ed·i·fice 
(ĕdə-fĭs)
(ĕdə-fĭs)n.
1. A building, especially one of imposing appearance or size.
2. An elaborate conceptual structure: observations that provided the foundation for the edifice of evolutionary theory.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin aedificium, from aedificāre, to build : aedis, a building + -ficāre, -fy.]