unaligned floor
A floor level which is vertically offset from adjoining floor levels by at least half a meter.
An unaligned floor is a floor level which generally occupies only part of a building's footprint, and which is vertically offset from adjoining levels by at least half a meter. These occur most frequently in parking garages, where levels on one side may be half a floor higher or lower than those on the other side.
Unaligned floors should not be confused with mezzanines, which fit between two other floors with ample space for human traffic above and below. Usually an unaligned floor could not be interwoven with the adjoining regular floor spacing without impeding usage, because the floor heights would then be too low.
The offset from adjoining levels must be at least half a meter. A partial floor area alone does not establish the type; a mezzanine instead fits between regular floors while leaving adequate usable height above and below.
Related definitions
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attic
A floor level where regular human movement is impeded by the shape of the roof above it. -
basement
An underground floor level of regular height, suitable for human movement or occupancy. -
crawl space
A partial floor level less than 2 meters high, with insufficient headroom for most adults to walk upright. -
garden floor
An otherwise regular floor partly below and partly above the surrounding ground surface at the building perimeter. -
mechanical floor
A full floor level above ground filled with mechanical equipment and not generally accessible to occupants. -
mechanical penthouse
A mechanical floor level at the top of a building which is set back from the building's perimeter. -
mezzanine
A floor level above ground which does not fill the entire space within the building's perimeter. -
missing floor
A floor level which does not exist, and is skipped in a building's numbering system. -
ramped floor
A floor level above ground, with a sloping floor surface which connects to other levels. -
regular floor
A normal and occupiable floor level which is fully above the base level of a building or structure. -
stem level
A level in the stem of a tower or a building, with no greater extent than a stairway landing or the equivalent.