Whenever I hear or see the word America, I would refer to it as big! As this topic is wide and a lot to tackle on since it is divided into different time periods and the styles vary. To it is the beginnings and differences in pre-colonial and the influenced colonial America.
To start of the American Architecture, let us take a look and tackle on the Pre-Colonial first. Meaning the architectural style here were the ones before the colonizers came, obviously.
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| Machu Picchu |
- Inca Architecture
Making use of the finely made stones, the Incans cut it precisely and make use of it as walls for their structures. They made use of rectangular shapes more often but it was also found out that they also used polygonal irregular shaped stones.
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| Mayan Ruins |
- Mayan Architecture
The style of the Mayans were making use of the carefully cut veneer stones. The lower façade is plain and rectangular in shape infused with a doorway while the upper part is richly decorated with geometrical figure and stone mosaics.
Next we go to the Colonial stage where in the people had arrived and new styles were here.
- New England Colonial
Set in the time of 1600s – 1740s, the first British settlers made use of the usual style they made at home. Simple timber-framed houses were evident featuring little exterior ornament and are wood framed with shingles.
Colonial Cape Cod
Set in the time of 1600s – 1950s, this style was mainly from the colonial New England. It featured a simple house, one story with a single chimney located at its center. It is symmetrical in appearance and the door located at its center.
- Spanish Colonial
Set in the time of 1600s – 1900s, the Spanish in the North American territory made use of rocks, adobe and bricks as material to build a low simple home. It featured the use of rocks to make thick walls, a flat roof and is only a story high. Later on, the improved style of the Spanish colonial made use of wood, got an interior courtyard and made use of a second story.
- German Colonial
Set in the time of 1600s – 1800s, the German settlers made use of local materials to rebuild the styles they used in their home lands. It featured thick walls made from sand stone, flared eaves and reinforced stone arches in doors and windows.
- Dutch Colonial
Set in the time of 1625s – mid 1800s, Dutch settlers used bricks and stones to build their homes near the Hudson River. It features Dutch style doors, gambrel roofs, matching chimneys on each side and of course the bricks and stones for the main structure.
- Georgian Colonial House Styles
Set in the time of 1690s – 1830s, it featured spacious and comfortable houses. It is symmetrical and had a pair of chimneys. The windows, five in count, across its façade is also evident.
- French Colonial
Set in the time of 1700s – 1860s, they build houses specially made for hot wet climate area. It featured thin wooden columns, wide galleries, French doors and had no interior hallways.
- Federal House Style
Set in the time of 1780s – 1840s, it featured windows arranged symmetrically around a center doorway, shutters, Palladian windows, oval rooms and arches.
- Colonial Revival
Set in the time of 1876s – 1955s, it made use of the patriotism as an inspiration and returned to the classical style. It became a standard style in 20th century. It features a symmetrical façade, is rectangular in shape, two to three stories high and are in brick or wood siding with a gable roof.
- Builders Colonial or Neo Colonial
Set in the time from 1965s – present. These styles are used for the modern made homes inspired by the previous styles that had bygone. It is not really colonial since it wasn’t made during those times but it still borrowed the ideas and feats of the previous colonial styles of the past. It features a mixture of historical styles and adaption along with the modern style and use of architecture.
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