The field guide

146 styles, and how to spot each one.

Every style Archie can name, in ten eras. Each page says what the style looks like, where it came from, the features that give it away and where to see it. Archie's catalog also covers 139 identifying features and 50 architects.

01 · 8 styles

Ancient & Classical World

02 · 13 styles

Medieval

Etchmiadzin Cathedral, Vagharshapat, Armenia: an example of Armenian Armenian c. 300–1400 Compact stone churches with a drum and conical dome, carved relief walls and upright cross-stones called khachkars. St. Mary's Church, Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany: an example of Brick Gothic Brick Gothic c. 1200–1550 Pointed arches and buttresses in red brick, patterned with glazed bricks, under stepped gables and steep roofs. Notre-Dame de Paris, Paris, France: an example of Gothic Gothic c. 1150–1500 Pointed arches, ribbed ceilings, and flying buttresses that let stone walls turn into glass and light. Maison Kammerzell, Strasbourg, France: an example of Half-Timbered Half-Timbered c. 1300–1700 Exposed oak skeletons filled with plaster: crooked black and white frames, overhanging upper floors, and steep roofs. Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem: an example of Islamic Medieval Islamic Medieval c. 700–1500 Domes and minarets over courtyards, pointed and horseshoe arches, and dense geometric and calligraphic ornament. Jerónimos Monastery, Lisbon, Portugal: an example of Manueline Manueline c. 1490–1540 Late Gothic stonework with twisted columns, carved ropes, armillary spheres and shells around portals and windows. Court of the Lions, Alhambra, Granada, Spain: an example of Moorish / Mudéjar Moorish / Mudéjar c. 800–1600 Spain's Islamic tradition: horseshoe arches, carved stucco, glazed tilework, and patterned brick. Durham Cathedral, Durham, England: an example of Norman Norman c. 1050–1200 Massive square towers, very thick walls, and round arches carved with zigzag patterns. King's College Chapel, Cambridge, England: an example of Perpendicular Gothic Perpendicular Gothic c. 1330–1550 English late Gothic: thin stone bars running floor to ceiling, enormous gridded windows, and fan vaulted ceilings. Speyer Cathedral, Speyer, Germany: an example of Romanesque Romanesque c. 800–1150 Fortress-thick walls, small deep-set windows, and round arches over doors and arcades. Jameh Mosque of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran: an example of Seljuk Seljuk c. 1040–1300 Tall carved stone portals with stacked-niche muqarnas, brick minarets with turquoise tile, domed tombs and fortress-walled caravanserais. Gur-e-Amir, Samarkand, Uzbekistan: an example of Timurid Timurid c. 1370–1507 Huge tiled portals, ribbed turquoise domes on tall drums, and facades covered in glazed brick and mosaic tile. Doge's Palace, Venice, Italy: an example of Venetian Gothic Venetian Gothic c. 1300–1500 Gothic gone lacy: pointed arches with an S-curved tip, four-leaf clover cutouts, and arcaded facades in pink and white.

