A mezzanine is an intermediate floor (or floors) in a building which is open to the floor below. It is placed halfway (mezzo
means 'half' in Italian) up the wall on a floor which has a ceiling at least twice as high as a floor with minimum height. A
mezzanine does not count as one of the floors in a building, and generally does not count in determining maximum floor
space. The International Building Code permits a mezzanine to have as much as one-third of the floor space of the floor
below. Local building codes may vary somewhat from this standard. A space may have more than one mezzanine, as
long as the sum total of floor space of all the mezzanines is not greater than one-third the floor space of the complete floor
below. Mezzanines help to make a high-ceilinged space feel more personal and less vast, and can create additional floor
space. Mezzanines, however, may have lower-than-normal ceilings due to their location. The term "mezzanine" does not
imply any particular function; mezzanines can be used for a wide array of purposes. Mezzanines are commonly used in
modern architecture, which places a heavy emphasis on light and space.
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