Why learn about architectural styles?
1. Helps to date a building
2. Helps to understand what influenced people’s artistic thinking and tastes
3. Helps to understand what you are looking at and adds dimension
4. Helps put the building in context
5. Helps to understand why people build the way they do
6. It’s fun!
How are traditions and styles developed and disseminated?
1. Traditions and styles usually start out as urban developments by designers, architects, furniture makers, and people working in the decorative arts.
2. They are then transferred by example, travel, and by moving with cultural traditions, and by books and magazines.
Looking at styles can be confusing:
1. Some buildings are easy to read because they are exemplary examples of a style (high style)
2. Some have little or no ornament to distinguish them (often referred to as folk, or vernacular)
3. Some buildings represent a pure style or tradition
Some architectural historians organize styles into four major architectural traditions, subcategories are not listed in chronological order. Dates given are approximate and regionally influenced:
Ancient Classical: Based on Greek and Roman forms
Greek Revival (1820-1860)
Renaissance Classical: Based on Renaissance interpretations of ancient models
Georgian (1714-1830)
Federal (1780-1830)
Italianate (1840-1880)
Second Empire (1860-1890)
Colonial Revival (1880-1940)
Neoclassical (1895-1950)
Medieval: Based on European architecture from the Middle Ages
Gothic Revival (1830-1860)
Queen Anne (1880-1910)
Tudor Revival (1890-1920)
Shingle (1880-1890)
Stick (1860-1890)
Richardsonian Romanesque Revival (1880-1900)
Modern: Arts and Crafts movement & Machine Age movement
Prairie (1900-1920)
Craftsman (1900-1930)
Art Deco (1925-1945)
Check out this handy guide to architectural terms to help you when identifying the styles above.