Architectural Styles

Architecture has always reflected a school of thought, an expression of the self by forms of intricate and elaborate architectural plans. With this, numerous styles of architecture have emerged over the centuries. Sometimes grand, sometimes simple, sometimes beautiful, sometimes functional, as we have evolved as human beings, so have our choices in terms of our homes and lifestyles. Here, we take a look at the different architectural styles and their defining features that have been highly popular in the United States.

Most Popular Architectural Styles

The timeline of architectural styles along with their prime characteristics have been given below. Though numerous styles have highlighted the American landscape over centuries, here we talk about some of the most popular ones. Take a look.

Victorian Architectural Style: 1830-1910
This style of architecture is one that prevailed in the era of Queen Victoria of England. Inspired by the style and characteristics of Gothic architecture, the Victorian style gave birth to numerous variations of this style, including the Queen Anne and the Italianate styles. The main element of the Victorian style was beauty rather than practicality. The key features of the Victorian architectural style are as follows.

• Victorian houses often sported either a wooden or a stone exterior, spanning two to three stories. This exterior was further enhanced with decorative metal or wooden trim.
• Victorian style houses were built on asymmetrical lines, meaning they had huge bays, different wings, and round or octagonal towers with steep roofs (another important feature of this style).
• A one-story porch was an essential in a Victorian home, embellished with ornamental spindles and brackets.
• The Victorian architectural style brought with it a variety in terms of color. While pre-Victorian homes were usually painted in light colors, brightness and vibrancy was added with the use of colors such as mustard yellow for a house.

Italianate Architectural Style: 1840-1885
As the name suggests, this architectural style was based on the principles and styles of Italian architecture. However, it became one of the extremely popular architectural styles of America, and was often termed as an American architectural style. The features that distinguish this style are:

• The materials used to build such houses may be stone, stucco, or brick.
• Structures designed on this style are usually rectangular in shape. They may be as high as 3 stories.
• The entry to a structure designed on this style usually begins with a columned porch that leads to a double door entrance.
• Another common feature of this style is the tall, narrow, rounded, decorative windows that enhance the visual appeal of the structure. Often clubbed in a set of three, on the first story, these windows are taller than the windows on the rest of the floors.
• Gentle sloping roofs that extend to overhanging eaves are a trait by which this style can easily be distinguished. These eaves may be supported by decorative brackets.
• A cupola or a square tower that stands out above the roof are a common trait of Italian architecture, and this feature clearly shows in the Italianate architectural style.

Queen Anne Architectural Style: 1880-1910
This style was a more common residential architectural style than it was commercial. Inspired from Early Renaissance architecture, this was one of the more popular styles in 19th century America. The features that distinguish the Queen Anne style include the following:

• While wood was used as the prime construction material, this style included a lot of other construction materials including wood shingles and masonry.
• Asymmetrical exteriors with steep roofs were other defining features of this style.
• A large porch supported by spindles provided a grand entry into a house designed on this style.
• Specific towers at corners of the house stood out, as did the bay windows that were common to this architectural style.

Modern Architectural Style: 1920-1960
The modern style of architecture was an attempt to break free from all the other classical styles that had dominated the architectural scene for decades. Based on the principles of the historical art movement of modernism, this is one of the most recent common architectural styles in America. It also encompasses other architectural styles such as Art Deco and Ranch. This style has the following features:

• The biggest feature of this style is the openness it exhibits. Breaking through barriers of separate rooms for separate purposes, the modern architectural style combines the home to make it multi-functional. As such, the living room, dining room, and entertainment room are all found together, without any barriers.
• The absence of fancy cornices, towering columns, decorative arches, distinctly signify the freedom of this architectural style from the classical styles. Clean lines and geometric shapes are a dominant feature in this style.
• Even the materials used to build houses based on the modern style were radically different. Materials such as clear glass, concrete, and stainless steel completely stole the show.
• The modern style always gives preference to function over form, which is why it merges spaces to make movement and utility more convenient.

Contemporary Architectural Style
Often confused with the modern architectural style, the contemporary style is a more recent form of architecture that exhibits the influences of various styles. We could say that the contemporary architectural style is one of post-modernism. While upholding all that modern architecture stood for, the contemporary style also accommodates traditional features to create uniquely new styles and designs. Some features that are common to this style are as follows:

• The desire for spaciousness goes to the next level with large windows and skylights to bring in as much natural sunlight and ventilation to enhance the open feel of modernism.
• With the recent desire to 'go green' even in the world of architecture and interiors, the contemporary style is easily characterized with use of recycled, natural materials such as bamboo flooring, composite materials, and paints that are low-emission.

Other Popular Architectural Styles

Numerous other architectural styles have prevailed over the centuries, and all of them have had their distinguishing characteristics, that enable them to stand out from the rest of the styles. Some other such popular styles have been enlisted here.

• Art Deco (1925-1937)
• Arts and Crafts (1860-1920)
• Cape Cod (1710-1850)
• Colonial (1607-1730)
• Federal (1780-1830)
• Greek Revival (1790-1850)
• Mediterranean (1950-1940)
• Mid Century Modern (1933-1965)
• Neoclassical (1750-1880)
• Prairie (1900-1917)
• Pueblo Revival (1898-present)
• Ranch (1940s-1970s)
• Spanish Colonial (1520-1820)
• Tudor Revival (1910-1940)

In effect, the principles of architecture will keep changing over time, based on our requirements, our choices, and our preferences of form over function or vice versa. This will give birth to more architectural styles. Some may be a result of the combination of the older styles, while others may be completely new and different. All we have to do is wait and watch out for the kind of constructions that will dominate the landscape of the world.