Definition of word construction of buildings

Construction is a general term meaning the art and science to form objects, systems, or organizations,^[1] and comes from Latin constructio (from com- «together» and struere «to pile up») and Old French construction.^[2] To construct is the verb: the act of building, and the noun is construction: how something is built, the nature of its structure.

In its most widely used context, construction covers the processes involved in delivering buildings, infrastructure, industrial facilities and associated activities through to the end of their life. It typically starts with planning, financing, and design, and continues until the asset is built and ready for use; construction also covers repairs and maintenance work, any works to expand, extend and improve the asset, and its eventual demolition, dismantling or decommissioning.

The construction industry contributes significantly to many countries’ gross domestic products (GDP). Global expenditure on construction activities was about $4 trillion in 2012. In 2022, expenditure on the construction industry exceeded $11 trillion a year, equivalent to about 13 percent of global GDP. This spending was forecast to rise to around $14.8 trillion in 2030.^[3]

Although the construction industry promotes economic development and brings many non-monetary benefits to many countries, it is one of the most hazardous industries. For example, about 20% (1,061) of US industry fatalities in 2019 happened in construction.^[4]

History[edit]

The first huts and shelters were constructed by hand or with simple tools. As cities grew during the Bronze Age, a class of professional craftsmen, like bricklayers and carpenters, appeared. Occasionally, slaves were used for construction work. In the Middle Ages, the artisan craftsmen were organized into guilds. In the 19th century, steam-powered machinery appeared, and, later, diesel- and electric-powered vehicles such as cranes, excavators and bulldozers.

Fast-track construction has been increasingly popular in the 21st century. Some estimates suggest that 40% of construction projects are now fast-track construction.^[5]

Construction industry sectors[edit]

Broadly, there are three sectors of construction: buildings, infrastructure and industrial:^[6]

• Building construction is usually further divided into residential and non-residential.
• Infrastructure, also called heavy civil or heavy engineering, includes large public works, dams, bridges, highways, railways, water or wastewater and utility distribution.
• Industrial construction includes offshore construction (mainly of energy installations), mining and quarrying, refineries, chemical processing, power generation, mills and manufacturing plants.

The industry can also be classified into sectors or markets.^[7] For example, Engineering News-Record (ENR), a US-based construction trade magazine, has compiled and reported data about the size of design and construction contractors. In 2014, it split the data into nine market segments: transportation, petroleum, buildings, power, industrial, water, manufacturing, sewer/waste, telecom, hazardous waste, and a tenth category for other projects.^[8] ENR used data on transportation, sewer, hazardous waste and water to rank firms as heavy contractors.^[9]

The Standard Industrial Classification and the newer North American Industry Classification System classify companies that perform or engage in construction into three subsectors: building construction, heavy and civil engineering construction, and specialty trade contractors. There are also categories for professional services firms (e.g., engineering, architecture, surveying, project management).^[10][11]

Building construction[edit]

Building construction is the process of adding structures to areas of land, also known as real property sites. Typically, a project is instigated by or with the owner of the property (who may be an individual or an organisation); occasionally, land may be compulsorily purchased from the owner for public use.^{[citation needed]}

Residential construction[edit]

Residential construction may be undertaken by individual land-owners (self-build), by specialist housebuilders, by property developers, by general contractors, or by providers of public or social housing (e.g.: local authorities, housing associations). Where local zoning or planning policies allow, mixed-use developments may comprise both residential and non-residential construction (e.g.: retail, leisure, offices, public buildings, etc.).

Residential construction practices, technologies, and resources must conform to local building authority regulations and codes of practice. Materials readily available in the area generally dictate the construction materials used (e.g.: brick versus stone versus timber). Costs of construction on a per square meter (or per square foot) basis for houses can vary dramatically based on site conditions, access routes, local regulations, economies of scale (custom-designed homes are often more expensive to build) and the availability of skilled tradespeople.^{[citation needed]}

Non-residential construction[edit]

Depending upon the type of building, non-residential building construction can be procured by a wide range of private and public organisations, including local authorities, educational and religious bodies, transport undertakings, retailers, hoteliers, property developers, financial institutions and other private companies. Most construction in these sectors is undertaken by general contractors.

Infrastructure construction[edit]

Civil engineering covers the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, tunnels, airports, water and sewerage systems, pipelines, and railways.^[12][13] Some general contractors have expertise in civil engineering; civil engineering contractors are firms dedicated to work in this sector, and may specialise in particular types of infrastructure.

Industrial construction[edit]

Industrial construction includes offshore construction (mainly of energy installations: oil and gas platforms, wind power), mining and quarrying, refineries, breweries, distilleries and other processing plants, power stations, steel mills, warehouses and factories.

Construction processes[edit]

Some construction projects are small renovations or repair jobs, like repainting or fixing leaks, where the owner may act as designer, paymaster and laborer for the entire project. However, more complex or ambitious projects usually require additional multi-disciplinary expertise and manpower, so the owner may commission one or more specialist businesses to undertake detailed planning, design, construction and handover of the work. Often the owner will appoint one business to oversee the project (this may be a designer, a contractor, a construction manager, or other advisors); such specialists are normally appointed for their expertise in project delivery, and will help the owner define the project brief, agree on a budget and schedule, liaise with relevant public authorities, and procure the services of other specialists (the supply chain, comprising subcontractors). Contracts are agreed for the delivery of services by all businesses, alongside other detailed plans aimed at ensuring legal, timely, on-budget and safe delivery of the specified works.

Design, finance, and legal aspects overlap and interrelate. The design must be not only structurally sound and appropriate for the use and location, but must also be financially possible to build, and legal to use. The financial structure must be adequate to build the design provided, and must pay amounts that are legally owed. Legal structures integrate design with other activities, and enforce financial and other construction processes.

These processes also affect procurement strategies. Clients may, for example, appoint a business to design the project, after which a competitive process is undertaken to appoint a lead contractor to construct the asset (design–bid–build); they may appoint a business to lead both design and construction (design-build); or they may directly appoint a designer, contractor and specialist subcontractors (construction management).^[14] Some forms of procurement emphasize collaborative relationships (partnering, alliancing) between the client, the contractor, and other stakeholders within a construction project, seeking to ameliorate often highly competitive and adversarial industry practices.

Planning[edit]

When applicable, a proposed construction project must comply with local land-use planning policies including zoning and building code requirements. A project will normally be assessed (by the ‘authority having jurisdiction, AHJ, typically the municipality where the project will be located) for its potential impacts on neighbouring properties, and upon existing infrastructure (transportation, social infrastructure, and utilities including water supply, sewerage, electricity, telecommunications, etc.). Data may be gathered through site analysis, site surveys and geotechnical investigations. Construction normally cannot start until planning permission has been granted, and may require preparatory work to ensure relevant infrastructure has been upgraded before building work can commence. Preparatory works will also include surveys of existing utility lines to avoid damage-causing outages and other hazardous situations.

Some legal requirements come from malum in se considerations, or the desire to prevent indisputably bad phenomena, e.g. explosions or bridge collapses. Other legal requirements come from malum prohibitum considerations, or factors that are a matter of custom or expectation, such as isolating businesses from a business district or residences from a residential district. An attorney may seek changes or exemptions in the law that governs the land where the building will be built, either by arguing that a rule is inapplicable (the bridge design will not cause a collapse), or that the custom is no longer needed (acceptance of live-work spaces has grown in the community).^[15]

During the construction of a building, a municipal building inspector usually inspects the ongoing work periodically to ensure that construction adheres to the approved plans and the local building code. Once construction is complete, any later changes made to a building or other asset that affect safety, including its use, expansion, structural integrity, and fire protection, usually require municipality approval.

