Structure:  Is the building a wall-supported structure?  Does it use trabeation (post and lintel)?  Columns?  Piers?  Is it arcuated (use arches)?  Arcades?  Is it covered by a wood roof?  Vaults?  Does it use point support?  Are trusses used?  Metal beams?  Reinforced concrete?

Form:  What shape does the building take?  Square, rectangular, round, oval? How many stories is it?   Is the building balanced, or asymmetrical?  Are each of the sides of the building the same?  If they differ, in what ways do they do so?

How does one enter the building?  Is there one entrance, or several?  How are entrances articulated?

Have additions been made to the building?  How can you tell?

What is the collective effect of the building?  Does it seem imposing?  Graceful?  Welcoming?  Is it possible to guess the purpose or function of the building without already knowing what it is?

Plan:  How does the interior of the building function?  How are spaces organized?  Are they large or small?  Many or few?

Materials:  Out of what materials is the building constructed?  Stone?  Brick?  Glass?  Wood?  Concrete? Metal? Is the nature of these materials is obvious, or has the architect sought to conceal the true nature of them (such as a building made of concrete whose surface is covered with stucco, or stucco that has been rusticated to look like stones or bricks.). How are these materials treated?  Is the stone polished?  Shaped into large blocks (ashlar)?

Color:  What is the color or colors of the building?  Are these the colors found inherently in the material, or have colors been introduced?

Decoration/surface ornament:  Beyond the functional structure of the building, what is the nature of its decoration?  Is it classical? Organic?  Historicizing?  Contemporary?

Fenestration:  Describe the use of windows in the building.  Are there many, or few?  Are they massed together, or spread out?  What shape are they?  Do they contain clear glass, reflective glass, or stained glass?  What do you imagine is the effect of light on the building’s interior?

Roof:  How is the roof of the building treated? Is there a dome?  Vaults? Is the roof flat?  Sloping?  Irregular?

Site:  Is the building surrounded by other structures, or does it stand alone? How is your perception of the building affected by its proximity to its immediate neighbors?  Is the environment urban or rural?  In what specific ways does the building relate to its surroundings?  What role does landscaping play?