Architectural terminology: 量體?

[lingo-ling]

Is anyone here familiar with architectural terminology?

 

I'm trying to find the English translation for the technical term 量體, which seems to refer to the main structure or block of a building. It's a term popping frequently in the material I am working with.

 

Example: 外牆用花崗石及銅板來定義出私密的量體

 

In another essay, it said that a building consists of a northern 量體,and a southern 量體, with a bridge connecting the two 量體.

 

I found one source calling it a "volume", but I'm not sure if that's the actual technical term or just something the translator settled for. Another possibility is "mass", but then, I don't know if that's the equivalent term. (English architectural terminology glossaries that I've found so far don't contain the terms "volume" or "mass".)

 

Thanks

[roddy]

I am not familiar with architectural terminology. I am however bored of my own work.

Messed about with the online help files for Autodesk. You can switch between English and Chinese versions by changing CHT <> ENU in the url. They use "mass"

http://help.autodesk.com/view/RVT/2014/ENU/?guid=GUID-D06AACC6-EE9D-48A0-9FD2-320AC0A8BAAD

Without that I think I might have gone for "space".

[gato]

A person at the link below defined 量体 as "structure", but what does "secret structure" in the passage you are translating mean?

http://zhidao.baidu.com/question/192512525.html

[ILikeBigWalls]

Architects (I am) frequently use the words 'volume', 'volumetric', 'mass' or 'massing' to describe buildings and structures in abstract ways.  If the glossary you are referring to is strictly a dictionary of construction-related terminology it may have left out such abstract references.  I hope that helps. 

[lingo-ling]

Thanks. I'll try "mass". The word for "space" in architecture is 空間.

 

The "secret" building is one of two: a public one and a "secret", that is, a "private" one.

[陳德聰]

Somewhat unrelated, I just tried to find architectural use of "mass" and "space" and whatnot, and came across this use of "horizontal language":

 

"Visually, the exterior of the building provides a clear diagram of the public/private relationship through primarily horizontal language on the private elements, while vertical striations highlight the public spaces. The horizontal and vertical crossing pattern on the large circulation volumes represents the exchange between public and private."

I think I can guess in an abstract way what that would look like... but I'm intrigued for if anyone can explain it in Chinese for me...

[gato]

Horizontal language just means 横向的条纹 in your excerpt. Language is another way of saying "pattern". It's a metaphor.

[lingo-ling]

I've found that the words 語彙 and 語言 often pop up in descriptions of art:

 

... 用較為圓滑的建築語彙

 

As far as I can tell, it's just a voguish, artsy-fartsy term. This particular sentence is just describing the rounded corners of a building.

[gato]

The Chinese term for that is 华丽词藻.

[CDStevens]

I just came across 量體 in something I am translating. I decided on "architectural volume."

 

外牆用花崗石及銅板來定義出私密的量體

 

"granite and copper plate are used on exterior walls to define this private architectural volume"

 

honestly, this sounds a little heavy handed for something "private"

 

the meaning is the same as "space," as a volume is a three dimensional space

 

I would go with:

 

"granite and copper are used for the exterior walls delineating this private (architectural) space"

 

"architectural" seems superfluous, but I guess that depends on the context...