airshaft

plural airshafts · alternative air shaft · alternative air-shaft

1. architectureA vertical (or near vertical) opening (shaft) running from a courtyard to the sky, thus allowing air to circulate to high-rise apartments or offices.

   There was a warren of big cabins instead, many levels opening onto walkways around a common airshaft.

   1987, Gene Wolfe, chapter III, in The Urth of the New Sun, 1st US edition, New York: Tor Books, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 18

   1 more example

   Howard turned left and walked to the end of the building. Here was a narrow alleyway, which gave on the airshaft at the rear of the building.

   1990, Stephen King, The Moving Finger

   Synonyms: air well, ventilation shaft, vent shaft, lightwell

2. businessA passage supplying ventilation into a mine tunnel or other underground facility.
3. businessA device used for handling winding reels in the processing of web-fed materials, such as in continuous-process printing presses.