archie
Sign in Get the app

Identifying feature

Mansard roof

A four-sided roof with a nearly flat top and a steep, almost vertical lower slope, usually set with windows. It adds a full floor under the roof and defines Second Empire buildings.

a sign of these styles

Boulevard Haussmann, Paris, France: an example of Haussmannian Haussmannian c. 1853–1914 The Paris streetscape: cream limestone blocks of uniform height, continuous iron balconies, and steep zinc roofs. Philadelphia City Hall, Philadelphia: an example of Second Empire Second Empire c. 1855–1885 Steep boxy mansard roofs with dormer windows, over heavily bracketed cornices and paired columns.

also seen on

Rococo

often seen with

Balustrade A railing made of a row of short, shaped posts called balusters, topped by a rail. Symmetrical facade A facade, or main front, whose left and right halves mirror each other, usually with the main door at the… Bracketed eaves Brackets, projecting supports often set in pairs, placed at regular intervals under a wide roof overhang. Classical column A column based on Greek and Roman designs, with a base, shaft, and decorative capital. Cornice A deep, overhanging ledge that caps the top of a facade. Dormer A window in a small roofed structure projecting from a sloping roof. Keystone The central wedge-shaped stone at the top of an arch, which locks the other stones (voussoirs) in place. Organic ornament Decoration based on plant forms such as vines, leaves and flowers, often with curving lines.