French provincial architecture

Last updated
Glen Manor House in Rhode Island, is an example of French Provincial Architecture Glen Manor House west facade.jpg
Glen Manor House in Rhode Island, is an example of French Provincial Architecture

French provincial architecture also known as French Eclectic architecture include Manor houses or chateaux homes which were built by French aristocrats beginning in the 1600s. The homes are characterized by arched doorways and symmetrically placed elements. They are usually two stories tall with steep hipped roofs. The design came to the United States after American servicemen returned from fighting in France during World War I.

Contents

History

French provincial architecture began in rural France the 1600s. The architecture was inspired by the stylings of Versailles during the reign of King Louis XIV. [1] Homes found in Normandy, France are often known for the style. [2] The first homes to be designed in the style were manor houses. [3] French nobles built chateaus or manor houses with steep hipped roofs and an overall formal appearance. [4] Architectural journals also refer to the style as French Eclectic architecture. [5]

United States

In the United States following World War I the style became popular. [3] American soldiers admired the architecture of rural France and who returned from the war they built homes in the style. In the United States the style remained popular though the 1920s. [1] By 1932 nearly one in three homes in America had French Provincial design elements.The style fell out of favor in the 1930s, [6] but had a resurgence in the 1960s. [1]

In the United States architect Frank J. Forster promoted the style. He was recognized by his peers as a master of French provincial architecture in 1927, 1928, and 1929. [6]

Design

Elements of French provincial architecture include narrow tall windows with shutters, slate roof, copper gutters and symmetrically placed chimneys. The homes usually feature a rectangular floor plan. Exterior is usually brick or stucco with symmetrically placed exterior components. [3] [2] The design of doors is rectangular with an arched opening. The French provincial homes are two stories tall. [4] The original modest designs ranged from modest farmhouses to wealthy aristocrat country estates. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of the United States</span> Broad variety of architectural styles

The architecture of the United States demonstrates a broad variety of architectural styles and built forms over the country's history of over two centuries of independence and former Spanish and British rule.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mansard roof</span> Four-sided gambrel-style hip roof

A mansard or mansard roof is a multi-sided gambrel-style hip roof characterised by two slopes on each of its sides, with the lower slope at a steeper angle than the upper, and often punctured by dormer windows. The steep roofline and windows allow for additional floors of habitable space, and reduce the overall height of the roof for a given number of habitable storeys. The upper slope of the roof may not be visible from street level when viewed from close proximity to the building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen Anne style architecture</span> Architectural style

The Queen Anne style of British architecture refers to either the English Baroque architecture of the time of Queen Anne or the British Queen Anne Revival form that became popular during the last quarter of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century. In other English-speaking parts of the world, New World Queen Anne Revival architecture embodies entirely different styles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American colonial architecture</span> Building design styles associated with the colonial period of the United States

American colonial architecture includes several building design styles associated with the colonial period of the United States, including First Period English (late-medieval), French Colonial, Spanish Colonial, Dutch Colonial, and Georgian. These styles are associated with the houses, churches and government buildings of the period from about 1600 through the 19th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ranch-style house</span> American domestic architectural style

Ranch is a domestic architectural style that originated in the United States. The ranch-style house is noted for its long, close-to-the-ground profile, and wide open layout. The style fused modernist ideas and styles with notions of the American Western period of wide open spaces to create a very informal and casual living style. While the original ranch style was informal and basic in design, ranch-style houses built in the United States from around the early 1960s increasingly had more dramatic features such as varying roof lines, cathedral ceilings, sunken living rooms, and extensive landscaping and grounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of Canada</span> Overview of the architecture in Canada

The architecture of Canada is, with the exception of that of Canadian First Nations, closely linked to the techniques and styles developed in Canada, Europe and the United States. However, design has long needed to be adapted to Canada's climate and geography, and at times has also reflected the uniqueness of Canadian culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renaissance Revival architecture</span> Group of 19th-century architectural revival styles

Renaissance Revival architecture is a group of 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes. Under the broad designation Renaissance architecture nineteenth-century architects and critics went beyond the architectural style which began in Florence and Central Italy in the early 15th century as an expression of Renaissance humanism; they also included styles that can be identified as Mannerist or Baroque. Self-applied style designations were rife in the mid- and later nineteenth century: "Neo-Renaissance" might be applied by contemporaries to structures that others called "Italianate", or when many French Baroque features are present.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bahay kubo</span> Type of Filipino stilt house

The bahay kubo, also known as payag (Nipon) in the Visayan languages and, is a type of stilt house indigenous to the Philippines. It often serves as an icon of Philippine culture. The house is exclusive to the lowland population of unified Spanish conquered territories. Its design heavily influenced the colonial-era bahay na bato architecture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian residential architectural styles</span> Architectural styles

