A three-dimensional surface formed by rotating a parabola around its axis, creating a curved structural form with excellent load distribution properties. In architecture, paraboloid shells are used for roofs and domes because they efficiently transfer loads through their geometry.
From Greek 'parabole' (comparison, parabola) and '-oid' (resembling), coined in the 19th century as mathematicians formalized three-dimensional geometric surfaces. The architectural application emerged in the 20th century with advances in reinforced concrete construction.
The Sydney Opera House's iconic shells aren't actually paraboloids but spherical sections - Jørn Utzon switched from complex paraboloid geometry to spherical surfaces to make construction feasible! True paraboloid roofs like those at the Kresge Auditorium at MIT demonstrate how this mathematical form creates spaces with incredible acoustic properties and structural efficiency.
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