Arcaded

Arcaded is an architectural adjective used to describe a surface, passage, or façade that features a succession of arches. Typically, the arches are supported by columns or piers, forming an arcade. When applied to a street, cloister, or gallery, arcaded indicates a sheltered or semi-sheltered linear space created by the row of arches.

Arcades can be open or blind. An open arcade provides actual passage or space beneath the arches, while a blind arcade comprises arches applied to a solid wall with no through access. The term is commonly used in the description of historic architecture, where arcades contribute to rhythm, scale, and light within a building or urban context.

Arcaded forms appear across several architectural styles and periods, including Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and later revivals. They historically served practical purposes such as shelter for pedestrians, market circulation, and display areas, as well as aesthetic functions by organizing façades through repeating geometric elements and creating patterns of light and shadow. In modern usage, arcaded elements may be preserved as decorative features or restored as part of heritage conservation, while new constructions may imitate arcaded vocabulary to evoke historical character.

Etymology: the adjective derives from arcade, referring to the architectural feature of arches grouped in succession, with roots in medieval Latin and Romance languages. See also arcade.