Greek Revival Architecture Characteristics Roofing Materials Copper

The main reasons for the style s popularity seem to have been the general intellectual preoccupation with ancient greek culture at the time as well as a new awareness of the actual nature of greek art brought about.

Greek revival architecture characteristics roofing materials copper.

Greek revival architecture was a building style that emerged in europe and the united states in the late eighteen and early nineteenth centuries. History of greek revival architecture. Half round gutters were popularized in the early 1900s when metal roll machines came into regular use. The authentic greek revival architecture features proper proportion and scale extraordinary brick detailing slate and copper roofing an elaborate frieze with corbels and triglyphs historically replicated ironwork and twelve 30 inch diameter poured in place concrete columns on front elevation.

Taken by the classical beauty of the architecture he discovered on a 1758 trip to greece stuart documented his discoveries and published antiquities of athens in 1762 producing the world s first reference book detailing classical greek. Greek temples are generally built from marble or stone. In time greek revival architecture became known as the national style so pervasive were the temple fronted façades on the nation s churches banks town halls and houses. With its symmetrical shape low roof lines columns and pediments the style mimicked greek temples and was thought by americans at the time to embody the concept of democracy.

Appropriate to the nation s emerging sense of self one of the country s first greek revival buildings was the second bank of the united states built in philadelphia. It took elements of classical greek architecture. Today there are still hundreds of ordinary homes being built each year with some of the tell tale characteristics of the classic greek revival. British architect james athenian stuart is said to have been the first to introduce greek revival to britain.

The greek revival style began with public buildings in philadelphia in 1820 and quickly became popular for residences. Wentworth studio says that one of the most significant characteristics of a greek revival style home is the materials from which it is built. While the greek revival period in american architecture officially lasted from 1825 to 1860 there are several notable examples decades before and after that period. The following are 10 key characteristics that define the greek revival architectural style.

Greek revival architectural style based on 5th century bc greek temples which spread throughout europe and the united states during the first half of the 19th century.