stem level
A level in the stem of a tower or a building, with no greater extent than a stairway landing or the equivalent.
A stem level is a level in a narrow or structurally confined part of a building, where there is no significant floor space for human habitation, traffic, or occupancy. It must always occur below at least one counted floor level (therefore it cannot be the top floor level). It normally pertains to towers or to buildings with extremely narrow podiums, and is usually delineated by equivalent markers of floor heights such as stairway landings.
The narrow space has no significant area for regular occupancy or circulation. A stair landing or equivalent height marker can identify the level within the stem.
At least one counted floor must lie above it. The uppermost level cannot be classified as a stem level, even if it is similarly narrow.
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. -
unaligned floor
A floor level which is vertically offset from adjoining floor levels by at least half a meter.