Engineering:Alcove (architecture)

Short description: Recessed section of a room

Alcove in the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

In architecture, an alcove is a small recessed section of a room or an arched opening (as in a wall). The section is partially enclosed by such vertical elements as walls, pillars and balustrades.

Etymology

The word alcove originates from Arabic: القبة [ʔalqubːa] (listen), al-, 'the', and qubbah, 'vault' (through the Spanish, alcoba).

See also

• Niche (architecture)
• Mihrab
• Box-bed
• Tokonoma
• Setback (architecture)