Adobe Vocabulary

 Adobe Architecture:

1. Adobe: Sun-dried bricks made from a mixture of clay-rich soil, sand, water, and sometimes organic materials like straw or animal dung.

2. Viga: Wooden beam protruding from the roofline of adobe buildings, often visible on the exterior.

3. Latilla: Small branches or wooden slats used to cover the roof of adobe buildings, providing shade and support.

4. Stucco: A plaster made from lime, sand, and water, applied to the exterior walls of adobe buildings for protection and decoration.

5. Courtyard: An open space enclosed by adobe walls, often found in traditional adobe architecture for privacy and social gatherings.

6. Portal: A covered walkway or porch typically supported by wooden posts or vigas, common in Southwestern adobe architecture.

7. Kiva: A subterranean ceremonial room used by Puebloan peoples, often circular in shape with a beehive-shaped roof and accessed via a ladder.

8. Pueblo: A multi-story adobe dwelling inhabited by Native American communities, characterized by terraced layers and communal courtyards.

9. Hacienda: A large estate or homestead, typically featuring adobe buildings arranged around a central courtyard, common in Spanish colonial architecture.

10. Plaster: A coating applied to adobe walls, typically made from mud, lime, or gypsum, to protect and decorate the surface.

11. Corbel: A projecting support, often made of adobe or stone, used to support the roof or upper stories of adobe buildings.

12. Nicho: A small recess or alcove in an adobe wall, often used to display religious icons or decorative objects.

13. Vigil Light: A small, enclosed niche in an adobe wall designed to hold a candle or lantern, providing light and warmth.

14. Banco: A built-in bench or shelf, typically constructed from adobe bricks, found along the interior walls of adobe buildings.

15. Trombe Wall: A thick, heat-absorbing wall made of adobe or other thermal mass materials, designed to absorb and radiate heat, common in passive solar design.

16. Mission architecture: A style of architecture introduced by Spanish missionaries in the Americas, characterized by the use of adobe, red-tile roofs, and bell towers, often associated with Spanish colonial missions in the American Southwest.

17. Territorial architecture: A style of architecture prominent in the American Southwest during the territorial period, featuring elements such as adobe construction, flat roofs, and decorative wooden detailing.

18. Spanish Colonial Revival: An architectural movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that sought to emulate the architectural styles of Spanish colonial buildings, including those found in the American Southwest.

19. Santa Fe Style: An architectural style popularized in the early 20th century, characterized by the use of adobe, flat roofs, and features inspired by Pueblo and Spanish colonial architecture, named after the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

20. Pueblo Revival: An architectural style that emerged in the early 20th century, inspired by traditional Pueblo architecture, featuring elements such as adobe construction, rounded edges, and exposed wooden beams.

21. Ranchos: Traditional Southwestern homesteads or ranch houses, often featuring elements of adobe construction and Spanish Colonial Revival or Pueblo Revival architectural influences.

22. Acequia: A traditional irrigation canal or ditch used in the arid regions of the American Southwest, often influencing settlement patterns and architectural design.

23. Hacienda: A large estate or plantation, typically featuring a central courtyard and surrounded by adobe or stone buildings, reflecting Spanish colonial architectural influences.

24. Ramada: A shaded outdoor structure with a roof supported by wooden posts or beams, commonly found in Southwestern architecture to provide relief from the sun's heat.

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Tools and supplies needed to make adobe buildings.

1. Soil/Caliche: Clay-rich soil is the primary ingredient for making adobe bricks, providing cohesion and stability when mixed with water and other materials.

2. Sand/Arena: Sand is mixed with soil to improve drainage and prevent cracking in adobe bricks.

3. Water/Agua: Water is essential for binding the soil and sand together to form adobe bricks and for moistening the bricks during construction.

4. Straw/Heno: Straw or other organic materials may be added to adobe brick mixtures to increase tensile strength and reduce shrinkage as the bricks dry.

5. Wooden Forms/Adobera: Wooden forms or molds are used to shape wet adobe mixture into uniform bricks before drying.

6. Wheelbarrow/Carretilla: Used for transporting soil, sand, and other materials to the construction site and for mixing adobe brick ingredients.

7. Shovel/Pala: A digging tool used to excavate soil, sand, and other materials, as well as to scoop and transfer wet adobe mixture.

8. Hoe/Azada: A gardening tool with a flat blade, used for mixing and turning adobe brick ingredients in a wheelbarrow or mixing pit.

9. Tarpaulin/Lona Alquitranada: A waterproof sheet or covering used to protect adobe bricks from rain and moisture during the drying process.

10. Bucket/Balde: Used for measuring and transporting water, as well as for mixing small batches of adobe brick ingredients.

11. LevelNivel: A tool used to ensure that adobe walls are straight and plumb during construction, promoting structural integrity and stability.

12. Trowel/Paleta: A small, handheld tool with a flat, pointed blade, used for applying and smoothing plaster or mortar to adobe walls.

13. Ladder/Escalera: Used for accessing upper levels of adobe buildings during construction and for applying plaster to tall walls.

14. Brush/Cepillo: A tool used for applying water or plaster to adobe bricks or walls, as well as for cleaning and finishing surfaces.