Types of building
The word ‘building’ is commonly considered to refer to an enclosed structure within which people can perform activities. See our introductory article: Building.
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There are many ways of classifying types of building, including:
- Construction type.
- Cost.
- Use.
- Size.
- Style.
- Period.
- Design (form, structure, etc).
- Performance (energy consumption, accessibility, etc).
- Nature of occupancy/ownership.
This article presents a list of common types of building alphabetically with links to articles providing further information. To add to the list, click ‘Edit this article’ above.
- A frame house.
- Abbey.
- Accessory structure.
- Air-supported structure.
- Affordable housing.
- Airport.
- Apartment.
- Assembly and recreation building.
- Assembly building.
- Bandstand.
- Bank.
- Barn.
- Bungalow.
- Bus shelter.
- Bus station.
- Cafe.
- Canteen.
- Casino.
- Castle.
- Cathedral.
- Cave.
- Chapel.
- Church.
- Cinema.
- Cluster accommodation.
- Commercial building.
- Commonhold.
- Complex buildings.
- Condominium.
- Conservatory.
- Cottage.
- Convenience store.
- Council housing.
- Covered area.
- Custom build home.
- Data centre.
- Department store.
- Detached.
- Double fronted building.
- Duplex.
- Dwelling.
- Earth building (see also Earthen construction).
- Entertainment building.
- Extension.
- Fabric structure.
- Factory.
- Farm buildings.
- Ferry terminal.
- Fire engineered buildings.
- Fire station.
- Flat.
- Freehold.
- Gallery.
- Garage.
- Geodesic dome.
- Greenhouse.
- Groundscraper.
- High-rise building.
- Hospital.
- Hostel.
- Hotel.
- Household.
- Houses in multiple occupation.
- Housing association.
- Hut.
- Industrial building.
- Inflatable building.
- Institution.
- Intermediate housing.
- Kiosk
- Kit house.
- Large format retail premises.
- Lean to.
- Leasehold.
- Leisure centre.
- Library.
- Lighthouse.
- Live/work unit.
- Low-rise.
- Mall.
- Manse.
- Maisonette.
- Meanwhile use.
- Medium-rise.
- Megastructure.
- Megatall.
- Minor development.
- Mixed use development.
- Modern building.
- Modular building.
- Mosque.
- Multi-storey building.
- Museum.
- Non-residential institution.
- Office.
- Outbuilding.
- Pavilion
- Penthouse.
- Permanent building.
- Petrol station.
- Police station.
- Portable building.
- Portaloo.
- Portakabin®.
- Post office.
- Power station.
- Pub.
- Pumping station.
- Prefab bungalow.
- Public building.
- Railway station.
- Refinery.
- Residential building.
- Residential institution.
- Retail building.
- Retail warehousing.
- School.
- Secure residential institution.
- Self build home.
- Semi-detached / Semi.
- Shack.
- Shed.
- Shelter.
- Sheltered housing.
- Shop.
- Shopping centre.
- Single-storey building.
- Simple premises.
- Skyscraper.
- Smoking shelters.
- Social housing.
- Specialist accommodation for older people.
- Specialist premises.
- Speculative development.
- Stable
- Stadium.
- Stand-alone building.
- Star building.
- Stately home.
- Storage building.
- Student accommodation.
- Sui generis.
- Supermarket.
- Super-slender.
- Supertall.
- Supported housing.
- Surgery.
- Swimming pool.
- Synagogue
- Telephone Box
- Temporary building.
- Temporary demountable structure.
- Terminal / terminus.
- Terraced house.
- Theatre.
- Toilet.
- Tower.
- Town hall.
- Traditional building.
- Train station.
- Twisting building.
- Venue.
- Visitor Centre
- Warehouse.
- Windmill.
- Workplace.
- Yurt
- Zero carbon building.
- Ziggurat.
See also: Architectural styles and Use class.
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