Finance[edit]

Depending on the type of project, mortgage bankers, accountants, and cost engineers may participate in creating an overall plan for the financial management of a construction project. The presence of the mortgage banker is highly likely, even in relatively small projects since the owner’s equity in the property is the most obvious source of funding for a building project. Accountants act to study the expected monetary flow over the life of the project and to monitor the payouts throughout the process. Professionals including cost engineers, estimators and quantity surveyors apply expertise to relate the work and materials involved to a proper valuation.

Financial planning ensures adequate safeguards and contingency plans are in place before the project is started, and ensures that the plan is properly executed over the life of the project. Construction projects can suffer from preventable financial problems.^[16] Underbids happen when builders ask for too little money to complete the project. Cash flow problems exist when the present amount of funding cannot cover the current costs for labour and materials; such problems may arise even when the overall budget is adequate, presenting a temporary issue. Cost overruns with government projects have occurred when the contractor identified change orders or project changes that increased costs, which are not subject to competition from other firms as they have already been eliminated from consideration after the initial bid.^[17] Fraud is also an occasional construction issue.^[18]

Large projects can involve highly complex financial plans and often start with a conceptual cost estimate performed by a building estimator. As portions of a project are completed, they may be sold, supplanting one lender or owner for another, while the logistical requirements of having the right trades and materials available for each stage of the building construction project carry forward. Public–private partnerships (PPPs) or private finance initiatives (PFIs) may also be used to help deliver major projects. According to McKinsey in 2019, the «vast majority of large construction projects go over budget and take 20% longer than expected».^[19]

Legal[edit]

A construction project is a complex net of construction contracts and other legal obligations, each of which all parties must carefully consider. A contract is the exchange of a set of obligations between two or more parties, and provides structures to manage issues. For example, construction delays can be costly, so construction contracts set out clear expectations and clear paths to manage delays. Poorly drafted contracts can lead to confusion and costly disputes.

At the start of a project, legal advisors seek to identify ambiguities and other potential sources of trouble in the contract structures, and to present options for preventing problems. During projects, they work to avoid and resolve conflicts that arise. In each case, the lawyer facilitates an exchange of obligations that matches the reality of the project.

Procurement[edit]

Traditional or Design-bid-build[edit]

Design-bid-build is the most common and well-established method of construction procurement. In this arrangement, the architect, engineer or builder acts for the client as the project coordinator. They design the works, prepare specifications and design deliverables (models, drawings, etc.), administer the contract, tender the works, and manage the works from inception to completion. In parallel, there are direct contractual links between the client and the main contractor, who, in turn, has direct contractual relationships with subcontractors. The arrangement continues until the project is ready for handover.

Design-build[edit]

Design-build became more common from the late 20th century, and involves the client contracting a single entity to provide design and construction. In some cases, the design-build package can also include finding the site, arranging funding and applying for all necessary statutory consents. Typically, the client invites several Design & Build (D&B) contractors to submit proposals to meet the project brief and then selects a preferred supplier. Often this will be a consortium involving a design firm and a contractor (sometimes more than one of each). In the United States, departments of transportation usually use design-build contracts as a way of progressing projects where states lack the skills or resources, particularly for very large projects.^[20]

Construction management[edit]

In a construction management arrangement, the client enters into separate contracts with the designer (architect or engineer), a construction manager, and individual trade contractors. The client takes on the contractual role, while the construction or project manager provides the active role of managing the separate trade contracts, and ensuring that they complete all work smoothly and effectively together. This approach is often used to speed up procurement processes, to allow the client greater flexibility in design variation throughout the contract, to enable the appointment of individual work contractors, to separate contractual responsibility on each individual throughout the contract, and to provide greater client control.

Design[edit]

In the industrialized world, construction usually involves the translation of designs into reality. Most commonly (i.e.: in a design-bid-build project), the design team is employed by (i.e. in contract with) the property owner. Depending upon the type of project, a design team may include architects, civil engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, structural engineers, fire protection engineers, planning consultants, architectural consultants, and archaeological consultants. A ‘lead designer’ will normally be identified to help coordinate different disciplinary inputs to the overall design. This may be aided by integration of previously separate disciplines (often undertaken by separate firms) into multi-disciplinary firms with experts from all related fields,^[21] or by firms establishing relationships to support design-build processes.

The increasing complexity of construction projects creates the need for design professionals trained in all phases of a project’s life-cycle and develop an appreciation of the asset as an advanced technological system requiring close integration of many sub-systems and their individual components, including sustainability. For buildings, building engineering is an emerging discipline that attempts to meet this new challenge.

Traditionally, design has involved the production of sketches, architectural and engineering drawings, and specifications. Until the late 20th century, drawings were largely hand-drafted; adoption of computer-aided design (CAD) technologies then improved design productivity, while the 21st-century introduction of building information modeling (BIM) processes has involved the use of computer-generated models that can be used in their own right or to generate drawings and other visualisations as well as capturing non-geometric data about building components and systems.

On some projects, work on-site will not start until design work is largely complete; on others, some design work may be undertaken concurrently with the early stages of on-site activity (for example, work on a building’s foundations may commence while designers are still working on the detailed designs of the building’s internal spaces). Some projects may include elements that are designed for off-site construction (see also prefabrication and modular building) and are then delivered to the site ready for erection, installation or assembly.

On-site construction[edit]

Once contractors and other relevant professionals have been appointed and designs are sufficiently advanced, work may commence on the project site. Typically, a construction site will include a secure perimeter to restrict unauthorised access, site access control points, office and welfare accommodation for personnel from the main contractor and other firms involved in the project team, and storage areas for materials, machinery and equipment. According to the McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction’s definition, construction may be said to have started when the first feature of the permanent structure has been put in place, such as pile driving, or the pouring of slabs or footings.^[22]

Commissioning and handover[edit]

Commissioning is the process of verifying that all subsystems of a new building (or other assets) work as intended to achieve the owner’s project requirements and as designed by the project’s architects and engineers.

Defects liability period[edit]

A period after handover (or practical completion) during which the owner may identify any shortcomings in relation to the building specification (‘defects’), with a view to the contractor correcting the defect.^[23]

Maintenance, repair and improvement[edit]

Maintenance involves functional checks, servicing, repairing or replacing of necessary devices, equipment, machinery, building infrastructure, and supporting utilities in industrial, business, governmental, and residential installations.^[24][25]

Demolition[edit]

Demolition is the discipline of safely and efficiently tearing down buildings and other artificial structures. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for reuse purposes (recycling — see also circular economy).

Industry scale and characteristics[edit]

Economic activity[edit]

The output of the global construction industry was worth an estimated $10.8 trillion in 2017, and in 2018 was forecast to rise to $12.9 trillion by 2022,^[26] and to around $14.8 trillion in 2030.^[3] As a sector, construction accounts for more than 10% of global GDP (in developed countries, construction comprises 6-9% of GDP),^[27] and employs around 7% of the total employed workforce around the globe^[28] (accounting for over 273 million full- and part-time jobs in 2014).^[29] Since 2010,^[30] China has been the world’s largest single construction market.^[31] The United States is the second largest construction market with a 2018 output of $1.581 trillion.^[32]

In the United States in February 2020, around $1.4 trillion worth of construction work was in progress, according to the Census Bureau, of which just over $1.0 trillion was for the private sector (split roughly 55:45% between residential and nonresidential); the remainder was public sector, predominantly for state and local government.^[33]

Construction is a major source of employment in most countries; high reliance on small businesses, and under-representation of women are common traits. For example:

