Carport

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Carport in front of garages Carport In Front Of Garages.jpg
Carport in front of garages
One example of the many common types of modern carports sold on the market. This particular one is a stand-alone model. Carports.jpg
One example of the many common types of modern carports sold on the market. This particular one is a stand-alone model.
Carport in Japan 2018-Carport2.jpg
Carport in Japan

A carport is a covered structure used to offer limited protection to vehicles, primarily cars, from rain and snow. The structure can either be free standing or attached to a wall. Unlike most structures, a carport does not have four walls, and usually has one or two. Carports offer less protection than garages but allow for more ventilation. In particular, a carport prevents frost on the windshield. [1] A "mobile" and/or "enclosed" carport has the same purpose as a standard carport. However, it may be removed/relocated and is typically framed with tubular steel and may have canvas or vinyl type covering which encloses the complete frame, including walls. It may have an accessible front entry or open entryway not typically attached to any structure or fastened in place by permanent means put held in place by stakes. It is differentiated from a tent by its main purpose: to house vehicles and/or motorized equipment (a tent is to shelter people).

Contents

History

The term carport comes from the French term porte-cochère , referring to a covered portal. Renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright coined the term when he used a carport in the first of his "Usonian" home designs: the house of Herbert Jacobs, built in 1936 in Madison, Wisconsin. [2]

Quoting from the Carport Integrity Policy for the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office: [3]

As early as 1909, carports were used by the Prairie School architect Walter Burley Griffin in his design for the Sloane House in Elmhurst, Illinois (Gebhard, 1991: 110). [4] By 1913, carports were also being employed by other Prairie School architects such as the Minneapolis firm of Purcell, Feick & Elmslie in their design for a residence at Lockwood Lake, Wisconsin. In this instance, the carport was termed an "Auto Space" (Gebhard, 1991: 110). [4] The late architectural historian David Gebhard suggested that the term "carport" originated from the feature's use in 1930s Streamline Moderne residences (Gebhard, 1991: 107). [4] This term, which entered popular jargon in 1939, stemmed from the visual connection between these streamlined residences and nautical imagery. In the 1930s through the 1950s, carports were also being used by Frank Lloyd Wright in his Usonian Houses, an idea that he may have gotten from Griffin, a former associate.

The W. B. Sloane House in Elmhurst, Illinois, in 1910, is credited as being the first known home designed with a carport. [5] [6]

In describing the carport to Mr. Jacob, architect Wright said, "A car is not a horse, and it doesn't need a barn." He then added, "Cars are built well enough now so that they do not require elaborate shelter." Cars prior to this time were not completely water tight; the era of robotic-assembly, advanced materials, and perfect closure lines was still 50 years in the future.

The carport was therefore a cheap and effective device for protecting a car. Mr. Jacobs added: "Our cheap second-hand car had stood out all winter at the curb, often in weather far below zero (Fahrenheit). A carport was a downright luxury for it."

Solar canopy

Solar canopy parking lot in New Haven at Hotel Marcel. There are EV level 2 chargers underneath the canopy and a 12-stall Tesla supercharger behind. Parking under Solar Canopy (52937580768).jpg
Solar canopy parking lot in New Haven at Hotel Marcel. There are EV level 2 chargers underneath the canopy and a 12-stall Tesla supercharger behind.
Solar canopies over a high school parking lot NNHS Walnut St solar canopy close.agr.jpg
Solar canopies over a high school parking lot

A solar canopy carport is a structure that elevates an array of photovoltaic panels above ground level so that the area under the panels can be used for other purposes. Many solar canopies are built over parking lots, where in addition to generating renewable power, they also protect the cars from sun, rain and snow. When the lot is not needed for parking, the covered area can be used for other purposes. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Lloyd Wright</span> American architect (1867–1959)

Frank Lloyd Wright Sr. was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key role in the architectural movements of the twentieth century, influencing architects worldwide through his works and mentoring hundreds of apprentices in his Taliesin Fellowship. Wright believed in designing in harmony with humanity and the environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture. This philosophy was exemplified in Fallingwater (1935), which has been called "the best all-time work of American architecture".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Usonia</span> Term for the U.S. coined by Frank Lloyd Wright

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hanna–Honeycomb House</span> Historic house in California, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herbert and Katherine Jacobs First House</span> House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

Herbert and Katherine Jacobs First House, commonly referred to as Jacobs I, is a single family home located at 441 Toepfer Avenue in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Designed by noted American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, it was constructed in 1937 and is considered by most to be the first Usonian home. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2003. The house and seven other properties by Wright were inscribed on the World Heritage List under the title "The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright" in July 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert and Rae Levin House</span> House in Kalamazoo, Michigan

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stuart Richardson House</span>

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The J.A. Sweeton Residence was built in 1950 in Cherry Hill, in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. At 1,500 square feet (140 m2), it is the smallest of the four Frank Lloyd Wright houses in New Jersey. This Usonian scheme house was constructed of concrete blocks and redwood plywood.

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References

  1. "Re: Why does your car windshield not frost over when parked under a carport?". www.madsci.org. Retrieved 2018-04-13.
  2. Wright, Frank Lloyd. "The Jacobs House 1936". usonia1.com. Retrieved 2018-04-13.
  3. Fox, Jason; R. Brooks Jeffery (2006-10-01). "Carport Integrity Policy: Arizona State Historic Preservation Office" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-10-01. Retrieved 2018-04-13.
  4. 1 2 3 Gebhard, David (1991). "The Suburban House and the Automobile". In Wachs, Martin; Crawford, Margaret (eds.). The Car and the City: The Automobile, the Built Environment and Daily Urban Life. With Susan Marie Wirka and Taina Marjatta Rikala (assistance eds.). Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. ISBN   9780472094592. OCLC   876503941.
  5. "Exterior view of W. B. Sloane House, Elmhurst, Illinois [picture]". nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2018-04-13.
  6. "First floor plan of dwelling for Mr. W. B. Sloane residence, Elmhurst, Illinois [picture]". nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2018-04-13.
  7. Newton farmers market, 2021