Numbering Storey

1 numbering

1.1 consecutive number floor designations
1.2 european scheme
1.3 canadian schemes
1.4 latin american schemes
1.5 east asian schemes
1.6 hawaiian scheme
1.7 idiosyncrasies

numbering

floor numbering numbering scheme used building s floors. there 2 major schemes in use across world. in 1 system, used in majority of european countries, ground floor floor literally @ ground level, having no number, , identified g or 0 . next floor assigned number 1 , first floor, , on. other system, used in united states , canada, counts bottom floor first floor, next floor second floor, , on. in both systems, numbering of higher floors continues sequentially 1 goes up, shown in following table:

consecutive number floor designations

each scheme has further variations depending on how 1 refers ground floor , subterranean levels. existence of 2 incompatible conventions common source of confusion in international communication.

in english-speaking countries stories in building counted in same way: seven-story building unambiguous, although top floor called 6th floor in britain , 7th floor in america. mezzanines may or may not counted stories.

european scheme

in of europe, first storey or first floor first level above ground level. scheme used in many former british colonies, greece, albania, many latin american countries (including argentina, paraguay, uruguay, , brazil), in hawaii (when using hawaiian language) , in many of commonwealth nations (including malaysia, except singapore , of canada).

this convention can traced medieval european usage. in countries use system, floor @ ground level referred special name, translating ground floor or equivalent. example, erdgeschoss ( ground floor ) in germany, piano terra (lit. ground floor ) in italy, begane grond (lit. walked-upon ground ) in netherlands, planta baja or planta baixa ( bottom floor ) in spain, beheko solairua in basque, andar térreo ( ground floor ) in brazil, rés-do-chão ( adjacent ground ) in portugal, földszint ( ground level ) in hungary (although in budapest fél szint or half floor level between ground , first floors, apparently result of tax evasion trick in 19th century), parter (from french par terre, means on ground ) in romania , poland, prízemie ( ground ) in slovakia , pritličje ( close ground ) in slovenia. in countries use scheme, higher floors may explicitly qualified being above ground level, such in slovenian prvo nadstropje (literally first upper floor ).

in spain, level above ground level (the mezzanine) called entresuelo (entresòl in catalan, etc., literally means interfloor ), , elevators may skip it. next level called principal . first floor can therefore 3 levels above ground level. in italy, in ancient palaces first floor called piano nobile ( noble floor ), since noble owners of palace lived there.

in france, there 2 distinct names storeys in buildings have 2 ground floors @ different levels (on 2 opposite faces, usually). lower 1 called rez-de-chaussée (lit. adjacent road ), upper 1 rez-de-jardin (lit. adjacent garden ). same differentiation used in buildings in croatia. lower level called razizemlje (abbr. ra), , upper prizemlje (pr). if there s 1 ground floor, s called prizemlje. latter usage standard smaller buildings, such single-family homes.

canadian schemes

the english-speaking parts of canada follow american convention, first floor floor @ ground level , floor above second floor. canada, however, uses spelling storey , not story . in quebec, european scheme formerly used (as in france), has been replaced system, rez-de-chaussée , premier étage ( first stage ) equivalent in quebec. mexico, on other hand, uses european system.

latin american schemes

in latin america, planta baja , primer piso ( first floor ), distinct in spain , mexico, equivalent in chile , peru, , refer both ground-level floor (although primer piso used indoor areas, while planta baja used areas outside building).

east asian schemes

most parts of eastern asia – including china except hong kong, japan, korea, , singapore – follow system. in grammar of respective languages, numbers precede word floor , , cardinals rather ordinals, translate literally 1 floor, 2 floor (etc.), rather 1st floor, 2nd floor , or floor 1, floor 2 .

in vietnam, european scheme used in southern part of country (most notably in country s largest city, ho chi minh city), american scheme more prevalent in northern , central regions (including in hanoi, capital). cardinal numbers follow word floor (i.e. floor 1, floor 2, or floor 3). northern vietnamese system used in indonesia.

in singapore, british system of numbering prevailed. replaced in 1980s north american scheme compatibility other asian countries. in order emphasize difference original scheme, reference made stories rather floors, third (3rd) floor becomes either fourth (4th) story (or story 4) or fourth (4th) level (or level 4). many buildings continue label stories or levels rather floors. however, in absence of clear official distinction between terms, meaning of floors , levels have become interchangeable story ; reflected in newer buildings.

in japan , korea, floor 1 (1f) assigned lowest floor @ least partially above ground level, occasionally, 1f in these countries corresponds lower ground floor in uk. 2f corresponds ground floor , 3f first floor , , on.