• In the US, construction employed around 11.4m people in 2020, with a further 1.8m employed in architectural, engineering, and related professional services — equivalent to just over 8% of the total US workforce. The construction workers were employed in over 843,000 organisations, of which 838,000 were privately held businesses.^[35] In March 2016, 60.4% of construction workers were employed by businesses with fewer than 50 staff.^[36] Women are substantially underrepresented (relative to their share of total employment), comprising 10.3% of the US construction workforce, and 25.9% of professional services workers, in 2019.
• The United Kingdom construction sector contributed £117 billion (6%) to UK GDP in 2018, and in 2019 employed 2.4m workers (6.6% of all jobs). These worked either for 343,000 ‘registered’ construction businesses, or for ‘unregistered’ businesses, typically self-employed contractors;^[37] just over one million small/medium-sized businesses, mainly self-employed individuals, worked in the sector in 2019, comprising about 18% of all UK businesses.^[38] Women comprised 12.5% of the UK construction workforce.^[39]
• In Armenia, the construction sector experienced growth during the latter part of 2000s. Based on National Statistical Service, Armenia’s construction sector generated approximately 20% of Armenia’s GDP during the first and second quarters of 2007. In 2009, according to the World Bank, 30% of Armenia’s economy was from construction sector.^[40]

According to McKinsey research, productivity growth per worker in construction has lagged behind many other industries across different countries including in the United States and in European countries. In the United States, construction productivity per worker has declined by half since the 1960s.^[41]

Construction GVA by country[edit]

List of countries with the largest construction Gross Value Added in 2018

Economy	Construction GVA in 2018 (billions in USD)
(01)  China	934.2
(02)  United States	839.1
(03)  Japan	275.5
(04)  India	201.2
(05)  Germany	180.5
(06)  United Kingdom	154.7
(07)  France	138.7
(08)  Canada	125.4
(09)  Russia	121.2
(10)  Australia	111.8
(11)  Indonesia	109.7
(12)  South Korea	93.0
(13)  Brazil	92.6
(14)  Mexico	89.0
(15)  Spain	80.0
(16)  Italy	78.9
(17)  Turkey	55.3
(18)  Saudi Arabia	40.2
(19)  Netherlands	39.5
(20)  Poland	39.4
(21)  Switzerland	36.3
(22)  United Arab Emirates	34.5
(23)  Sweden	33.3
(24)  Austria	27.2
(25)  Qatar	27.0
The twenty-five largest countries in the world by construction GVA (2018)[42]

Employment[edit]

Some workers may be engaged in manual labour^[43] as unskilled or semi-skilled workers; they may be skilled tradespeople; or they may be supervisory or managerial personnel. Under safety legislation in the United Kingdom, for example, construction workers are defined as people «who work for or under the control of a contractor on a construction site»;^[44] in Canada, this can include people whose work includes ensuring conformance with building codes and regulations, and those who supervise other workers.^[45]

Laborers comprise a large grouping in most national construction industries. In the United States, for example, in May 2021 the construction sector employed just over 7.5 million people, of whom just over 820,000 were laborers, while 573,000 were carpenters, 508,000 were electricians, 258,000 were equipment operators and 230,000 were construction managers.^[46] Like most business sectors, there is also substantial white-collar employment in construction — 681,000 US workers were recorded by the United States Department of Labor as in ‘office and administrative support occupations’ in May 2021.^[47]

Large-scale construction requires collaboration across multiple disciplines. A project manager normally manages the budget on the job, and a construction manager, design engineer, construction engineer or architect supervises it. Those involved with the design and execution must consider zoning requirements and legal issues, environmental impact of the project, scheduling, budgeting and bidding, construction site safety, availability and transportation of building materials, logistics, and inconvenience to the public, including those caused by construction delays.

There are many routes to the different careers within the construction industry. There are three main tiers of construction workers based on educational background and training, which vary by country:

Unskilled and semi-skilled workers[edit]

Unskilled and semi-skilled workers provide general site labor, often have few or no construction qualifications, and may receive basic site training.

Skilled tradespeople[edit]

Skilled tradespeople have typically served apprenticeships (sometimes in labor unions) or received technical training; this group also includes on-site managers who possess extensive knowledge and experience in their craft or profession. Skilled manual occupations include carpenters, electricians, plumbers, ironworkers, heavy equipment operators and masons, as well as those involved in project management. In the UK these require further education qualifications, often in vocational subject areas, undertaken either directly after completing compulsory education or through «on the job» apprenticeships.^[48]

Professional, technical or managerial personnel[edit]

Professional, technical and managerial personnel often have higher education qualifications, usually graduate degrees, and are trained to design and manage construction processes. These roles require more training as they demand greater technical knowledge, and involve more legal responsibility. Example roles (and qualification routes) include:

• Architect – Will usually have studied architecture to degree level, and then undertaken further study and gained professional experience. In many countries, the title of «architect» is protected by law, strictly limiting its use to qualified people.
• Civil engineer – Typically holds a degree in a related subject and may only be eligible for membership of a professional institution (such as the UK’s ICE) following completion of additional training and experience. In some jurisdictions, a new university graduate must hold a master’s degree to become chartered,^[a] and persons with bachelor’s degrees may become Incorporated Engineers.
• Building services engineer – May also be referred to as an «M&E» or «mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineer» and typically holds a degree in mechanical or electrical engineering.^[a]
• Project manager – Typically holds a 4-year or greater higher education qualification, but are often also qualified in another field such as architecture, civil engineering or quantity surveying.
• Structural engineer – Typically holds a bachelor’s or master’s degree in structural engineering.^[a]
• Quantity surveyor – Typically holds a bachelor’s degree in quantity surveying. UK chartered status is gained from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Safety[edit]

Construction is one of the most dangerous occupations in the world, incurring more occupational fatalities than any other sector in both the United States and in the European Union.^[4][49] In the US in 2019, 1,061, or about 20%, of worker fatalities in private industry occurred in construction.^[4] In 2017, more than a third of US construction fatalities (366 out of 971 total fatalities) were the result of falls;^[50] in the UK, half of the average 36 fatalities per annum over a five-year period to 2021 were attributed to falls from height.^[51] Proper safety equipment such as harnesses, hard hats and guardrails and procedures such as securing ladders and inspecting scaffolding can curtail the risk of occupational injuries in the construction industry.^[52] Other major causes of fatalities in the construction industry include electrocution, transportation accidents, and trench cave-ins.^[53]

Other safety risks for workers in construction include hearing loss due to high noise exposure, musculoskeletal injury, chemical exposure, and high levels of stress.^[54] Besides that, the high turnover of workers in construction industry imposes a huge challenge of accomplishing the restructuring of work practices in individual workplaces or with individual workers.^{[citation needed]} Construction has been identified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as a priority industry sector in the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) to identify and provide intervention strategies regarding occupational health and safety issues.^[55][56]

Sustainability[edit]

Sustainability is an aspect of “green building», defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as «the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction.»^[57]

See also[edit]

References and notes[edit]

construction, also called building construction, the techniques and industry involved in the assembly and erection of structures, primarily those used to provide shelter.

Construction is an ancient human activity. It began with the purely functional need for a controlled environment to moderate the effects of climate. Constructed shelters were one means by which human beings were able to adapt themselves to a wide variety of climates and become a global species.

Human shelters were at first very simple and perhaps lasted only a few days or months. Over time, however, even temporary structures evolved into such highly refined forms as the igloo. Gradually more durable structures began to appear, particularly after the advent of agriculture, when people began to stay in one place for long periods. The first shelters were dwellings, but later other functions, such as food storage and ceremony, were housed in separate buildings. Some structures began to have symbolic as well as functional value, marking the beginning of the distinction between architecture and building.

The history of building is marked by a number of trends. One is the increasing durability of the materials used. Early building materials were perishable, such as leaves, branches, and animal hides. Later, more durable natural materials—such as clay, stone, and timber—and, finally, synthetic materials—such as brick, concrete, metals, and plastics—were used. Another is a quest for buildings of ever greater height and span; this was made possible by the development of stronger materials and by knowledge of how materials behave and how to exploit them to greater advantage. A third major trend involves the degree of control exercised over the interior environment of buildings: increasingly precise regulation of air temperature, light and sound levels, humidity, odours, air speed, and other factors that affect human comfort has been possible. Yet another trend is the change in energy available to the construction process, starting with human muscle power and developing toward the powerful machinery used today.

