Cloister
A cloister is a type of covered walkway, typically found in religious buildings such as convents, monasteries, or cathedrals. Cloisters often have a colonnade to one side, opening onto a quadrangle or garth (a cloister garden). They are also found in some colleges such as those at Oxford and Cambridge. The word cloister is derived from the Latin ‘claustrum’, meaning ‘enclosure’.
Cloisters may be formed by arcades, series of arches supported by columns or other vertical elements such as piers, first developed by the Romans, who took inspiration from ancient aqueduct designs.
In Roman architecture, they were known as a 'peristyle'. A shady roofed portico was supported by the columns or square pillars surrounding the garden. The inner walls were often decorated with landscape paintings or trompe l'oeil architecture. The courtyard often contained flowers and shrubs, fountains, benches, sculptures, and ponds.
Medieval cloisters, widely associated with monasteries, were used to separate monks from servants and workers, enabling them to live a ‘cloistered’ life, free from distraction.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Editor's broadbrush view on forms of electrical heating in context.
The pace of heating change; BSRIA market intelligence
Electric Dreams, Boiler Realities.
New President of ECA announced
Ruth Devine MBE becomes the 112th President of the Electrical Contractors Association.
New CIAT Professional Standards Competency Framework
Supercedes the 2019 Professional Standards Framework from 1 May 2025.
Difficult Sites: Architecture Against the Odds
Free exhibition at the RIBA Architecture Gallery until 31 May.
PPN 021: Payment Spot Checks in Public Sub-Contracts
Published following consultation and influence from ECA.
Designing Buildings reaches 20,000 articles
We take a look back at some of the stranger contributions.
Lessons learned from other industries.
The Buildings of the Malting Industry. Book review.
Conserving places with climate resilience in mind.
Combating burnout.
The 5 elements of seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu and shitsuke.
Shading for housing, a design guide
A look back at embedding a new culture of shading.
The Architectural Technology Awards
The AT Awards 2025 are open for entries!
ECA Blueprint for Electrification
The 'mosaic of interconnected challenges' and how to deliver the UK’s Transition to Clean Power.
Grenfell Tower Principal Contractor Award notice
Tower repair and maintenance contractor announced as demolition contractor.