The United States is a land of diversity, and we all know that. Every city or town in this country is different and everything varies from one city to next. And we mean everything. People, customs, geography, and of course, buildings. You can easily say that American architectural styles are as different and diverse as people living here are. Since the country has been founded, architects came from all over the world. So they borrowed inspiration and implemented ideas from many other places.
If you want to know where lay the origins of the most popular American architectural styles, here’s the guide to it.
Cape COD.
We all know that the English weren’t the only ones traveling to America to settle down. People came from all parts of Europe. Every group made their homes in their distinct styles and eventually some of them mixed. This means that in one spot now lived pilgrims from New England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain.
Colonial Style that is the most popular for sure is Cape Cod, and it comes from New England. These iconic houses’s design is actually very simple. They rarely had any kind of porches, decorations or embellishments. These houses were primarily designed for easy construction and good heating abilities. So you can often see that they have steep roofs, one chimney that connects all fireplaces, and the construction is out of wood and bricks. Now you know, that all those classic houses that you drew as a kid were the Cape Cod houses.
Cape Cod is the most popular colonial style of all American architectural styles. Alttag: Small village house in Cape Cod style.
Greek Revival
After independence from the British has been declared in America, feelings of nationalism and pride were seen in architecture. Architects of this era drown a lot of inspiration from Greece and its democratic ideals in establishing and defining the United States independence.
New Americans at the time felt that their nation is spiritually connected with Greece. Even that much so that Greek Revival became known as the national style. This is the reason why most of the era churches, banks, town halls, and houses were in this style. The Second Bank of the United States in Philadelphia was one of the first country’s Greek Revival buildings.
An interesting fact is that pretty much anything from this period of time nowadays is considered to be a highly valuable thing. So if you have in your possession anything from the period, be sure that you are storing your belongings the right way.
The Greek Revival style is well known for being painted white. The idea behind this is that the white color mimics marble. These buildings have detailed decorations and always feature tall columns. The entrance is two or four panels wide and wide steps surround it.
Gothic Revival
The years of the industrial revolution have come. The mass production and factory-made building parts are now a thing, so all of a sudden, affordable houses are possible to build. Gothic Revival is a style of the Victorian Era and it takes inspiration from Western Europe. To be more exact, from its medieval forms. On the other hand, the addition of colors and textures, as well as asymmetrical facades bring it up to date.
A complicated shape is a signature of this style. It extends up to two or even three levels, has a steep and pitched roof. Elaborate details and dwelling decorations are also a visual identification of the Gothic Revival.
Gothic Revival style is famous for its elaborate details. Alttag: Parliament building in Canada representing Gothic Revival style.
Craftsman
The beginning of the 20th century brought a lot with it. Streetcars, arts and crafts movement and many more. Suburbs were beginning to develop around the big cities and the new style of living in the United States was born. Houses in the craftsman style were produced for an American middle class that is ever-expanding. However, that doesn’t mean that they weren’t comfortable. These were cozy bungalows that focused mainly on simple forms and natural materials. Mister William Morris was the founder and a leader of the craftsman style. He was the one who came up with symmetrical floor plans and what we now call classic decorations. These houses are also famous for their exposed beams, gabled roofs and wide, and covered porches that we all love. If you ever wanted to construct your dream home, this is a good base.
Modernist
It is a known fact that art and architecture usually progress simultaneously. This has happened in the 20the century when with the modernist art movement came modernist architecture. This style is indeed special because it rejects all traditional styles that are based on anything old. That is not allowed. Instead, it proposes a new type of functional design that has never been seen. The idea was to use modern materials and construction techniques to create a new aesthetic and sense of space.
When it comes to decoration, modernist style is famous for including almost exclusively simplicity and a bare minimum of it. A lot of designs were constructed in a way to try and reflect nature and the organic materials used. They definitely succeeded in their determination to break away from conventionality. The best thing about this one of all American architectural styles is that it progresses with the resources and technology available.
So if you have a chance to live in a house of this style, don’t hesitate. Find your movers on a site like mastermovingguide.com and relocate right away, as life in a modernist style home is a unique experience and you shouldn’t miss the opportunity.
Modernist style is special because of its minimalist approach. Alttag: An office hall in the modernist style which is one of the American architectural styles.
Postmodernist
This is the only one of the American architectural styles that is happening right now. Currently, architects are pushing boundaries every day. Designs like never seen before are popping around constantly. However, sustainability is the key nowadays. A combination of the diverse elements is extremely popular at the moment. The idea is to create a collaboration between vintage and modern design. Things like open floor plans, a lot of windows are no unusual. The same we can say for high ceilings and a range of different materials. Postmodern architectures tried to rehumanize it with the usage of different styles and features taken from classical designs, as well as from popular culture.