definition
strict definition
wintergarden
Related terms: winter garden
An interior space filled with trees or large plants, which is less than 5 stories high.
A wintergarden is an indoor space in a building with trees or large plants and extensive window space or skylights, and which is less than 5 floor levels high. It must also be set aside as a special area for rest or refreshment, and not simply a lobby or hallway with large plants.
If a wintergarden-like space is 5 or more floor levels high, then it is classified as an atrium. Two buildings can share a wintergarden if it is inside a shared podium.
The planted interior must be a dedicated place for rest or refreshment with extensive daylight openings. A few plants in a circulation area are insufficient, and the five-floor boundary separates the wintergarden from the taller enclosed space defined as an atrium.
wintergarden Photos
Related definitions
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atrium
A wide, continuous open space at least 5 floor levels high inside a multi-story building. -
attached elevator core
A small, distinct wing containing elevator shafts which projects from the side of a building. -
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A light, retractable, tent-like roof projecting from a structure for decoration or outdoor shelter. -
bay windows
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collapsible seating
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crenellation
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dormers
Extensions of living space which protrude from a sloping roof below the peak or ridge line. -
double-decker elevators
An elevator installation with vertically stacked cabins that stop at several floors simultaneously. -
entrance canopy
A permanent covering extending from the facade to shelter the entrance area. -
exposed cross-bracing
Diagonal structural bracing at the perimeter of a building which is visible or visibly expressed on the facade. -
external ladder
A ladder mounted permanently on the outside of a structure for maintenance and access. -
facadectomy
An incorporated facade from a demolished structure, retained in place or reassembled as part of another structure. -
flying buttresses
Masonry piers or abutments which bridge or lean over a gap to support a wall or framework. -
grand entrance hall
A lobby with premium finishes and a ceiling at least two floor levels high, usually with a reception desk. -
half-timbering
A decorative pattern of exposed framing timbers and contrasting infill on a building facade. -
hidden passageway
A passage or stairway inside or between buildings which is architecturally concealed. -
hole
An architectural void penetrating through a building's mass, more significant than a mere passageway. -
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An ornamental moving-water feature incorporated into a building, including its interior, roof, or facade. -
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A space surrounded by a building which is open to the sky and has no accessible space at the bottom. -
maintenance catwalks
Elevated walkways that provide maintenance access to high, remote, or otherwise difficult-to-reach places. -
marquee
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movable wall
A full-height internal or external partition whose position can be easily shifted. -
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A building ground level with at least half its footprint unenclosed beneath upper floors or a roof. -
oriel
A cantilevered projecting bay with windows, which increases natural light and floor space inside a building. -
panoramic elevators
Elevators with transparent cabin walls that provide views of spaces inside or outside the building. -
partly open roof
A roof which does not cover the whole upper level, leaving an area enclosed by walls but open to the sky. -
porch
An elevated outdoor platform with living space, projecting from a building and connected to the ground by a short stairway. -
porte-cochere
A column-supported shelter attached beside a building entrance and extending over a driveway. -
retractable roof
All or part of the roof can be moved back and forth to expose or cover the interior. -
revolving floor
A floor level, or a perimeter-reaching part of one, capable of continuous circular rotation. -
skylights
One or more horizontal or sloped windows in the roof of a building which let light into the interior. -
skylobby
An upper-floor lobby at an elevator transfer zone, with shared space for arriving and transferring occupants. -
turret
A small tower-like protrusion attached to the corner or edge of a building. -
wedding cake form
A building shape with multiple receding setbacks at different sides and levels.