Australian residential architectural styles have evolved significantly over time, from the early days of structures made from relatively cheap and imported corrugated iron to more sophisticated styles borrowed from other countries, such as the Victorian style from the United Kingdom, the Georgian style from North America and Europe and the Californian bungalow from the United States. A common feature of the Australian home is the use of fencing in front gardens, also common in both the United Kingdom and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tibetan Buddhist architecture</span>

Tibetan Buddhist architecture, in the cultural regions of the Tibetan people, has been highly influenced by Nepal, China and India. For example, the Buddhist prayer wheel, along with two dragons, can be seen on nearly every temple in Tibet. Many of the houses and monasteries are typically built on elevated, sunny sites facing the south. Rocks, wood, cement and earth are the primary building materials. Flat roofs are built to conserve heat and multiple windows are constructed to let in the sunlight. Due to frequent earthquakes, walls are usually sloped inward at 10 degrees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">French architecture</span> Overview of the architecture in France

French architecture consists of numerous architectural styles that either originated in France or elsewhere and were developed within the territories of France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buildings and architecture of New Orleans</span>

The buildings and architecture of New Orleans are reflective of its history and multicultural heritage, from Creole cottages to historic mansions on St. Charles Avenue, from the balconies of the French Quarter to an Egyptian Revival U.S. Customs building and a rare example of a Moorish revival church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Português Suave architecture</span>

Português Suave was an architectural style promoted by the Portuguese Estado Novo regime, essentially during the 1940s and the early 1950s. Officially promoted by the Portuguese government at the time as Estilo Português, it became more popularly known as "Português Suave" after a brand of cigarettes of the same name. This architectural style is also known Estado Novo style, but this last denomination is not very correct, since during the Portuguese New State Regimen diverse architectural styles have been applied in public buildings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of Quebec</span>

The architecture of Quebec, was characterized in the beginning by the settlers of the rural areas along the St. Lawrence who largely came from Normandy. The houses they built echoed their roots. The surroundings forced enough differences that a unique style developed, and the house of the New France farmer remains a symbol of French-Canadian nationalism. These were rectangular structures of one storey, but with an extremely tall and steep roof, sometimes almost twice as tall as the house below. This roof design perhaps developed to prevent the accumulation of snow. The houses were usually built of wood, though the surviving ones are almost all built of stone. Landmarks in the rural areas were the churches and the mansion of the seigneurs. The seigneurs built much larger homes for themselves, but rarely were the manors ornate. Each parish had its church, often smelter copies of major churches in Quebec City or Montreal. A unique style of French-Canadian homo church thus developed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neo-eclectic architecture</span> Style of architecture

Neo-eclectic architecture is a name for an architectural style that has influenced residential building construction in North America in the latter part of the 20th century and early part of the 21st. It is a contemporary version of Revivalism that has perennially occurred since Neoclassical architecture developed in the mid 18th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Empire architecture in the United States and Canada</span> 19th-century North American architectural style

Second Empire, in the United States and Canada, is an architectural style most popular between 1865 and 1900. Second Empire architecture developed from the redevelopment of Paris under Napoleon III's Second French Empire and looked to French Renaissance precedents. It was characterized by a mansard roof, elaborate ornament, and strong massing and was notably used for public buildings as well as commercial and residential design.

A pattern book, or architectural pattern book, is a book of architectural designs, usually providing enough for non-architects to build structures that are copies or significant derivatives of major architect-designed works.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Frederick Myers house</span> Historic house in Columbus, Ohio

The Charles Frederick Myers house is a historic private residence in the Franklin Park neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio. The house was built in 1896 in an eclectic style. It was added to the Columbus Near East Side District in 1978, and the Bryden Road District in 1990.

Frank Joseph Forster was an American architect who designed homes in the style of French provincial architecture during the early 20th century. He was also the author of two books about the French provincial architecture style.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Burch, Maggie (11 January 2019). "What Is French Provincial Design? Here Are The Key Features Of The Style". Yahoo Finance. Archived from the original on 10 July 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  2. 1 2 Architectural Record - Volume 57. New York, New York: F.W. Dodge Corporation. 1925. p. 481. Archived from the original on 17 July 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 Hopkins, George D. (2009). Creating your architectural style : designing and building a fine home. Gretna, La.: Pelican Publishing Co. p. 114. ISBN   978-1589807198. Archived from the original on 17 July 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  4. 1 2 Jefferis, Alan (2017). Architectural drafting & design (Seventh ed.). Australia: Cengage Learning. p. 258. ISBN   9781285165738. Archived from the original on 17 July 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  5. McAlester, Virginia (2013). A field guide to American houses : the definitive guide to identifying and understanding America's domestic architecture (Revised and expanded/second ed.). New York: Knopf. p. 494. ISBN   978-1400043590. Archived from the original on 17 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  6. 1 2 Townsend, Gavin (1995). "Frank Forster and the French Provincial Revival in America". Arris. 6 (1): 46–55. doi:10.1353/arr.1995.0000. S2CID   244126461 . Retrieved 10 July 2022.