03 · 9 styles

Renaissance, Baroque & Rococo

04 · 21 styles

Classical & Gothic Revivals

Palais Garnier, Paris, France: an example of Baroque Revival Baroque Revival c. 1860–1915 The 1800s turning the volume up: domes, paired columns, sculpture crowding the roofline, and staircases built for grand entrances. Palais Garnier, Paris, France: an example of Beaux-Arts Beaux-Arts c. 1880–1930 Gilded Age grandeur: paired giant columns, rough-cut stone bases, rooftop sculpture, and monumental stairs. Westminster Cathedral, London, England: an example of Byzantine Revival Byzantine Revival c. 1840–1930 Central domes on round-arched churches, red brick banded with white stone, bell towers, and mosaics, built after 1840. American Gothic House, Eldon, Iowa: an example of Carpenter Gothic Carpenter Gothic c. 1840–1890 Wooden churches and cottages with board-and-batten walls, steep gables trimmed in sawn bargeboards, and pointed-arch windows. Harkness Tower, New Haven, Connecticut: an example of Collegiate Gothic Collegiate Gothic c. 1890–1940 Stone quadrangles with pointed-arch gateways, Tudor arches, tall towers, oriel windows and mullioned windows on university campuses. Grove Street Cemetery, New Haven, Connecticut: an example of Egyptian Revival Egyptian Revival c. 1810–1930 Walls that lean inward as they rise, columns topped with lotus or papyrus, and winged sun disks over doorways. Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, Paris, France: an example of Empire Empire c. 1800–1830 Triumphal arches, victory columns and temple-front porches with tall Corinthian columns, decorated with eagles and bees. Massachusetts State House, Boston: an example of Federal Federal c. 1780–1830 Refined American Georgian: oval fanlights over doors, slender proportions, and delicate garland ornament. Palace of Westminster, London, England: an example of Gothic Revival Gothic Revival c. 1740–1900 Medieval drama revived: pointed arches, steep gables, patterned stone window bars, and strong vertical lines. Second Bank of the United States, Philadelphia: an example of Greek Revival Greek Revival c. 1820–1860 The Greek temple front reborn: full-height columns, a wide plain band above them, and a low triangular gable. 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. Keble College, Oxford, Oxford, England: an example of High Victorian Gothic High Victorian Gothic c. 1855–1885 Pointed arches and steep roofs on walls banded in contrasting red brick and light or dark stone, with heavy towers. Dohány Street Synagogue, Budapest, Hungary: an example of Moorish Revival Moorish Revival c. 1840–1930 Horseshoe arches, striped brick or stone, onion domes and slender minaret-like towers on synagogues, theatres and hotels. Panthéon, Paris, France: an example of Neoclassical Neoclassical c. 1750–1850 Buildings modeled closely on Greek and Roman temples: grand columned porches, domes, and plain, symmetrical walls. Basilica of St. Josaphat, Milwaukee, Wisconsin: an example of Polish Cathedral Style Polish Cathedral Style c. 1880–1930 Large brick or stone parish churches with two towers, a dome, and heavy exterior ornament and statuary. Royal Pavilion, Brighton, England: an example of Regency Regency c. 1810–1840 British urban elegance: creamy painted stucco terraces, bow windows, and lacy iron balconies. Boston Public Library, McKim Building, Boston, Massachusetts: an example of Renaissance Revival Renaissance Revival c. 1840–1915 The Italian palazzo reborn as banks, clubs, and brownstones: rough stone bases, orderly window rows, and a heavy top cornice. Trinity Church, Boston, Massachusetts: an example of Richardsonian Romanesque Richardsonian Romanesque c. 1870–1900 Muscular rough-cut stone, huge low round arches on stubby columns, and round corner towers. Trinity Church, Boston: an example of Romanesque Revival Romanesque Revival c. 1840–1900 Round arches revived in heavy rough-cut stone: squat columns, cave-like entrances, and deep-set windows. Church of the Savior on Blood, Saint Petersburg, Russia: an example of Russian Revival Russian Revival c. 1830–1917 Onion domes, steep tent-roofed towers, kokoshnik gables and patterned red brick or colored tile on churches and secular buildings. 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.

