What do you call the small cabin on top of roof of certain buildings?
The small cabin with something on top of it and with pipes running to the top of it. Is there a word for it? What are some standard ways of referring to that thing?
English Language Learners Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for speakers of other languages learning English. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this communityWhat do you call the small cabin on top of roof of certain buildings?
The small cabin with something on top of it and with pipes running to the top of it. Is there a word for it? What are some standard ways of referring to that thing?
The technical term for these structures seems to be either house or bulkhead (e.g. stair/elevator house or stair/elevator bulkhead), but satisfactory online definitions are hard to find.
bulkhead
- a boxlike structure built over an opening, as at the head of a staircase, elevator shaft, etc.
Elevator house or bulkhead Structures with elevators may have an equipment or motor room located on the roof. Elevator houses vary in size according to the number of elevators that they service...
Fire Engineering's Handbook for Fire Fighter I and II
The term elevator house may well be more understandable than elevator bulkhead to the average person.
If it contains air conditioning, lift (elevator) motors and similar equipment then it could be called the "plant room". Although a plant room is not confined to the roof of a building, it may be anywhere, such as the basement.
Roof tower, this is just a stair well with a small landing at top of stairs inside.
Or Stair tower, can be used to name the structure.