What is Rez de Chaussee?
: the ground story of a building whether on a level with the street or slightly above it. used especially of a building on the continent of Europe.
Where does Rez de Chaussee come from?
French word rez-de-chaussée comes from French rez (Ground floor (only in rez-de-chaussée and rez-de-jardin).), French chaussée (Causeway. Highway; street. Surface (of road).)
How do you pronounce Rez de Chaussee?
Le rez de chaussée le rez de chaussée le rez de chaussée.
Why is it called Rez de Chaussée?
Une chaussée is another word for “road,” and rez is Old French for ras, meaning “flat” or “level” (think of the word “razor”). The ground floor is called le rez-de-chaussée in French because it is level with the road.
What is the first floor in France called?
premier étage
It defines a floor simply as “the space between two [literal] floors in a building.” So, in France, the space between the ground-level literal floor and the next-level literal floor is “one floor,” therefore the next level is “one floor” of elevation, or “the first floor” (premier étage).
Why is there no ground floor in America?
Because, in the US, the ground floor is the first floor you come to. It’s the first floor in the building, not the zeroth floor. Other countries consider the first floor as the first floor above street level.
Why do Americans call it first floor?
However, you could also use that definition and say that the ground level is “the first floor” because that space is between the ground-level literal floor and the next-level literal floor of the building.
What do Brits call the second floor?
In American English, however, the floor at street level is usually called the first floor. Go up one floor and you are on the second floor (which, of course, is the first floor for the British). The floor below street level is called the basement, the same as in British English.
What do British people call a basement?
Amongst the estate agents and property professionals in the UK, the term ‘cellar’ is often used to describe residential projects while the term ‘basement’ is used to describe new build and commercial projects alike. A cellar is often a smaller space than a basement.
Why don t houses in England have closets?
Built-in closets are uncommon in Europe because homes are often smaller. Historically there was no need for large clothing storage areas as average people had limited possessions. Built-in closets limit the way that space is utilized, so Europeans usually prefer free-standing, movable cupboards.
Why are doors so short in England?
This style of home is quite popular in the UK. Many of the townhomes, or terraced buildings as they’re known there, were built in the 19th and 20th centuries. It was easier to make sure such homes had enough structural integrity, in part, by having smaller-than-expected doors.
Why are there no basements in England?
Except for Britain, Australia and New Zealand, cellars are popular in most western countries. In the United Kingdom, almost all new homes built since the 1960s have no cellar or basement due to the extra cost of digging down further into the sub-soil and a requirement for much deeper foundations and waterproof tanking.
Why are ceilings so low in England?
Why do we see lower ceilings in older architecture? Historically in New England, there’s a real evolution of ceilings. In antique homes of the 1700s, ceilings were typically just 7′ tall. Those homes with low ceilings and small rooms were structured so they could be easily heated by a fireplace.
Why do homes in England not have closets?
Why don t British houses have basements?
Why are UK houses so hot?
The design of Britain’s buildings
This coupled with heavy insulation means they are excellent at trapping heat to help residents stay warm during the winter. But after a few sunny days, British homes become ‘heat islands’ – an area that is significantly warmer than its surroundings.
What is a Yankee basement?
What Is A Yankee Basement? A Yankee basement is a root cellar. The name for the space comes from the dugout in baseball, which is the area where teams have their benches located in foul territory.
Why are British houses so cold?
Why? Because it has the draughtiest windows and least insulated homes. For many families that means the moment they turn off the heating, the warmth goes out of the windows. Analysis by the Association for the Conservation of Energy reveals UK windows are the leakiest of 11 northern European nations.
Why do the British call an apartment a flat?
The exact etymology is debatable, but over time, local dialects generate specific language. It’s sort of like “Football” and “Soccer”. In American English, an ‘apartment building’ is common, whereas it is referred to as a ‘block of flats’ in British English.
What is a basement called in England?
Why do homes in the UK not have air conditioning?
The way Brits heat their homes is another obstacle to installing air-conditioning. “British housing is heated primarily through water-based radiators, or ‘wet heat,’ and a smaller proportion of electric heating,” says Ian Hamilton, a professor at University College London’s Energy Institute.
What are the three types of basements?
There are a lot of different materials that can be used for basement construction but categorically, there are 3 main types: poured concrete basement walls, masonry basement walls, and precast panel basements.
What is a Texas basement?
A Texas Basement is floored attic space that is typically accessible via a hallway or closet on the second floor. In some homes, the Texas Basement is accessible via a separate stairways in the garage and the floored attic space is the space above the garage.
Why are British doorways so low?