An A-Z glossary on the theme of ‘buildings’, containing a definition for each letter of the alphabet (where possible).
Rochester Castle © Polly Braden
Buildings are man-made structures most often with four walls, a floor and a roof designed to contain people or animals for a variety of reasons.
The A Z glossary for buildings and places can be used as:
- a straightforward research tool for teachers and students
- a reference point for students during a unit or scheme of work on buildings and places
- introductory activities for a new learning session or scheme of work on buildings and places
- a way of developing classroom discussion.
Buildings: A-Z glossary
Airport A complex of buildings designed for aircraft, including runways, hangars and passenger facilities.
Bungalow A long, low rectangular house of one storey. The first bungalows in the UK were built in seaside towns. They were popular in hotter zones of the British Empire from the early 19th century to the 1930s.
Castle A large, strong and fortified structure used for defence against an attacker. During the Middle Ages the most important part of the castle was the keep, a tower with living quarters. In the UK there are a number of impressive castles such as Windsor and Dover Castle. For details, visit Castles & Fortifications of England & Wales.
Depot A place where buses, trains or other vehicles are housed and maintained; or a building used for storage.
Eco-house A building designed using materials and technologies that will lower its energy needs and minimise its impact on the environment. An example of an eco-house can be seen at the Hockerton Housing Project.
Factory A building where goods are produced or assembled.
Greenhouse A glass building which houses plants that need protection in cold weather. There are a number of these at the Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew.
Hospital A purpose-built building providing medical and surgical treatment and nursing care for people who are sick or injured.
Igloo A dome-shaped house made from blocks of snow by Inuit people in the central Arctic regions of Canada and the Thule region of Greenland.
Jetty A construction built into a body of water (sea or lake) to protect a harbour, stretch of coastline or riverbank from washing away.
Kiosk A miniature building often for temporary use. The red telephone box, designed by Giles Gilbert Scott in the 1920s is a famous example in the UK.
Lighthouse A tower that shines a large, bright light over the ocean to warn ships of the shoreline or dangerous waters and to help ships navigate.
Maisonette A small house or a set of rooms for living in, typically located on two storeys of a larger building and has a separate entrance.
CABE Space leaders programme 2007 © CABE / Matthew Priestley
Nunnery A collection of buildings for women who have devoted themselves to a religious life (nuns).
Office block A building designed for businesses to carry out their work.
Pavilion A temporary building designed for an exhibition. A pavilion is often a detached, small building in a park, which is associated with relaxation and pleasure.
Quonset hut A pre-made portable building with a corrugated metal roof secured to a foundation of steel. It was named after the Quonset Point (Rhode Island), where it was first used in the Second World War.
Railway station A place where passenger trains stop on a train line, includes platforms and buildings.
Skyscraper A high multi-storey building based on a steel or concrete frame, which developed in the USA in the late 1880s. Famous skyscrapers include the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings in New York.
Temple A sacred building for religion.
University A building designed for post-school education and academic research.
Velodrome A cycling stadium which has a racing track with steeply banked curves.
Windmill A structure with sails or vanes that turn in the wind to generate power to grind corn into flour or draw water. These structures are common in the Netherlands.
dupleX An apartment on two floors, arranged one above the other. A US term.
Yurt A circular tent made of felt or animal hide that is used by nomads in Central Asia, such as Mongolia.
Ziggurat An ancient Mesopotamian temple-tower that is arranged in a pyramid on a rectangular base. The ziggurat was evolved by the Sumerians around 2600 BC, in what is now southern Iraq.
Activity for ‘buildings’
Key stage 2
- Divide the class into teams of four to six students.
- Give each team an A3 sheet with the alphabet written down the left-hand side.
- Give students 10 minutes to think of a building type for each letter of the alphabet.
- The winning team is either: the first team to complete the list, or the team that has listed the most buildings at the end of the timeframe.
- A representative from each team places their answers on the whiteboard.
- In class discussion, compare the lists, looking at similarities and differences. Discuss any unusual terms that come up, definitions and whether there are any words that have more than one meaning. Did any team come up with a building for the letters Q, X, Y or Z?
- Compare the lists with the buildings list in the Engaging Places glossary. Topics for discussion could be whether there are any buildings they hadn’t heard of, different building types and what makes certain buildings unique.
- Ask students to research in pairs a building type that is new to them.
More A-Z glossaries
Go back to the complete list of A-Z glossaries for buildings and places, and associated class activities.
