Catalan vault

The Catalan vault (Catalan: volta catalana), also called thin-tile vault,[1] Catalan turn, Catalan arch, boveda ceiling (Spanish bóveda 'vault'), or timbrel vault, is a type of low brickwork arch forming a vaulted ceiling that often supports a floor above.

It is constructed by laying a first layer of light bricks lengthwise "in space", without centering or formwork, and has a much gentler curve than most other methods of construction.

[1] Of Roman origin,[2] it is a traditional form in regions around the Mediterranean including Catalonia (where it is widely used), and has spread around the world in more recent times through the work of Catalan architects such as Antoni Gaudí and Josep Puig i Cadafalch, and the Valencian architect Rafael Guastavino.

Though it is popularly called the Catalan vault, this construction method is found throughout the Mediterranean and the invention of the term "Catalan vault" occurred in 1904 at an architectural congress in Madrid.

It is used in many major buildings across the United States, including the Boston Public Library, the New York Grand Central Terminal, and many others.