Styles of Architecture
Architectural styles are at times referred to as architectural patterns which are sets of patterns that provide the background framework for systems. It improves the partitioning and design reuse to the provide solutions to problems. It may also be defined as the principles that shape an an application. According to Garlan and Shaw architectural style refers to a family of systems that defines a pattern of structural organization. Architectural styles require people to understand the benefits it entails. These benefits include: it provides a common language for its users and provides opportunities for conversations that involve technology. A style in architecture may also be defined as a particular method of construction that is characterized by the features that help identify it. It may include such elements like; the method used in construction, the materials needed, the form, and he regional character.
Architectural styles are believed to change over time as they emerge from the history of a society. Architectural styles may be fashionable over a certain period of time but when these styles change, the new ones are adopted gradually. Styles are often developed and spread in other places so that they may develop in other new ways before they are incorporated in the society. A good example of one style of architecture that has spread to other places over time is the Rennaissance. It began in the year 1425 and had its way all over western Europe over the next 200 years. Styles of architecture may be spread through ways such as colonialism by either foreign colonies or even from the home country. They may also be spread through settlers who move around new places.
In addition to this, architectural styles are believed to undergo various interpretations and revivals after they have run out of fashion. They are revived many times into different fashionable designs. For instance, the architectural style of classicism has undergone several revivals into different fashionable styles that may be termed as neoclassicism which means new that it has been developed to new classicism. Architectural styles have found their way their way in the society in different ways in that even the houses we live in today have been made brand new. The architectures draw their inspiration from the past styles that were used in the past. This means that their traces can be drawn from colonial to modern times. During the colonial times, settlers built their houses the traditional way depending on where they came from. Their colonial architecture came from wide ranges of styles that included New England Colonial, German Colonial, Dutch Colonial, Spanish Colonial, French Colonial and lastly the ever popular Coonial Cape Cod.
There are several styles of architecture used over time that can be accredited to structures that have existed in various places. These styles have been applied in many places and their design goes back in time from when they were designed to the time they were implemented. It is important to note that these styles have been used and developed severally over the years where new designs have been developed following the past ones. These styles include: the Georgian style, the Federalist style, the Neoclassic style, the Greek Revival style, the Gothic style, the Egyptian revival style, the High Victorian Gothic style, IInd Empire Baroque style, Richardsonian Romanesque, Academic Classicism or rather the Beaux- Arts style, the Prairie School: FL Wright and lastly but not least the International Style.
These styles have developed over the years to bring about new structures and designs where architectures use them as the blueprint to bring up structures that up to date remain admirable and fashionable. They have been applied in different places to mark several artifacts or rather fashionable designs that can be admired for many years. More than 1000 buildings around the world have followed these styles as they are the guiding factors behind the design and structure of the building. Regardless of whether buildings designed in the same way look different, it's important to note that the architectures have applied the basic rules and guidelines. The difference only comes in with the evolution of the design over time.
When colonialists from all over the world settled in different places they introduced their modes of architecture and absorbed the ones in the regions they occupied. This led to the development of new designs in architecture that have been used to date. These styles have been changed and developed over the years to better suit the users. The different styles have been discussed as follows. The American colonial architecture refers to the architecture and designs that were used during the precolonial period while the American Empire style is the style that originated during the tenure of Napoleon. It elaborated more about furniture created during this period. Buildings constructed in Britain followed a simple and existed from the mid 5th century were referred to as the Anglo- Saxon architecture. The American four square style described the architecture that existed during the 1930’s. It followed a big square design with a hipped roof and common rooms and had 4 rooms on each floor.
The Amsterdam School style was rounded facaded and used decorative elements. It existed mostly in the 20th century especially in parts of the Netherlands. The Austrialian Architecture style involved buildings to be divided into the residential and the non residential styles. It was structured this way due to the climatic conditions of the place and required the use of specific material. The Baroque architecture style existed in the 17th century and always played with the dramatic use of light, central projections, decorations that resembled ornaments just to mention but a few. Famous architectures such as Michelangelo created the late Roman buildings that followed this style. Another famous style that has developed over the years is the Byzantine architectural style that existed during the Byzantine period. It involved the circular dome. The Chinese architecture involved all about the balance and symmetry of the design. It laid much emphasis on the use of horizontal axis in the structure. This style has largely been adopted in areas like Japan, Vietnam and Koraen.
Some of the styles that have been used in structuring many buildings across the world and most of them have been developed and applied in other states to build similar structures with few modifications to suit the places due to factors like weather conditions. These styles existed during the colonial period but have been modified and developed over the years to complement the development in the world in terms of technology and infrastructure growth. Others have even been developed due to religious reasons. However architectural styles have contributed immensely to the growth and development of the world.
Bibliography
Buzzle. "Different Architectural Styles." Accessed August 1, 2013. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/different-architectural-styles.html.
Boston College. "Styles in American Architecture." Accessed August 1, 2013. http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/fa267/amstyles.html.
MSDN � the Microsoft Developer Network. "Chapter 3: Architectural Patterns and Styles." Accessed August 1, 2013. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee658117.aspx.
Nipps, Karen. "Printers' Devices as Decorative Elements in Library Architecture." Australian Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences 83, no. 3 (2013): 271-278.
TheFreeDictionary.com. "Type of architecture - definition of the type of architecture by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia." Accessed August 1, 2013.
Rahmatabadi, Saeid; Toushmalani, Reza. "Physical Order and Disorder in Gothic Architecture Style." Australian Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences 5, no. 11 (2011): 148-151.
