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Shingle Style Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop AssociatesArchitecture: Building Types & Component Identification Guide
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Architectural Styles, Features, Components, home page and index to key articles. Here is an easy photo guide that shows how to recognize common residential building architectural styles, roof shapes and styles, window types and systems.

We present a series of drawings and photographs to assist in recognition and naming of building architectural styles, roof shapes, window types, and other building features.

We also recognize that not every building fits a perfect textbook name or class, building are rarely constructed to a single pure architectural style.

Rather, architectural elements are often mixed, mashed, and sometimes, like the house shown in our page top photo, lost entirely. Page top image courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates, a Toronto home inspection, education & report writing tool company [ carsondunlop.com ].

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

A Quick Drawing & Photo Guide to Building Architectural Styles

Photograph of - simple errors like this missing downspout elbow and extension can lead to a flooded basement

After inspecting the FOUNDATION hidden below that structure where we saw some interesting foundatiion damage and bulging and a forest of attempts at reinforcement we named this building "country-collapsing style".

We left our old beemer safely out of reach of this country-collapsing structure.

Below we provide a table of building architectural styles with links to drawings and photographs illustrating each.

Additional examples of architectural styles are at the links shown below

Photo & Sketches of Building Architectural Styles

Suffolk Resolves House Daniel Vose Milton MA (C) Daniel Friedman

[Click to enlarge any image]

As the Georgian style Daniel Vose house (today called the Suffolk Resolves house) (1774) shows, in actual practice the architecture of even important, historic homes may be complicated than the archetype illustrations of architectural types below.

The Suffolk Resolves house was actually joined from two earlier homes, and later completely relocated to its present location in Milton MA.

Here is ANOTHER VIEW [Image file] of this home from the rear right. Details including photographs of the home cut apart and being relocated are

in MILTON ARCHITECTURE found listed in our bibliography of FIELD GUIDES TO NORTH AMERICAN HOUSE ARCHITECTURE .

The illustrations of building architectural types shown below are provided courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates, a regular contributor to InspectAPedia.com.

Names of the architectural styles below may include a live link to additional photo examples of each style.

Early Classic Revival Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates Greek Revival Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates Georgian Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates Adam Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates

Links in the text below display photographic examples of each architectural style of building. [Click to enlarge any image]

In order the four sketches above illustrate Early Classical Revival, Greek Revival, GEORGIAN ADAMS Style [Image] (First Bank of Hudson, Hudson NY 1809) Architecture

Colonial Revival Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates Itallian Renaissance Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates Italianate Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates Gothic Revival Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates

In order the four sketches above illustrate (click to enlarge) Colonial Revival, ITALIAN RENAISSANCE ( [Image] remuddled, in Hudson NY), ITALIANATE [Image] (Hudson NY), GOTHIC-REVIVAL [Image] (Justin Morrill Smith Homestead, VT 1840) style architecture.

Thanks to reader Zora who pointed out that while Italian Renaissance style buildings in the U.S. are often dated from the 18th to early 19th Century, such as our buildings in Hudson NY first settled by Europeans in the early 18th century, in Europe the true Italian Renaissance began in the 14th century (Trecento period) and extended into the 17th century, well before any whaling ships were fitted in Hudson NY.

Also see this simple COLONIAL [Image] style architecture (Hudson NY, described as "early Victorian" 1860).

Stick Style Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates Queen Anne Style Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates Queen Anne Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates Shingle Style Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates

In order the four sketches above illustrate (click to enlarge) Stick style architecture, Queen Anne, Additional Queen Anne details, Shingle style architecture.

Also see this NEO-VICTORIAN [Image] home, ca 1900 Poughkeepsie, NY restored by the website editor (DF), and this MID-VICTORIAN CAST IRON PANELS [Image] home, 1875, Hudson NY.

Tudor Style Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates Prarie School Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates Craftsman Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates Salt Box Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates

In order the four sketches above illustrate (click to enlarge) Tudor style (also see TUDOR REVIVAL, Williams Faculty Apartments, Vassar College), PRARIE SCHOOL [Image] (Vassar campus), CRAFTSMAN STYLE [Image] (Poughkeepsie NY) & Salt Box design architecture.

Modernistic Style Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates International School Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates Spanish Colonial Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates Mission Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates

In order the four sketches above illustrate (click to enlarge) MODERNISTIC architectural style [Image] (Vassar College campus), INTERNATIONAL STYLE [Image] architecture (example: Seeley G. Mudd Chemistry Building, [Image] Perry Dean Rogers, architect, Vassar College), Spanish Colonial, Mission architectural styles.

