spandrel

spandrel
/span"dreuhl/, n.
1. Archit. an area between the extradoses of two adjoining arches, or between the extrados of an arch and a perpendicular through the extrados at the springing line.
2. (in a steel-framed building) a panellike area between the head of a window on one level and the sill of a window immediately above.
3. Philately. the decoration occupying the space at the corner of a stamp between the border and an oval or circular central design.
Also, spandril.
[1470-80; earlier spaundrell, prob. < AF spaundre, itself perh. c. OF espandre to EXPAND]

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Roughly triangular area on either side of an arch, bounded by a line running horizontally through its apex, a line rising vertically from the springing of the arch, and the exterior curve of the arch.

When arches adjoin, the entire area between their crowns and springing line is a spandrel. If filled in, as is ordinarily the case, the result is a spandrel wall; in medieval architecture this was usually ornamented. In buildings of more than one story, the spandrel is the area between the sill of a window and the head of the window below it. In steel or reinforced-concrete structures, a deep spandrel beam may span across this area. The triangular area of space beneath a stair is also known as a spandrel.

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also spelled  Spandril,  

      the roughly triangular area above and on either side of an arch, bounded by a line running horizontally through the apex of the arch, a line rising vertically from the springing of the arch, and the curved extrados, or top of the arch. When arches adjoin, the entire area between their crowns and springing line is a spandrel. If it is filled in, as is ordinarily the case, the resulting structure is termed a spandrel wall. In medieval architecture it was usually ornamented.

      In buildings of more than one story the spandrel is the area between the sill of a window and the head of the window below it. In steel or reinforced concrete structures there will sometimes be a spandrel beam extending horizontally from one column to another and supporting a section of wall. The more or less triangular area filling in the space below a stair string is also a form of spandrel.

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Universalium. 2010.

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