Parts of a building

Every building, from a house to a tower, can be read from the ground up as a load path. The foundation spreads the load into the soil. The plinth raises the floor above the ground and keeps out damp and surface water. The superstructure, made of walls or a frame of columns and beams, carries the floors and roof down to the foundation.

Floors and roofs span between beams or walls. Lintels bridge over door and window openings. Stairs, lifts and ramps connect the levels. A damp-proof course at plinth level stops moisture rising into the walls. Parapets guard roof edges, and sunshades shelter openings.

Non-structural parts matter just as much to the people inside: doors and windows, plaster and finishes, waterproofing, and building services such as plumbing, drainage, electrical wiring, fire protection and ventilation.

Thinking of a building this way helps with everything else in this library: estimating quantities part by part, scheduling work in the order it is built, and diagnosing cracks by asking which part of the load path has moved.

Each part also has a life span. Structure is designed to last many decades; finishes and services are replaced several times. Good design makes those replacements easy without disturbing the structure.