Cape Cod Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates Saltbox Architecture (C) Carson Dunlop Associates Palladian architecture (C) Daniel Friedman Tudor revival architecture Williams Apartments (C) Daniel Friedman

In order the four sketches above illustrate (click to enlarge) CAPE COD [Image] (Poughkeepsie NY), Saltbox architectural style, PALLADIAN ARCHITECTURAL style [Image] (Monticello, VA), Tudor Revival Williams Faculty Apartments [Image] Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY - regrettably, in 2021 scheduled to be demolished to make room for a parking lot sought by the Trustees.)

See ROOFS & ARCHITECTURAL STYLES - Photo Guide for a table of roof shapes, pitches, and associated architectural styles

Also see this little SKETCH of ARCHITECTURAL STYLES [image file] that includes more examples some of the architectural styles above and adds the Mansardic style

Field Guides to Building & House Architecture

Above: brick veneer construction details from Radford's Architectural Details, p. 17 - cited below. [Click to enlarge any image]

Structural members of a frame house in Radford, 1913, cited & discussed at InspectApedia.com

Bermed Earth Sheltered Home - US DOE cited & discussed at InspectApdia.com

 




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Reader Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above

Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.

Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2022-09-24 by InspectApedia (Editor)

@peter,

Each of our pages sports references either in the body of the article - usually near its end and before reader comments, and/or in the very page bottom CLICK to SHOW or HIDE references section.

On 2022-09-24 by peter

references

On 2022-07-31 by InspectApedia-911 (mod)

@Kim,

Thank you for the interesting roof and gable architecture photo. We're not as smart as we may seem.

Telling us the country and city of location, building age, or what else is known, can help us research and answer questions more accurately and more-quickly.

On 2022-07-31 by Kim

Could this be Dutch?

Roof and gable architecture

On 2022-06-02 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - 1926 University of Oregon Mac Court

@CJ,

You might ask the University of Oregon buildings and grounds people if they have kept construction records dating from the 1920s. In my opinion it's unlikely that such details are kept but if so you'd review bills of materials and contracting bids.

Your other option is to consult historical records of the architecture of the university, such as "McArthur Court - Architecture of the University of Oregon". University of Oregon Libraries.

We could perhaps research and consider an answer to your question if we knew its reason and its objective.

University of Oregon Mac Court

On 2022-06-02 by CJ

I am trying to find out what the name of the products used in 1926 when University of Oregon Mac court was built. Floor tiles, insulation, plumbing, etc

Any idea where I can find this information?

On 2020-09-06 by morgan

See prior posting. Better image

Eaves brackeets on a 1920s sleeping porch (C) InspectApedia.com Morgan

On 2023-06-14 by Ren

Hi! I'm not any kind of architecture expert so please correct me if I'm wrong, but in response to Marc Olivetti's question, I'd wager that the house is either California ranch style or suburban ranch styled.

It matches almost perfectly with the former, except for the chimney bisecting the facade which is such a cool feature. (Also I know this is three years late lol sorry)

On 2020-08-19 - by (mod) -

In my OPINION, Marc (I'm not an architect) this is after the style of a swiss chalet, with an center chimney that bisects the lines of an A-framed center of the home.

On 2020-08-19 by Marc Olivetti

I’m trying to identify this style of architecture. Can anyone help please?

On 2018-11-02 - by (mod) -

Thank you Zora. I'll add your note. Indeed many North American buildings reproduced much older European designs, but of course not until centuries later. I have clarified the text and include there at "thank-you" to you.

On 2018-11-02 - by (mod) -

Thank you Zora. I'll add your note. Indeed many North American buildings reproduced much older European designs, but of course not until centuries later. I will clarify the text.

On 2018-11-02 by Zora

Italian Renaissance is 1300s to 1600s, not 1800s to 1900s as shown.

On 2018-01-08 - by (mod) -

Thank you for the careful reading and for taking time to report an error in our page.

I have edited and fixed the link. You may need to clear your browser cache to see the corrected page and its links.

You can see the correct Prarie Style home larger image at https://inspectapedia.com/exterior/1736.jpg

On 2018-01-07 by visitor

the image link for prairie style home opens the larger image for craftsman

On 2017-05-19 - by (mod) -

Liz at the More Reading links above you'll see additional articles on identifying types of building construction methods, materials, etc.

On 2017-05-17 by liz

identification of types of building

On 2016-08-19 - by (mod) -

Hassan,

You are most welcome to send us some photos using the page bottom or top CONTACT link. I'm no expert on Indian architecture, but you probably know know the British Colonial period extends from about 1615 to 1947 and depending on the building type we see columns, domes, minarets, towers, curved facades often combined with asian arched top or key-top shaped windows and doors.

On 2016-08-19 by Hassan

i have a question regarding the style of a building from British colonial period in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. its the assembly Hall of Punjab.


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