hawaiian scheme

in hawaii, hawaiian language floor label uses british floor numbering, however, english language floor label uses american floor numbering. formerly, english floor label used british floor numbering (ground floor, first floor, second floor), in hawaiian (lepo papa, papa akahi, papa alua) respectively, replaced north american scheme make same rest of us. emphasize difference, buildings in hawaii use level rather floor . thus, lepo papa = ground floor = level 1, papa akahi = first floor = level 2, etc.

idiosyncrasies

unusual floor numbering reads b (basement floor), lg (lower ground floor), g, (ground floor), ug (upper ground floor), 1 (first floor), l2 (lower 2nd floor) , 2 (second floor).



a large elevator panel in north american high-rise omits several floors designating 3 separate levels penthouse floors.

some american high-rise buildings follow british/european system, out of desire on part of building s architect or owners.

an arrangement found in high rise public housing blocks, particularly built in united kingdom during 1960s , 1970s, elevators call @ half total number of floors, or @ intermediate level between pair of floors; example lift of 24-storey building stop @ 12 levels, staircases used access upper or lower level each intermediate landing. commonly used cost-saving measure reduce number of elevator shaft doors.

a few buildings in united states , canada have both first floor (usually main floor of building) , ground floor below it. typically happens when both floors have street-level entrances, case hillside buildings. in uk, lower of these floors called lower ground floor , while upper called either upper ground floor or ground floor . multi-storey car parks have staggered arrangement of parking levels use convention there may upper , lower level of same floor number, (e.g.: 1u/u1 = upper 1st, l2/2l = lower 2nd , on), although elevators typically serve 1 of 2 levels, or elevator lobby each floor pair may between 2 levels.

in 19th-century london, many buildings built main entrance floor meter above ground, , floor below being 2 meters below ground. done partly aesthetics, , partly allow access between lower level , street without going through main floor. in situation, lower level called lower ground, main floor called upper ground, , floors above numbered serially 1. there may storage floor called cellar below lower ground.

sometimes, floor number 1 may lowest basement level; in case, ground floor may numbered 2 or higher. 2 connected buildings (such store , car park) have incongruent floor numberings, due sloping terrain or different ceiling heights. avoid this, shopping centers may call main floors names such upper mall, lower mall & toilet mezzanine, parking floors being numbered pn

in norway , sweden floors numbered in north american scheme ( 1st = ground , 2nd , etc.), 1 can refer them how many flights of stairs 1 needs climb reach them ground floor. so, in swedish 2:a våningen ( 2nd floor ) same 1 trappa upp ( 1 flight ); 3:e våningen ( 3rd floor ) 2 trappor upp ( 2 flights ); , on. in modern lifts, however, floors numbered according british convention, street level referred e (for entré , or entrance) or bv (for bottenvåning, or bottom floor) , next floor given number 1.

an elevator control panel in apartment building in shanghai. floors 4, 13 , 14 missing.

in instances, buildings may omit thirteenth floor in floor numbering because of common superstition surrounding number. floor numbering may either go straight 12 14, or floor may given alternative name such skyline or 14a .

letter boxes of residential building built in 1970s in hong kong. chinese , english floor numberings use traditional chinese , british systems respectively, resulting in different numbers.

in hong kong, british numbering system used, in english , chinese alike. in older residential buildings, however, floors identified signs in chinese characters 二樓 ( 2 floor ) @ floor above ground, in north american system. buildings, chinese phrase 三樓 or english equivalent 3rd floor may refer either storey 3 levels above ground (as in modern numbering), labelled 四樓 ( 4 floor ), or storey sign 三樓 s( 3 floor ), 2 levels above ground. confusing state of affairs has led, example, numerous errors in utility billing. avoid ambiguity, business forms ask storey numbers in address fields written accessed lift.

in mainland chinese , taiwanese buildings (typically high-rises), 4th floor omitted or skipped, along other floor numbers ending in 4 such 14th , 24th. floor above third numbered fifth, , on. because of tetraphobia: in many varieties of chinese (as chinese-derived numbers used in korean, japanese , vietnamese) pronunciation of character 四 ( 4 ) similar pronunciation of character 死 ( dead or die ). also, reason, apartments on 4th floor in asian countries such taiwan have traditionally been cheaper rent. common in china thirteenth floor omitted.

in hawaii, hawaiian language floor label uses british system, english language floor label uses american system. example, papa akolu (p3) = level 4 (4 or l4).