Tutorial for the structure of an php-app ?

Hi again, is there a tutorial for the structure of an php-app? There are more than enough books and online docs that teach the basics of PHP and of course the native mysql commands. I'd now rather need a help to figure out how to pull up a wee bit more complex app. I know how to connect to a DB even though it might not be mysql. I can select stuff and dump it into a HTML table. Actually I prefer PDO and PostgreSQL. Is there a tutorial that teaches how to construct a app with a 2-column design. E.g. a menue frame on the left and a bigger content area on the right. So a click on a menue item would dynamically display a form or a list in the content area. What is a good way to glue everthing together between login and logout. I know cookies and sessions and I suspect those were a way to do it. How would I integrate a template system like smarty? It weren't bad if there were clues about AJAX, too. I'm in search of a way to extend the knowledge about bricks, tubes and cables to the wisdom to actually build a house out of those things.