A building parapet is essentially a dwarf wall or heavy railing located at the edge of a structure.
Understanding Parapets
Based on the provided reference, a parapet is defined as a dwarf wall or heavy railing around the edge of a roof, balcony, terrace, or stairway.
The design of a parapet serves specific functions:
Primary Purposes
Parapets are designed with two main objectives in mind:
- Safety: To prevent people situated behind the parapet from falling over the edge. This is a crucial safety feature, particularly on elevated areas.
- Protection: Historically, they were also designed to shelter them from attack from the outside, providing a defensive barrier.
Typical Locations
You will commonly find parapets situated along the edges of:
- Roofs
- Balconies
- Terraces
- Stairways
Materials and Appearance
While the reference describes a parapet as a "dwarf wall" or "heavy railing," they can be constructed from various materials depending on the building's design and function, including masonry, metal, glass, or wood, taking the form of either a solid wall or a barrier with openings.
In essence, a parapet acts as a protective boundary at the perimeter of elevated or exposed areas of a building.