05 · 11 styles

Victorian & Eclectic

06 · 19 styles

Arts & Crafts to Art Deco

Het Schip, Amsterdam, Netherlands: an example of Amsterdam School Amsterdam School c. 1910–1930 Brick walls laid in waves and curves, rounded corners, sculpture built into the masonry, small towers and wrought ironwork. Chrysler Building, New York: an example of Art Deco Art Deco c. 1925–1940 Jazz-age glamour: towers stepping back as they rise, strong vertical lines, and zigzag or sunburst ornament. Casa Batlló, Barcelona, Spain: an example of Art Nouveau Art Nouveau c. 1890–1914 Whiplash curves and plant-like ironwork: facades that look grown rather than built. Red House, Bexleyheath, England: an example of Arts and Crafts Arts and Crafts c. 1880–1920 Handcraft against the machine: visible joinery, natural wood and stone, and homes rooted in their gardens. Sagrada Família, Barcelona, Spain: an example of Catalan Modernisme Catalan Modernisme c. 1885–1920 Barcelona's dream architecture: rippling stone facades, roofs scaled in broken-tile mosaic, and structure borrowed from bones and trees. Monadnock Building, Chicago, Illinois: an example of Chicago School Chicago School c. 1880–1910 The first skyscrapers: steel frames shown as honest grids, huge three-part windows, ornament saved for base and top. Gamble House, Pasadena, California: an example of Craftsman / Bungalow Craftsman / Bungalow c. 1905–1930 Low, broad bungalows with deep porches on thick tapered piers, visible rafter ends, and angled roof braces. House of the Black Madonna, Prague, Czech Republic: an example of Czech Cubism Czech Cubism c. 1911–1925 Prague facades broken into prisms and pyramids: faceted planes, angled window frames, and later round arches and ovals. Aztec Hotel, Monrovia, California: an example of Mayan Revival Mayan Revival c. 1920–1940 Walls sloping inward, stepped rooflines, corbel arches, and bands of geometric relief that imitate Maya glyphs. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Miami, Florida: an example of Mediterranean Revival Mediterranean Revival c. 1920–1940 Stucco walls under red clay tile roofs, arched windows, wrought iron balconies, courtyards, and bell towers on hotels and villas. Mission Inn, Riverside, California: an example of Mission Revival Mission Revival c. 1890–1930 Curved gable-top walls, white stucco, arcades, and red tile roofs borrowed from Spanish missions. Helsinki Central Station, Helsinki, Finland: an example of National Romanticism National Romanticism c. 1890–1920 Rough granite or brick walls, steep roofs, towers and carved animal or plant ornament, with medieval and folk forms. Masó House, Girona, Spain: an example of Noucentisme Noucentisme c. 1906–1931 White stuccoed or brick facades in calm classical proportion, with glazed tile accents and sgraffito, on schools and houses. Robie House, Chicago: an example of Prairie School Prairie School c. 1900–1920 Long horizontal lines: broad low roofs, deep overhangs, and continuous bands of windows hugging the ground. New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe: an example of Pueblo Revival Pueblo Revival c. 1905–present Rounded adobe-look stucco, projecting round roof beams, stepped upper stories, and flat roofs. Santa Barbara County Courthouse, Santa Barbara, California: an example of Spanish Colonial Revival Spanish Colonial Revival c. 1915–1940 Romantic white stucco under red clay tile: arcades, patios, carved doorways, and wrought iron balconies. Coca-Cola Building, Los Angeles: an example of Streamline Moderne Streamline Moderne c. 1930–1945 Aerodynamic buildings: smooth white curves, corner and porthole windows, and horizontal speed lines. Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C., United States: an example of Stripped Classicism Stripped Classicism c. 1925–1950 Symmetrical stone buildings with flat pilasters or piers without capitals, tall windows in a regular grid, and low-relief sculpture. Secession Building, Vienna, Austria: an example of Vienna Secession Vienna Secession c. 1897–1910 Art Nouveau squared off: geometric gold ornament, laurel and rosette motifs, and crisp white facades.

07 · 17 styles

Modernist

Bauhaus Dessau, Dessau, Germany: an example of Bauhaus Bauhaus c. 1919–1933 Flat-roofed white boxes, ribbon and corner windows, and zero ornament. Boston City Hall, Boston: an example of Brutalism Brutalism c. 1950–1980 Monumental raw concrete: repeated modular units, deep-set windows, and fortress-like massing. Narkomfin Building, Moscow, Russia: an example of Constructivism Constructivism c. 1920–1932 Soviet buildings of stacked cubes and cylinders, with glazed stair towers, corner windows, cantilevered blocks and no ornament. Einstein Tower, Potsdam, Germany: an example of Expressionism Expressionism c. 1910–1930 Sculptural brick and concrete buildings with curved or faceted masses, rounded corners, and tall prow-shaped or stepped tops. Theme Building, Los Angeles: an example of Googie Googie c. 1945–1970 Space-age roadside optimism: upswept roofs, boomerang angles, starburst signs, and neon. Villa Savoye, Poissy, France: an example of International Style International Style c. 1925–1975 Glass walls hung on exposed steel or concrete grids: weightless, ornament-free, and endlessly repeatable. Casa del Fascio (Como), Como, Italy: an example of Italian Rationalism Italian Rationalism c. 1926–1943 White or stone-clad geometric blocks with regular grids of square windows, sometimes with plain repeated arches. Nakagin Capsule Tower, Tokyo, Japan: an example of Metabolism Metabolism c. 1958–1975 Japanese megastructures of plug-in capsules on permanent service cores, designed to grow like organisms. Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Miami Beach, Florida: an example of Miami Modern (MiMo) Miami Modern (MiMo) c. 1945–1970 Flat-roofed Florida resort hotels with curved plans, perforated breeze-block screens, large glass areas and rooftop signs. Stahl House, Los Angeles: an example of Mid-Century Modern Mid-Century Modern c. 1945–1970 Post-and-beam houses with walls of glass, flat or butterfly roofs, and easy flow between indoors and out. Fallingwater, Stewart Township, Pennsylvania: an example of Organic Architecture Organic Architecture c. 1930–present Buildings fitted to their site in local stone and concrete, with cantilevered terraces and curved or domed forms. Azadi Tower, Tehran, Iran: an example of Pahlavi Pahlavi c. 1925–1979 Symmetrical government buildings with Persepolis-style columns, Sasanian arches, reliefs, and plain brick or marble walls. Falowiec, Gdańsk, Poland: an example of Socialist Panel Housing Socialist Panel Housing c. 1956–1991 Long flat-roofed apartment blocks made of identical precast concrete panels and windows in a regular grid, with balconies. Palace "Ukraine", Kyiv, Ukraine: an example of Soviet Modernism Soviet Modernism c. 1955–1991 Large concrete public buildings with sculptural volumes such as inverted pyramids and trapezoids, often with mosaics or relief panels. Moscow State University main building, Moscow, Russia: an example of Stalinist Classicism Stalinist Classicism c. 1933–1955 Soviet power in wedding-cake tiers: colossal colonnades, sculpted workers, and spired towers stepping into the sky. Centre Pompidou, Paris, France: an example of Structuralism / High-Tech Structuralism / High-Tech c. 1960–1990 The building turned inside out: exposed frames, ducts and elevators on the outside, painted in bright colors. Golden Mile Complex, Singapore, Singapore: an example of Tropical Modernism Tropical Modernism c. 1950–1990 Concrete buildings with deep overhangs, sun-shading screens, perforated breeze blocks, open corridors and flat roofs.