The present state of construction is complex. There is a wide range of building products and systems which are aimed primarily at groups of building types or markets. The design process for buildings is highly organized and draws upon research establishments that study material properties and performance, code officials who adopt and enforce safety standards, and design professionals who determine user needs and design a building to meet those needs. The construction process is also highly organized; it includes the manufacturers of building products and systems, the craftsmen who assemble them on the building site, the contractors who employ and coordinate the work of the craftsmen, and consultants who specialize in such aspects as construction management, quality control, and insurance.

Construction today is a significant part of industrial culture, a manifestation of its diversity and complexity and a measure of its mastery of natural forces, which can produce a widely varied built environment to serve the diverse needs of society. This article first traces the history of construction, then surveys its development at the present time. For treatment of the aesthetic considerations of building design, see architecture. For further treatment of historical development, see art and architecture, Anatolian; art and architecture, Arabian; art and architecture, Egyptian; art and architecture, Iranian; art and architecture, Mesopotamian; art and architecture, Syro-Palestinian; architecture, African; art and architecture, Oceanic; architecture, Western; arts, Central Asian; arts, East Asian; arts, Islamic; arts, Native American; arts, South Asian; arts, Southeast Asian.

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The history of construction

Primitive building: the Stone Age

The hunter-gatherers of the late Stone Age, who moved about a wide area in search of food, built the earliest temporary shelters that appear in the archaeological record. Excavations at a number of sites in Europe dated to before 12,000 bce show circular rings of stones that are believed to have formed part of such shelters. They may have braced crude huts made of wooden poles or have weighted down the walls of tents made of animal skins, presumably supported by central poles.

A tent illustrates the basic elements of environmental control that are the concern of construction. The tent creates a membrane to shed rain and snow; cold water on the human skin absorbs body heat. The membrane reduces wind speed as well; air over the human skin also promotes heat loss. It controls heat transfer by keeping out the hot rays of the sun and confining heated air in cold weather. It also blocks out light and provides visual privacy. The membrane must be supported against the forces of gravity and wind; a structure is necessary. Membranes of hides are strong in tension (stresses imposed by stretching forces), but poles must be added to take compression (stresses imposed by compacting forces). Indeed, much of the history of construction is the search for more sophisticated solutions to the same basic problems that the tent was set out to solve. The tent has continued in use to the present. The Saudi Arabian goats’ hair tent, the Mongolian yurt with its collapsible wooden frame and felt coverings, and the American Indian tepee with its multiple pole supports and double membrane are more refined and elegant descendants of the crude shelters of the early hunter-gatherers.

The agricultural revolution, dated to about 10,000 bce, gave a major impetus to construction. People no longer traveled in search of game or followed their herds but stayed in one place to tend their fields. Dwellings began to be more permanent. Archaeological records are scanty, but in the Middle East are found the remains of whole villages of round dwellings called tholoi, whose walls are made of packed clay; all traces of roofs have disappeared. In Europe tholoi were built of dry-laid stone with domed roofs; there are still surviving examples (of more recent construction) of these beehive structures in the Alps. In later Middle Eastern tholoi a rectangular antechamber or entrance hall appeared, attached to the main circular chamber—the first examples of the rectangular plan form in building. Still later the circular form was dropped in favour of the rectangle as dwellings were divided into more rooms and more dwellings were placed together in settlements. The tholoi marked an important step in the search for durability; they were the beginning of masonry construction.

Evidence of composite construction of clay and wood, the so-called wattle-and-daub method, is also found in Europe and the Middle East. The walls were made of small saplings or reeds, which were easy to cut with stone tools. They were driven into the ground, tied together laterally with vegetable fibres, and then plastered over with wet clay to give added rigidity and weatherproofing. The roofs have not survived, but the structures were probably covered with crude thatch or bundled reeds. Both round and rectangular forms are found, usually with central hearths.

Heavier timber buildings also appeared in Neolithic (New Stone Age) cultures, although the difficulties of cutting large trees with stone tools limited the use of sizable timbers to frames. These frames were usually rectangular in plan, with a central row of columns to support a ridgepole and matching rows of columns along the long walls; rafters were run from the ridgepole to the wall beams. The lateral stability of the frame was achieved by burying the columns deep in the ground; the ridgepole and rafters were then tied to the columns with vegetable fibres. The usual roofing material was thatch: dried grasses or reeds tied together in small bundles, which in turn were tied in an overlapping pattern to the light wooden poles that spanned between the rafters. Horizontal thatched roofs leak rain badly, but, if they are placed at the proper angle, the rainwater runs off before it has time to soak through. Primitive builders soon determined the roof pitch that would shed the water but not the thatch. Many types of infill were used in the walls of these frame houses, including clay, wattle and daub, tree bark (favoured by American Woodland Indians), and thatch. In Polynesia and Indonesia, where such houses are still built, they are raised above the ground on stilts for security and dryness; the roofing is often made of leaves and the walls are largely open to allow air movement for natural cooling. Another variation of the frame was found in Egypt and the Middle East, where timbers were substituted for bundles of reeds.

A
building is a construction which is raised on a foundation and is
generally made of stone, concrete blocks, bricks and mortar or
cement. Bricks and concrete blocks are held together by mortar. Walls
made of bricks and those built of concrete blocks are suitable both
for small buildings and multistorey structures. Nowadays houses are
often built of complete concrete structural units which are
factory-made and assembled on the spot.

Every
detail of a house must be carefully planned. The working plan itself
is called a blueprint. Without a blueprint the workmen would make all
sorts of mistakes and waste a lot of time.

Plans
for building a house are drawn by an architect. The architect draws a
separate plan for each individual floor. He shows all the parts of
the house exactly as if the house were already built.

It
is from the blueprint of the architect that the workman sees where to
place the walls, the windows, the doors, the staircases, etc. The
size of the rooms, the width of the doors and the windows, the height
of the ceiling are also marked on the plan by the architect.

Different
workmen are employed in building a house. The stonemason builds the
foundation. The bricklayer builds the walls and other parts made of
bricks. He lays the bricks one on the top of another and puts mortar
between them with a trowel. A slater or tiler is employed for putting
slates or tiles on the roof. The plumber fixes all the baths, water
pipes and the sanitary fittings of drains and lavatories in the
places marked for them in the plan drawn by the architect. The
electrician runs electric wires and makes connections all through the
house from the cellar under ground to the attics under the roof. All
the doors and window-frames are made by the carpenter and put into
their places by the joiner. The latter also lays down the floor. Then
the plasterer puts the plaster or cement over all the walls and
ceilings and makes them smooth. The walls are then painted, papered
or whitewashed.

Ex.1.
Say in one or two sentences what the following people do:

1.
a builder 11.a plasterer

2.
a farmer 12.a musician

3.
a pilot 13.a student

4.
an architect 14.a designer

5.
a teacher 15.a cook

6.
a painter 16.a watchmaker

7.
a carpenter 17.a plumber

8.
a bricklayer 18.a joiner

9.
a writer 19.a slater

10.
a baker 20.a singer

Ex.2.Complete
the sentences using the English equivalents for the Russian words in
brackets.

1.
All the parts of many houses are produced on an industrial scale in
factories and (монтируются на месте). 2.The
structure is put up by (каменщиками, плотниками,
штукатурами, водопрoводчиками,
кровельщиками). 3.(Фундамент)
is to keep the floors and walls from contact with the soil. 4. The
building of a wall consists in laying down courses of bricks and
bonding them together with (раствором).
5. The instrument used by the bricklayer is called a (лопаткой).
6. Houses are built of (дерева, кирпича, камня и
бетона).

Ex.3.Read
and memorize these dialogues.

I.
– What is a house?

­
– ­It is a building made for people to live in.

– And
what is a building?

