Various styles in architecture. All architectural styles from A to Z, list with photos

The architectural style, which originated in medieval Europe, is characterized by semicircular arches, which differ from Gothic pointed arches. Because examples of Romanesque architecture can be found throughout the European continent, the style is often considered to be the first pan-European architectural style since the Roman Empire. In addition to semicircular arches, the direction is distinguished by massive forms, thick walls, strong supports, cross vaults and large towers. From the 6th to the 10th centuries, most churches and monasteries in Europe were built in this majestic style. We have selected for you 25 of the most breathtaking and impressive examples of the Romanesque style in architecture that you simply must see!

Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Gurk, Austria. 12th century

This basilica is considered one of the most important Romanesque buildings in the country. It has two towers, three apses, a crypt and galleries.

Notre Dame Cathedral, Tournai, Belgium. 17th century

Since 1936 it has been considered the main attraction and heritage of Wallonia. It is impossible not to note the heavy and serious nature of the building, the Romanesque nave and the cluster of five bell towers and semicircular arches.

Rotunda of St. Longina, Prague. 12th century

Founded as a parish church in a small village near Prague, it was almost destroyed at the beginning of the 19th century, but was later rebuilt.

Cathedral of Saint Trophime, Arles, France. 15th century

One of the most important examples of Romanesque architecture in France.

Saint-Savin-sur-Gartampe, France. Mid 11th century

Church included in the list of objects World Heritage UNESCO in 1983, has a square tower and five radial chapels with a polygonal apse.

Bamberg Cathedral, Bamberg, Germany. 13th century

Founded in 1012 by Emperor Henry II, the church is famous for its four imposing towers. The cathedral was partially destroyed by fire in 1081, but rebuilt by 1111.

Cathedral in Clonfert, Ireland. 12th century

The doorway of this cathedral is considered the crown of the Romanesque style. It is decorated with animal heads, leaves and human heads.

San Liberatore in Maiella, Abruzzo, Italy. 11th century

The facade of this abbey is an example of the Lombard-Romanesque architectural style.

Modena Cathedral, Modena, Italy. 12th century

The cathedral is considered one of the most iconic Romanesque buildings in Europe and is a World Heritage Site.

Basilica of St. Servatius, Maastricht, Netherlands. 11th century

The building is considered an example of various architectural styles, but predominantly Romanesque.

Doors of the Cathedral in Gniezno, Poland. 12th century

The bronze doors are considered one of the most significant works of Romanesque art in Poland. They are decorated with bas-reliefs that show 18 scenes from the life of St. Wojciech.

Monastery of Peter and Paul, Kruszwica, Poland. 1120

This work of Romanesque art is built from sandstone and granite. It has a transept, presbytery and apse.

St. Andrew's Church, Krakow, Poland. 1079-1098

This church was created for defensive purposes. It is one of the few remaining examples of European fortified churches.

Lisbon Cathedral, Portugal. 1147

The oldest church in Lisbon, which is a mixture of different styles and is famous for its Romanesque iron gates.

Cathedral of St. Martin, Slovakia. 13th-15th century

The largest and most interesting Romanesque cathedral in Slovakia. Inside it are marble tombstones, and the walls are painted with scenes of the coronation of Charles Robert of Anjou.

Basilica of San Isidro, Leon, Spain. 10th century

Among the building's most notable features are the arches that cross the transept and the carved tympanum.

Lund Cathedral, Sweden. 1145

The Romanesque style here is expressed in the layout, crypt and arched galleries.

Grossmunster, Zurich, Switzerland. 1100-1120

Protestant church in Romanesque style. It has a large carved portal with medieval columns.

Durham Cathedral, England. 1093

The building is notable for its unusual nave roof vaults, transverse arches and massive columns.

Dunnottar Castle, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. 15-16th century

The ruined medieval fortress consists of three main wings set around a quadrangle and an unusual, intricate oak ceiling.

Salamanca Cathedral, Spain. 1513-1733

Although the cathedral was rebuilt in the 17th century and became Gothic, it retains much of the Romanesque style.

Wonchock Abbey, Wonchock, Poland. 1179

The abbey is recognized as one of the most precious monuments of Romanesque architecture in Poland.

Cathedral in Porto, Portugal. 1737

This is one of the oldest cathedrals in the city. It is surrounded by two square towers supported by buttresses and topped by a dome.

Santa Maria Maggiore, Veneto, Italy. 11th century

The interior of this cathedral is decorated with amazing mosaics from the 9th century.

Cathedral of San Nicola di Trullas, Italy. 1113

The cathedral was built as a village school and later became a monastery with cross vaults and frescoes.

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Architectural style can be defined as a set of basic features and characteristics of architecture of a certain time and place, manifested in the features of its functional, constructive and artistic aspects (purpose of buildings, building materials and structures, techniques of architectural composition).

It is customary to distinguish architectural styles of global significance:

Prehistoric architecture

· Antique architecture. VIII century BC e. - V century n. e.

· Roman style. X - XII centuries

· Gothic. XII - XV centuries

· Revival. Beginning XV - beginning XVII century

· Baroque. Con. XVI century - end. XVIII century

· Rococo. Beginning XVIII - con. XVIII century

· Classicism, incl. Palladianism, Empire style, neo-Greek. Ser. XVIII - XIX centuries

· Eclecticism. 1830s - 1890s

· Modern. 1890s - 1910s

· Modernism. Beginning 1900s - 1980s

· Constructivism. 1920s - early 1930s

· Postmodernism. From ser. XX century

· High tech. From the end 1970s

· Deconstructivism. From the end 1980s

In fact, there are practically no pure styles in architecture; they all exist simultaneously, complementing and enriching each other. Styles do not mechanically replace one another, they do not become obsolete, do not appear out of nowhere and do not disappear without a trace. In any architectural style there is something of the previous and future style.

