Vault

A roof or ceiling formed by extending or intersecting arches.

Barrel, groin, and rib vaults covered large interiors in Roman, Romanesque, and Gothic architecture. Ribs concentrate loads and direct them to walls or columns.

Modern concrete shells and steel arches can produce related spaces. For an introduction, a vault can be understood as an arch continued along an axis.

Roman baths and cathedral naves are characteristic examples. Unlike a centrally focused dome, a vault tends to cover a longitudinal space.