COMMON ARCHITECTURAL STYLES AND THEIR DISTINGUISHING FEATURES
Wood was the dominant medium of construction in 19th- and early 20th-century Nova Scotia. However, it should be noted that not all buildings were designed in a single historical style. Although the basic front-gabled style of Classical Revival was pervasive in 19th-century Antigonish, many buildings incorporated features selectively and often blended different styles. Eclecticism, exemplified by a mixture of various stylistic forms within the same building, was a typical characteristic of 19th-century architecture.
NEO-CLASSICAL c. 1810-1830
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inspired by British Georgian designs
- balanced proportions
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low pitched roof
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centrally located door with semi-elliptical or fanlight door transom
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often includes classically detailed
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pediment and columns
MARITIME VERNACULAR c.1830s-1900
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New England antecedents
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usually 1 1/2 storey wood, brick or stone structure with almost square plan
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centred doorway with transom
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small plain dormers or Scottish 5-sided dormers or large tringular dormer integrated into roof line
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unadorned exterior with minimal trim
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shingled or clapboard exterior
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extension added to rear or side
CLASSIC AND GREEK REVIVAL c. 1830s-1860s
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emphasis on straight line and symmetry
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1 1/2 or 2 1/2 storeys
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medium or steeply pitched gable roof or hip roof
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often features a central pedimented porch or portico
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central door accented by rectangular transom and sidelights
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popular designs include temple-fronted buildings
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another popular design is front gable plan. With this design, the house is placed on short-side facing street and the door is off centre because of narrow width of plan. Popular for narrow street frontages; favoured by developing towns and cities.
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decorative classical features include dentils, returned eaves, pilasters, flat or pedimented hoods over windows
GOTHIC REVIVAL c. 1850 to 1870
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emphasis on the vertical line
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main objective is visual effect rather than balance and symmetry
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one-and-a-half storey
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pointed arched windows and door openings are dominating features
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sharply pitched roofs with numerous gables
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use of decorative "gingerbread" wood trim on veranda [treillage] or vergeboards along eaves. Much trim was mass produced by machines.
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Gothic or Modified-Gothic with ell and front porch continued to be built in rural Canada into the 1890s.
ITALIANATE c. 1850S TO 1870S
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two-storeys high
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blocky and square in appearance
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often includes square tower or projecting central section [frontispiece]
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low pitched hip roof
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wide eaves with prominent decorative brackets
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round-headed window and door openings as decorative accents
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often features veranda and cupola which crowns main structure
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details of style used in both rural and urban houses and commercial buildings well into 20th century
SECOND EMPIRE c. 1860s to 1880s
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mansard roof which permits full use of top floor space and eliminates sloping ceilings of gable roof
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irregular building outline
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sometimes includes decorative iron cresting on roof tops
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sometimes features projecting centre towers and first- or second-storey bay windows
QUEEN ANNE REVIVAL c. 1885 to 1900
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eclectic and asymmetrical in outline
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steep roof and tall chimneys
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two or more storeys high
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often includes two-storey bays
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circular tower usually offset with candle-snuffer peaked roof
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often includes prominent projecting or eyebrow dormers
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shaped verandah
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façade, especially front gable, covered in variety of contrasting decorative shingle patterns
ROMANESQUE REVIVAL, BEAUX ARTS AND CHATEAU c. 1880-1910
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Romanesque Revival
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heavy rough-textured masonry
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asymmetrical design
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often incorporates round towers
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wide arched windows and door openings, heavily accented with ornate detailing
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style largely confined to churches and administrative buildings erected in post-1880 period
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Beaux Arts
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stylized classical proportions and details
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theatrical and monumental in design
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Chateau
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irregular roofline
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steeply pitched gables
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multiple tall chimneys
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evokes images of 14th- and 15th- century French chateau and early Quebec prototypes
FOURSQUARE HOUSE DESIGN c. 19O0-1930
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emphasis on solidity and balance
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square plan
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two storeys high
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pyramidal hipped roof
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usually includes columned veranda
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front dormer
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sometimes features large off-centre doorway
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most popular form of the foursquare was the "Eastbourne" which was available in pre-cut form.