– It
is a structure. Houses, schools, factories and theatres are all
buildings.

II.
– What do we call that part of a building on which the walls rest?

– We
call it the foundation.

– And
what do we call the top covering of the building?

– We
call it the roof.

III.
– What is lime? Do you know?

– It’s
a white substance obtained by burning limestone.

– Is
it used in making cement and mortar?

– Right.
It’s used in making cement and mortar.

IV.
– What is mortar?

– It’s
a mixture of lime, sand and water.

– What
is it used for?

– It’s
used to hold bricks, stones, etc. together.

Ex.4.
Put questions to the words given in bold type:

1.
The first step in the construction of a house is making
a plan.

2.
A
surveyor
measures the plot of land or site. 3.The workmen mix cement, sand
and water in a cement mixer to
make concrete.
4.The walls of the house will be built on
the concrete.
5.The
building of skyscrapers
was started in the 19-th century. 6.The use of fine tools resulted in
developing
building
methods.7.By
using
industrial methods of construction
the speed of construction may be considerably increased.

Ex.5.Rearrange
the words so as to make up sentences:

1.
the bricklayer, a trowel, the instrument, by, is called, used.

2.
work, the foundation, anchoring sills (закрепление нижних
брусов), by providing, is finished.

3.
of prefabs, a lot of, are built, houses.

4.
courses, of bricks, consists, the building, together, of a wall, and
bonding, them, in laying down.

Ex.6.
Answer the questions:

1.
What is a building generally made of?

2.
How are bricks and concrete blocks held together?

3.
To build a house it is necessary to make a plan, isn’t it?

4.
Who draws plans for building a house?

5.
What specialists are employed in building a house?

6.
What is the work of the stonemason?

7.
What does the bricklayer do?

8.
What does the tiler do?

9.
What does the plumber do?

10.
What is the work of the plasterer?

Unit
2

Read
the words and translate them.

1.
to meet requirements [mi:t ri′kwaiəmənts] – удовлетворять
требования

2.
durable
[′dju(ə)rəbl]
– прочный, долгoвременный

3.
fire-resistant [′faiə ri′zist(ə)nt] – огнеупорный

4.
to
fasten
[′fa:s(ə)n]
– прикреплять, затвердевать ( о растворе)

5.
wood [wυd]
– древесина

6.
disadvantage
[,disəd′va:ntidз]–
недостаток

7.
to decay [di′kei]–
разлагаться

8.
compactness [kəm′pæktnis]
– компактность, плотность

9
.porosiry
[p
:′r
siti]
– пористость

10.
sound
insulation
[saund
,insjυ′lei∫(ə)n]
– звукоизоляция

11.
heat insulation [hi:t]– теплоизоляция

12.
artificial [,a:ti′fi∫(ə)l] – искусственный

13.
to refer to [ ri′fз:]
– относиться,ссылаться

14.
crushed stone [′kr٨∫t]
– дробленый
камень

15.
skilled labour [′leibə] – квалифицированный
труд

16.
it is no wonder [′w٨ndə]
– не
удивительно

17.
to divide [di′vaid] – делить

18.
rock
– горная порода

19.
timber
[′timbə]
– лесоматериал

20.
lime
[laim]–
известь

21.
gypsum
[′dзips(ə)m]
– гипс

22.
auxiliary
[ :g′ziljəri]
вспомогательный

23.
bearing
structure
[′be(ə)riŋ
′str٨kt∫ə]–
несущая структура

24.
secondary [′sekənd(ə)ri]– вторичный

Read
and translate the text.

Соседние файлы в папке Английский

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На основании Вашего запроса эти примеры могут содержать грубую лексику.

На основании Вашего запроса эти примеры могут содержать разговорную лексику.

строительство зданий

строительства зданий

строительстве зданий

строительству зданий

возведения зданий

строительством зданий

возведение зданий

возведении зданий

строительстве сооружений

постройки зданий

возведением зданий

возводить здания

постройкой зданий

постройку зданий

возведения здания

Предложения

The construction of buildings above 99 meters is prohibited in the city, this decision was taken at a referendum in 2004.

В городе запрещено строительство зданий выше 99 метров, такое решение было принято на референдуме в 2004 году.

The residents’ assembly, assisted by a working committee, decides most matters, including the construction of buildings or issuing residence permits.

Собрание жителей при содействии рабочего комитета решает большинство вопросов, включая строительство зданий или выдачу видов на жительство.

A consortium for the joint implementation of major projects in the design and construction of buildings and industrial structures.

Создан консорциум для совместной реализации крупных проектов в области проектирования и строительства зданий и сооружений промышленного назначения.

They are used for construction of buildings and for exterior finishes.

Therefore, the owners of such hotels and farms usually choose environmentally friendly materials for the construction of buildings and use electricity from alternative sources.

Поэтому владельцы подобных отелей и ферм обычно выбирают экологичные материалы при строительстве зданий и используют электроэнергию из альтернативных источников.

It can also play a significant role in the construction of buildings.

The construction company is seen as a large company that is responsible for the construction of buildings and structures.

Строительные компании рассматриваются как крупные фирмы, которые берут на себя ответственность за строительство зданий и сооружений.

The aim of this article is evaluation of the level of economic security of small construction enterprises whose main activity is construction of buildings.

Целью статьи является оценка уровня экономической безопасности группы малых строительных предприятий, основным видом деятельности которых является строительство зданий.

Tried to speed up the preparation of documentation for construction of buildings of schools, through the interaction between stakeholders and institutions.

Пытался ускорить подготовку документации для строительства зданий школ, осуществляя взаимодействие между заинтересованными лицами и учреждениями.

In recent years, fire protection materials, designs and products has become increasingly important in the construction of buildings and structures.

В последние годы огнезащита материалов, конструкций и изделий приобретает все большее значение при строительстве зданий и сооружений.

Diagnostics and monitoring of the building structures are also relevant at different stages of construction of buildings and structures.

Диагностика и мониторинг строительных конструкций также актуальны и на различных этапах строительства зданий и сооружений.

And that was reflected in the additions their own origin in the construction of buildings in those days.

Что и выразилось в дополнениях собственного происхождения при строительстве зданий в те времена.

The important stage in construction of buildings and installations in the insulations is the insulation of surfaces in various ways.

Важный этап в строительстве зданий и сооружений — утепление поверхностей различными способами.

Similar capital construction of buildings will cost at least 40% more than the cost of prefabricated buildings.

Аналогичное капитальное строительство зданий обойдется как минимум на 40% дороже, чем стоимость быстровозводимых зданий.

Today, the construction of buildings for various purposes using straw is practiced all over the world in developed countries.

Сегодня строительство зданий различного назначения с использованием соломы практикуется во всем мире в развитых странах.

The complex supports the protection of biodiversity and sets an excellent example for the future construction of buildings all over the globe.

По их словам, комплекс помогает защитить биоразнообразие и служит хорошим примером для будущего строительства зданий в других странах.

The construction of buildings which do not correspond to the sanitary norms was prohibited in 1999.

В 1999 году было запрещено строительство зданий, не соответствующих санитарным нормам.

For instance, the construction of buildings in exposed areas should be prevented.

State funding was used primarily for infrastructure development, especially the construction of buildings at the central and state levels.

Государство финансирует в основном развитие инфраструктуры, особенно строительство зданий на уровнях центра и штатов.

According to archaeologists for the construction of buildings in the ancient settlement used marble of the highest quality.

По данным археологов для строительства зданий в древнем поселении использовался мрамор высочайшего качества.

Ничего не найдено для этого значения.

