168
Part 3 From the Ground Up
Tles
he evolution of housing exteri-
T T
s usually grouped into a number
T T
y and time periods. The great-
T T
est influences
T T
on these styles include fl
geographical location and the historical
and economic events during the era in
which they were built.
To better understand period housing
styles, it is important to note that while
each time period and style has specificfi
characteristics some overlapping does
exist. Because of this, dates for periods
and styles are approximate. For exam-
ple, in different regions of the country
certain design styles could exist at the
same time. In addition, not all designs
in a certain style or specific era would be fi
identical. The individual architects and
builders brought their own personal
creativity to their designs. The architec-
tural history of housing was and still is
an ongoing process.
Housing in North America began
with the Native Americans. They devel-
oped a wide variety of housing styles
prior to the arrival of foreign explorers
and settlers. The styles included hogans,
pueblos, teepees, wigwams, pole-and-
thatch structures, and others. When
immigrant settlers arrived in North
America, they brought with them the
styles that existed in their homelands.
Over time, these styles evolved into
new types of housing that have become
known as traditional styles.
Traditional Houses
Traditional
houses refl the experi- flect
ences and traditions of past eras. These
designs have adapted and changed over
time to meet the needs of their inhabit-
ants. Many house designs in use today
were actually created in previous time
eras of North American history. Each
style has distinct characteristics and
features that set it apart from the others.
The two categories of Traditional
style design are folk and classic.
Folk
style originates from the common expe-
riences of a group of people, such as
common values and concerns.
Classic
style refers to the use of formal archi-
tectural elements that have been recog-
nized over time for their enduring
design excellence. Various renditions of
folk and classic styles appear in many
periods of architectural history.
Traditional Folk Houses
The styles of traditional folk houses
varied from region to region. In some
cold areas such as the Midwest, houses
had to withstand heavy snowfalls. In
warm climates such as the Southeast,
orientation to the cooling breeze was
important. In windy locations such as
the coastal Northeast, housing needed
to withstand heavy gusts.
Besides the effects of climate and
geographical location, the style of tradi-
tional folk housing was based on the
ethnic experiences and lifestyles of the
inhabitants. These housing styles were
also shaped by the natural resources
available to construct them. Styles
described as Native American, Early
English, Spanish, Scandinavian, German,
Dutch, and French are types of tradi-
tional folk houses.
Native American
The many different styles of Native-
American housing have influenced today’s fl fl
housing. Early settlers sometimes
copied the eight-sided mud and log
hogans of the Navajo or the wood frame
structures of the Seminole. See Chapter
2 to review the widely varied styles of
Native-American housing.
The Pueblo in New Mexico still live
in apartment-type adobe dwellings, 6-1.
The basic design of these adobe dwell-
ings repeats in housing throughout the
country, especially the Southwest. Char-
acteristics of Pueblo housing include
boxlike construction, flat roofs, and fl
projecting roof beams.