08 · 10 styles

Postmodern & Contemporary

09 · 23 styles

American Vernacular & Regional

A-frame house, United States: an example of A-Frame A-Frame c. 1950–1975 A roof that is the whole house: one dramatic triangle with glass gable ends and a loft under the peak. American Foursquare, United States: an example of American Foursquare American Foursquare c. 1895–1935 The honest box: two stories, a pyramid-shaped roof with a big central dormer, and a full-width front porch. Brooklyn Heights Historic District, New York City, New York: an example of Brownstone Brownstone c. 1840–1900 Row houses with brown sandstone fronts, a high stoop to the main floor over a raised basement, and a cornice. Sturgis Library, Barnstable, Massachusetts: an example of Cape Cod Cape Cod c. 1690–1955 A compact story-and-a-half cottage: steep gable roof, central chimney, dormers, and minimal fuss. Single house on Spring Street, Charleston, South Carolina: an example of Charleston Single House Charleston Single House c. 1700–1900 A narrow house with its gable end to the street and tiered side porches reached through a street door. South Shore Bungalow Historic District, Chicago, Illinois: an example of Chicago Bungalow Chicago Bungalow c. 1910–1940 Narrow one-and-a-half-story brick houses with low-pitched hipped roofs, broad eaves, large front windows and a front veranda. Governor's Palace, Williamsburg, Virginia: an example of Colonial Revival Colonial Revival c. 1880–1960 America quoting its own past: symmetrical fronts, shuttered windows, and a front door dressed with fanlight, sidelights, or a small columned porch. Sixth Street, Austin, Texas: an example of Commercial Vernacular Commercial Vernacular c. 1850–1930 The American Main Street block: brick fronts with big glass storefronts below, regular windows and a decorated cornice above. Hermann-Grima House, New Orleans, Louisiana: an example of Creole Townhouse Creole Townhouse c. 1790–1850 Stuccoed brick row buildings on the sidewalk, with iron balconies, arched openings and a carriageway to a rear courtyard. Dyckman Farmhouse, New York: an example of Dutch Colonial Dutch Colonial c. 1700–1940 A barn-profile gambrel roof, often flared at the eaves, sometimes with a split Dutch door. Cahokia Courthouse, Cahokia, Illinois: an example of French Colonial French Colonial c. 1700–1860 Living floors raised a story off the ground, wrapped in full-width porches under one broad hipped roof. Greystone three-flat on Emerald Avenue, Chicago, Illinois: an example of Greystone and Two-Flat Greystone and Two-Flat c. 1890–1930 Flat-roofed Chicago two- and three-flats with limestone fronts, projecting bays, and round arches or classical trim. Elfreth's Alley, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: an example of Mid-Atlantic Rowhouse Mid-Atlantic Rowhouse c. 1790–1930 Continuous rows of narrow red brick houses with shared side walls, white stone trim, sash windows, and cornices or bays. Modern farmhouse, United States: an example of Modern Farmhouse Modern Farmhouse c. 2010–present White vertical siding, black window frames, metal gable roofs, and a big friendly porch. McMansion, United States: an example of Neo-Eclectic Neo-Eclectic c. 1980–present The builder's-catalog house: brick and stone veneer, mixed arches and gables, and a grand two-story entry. Hans Herr House, Willow Street, Pennsylvania: an example of Pennsylvania German Stone House Pennsylvania German Stone House c. 1720–1850 Thick fieldstone walls, a steep roof, a central chimney and small, irregular windows; later houses have symmetrical Georgian fronts. Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway, Palm Springs, California: an example of Ranch Ranch c. 1935–1975 Single-story sprawl: a low-pitched roof, attached garage, picture windows, and an open floor plan. Old Faithful Inn, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming: an example of Rustic (Parkitecture) Rustic (Parkitecture) c. 1900–1940 National park rustic: whole-log columns, boulder chimneys, and great lodge halls that look grown from the landscape. Hoxie House, Sandwich, Massachusetts: an example of Saltbox Saltbox c. 1650–1800 A gabled house with one long rear roof slope sweeping nearly to the ground. Elvis Presley Birthplace, Tupelo, Mississippi: an example of Shotgun House Shotgun House c. 1840–1930 One room wide and several rooms deep: a narrow gabled house with a full-width front porch. Mission San Xavier del Bac, Tucson, Arizona: an example of Spanish Colonial Spanish Colonial c. 1600–1940 White stucco walls, red clay tile roofs, arcades, courtyards, and wrought iron grilles. Liberty London, London, England: an example of Tudor Revival Tudor Revival c. 1890–1940 Storybook medieval English: decorative dark timber over stucco, steep gables, and massive patterned chimneys. Workers cottages in Pilsen, Chicago, Illinois: an example of Workers Cottage Workers Cottage c. 1870–1910 A one-and-a-half-story house with its gable facing the street, raised basement, front stoop, and trim only at windows and cornice.