Предложения, которые содержат construction of buildings

Результатов: 715. Точных совпадений: 715. Затраченное время: 156 мс

Documents

Корпоративные решения

Спряжение

Синонимы

Корректор

Справка и о нас

Индекс слова: 1-300, 301-600, 601-900

Индекс выражения: 1-400, 401-800, 801-1200

Индекс фразы: 1-400, 401-800, 801-1200

types:

show 336 types…

hide 336 types…

airdock, hangar, repair shed

a large structure at an airport where aircraft can be stored and maintained

altar

a raised structure on which gifts or sacrifices to a god are made

arcade, colonnade

a structure composed of a series of arches supported by columns

arch

(architecture) a masonry construction (usually curved) for spanning an opening and supporting the weight above it

area

a part of a structure having some specific characteristic or function

balcony

a platform projecting from the wall of a building and surrounded by a balustrade or railing or parapet

balcony

an upper floor projecting from the rear over the main floor in an auditorium

bascule

a structure or device in which one end is counterbalanced by the other (on the principle of the seesaw)

boarding

a structure of boards

body

the external structure of a vehicle

bridge, span

a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.

building, edifice

a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place

building complex, complex

a whole structure (as a building) made up of interconnected or related structures

catchment

a structure in which water is collected (especially a natural drainage area)

coil, helix, spiral, volute, whorl

a structure consisting of something wound in a continuous series of loops

colonnade

structure consisting of a row of evenly spaced columns

column, pillar

a vertical cylindrical structure standing alone and not supporting anything (such as a monument)

corner, quoin

(architecture) solid exterior angle of a building; especially one formed by a cornerstone

cross

a wooden structure consisting of an upright post with a transverse piece

deathtrap

any structure that is very unsafe; where people are likely to be killed

defence, defense, defensive structure

a structure used to defend against attack

door

a structure where people live or work (usually ordered along a street or road)

entablature

(architecture) the structure consisting of the part of a classical temple above the columns between a capital and the roof

erection

a structure that has been erected

establishment

a public or private structure (business or governmental or educational) including buildings and equipment for business or residence

false bottom

a horizontal structure that partitions a ship or box (especially one built close to the actual bottom)

floor, level, storey, story

a structure consisting of a room or set of rooms at a single position along a vertical scale

fountain

a structure from which an artificially produced jet of water arises

guide

a structure or marking that serves to direct the motion or positioning of something

card-house, cardcastle, cardhouse, house of cards

an unstable construction with playing cards

housing, living accommodations, lodging

structures collectively in which people are housed

hull

the frame or body of a ship

jungle gym

a structure of vertical and horizontal rods where children can climb and play

lamination

a layered structure

landing, landing place

structure providing a place where boats can land people or goods

lookout, lookout station, observation tower, observatory

a structure commanding a wide view of its surroundings

masonry

structure built of stone or brick by a mason

memorial, monument

a structure erected to commemorate persons or events

hill, mound

structure consisting of an artificial heap or bank usually of earth or stones

impediment, impedimenta, obstructer, obstruction, obstructor

any structure that makes progress difficult

divider, partition

a vertical structure that divides or separates (as a wall divides one room from another)

platform, weapons platform

any military structure or vehicle bearing weapons

porch

a structure attached to the exterior of a building often forming a covered entrance

post and lintel

a structure consisting of vertical beams (posts) supporting a horizontal beam (lintel)

prefab

a prefabricated structure

projection

any structure that branches out from a central support

public works

structures (such as highways or schools or bridges or docks) constructed at government expense for public use

sail

any structure that resembles a sail

offset, set-back, setoff

structure where a wall or building narrows abruptly

shelter

a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger

shoebox

a structure resembling a shoebox (as a rectangular building or a cramped room or compartment)

sign, signboard

structure displaying a board on which advertisements can be posted

arena, bowl, sports stadium, stadium

a large structure for open-air sports or entertainments

superstructure

structure consisting of the part of a ship above the main deck

supporting structure

a structure that serves to support something

tower

a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building

transept

structure forming the transverse part of a cruciform church; crosses the nave at right angles

trestlework

a supporting structure composed of a system of connected trestles; for a bridge or pier or scaffold e.g.

vaulting

(architecture) a vaulted structure

shipway, slipway, ways

structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired

wellhead

a structure built over a well

wind tunnel

a structure resembling a tunnel where air is blown at known velocities for testing parts of aircraft

honeycomb

a structure of small hexagonal cells constructed from beeswax by bees and used to store honey and larvae

balance, counterbalance, equilibrium, equipoise

equality of distribution

abattoir, butchery, shambles, slaughterhouse

a building where animals are butchered

abutment arch

an arch supported by an abutment

academy

a learned establishment for the advancement of knowledge

aisle

part of a church divided laterally from the nave proper by rows of pillars or columns

amphitheater, amphitheatre, coliseum

an oval large stadium with tiers of seats; an arena in which contests and spectacles are held

apartment, flat

a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house

apartment building, apartment house

a building that is divided into apartments

architecture

an architectural product or work

arm, branch, limb

any projection that is thought to resemble a human arm

auditorium

the area of a theater or concert hall where the audience sits

aviary, bird sanctuary, volary

a building where birds are kept

back porch

a porch for the back door

baggage claim

an area in an airport where arriving passengers can collect the luggage that has been carried in the hold of the aircraft

Bailey bridge

a temporary bridge designed for rapid construction

ballpark, park

a facility in which ball games are played (especially baseball games)

bar

an obstruction (usually metal) placed at the top of a goal

barbette

(formerly) a mound of earth inside a fort from which heavy gun can be fired over the parapet

barbacan, barbican

a tower that is part of a defensive structure (such as a castle)

barrier

a structure or object that impedes free movement

basement, cellar

the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level; often used for storage

bathhouse, bathing machine

a building containing dressing rooms for bathers

beacon, beacon light, lighthouse, pharos

a tower with a light that gives warning of shoals to passing ships

bell tower

a tower that supports or shelters a bell

billboard, hoarding

large outdoor signboard

billet

lodging for military personnel (especially in a private home)

block

housing in a large building that is divided into separate units

blockade

something that prevents access or progress

block, blockage, closure, occlusion, stop, stoppage

an obstruction in a pipe or tube

boards

the boarding that surrounds an ice hockey rink

bodywork

the exterior body of a motor vehicle

bowling alley

a building that contains several alleys for bowling

box

any one of several designated areas on a ball field where the batter or catcher or coaches are positioned

brass, memorial tablet, plaque

a memorial made of brass

brattice

a partition (often temporary) of planks or cloth that is used to control ventilation in a mine

breakfast area, breakfast nook

a place for light meals (usually near a kitchen)

brickwork

masonry done with bricks and mortar

brim

a circular projection that sticks outward from the crown of a hat

broken arch

an arch with a gap at the apex; the gap is usually filled with some decoration

bulkhead

a partition that divides a ship or plane into compartments

bullpen

a place on a baseball field where relief pitchers can warm up during a game

bullring

a stadium where bullfights take place

barrow, burial mound, grave mound, tumulus

(archeology) a heap of earth placed over prehistoric tombs

burr

rough projection left on a workpiece after drilling or cutting

camber arch

an arch with a straight horizontal extrados and a slightly arched intrados

camp

temporary lodgings in the country for travelers or vacationers

cantilever bridge

bridge constructed of two cantilevers that meet in the middle

cattle grid, cattle guard

a bridge over a ditch consisting of parallel metal bars that allow pedestrians and vehicles to pass, but not cattle

cenotaph, empty tomb

a monument built to honor people whose remains are interred elsewhere or whose remains cannot be recovered

center, centre

a building dedicated to a particular activity

bema, chancel, sanctuary

area around the altar of a church for the clergy and choir; often enclosed by a lattice or railing

chapterhouse

a building attached to a monastery or cathedral; used as a meeting place for the chapter

cheval-de-frise, chevaux-de-frise

defensive structure consisting of a movable obstacle composed of barbed wire or spikes attached to a wooden frame; used to obstruct cavalry

