Very large to extremely large, moderately depressed cone-shaped shell with widely open umbilicus; whorls on upper side gemmate, somewhat inflated; two spiral grooves below suture (midrib-area subequally divided, with upper midrib narrower); distinctly separated groove at base of lower midrib. Subsutural rib whitish with pattern of brown blotches starting after about 4-5 whorls; upper midrib darker colored than subsutural rib, solid brown or dissolving into pattern of brown blotches; proxumbical rib whitish with pattern of brown blotches; umbilical crenae variegated with light- and dark-brown. Protoconch diameter 1.22-1.42 mm.

Teleoconch: Thick-walled, very large to extremely large, diameter of specimens in collections usually 50-60 (rarely over 70) at 7 1/2 to 8 1/8 (8 1/2) whorls. Shape: moderately depressed cone-shaped, with whorls somewhat inflated (especially on upper side); umbilicus wide (UD ca. 31% of SD). Sculpture: Upper side: SSR distinctly separated; LMR wider than UMR (ca. 2:1); distinctly separated groove at base of LMR; Periphery: PR strong, even in very large specimens hardly any additional spiral ribs; upper point of whorl attachment on upper part of LPR (upper edge of LPR visible in suture of early whorls); upper side and periphery crossed by deeply incised oblique axial grooves, resulting in formation of many elongate oblique segments, becoming weaker or smooth on MR-area of body whorl of larger specimens; segments of the two MR not necessarily corresponding; Base: IPR strong; BF without spiral ribs; with radiating plications (especially in younger specimens), stronger towards umbilicus; two distinctly separated nodulose spiral ribs (PUR and UC) surrounding umbilicus, with UC strong and irregular on later whorls; columellar wall forming almost straight inner lip with plications for support of the columellar muscle, with deepest groove in UC overhanging umbilicus; no spiral sculpture on umbilical side of wall. Coloration: SSR initially white, with pattern of brown blotches starting at about 4-5 Tw (usually the lightest colored of all spiral ribs); UMR initially with brownish pattern, then solid brown for several whorls, later dissolving into pattern of brown blotches (these ± corresponding with pattern on SSR); LMR always olive-grey; UPR, LPR and IPR white with pattern of dark-brown blotches; BF flamed with shades of greyish-brown; one dotted spiral line in front of PUR, its blotches often extending outwards onto the BF; PUR whitish with brown blotches; UC variegated with light- and dark-brown. - Protoconch: large (1.22-1.42, x = 1.31); distinctly heterostrophic; no anal keel (some specimens with rounded ridge in anal-keel area); yellowish, with brown outer corner in front of varix. - Operculum: as described for genus. - Radula and Anatomy: not known.

A distinctive character of Architectonica taylori is the more or less completely brown-colored upper mid-rib, which is always darker than the subsutural rib . The upper midrib in A. maxima, with which A. taylori is frequently confused, has no brown pattern. Young specimens are similar to shells of A. picta and A. modesta .

Geographical distribution: Known from Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Indonesia and the northwestern subtropical Pacific (record from Madagascar doubtful).
Habitat: Sublittoral (most depth records between 30 and 90 m), live records from 35-55 m, sandy substrates.