10 · 15 styles

Global Traditions

Great Mosque of Djenné, Djenné, Mali: an example of African Vernacular African Vernacular traditional–present Sculpted earthen walls with permanent projecting timber spikes, conical thatched roofs, and courtyard compounds. Ballenberg Open-Air Museum, Hofstetten, Switzerland: an example of Alpine Vernacular Alpine Vernacular c. 1600–present Chalets: wide low-pitched roofs with huge overhangs, stacked timber walls, and carved balconies. Old San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico: an example of Caribbean Vernacular Caribbean Vernacular c. 1700–present Bright paint, deep verandas, louvered shutters, and lacy gingerbread trim, tuned to trade winds and hurricanes. Hall of Supreme Harmony, Forbidden City, Beijing, China: an example of Chinese Traditional Chinese Traditional c. 200 BCE–present Courtyard compounds under sweeping glazed tile roofs carried on interlocking bracket sets. Meenakshi Temple, Madurai, India: an example of Dravidian Dravidian c. 600–1750 Stepped pyramidal towers: gateway gopurams crowded with painted figures, pillared halls, and walled temple enclosures with water tanks. Kinkaku-ji, Kyoto, Japan: an example of Japanese Traditional Japanese Traditional c. 700–present Timber frames, deep sheltering eaves, sliding paper screens, and verandas, all sized to the tatami mat. Oia, Santorini, Greece: an example of Mediterranean Vernacular Mediterranean Vernacular antiquity–present Whitewashed cube-shaped houses with thick walls, shuttered windows, flat or low tile roofs, and courtyards. Taj Mahal, Agra, India: an example of Mughal Mughal c. 1526–1857 Bulbous marble or red sandstone domes on drums, pointed arches, small domed pavilions, and inlaid stone patterns. Süleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey: an example of Ottoman Ottoman c. 1300–1900 Cascading gray domes and pencil-thin minarets: mosque complexes stepping down like mountains over light-filled halls. Golestan Palace, Tehran, Iran: an example of Qajar Qajar c. 1789–1925 Brick palaces and houses with painted tile panels of figures and flowers, mirror work, tall arched portals and windcatchers. Saint Basil's Cathedral, Moscow, Russia: an example of Russian Orthodox Russian Orthodox c. 1000–1900 Onion domes in gold and candy colors clustered over white walls and steep tent-roofed towers. Shah Mosque, Isfahan, Iran: an example of Safavid Safavid c. 1501–1736 Large tiled domes, vaulted iwans around courtyards, seven-color tile surfaces and muqarnas vaulting in portals. Borgund Stave Church, Borgund, Norway: an example of Scandinavian Vernacular Scandinavian Vernacular c. 1000–present Log and carved timber buildings under steep roofs, sometimes topped with turf, painted deep red. Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia: an example of Southeast Asian Southeast Asian c. 800–present Timber houses on stilts and stone temple mountains, under steep roofs with soaring horn-like gable tips. Chinatown, Singapore, Singapore, Singapore: an example of Southeast Asian Shophouse Southeast Asian Shophouse c. 1840–1960 Narrow terraced rows of two or three stories, shops at street level, with a continuous covered walkway in front.