choir

the area occupied by singers; the part of the chancel between sanctuary and nave

church tower

the tower of a church

circus

(antiquity) an open-air stadium for chariot races and gladiatorial games

cleat

a metal or leather projection (as from the sole of a shoe); prevents slipping

clock tower

a tower with a large clock visible high up on an outside face

club, clubhouse

a building that is occupied by a social club

college

a complex of buildings in which an institution of higher education is housed

condominium

housing consisting of a complex of dwelling units (as an apartment house) in which each unit is individually owned

control tower

a tower with an elevated workspace enclosed in glass for the visual observation of aircraft around an airport

cookhouse

a detached or outdoor shelter for cooking

corbel arch

(architecture) an arch constructed of masonry courses that are corbelled until they meet

corner, nook

an interior angle formed by two meeting walls

cornice

the topmost projecting part of an entablature

court, courtyard

an area wholly or partly surrounded by walls or buildings

covered bridge

a bridge whose passageway is protected by a roof and enclosing sides

dead-air space

an unventilated area where no air circulates

deck

a porch that resembles the deck on a ship

deck-house

a superstructure on the upper deck of a ship

dining area

an area arranged for dining

dock, dockage, docking facility

landing in a harbor next to a pier where ships are loaded and unloaded or repaired; may have gates to let water in or out

covered stadium, dome, domed stadium

a stadium that has a roof

dorm, dormitory, hall, residence hall, student residence

a college or university building containing living quarters for students

drawbridge, lift bridge

a bridge that can be raised to block passage or to allow boats or ships to pass beneath it

bubbler, drinking fountain, water fountain

a public fountain to provide a jet of drinking water

drip, drip mold, drip mould

(architecture) a projection from a cornice or sill designed to protect the area below from rainwater (as over a window or doorway)

dry masonry

masonry without mortar

dugout

either of two low shelters on either side of a baseball diamond where the players and coaches sit during the game

abode, domicile, dwelling, dwelling house, habitation, home

housing that someone is living in

embankment

a long artificial mound of stone or earth; built to hold back water or to support a road or as protection

enclosure

a structure consisting of an area that has been enclosed for some purpose

fallout shelter

a shelter to protect occupants from the fallout from an atomic bomb

fan vaulting

an elaborate system of vaulting in which the ribs diverge like fans

farm building

a building on a farm

feedlot

a building where livestock are fattened for market

firetrap

a building that would be hard to escape from if it were to catch fire

flange, rim

a projection used for strength or for attaching to another object

flashboard, flashboarding

boarding place along the top of a dam to increase its height

flat arch, straight arch

an arch with mutually supporting voussoirs that has a straight horizontal extrados and intrados

flue, fluke

flat bladelike projection on the arm of an anchor

football stadium

a stadium where football games are held

footbridge, overcrossing, pedestrian bridge

a bridge designed for pedestrians

fortification, munition

defensive structure consisting of walls or mounds built around a stronghold to strengthen it

fort, fortress

a fortified defensive structure

framework

a structure supporting or containing something

front porch

a porch for the front door

fuselage

the central body of an airplane that is designed to accommodate the crew and passengers (or cargo)

gallery

narrow recessed balcony area along an upper floor on the interior of a building; usually marked by a colonnade

gambling den, gambling hell, gambling house, gaming house

a public building in which a variety of games of chance can be played (operated as a business)

gazebo, summerhouse

a small roofed building affording shade and rest

goalmouth

(sports) the area immediately in front of the goal

government building

a building that houses a branch of government

gravestone, headstone, tombstone

a stone that is used to mark a grave

glasshouse, greenhouse, nursery

a building with glass walls and roof; for the cultivation and exhibition of plants under controlled conditions

first floor, ground floor, ground level

the floor of a building that is at or nearest to the level of the ground around the building

gun enclosure, gun turret, turret

a self-contained weapons platform housing guns and capable of rotation

hall

a large building for meetings or entertainment

hall

a large building used by a college or university for teaching or research

Hall of Fame

a building containing trophies honoring famous people

hank

a coil of rope or wool or yarn

haven, oasis

a shelter serving as a place of safety or sanctuary

head

a projection out from one end

hideaway, retreat

an area where you can be alone

high altar

the main altar in a church

high-rise, tower block

tower consisting of a multistoried building of offices or apartments

encumbrance, hinderance, hindrance, hitch, incumbrance, interference, preventative, preventive

any obstruction that impedes or is burdensome

hippodrome

a stadium for horse shows or horse races

hospice

a lodging for travelers (especially one kept by a monastic order)

hostel, student lodging, youth hostel

inexpensive supervised lodging (especially for youths on bicycling trips)

hotel

a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services

casino-hotel, hotel-casino

a building that houses both a hotel and a casino

house

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

house

a building in which something is sheltered or located

hovel, hut, hutch, shack, shanty

small crude shelter used as a dwelling

army hut, field hut, hut

temporary military shelter

institution

an establishment consisting of a building or complex of buildings where an organization for the promotion of some cause is situated

boss, knob

a circular rounded projection or protuberance

laminate

a sheet of material made by bonding two or more sheets or layers

library

a building that houses a collection of books and other materials

line of defence, line of defense

defensive structure consisting of a barrier that can be employed for defense against attack

living quarters, quarters

housing available for people to live in

lobe

a rounded projection that is part of a larger structure

attic, garret, loft

floor consisting of open space at the top of a house just below roof; often used for storage

loft, pigeon loft

a raised shelter in which pigeons are kept

loft

floor consisting of a large unpartitioned space over a factory or warehouse or other commercial space

loge

balcony consisting of the forward section of a theater mezzanine

loggia

a roofed arcade or gallery with open sides stretching along the front or side of a building; often at an upper level

lug

a projecting piece that is used to lift or support or turn something

mantelet, mantlet

portable bulletproof shelter

health facility, healthcare facility, medical building

building where medicine is practiced

megalith, megalithic structure

memorial consisting of a very large stone forming part of a prehistoric structure (especially in western Europe)

entresol, mezzanine, mezzanine floor

intermediate floor just above the ground floor

first balcony, mezzanine

first or lowest balcony

minaret

slender tower with balconies

ministry

building where the business of a government department is transacted

manufactured home, mobile home

a large house trailer that can be connected to utilities and can be parked in one place and used as permanent housing

mooring mast, mooring tower

a tower for mooring airships

dead room, morgue, mortuary

a building (or room) where dead bodies are kept before burial or cremation

national monument

memorial consisting of a structure or natural landmark of historic interest; set aside by national government for preservation and public enjoyment

nave

the central area of a church

obelisk

a stone pillar having a rectangular cross section tapering towards a pyramidal top

observation dome

lookout consisting of a dome-shaped observatory

observatory

a building designed and equipped to observe astronomical phenomena

obstacle

an obstruction that stands in the way (and must be removed or surmounted or circumvented)

office block, office building

a building containing offices where work is done

opium den

a building where opium is sold and used

orchestra pit, pit

lowered area in front of a stage where an orchestra accompanies the performers

outbuilding

a building that is subordinate to and separate from a main building

outwork

subsidiary defensive structure lying outside the main fortified area

overhang

projection that extends beyond or hangs over something else

flyover, overpass

bridge formed by the upper level of a crossing of two highways at different levels

packinghouse

a building where foodstuffs are processed and packed

panopticon

an area where everything is visible

pantheon

a monument commemorating a nation’s dead heroes

patio, terrace

usually paved outdoor area adjoining a residence

perfumery

an establishment where perfumes are made

peristyle

a colonnade surrounding a building or enclosing a court

phrontistery

an establishment for study and learning (sometimes including modern universities)

pied-a-terre

lodging for occasional or secondary use

pier arch

an arch supported on piers

pit

(auto racing) an area at the side of a racetrack where the race cars are serviced and refueled

pit

(commodity exchange) the part of the floor of a commodity exchange where trading in a particular commodity is carried on

