Free Essay About Early Colonial Architecture

Early Colonial architecture consists of different building designs influenced by the different settlers that arrived and lived across North America. This paper will discuss the differences in mindsets of the Spanish, Dutch, and French settlers from the English settlers.
The English settlers arrived in the New World and, because unfamiliar with the environment, imitated the housing designs of the tribes they encountered. Soon, however, they developed their own simple and functional design using materials readily available in the region they are in. These building designs are structurally functional to the environment such as the saltbox houses that are designed to have sloping roofs where rain and snow could easily slide off.
Unlike the English settlers who based their building designs on the designs used by the natives and later on developed designs that fit the environment, the Spanish, Dutch, and French settlers used styles similar to the styles found where they came from and just adjusted these styles based on availability of material and compatibility of structures to the environment.
The Spanish settlers aimed to inspire awe from the indigenous tribes and so built missions using the Baroque style that is popular in Spain and Europe. However, instead of marble or bronze, they used adobe, a material easily available in the area.
The Dutch settlers also based their styles from designs popular in Europe where they came from. They initially built one room farmhouses using stone walls, which later evolved into two-story houses.
The French settlers based their design on popular styles in the French countryside – farmhouses with porches. However, since they initially settled in the New Orleans area where the style is not suitable, the design evolved into raised porches to handle the hot climate.