Grundriss

Grundriss is a German term that translates, roughly, to floor plan or outline. In architecture and building design, a Grundriss is a top-down drawing showing the horizontal layout of a space at a specific level. It indicates the position and size of walls, doors, windows, stairs, and rooms, usually drawn to scale for planning and construction purposes.

A Grundriss forms the core of the project documentation alongside other views such as elevations (Aufrisse) and sections (Schnitte). It guides interior design, structural decisions, and the allocation of functions within a building, and it is used throughout planning, permitting, and construction processes. The symbol conventions convey fixtures, built-in furniture, and utilities.

Beyond architecture, Grundriss can also mean an outline or schematic sketch of a topic or project. In this sense it denotes the basic framework or structure rather than a physical floor plan, and it is used in education, research, and early-stage planning to present the essential components before detail work.

Etymology: from Grund (ground, base) and Riss (sketch). In German, the term is contrasted with Aufriss (elevation) and Schnitt (section). The concept has parallels in other architectural traditions, where terms such as floor plan or plan view are used.