exercise equipment and beauty products. And since the general public is so market aware these days, it’s also easy to hear the word used to describe demographics. However, in the A&D world, demo is a shortened version of the word demolition, as in the tearing down of a space or area of a space. Whether you’re working commercially or residentially, it’s quite common to have a Demo Plan included in your construction documents. It just tells the contractors what to keep and what must go go go. You’ll also hear industry people use it as a verb, as in: “Hey, are we going to demo that or keep it?”
If your first thought when hearing this term is the dentist, you’re actually not far off from the definition. A dentil is one in a sequence of little rectangular blocks – that actually resemble teeth – spaced at regular intervals, and they project out to form a decorative molding that is most often used on cornices. As many classic architectural elements are, dentil molding is regularly adapted to add ornamentation to decorative accessories and furniture pieces.
Aligned with the idea of Universal Design, Design for All is a term used in the European Union [EU]. According to the European Commission, it "encourages manufacturers and service providers to produce new technologies for everyone: technologies that are suitable for the elderly and people with disabilities, as much as the teenage techno wizard." This idea extends far beyond gadgets and objects to architecture and interior design, where careful planning and details create environments that can be used by a wide range of people having various limitations stemming from physical, mental, or size related issues.
See also: transgenerational design, universal design
The most common way of getting a building built is to hire three parties: an A&D firm to form the project’s aesthetic and oversee creation of the construction documents, an engineering firm to ensure that the design will actually stand up, and a general contractor to build what’s called out in all those blueprints. In a design-build situation, however, the design, engineering, and construction are all performed by the same company under one contract. This type of construction project delivery system is primarily used when time is limited because the design and construction phases of the project can be more easily overlapped. Why? The amount of finger-pointing and blame for design changes and value engineering is reduced due to the fact that only one company holds the responsibility for the project’s accurate completion.
Airports Auditoriums and Theaters Churches and Religious Facilities Concert / Performance Halls Correctional Facilities: Juvenile Housing Facilities Correctional Facilities: Local Jails / Holding Facilities Correctional Facilities: State / Federal Prisons Government Health Testing Facilities Government Offices Justice Facilities / Courthouses Museums and Restoration of Historic Sites National and State Park Facilities Police / Fire stations Public Transportation Bus Terminals Public Museums Sports Complexes / Arenas
To bridge the gap between the student / educational community and the professional / manufacturer community of the interior design world, and not to die of boredom while we do it.
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