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Architecture vocabulary · Materials and Construction

Masonry

Meaning in architecture, with examples

/ˈmeɪsənri/nounCommon term

In architecture, masonry means: Construction made of separate units such as stone, brick or concrete blocks laid in mortar; also the units themselves as a building material.

In Turkish: kagir, yığma, kagir yapı

How it is used

Used for walls, arches, vaults and historic buildings. Load-bearing masonry carries the building's weight, while masonry infill does not. A worker who builds in stone is a mason or stonemason.

Example sentences

  1. The old warehouse has thick masonry walls that keep it cool in summer.

  2. Unreinforced masonry buildings need careful assessment in earthquake zones.

Common collocations

  • load-bearing masonry
  • stone masonry
  • brick masonry
  • masonry wall
  • unreinforced masonry
  • brickA small rectangular block of fired clay used to build walls; bricks are laid in mortar in regular patterns called bonds.
  • load-bearing wallA wall that carries weight from the floors and roof above and transfers it down to the foundations, so it cannot be removed without adding another support.
  • archA curved structure spanning an opening, built of wedge-shaped stones or bricks that press against each other and carry the load above down to the sides.
  • lintelA horizontal beam of concrete, steel, stone or timber placed over a door or window opening to carry the wall above it.
  • vernacular architectureTraditional buildings made by local people with local materials and knowledge, shaped by climate, culture and everyday needs rather than by professional architects.

More terms: Materials and Construction

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