business establishment, place of business

an establishment (a factory or an assembly plant or retail store or warehouse etc.) where business is conducted, goods are made or stored or processed or where services are rendered

house of God, house of prayer, house of worship, place of worship

any building where congregations gather for prayer

planetarium

a building housing an instrument for projecting the positions of the planets onto a domed ceiling

industrial plant, plant, works

buildings for carrying on industrial labor

pointed arch

an arch with a pointed apex; characteristic of Gothic architecture

bateau bridge, floating bridge, pontoon bridge

a temporary bridge built over a series of pontoons

poorhouse

an establishment maintained at public expense in order to provide housing for the poor and homeless

portico

a porch or entrance to a building consisting of a covered and often columned area

presbytery

building reserved for the officiating clergy

press gallery

an area (sometimes in a balcony) set aside for reporters (especially in a legislative hall)

prong

a pointed projection

proscenium arch

the arch over the opening in the proscenium wall

lay-by, layby, pull-off, rest area, rest stop

designated paved area beside a main road where cars can stop temporarily

power pylon, pylon

a large vertical steel tower supporting high-tension power lines

pylon

a tower for guiding pilots or marking the turning point in a race

quad, quadrangle

a rectangular area surrounded on all sides by buildings

quartering

living accommodations (especially those assigned to military personnel)

rampant arch

an arch whose support is higher on one side than on the other

rattrap

filthy run-down dilapidated housing

asylum, refuge, sanctuary

a shelter from danger or hardship

eatery, eating house, eating place, restaurant

a building where people go to eat

rest house

a building used for shelter by travelers (especially in areas where there are no hotels)

ribbon development

building complex in a continuous row along a road

rink, skating rink

building that contains a surface for ice skating or roller skating

Roman building

a building constructed by the ancient Romans

room

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

rope bridge

a bridge consisting of ropes

rotunda

a building having a circular plan and a dome

round arch

an arch formed in a continuous curve; characteristic of Roman architecture

rowlock arch

an arch that is formed with more than one concentric row of voussoirs

ruin

a ruined building

safety arch

an undecorated arch that is included in order to strengthen or support a construction

sandwich board

signboard consisting of two hinged boards that hang front and back from the shoulders of a walker and are used to display advertisements

school, schoolhouse

a building where young people receive education

school system

establishment including the plant and equipment for providing education from kindergarten through high school

scoinson arch, sconcheon arch

an arch that supports part of the wall

sconce

a shelter or screen providing protection from enemy fire or from the weather

scoreboard

a large board for displaying the score of a contest (and some other information)

screen

partition consisting of a decorative frame or panel that serves to divide a space

family circle, peanut gallery, second balcony, upper balcony

rearmost or uppermost area in the balcony containing the least expensive seats

segmental arch

a shallow arch; an arch that is less than a semicircle

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Seven Wonders of the World

impressive monuments created in the ancient world that were regarded with awe

shelter

temporary housing for homeless or displaced persons

shingle

a small signboard outside the office of a lawyer or doctor, e.g.

shooting gallery

a building (usually abandoned) where drug addicts buy and use heroin

shot tower

tower of a kind once used to make shot; molten lead was poured through a sieve and dropped into water

shouldered arch

an arch consisting of a horizontal lintel supported at each end by corbels that project into the aperture

signal box, signal tower

a building from which signals are sent to control the movements of railway trains

silo

a cylindrical tower used for storing silage

diminished arch, scheme arch, skeen arch, skene arch

an arch whose height is less than half its width

frame, skeletal frame, skeleton, underframe

the internal supporting structure that gives an artifact its shape

skew arch

an arch whose jambs are not at right angles with the face

skybox

an elevated box for viewing events at a sports stadium

skyscraper

a very tall building with many stories

snow bank, snowbank

a mound or heap of snow

spike

a sharp-pointed projection along the top of a fence or wall (or a dinosaur)

squinch

a small arch built across the interior angle of two walls (usually to support a spire)

steel arch bridge

a steel bridge constructed in the form of an arch

spire, steeple

a tall tower that forms the superstructure of a building (usually a church or temple) and that tapers to a point at the top

stonework

masonry done with stone

stoep, stoop

small porch or set of steps at the front entrance of a house

storage space

the area in any structure that provides space for storage

cyclone cellar, storm cellar, tornado cellar

an underground shelter where you can go until a storm passes

fastness, stronghold

a strongly fortified defensive structure

student union

a building on a college campus dedicated to social and organizational activities of the student body

support

supporting structure that holds up or provides a foundation

supporting tower

a tower that serves to support something

suspension bridge

a bridge that has a roadway supported by cables that are anchored at both ends

tap house, tavern

a building with a bar that is licensed to sell alcoholic drinks

telco building, telecom hotel

a building that houses telecommunications equipment

temple

an edifice devoted to special or exalted purposes

tenon

a projection at the end of a piece of wood that is shaped to fit into a mortise and form a mortise joint

collapsible shelter, tent

a portable shelter (usually of canvas stretched over supporting poles and fastened to the ground with ropes and pegs)

house, theater, theatre

a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented

threshing floor

a floor or ground area for threshing or treading out grain

toll bridge

a bridge where toll is charged for crossing

tooth

something resembling the tooth of an animal

tooth

one of a number of uniform projections on a gear

totem pole

a tribal emblem consisting of a pillar carved and painted with totemic figures; erected by Indian tribes of the northwest Pacific coast

tract housing

housing consisting of similar houses constructed together on a tract of land

trestle bridge

a bridge supported by trestlework

trimmer arch

an arch built between trimmers in a floor (to support the weight of a hearth)

triumphal arch

a monumental archway; usually they are built to commemorate some notable victory

truss bridge

a bridge supported by trusses

Tudor arch, four-centered arch

a low elliptical or pointed arch; usually drawn from four centers

tumbler

a movable obstruction in a lock that must be adjusted to a given position (as by a key) before the bolt can be thrown

turnaround

an area sufficiently large for a vehicle to turn around

turret

a small tower extending above a building

university

establishment where a seat of higher learning is housed, including administrative and living quarters as well as facilities for research and teaching

gallery, veranda, verandah

a porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed)

viaduct

bridge consisting of a series of arches supported by piers used to carry a road (or railroad) over a valley

wall

an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

watchtower

an observation tower for a lookout to watch over prisoners or watch for fires or enemies

bagnio, bawdyhouse, bordello, brothel, cathouse, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, sporting house

a building where prostitutes are available

widow’s walk

a lookout atop a coastal house

conformation

a symmetrical arrangement of the parts of a thing

proportion, symmetry

balance among the parts of something

median

a paved or landscaped dividing area between opposing lanes of travel on a highway

mission

a building or compound used by a group carrying out religious and humanitarian work

(redirected from Building construction)
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At the beginning of every role I take, I have to start from basics and build it up. It’s like a new construction.

Kim Cattrall

PRONUNCIATION OF CONSTRUCTION

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF CONSTRUCTION

Construction is a noun.

WHAT DOES CONSTRUCTION MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Definition of construction in the English dictionary

The first definition of construction in the dictionary is the process or act of constructing or manner in which a thing is constructed. Other definition of construction is the thing constructed; a structure. Construction is also the business or work of building dwellings, offices, etc.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH CONSTRUCTION

SYNONYMS OF «CONSTRUCTION»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «construction» and belong to the same grammatical category.

TRANSLATION OF CONSTRUCTION

Find out the translation of construction to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «CONSTRUCTION»

The term «construction» is very widely used and occupies the 1.798 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.

Principal search tendencies and common uses of construction

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «CONSTRUCTION» OVER TIME

10 QUOTES WITH «CONSTRUCTION»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word construction.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «CONSTRUCTION»

Discover the use of construction in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to construction and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «CONSTRUCTION»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term construction is used in the context of the following news items.

REFERENCE

« EDUCALINGO. Construction [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/construction>. Apr 2023 ».