parallelogram
A floor plan with 4 sides in 2 parallel pairs which do not meet in right angles.
Pictured: Victoria Turm
A building's perimeter is a parallelogram when it has four roughly straight sides, each of which is parallel to its opposite, but which do not meet at 90 degree angles. Two angles must be obtuse and two must be acute. A parallelogram can have four even sides, or two sides which are longer than the other two. It is often referred to as a "diamond" shape.
The opposite sides form two parallel pairs, and the corners alternate between acute and obtuse angles. All four sides can be equal, but equal side lengths are not required.
Square and rectangular plans have right-angle corners and are defined separately here. A diamond-like appearance can describe the orientation of the outline without changing the parallel-side requirement.
parallelogram Photos
Related definitions
-
arc
A building plan following a single open curve without reversing direction or closing into a loop. -
circle
A roughly circular building outline, including regular polygons with nine or more sides and minor perimeter details. -
cross
A building plan formed by two straight members intersecting within 22.5 degrees of a right angle. -
ellipse
An oval or nearly oval building plan, including a rectangle with two curved sides blending into a continuous outline. -
heptagon
A building plan with seven discernible principal sides meeting at convex angles, with unequal sides permitted. -
hexagon
A building plan with six roughly equal principal sides meeting at similar convex angles. -
irregular
A building plan whose overall outline cannot readily be assigned to another defined perimeter form. -
jagged polygon
A building plan with many corners and several perimeter indentations, arranged regularly or irregularly. -
multi-winged
A building plan with at least two wings branching from a spine, excluding wings that all radiate from one point. -
octagon
A building plan with eight roughly equal sides, including sufficiently chamfered squares that appear octagonal. -
open angle
A building plan with two roughly linear segments meeting at one point, or a simple shape with a notch of at least 45 degrees. -
pentagon
A building plan with five principal sides, allowing unequal lengths and minor notches or corner changes. -
radial-lobed
A floor plan in the shape of a flower or star, with radial wings arranged around a common center. -
rectangle
A floor plan with 4 sides meeting at right angles and one axis longer than the other. -
semicircle
A building plan with one main straight edge and one arc, occupying no more than 75% of the corresponding circle or oval. -
square
A four-sided building plan with right-angle corners and side lengths differing by no more than 5% of the shortest side. -
trapezoid
A four-sided building plan with nonparallel sides, distinguished here from square and rectangular plans. -
triangle
A building plan with three dominant straight sides, allowing unequal lengths and slightly rounded or chamfered corners. -
wave
A building plan following one curved path with at least two rounded bends in alternating directions. -
zig-zag
A floor plan with 3 or more sections connected in a line bending in alternating directions.