Antique (Greek) style- This is the architecture of ancient Rome and Greece. This style appeared on the lands of the Aegean Sea for so long that it was considered the progenitor and even in some way for such movements as Classicism, Neoclassicism, and Renaissance. Because the Romans were students of the Greeks, they immediately adopted the ancient style, supplementing it with their own elements (dome, arched order cell).

Roman style. X-XII centuries (in some countries XIII century)(with elements of Roman-ancient culture). Medieval Western European art of the time of complete dominance of feudal-religious ideology. The main role in the Romanesque style was given to harsh, fortress-like architecture: monastery complexes, churches, and castles were located on elevated places, dominating the area. Churches were decorated with paintings and reliefs, in conventional, expressive forms, expressing the frightening power of the deities. The Romanesque era is characterized by nobility and austere beauty.

The Gothic style mainly manifested itself in the architecture of temples, cathedrals, churches, and monasteries. In contrast to the Romanesque style, with its round arches, massive walls and small windows, the Gothic style is characterized by pointed arches, narrow and tall towers and columns, a richly decorated facade with carved details (vimpergi, tympanums, archivolts) and multi-colored stained glass lancet windows . All style elements emphasize verticality. In Gothic architecture, there are 3 stages of development: early, mature (high Gothic) and late (flaming Gothic).

Renaissance (Renaissance). (fr. Renaissance), period in cultural and ideological development Western countries. and Central Europe (in Italy XIV-XVI centuries, in other countries the end of the XV-XVI centuries), transitional from medieval culture to the culture of modern times. In architecture, secular buildings began to play a leading role - public buildings, palaces, city houses. Using the order division of walls, arched galleries, colonnades, vaults, domes, architects (Brunelleschi, Alberti, Bramante, Palladio in Italy, Lescaut, Delorme in France) gave their buildings majesty, clarity, harmony and proportionality to man. Particular importance in this direction is attached to the forms of ancient architecture: symmetry, proportion, geometry and the order of its component parts, as clearly evidenced by surviving examples of Roman architecture. The complex proportions of medieval buildings are replaced by an orderly arrangement of columns, pilasters and lintels; asymmetrical outlines are replaced by a semicircle of an arch, a hemisphere of a dome, niches, and aedicules.

Baroque (Italian: barocco- “vicious”, “loose”, “prone to excess”, port. perola barroca - “pearl of irregular shape” (literally “pearl with a defect”); - characteristics of European culture of the 17th-18th centuries, the center of which was Italy. Baroque art is characterized by grandeur, pomp and dynamics, pathetic elation, intensity of feelings, a passion for spectacular spectacles, a combination of the illusory and the real, strong contrasts of scale and rhythm, materials and textures, light and shadow. Baroque palaces and churches, thanks to the luxurious, bizarre plasticity of the facades, restless game chiaroscuro, complex curvilinear plans and outlines acquired picturesqueness and dynamism and seemed to flow into the surrounding space. The ceremonial interiors of Baroque buildings were decorated with multicolor sculpture, modeling, and carvings; mirrors and paintings illusorily expanded the space, and the painting of ceiling lamps created the illusion of open vaults. Baroque architecture (L. Bernini, F. Borromini in Italy, V.V. Rastrelli in Russia) is characterized by spatial scope, unity, and fluidity of complex, usually curvilinear forms.

Rococo (French Rococo, from rocaille– decorative motif in the form of a shell), style direction 1st in European art half of the XVIII century. Rococo, associated with the crisis of absolutism, is characterized by a departure from life into the world of fantasy, theatrical play, mythical and pastoral plots, and erotic situations. Rococo art is dominated by a graceful, whimsical ornamental rhythm. The characteristic features of Rococo are sophistication, great decorative loading of interiors and compositions, graceful ornamental rhythm, great attention to mythology, erotic situations, and personal comfort.

Classicism (French classicisme, from lat. classicus - exemplary) - architectural style and aesthetic direction in European art of the late 17th - early 19th centuries. The main feature of the architecture of classicism was the appeal to the forms of ancient architecture as a standard of harmony, simplicity, rigor, logical clarity and monumentality. The architecture of classicism as a whole is characterized by regularity of layout and clarity of volumetric form. The basis of the architectural language of classicism was the order, in proportions and forms close to antiquity. Classicism is characterized by symmetrical axial compositions, restraint of decorative decoration, and a regular system of city planning.

Empire (from the French empire- “empire”) - the style of late (high) classicism in architecture and applied art. Originated in France during the reign of Emperor Napoleon I; developed during the first three decades of the 19th century; was replaced by eclectic movements. The Empire style is a unique reflection of Roman classics combined with Egyptian motifs. Empire architecture is characterized by monumentality, geometric regularity of volumes and integrity (triumphal arches, columns, palaces). The Empire style, through numerous attributes and symbols, affirmed the idea of ​​imperial greatness.

Eclecticism (eclecticism) (from the Greek eklektikos– chooser), a mechanical combination of heterogeneous, often opposing principles, views, theories, artistic elements, etc.; in architecture and fine arts a combination of dissimilar stylistic elements or an arbitrary choice of stylistic design for buildings or artistic products that have a qualitatively different meaning and purpose.

Art Nouveau architecture- an architectural style that became widespread in Europe in the 1890s-1910s within artistic direction modern Modern architecture is distinguished by its rejection of straight lines and angles in favor of more natural, “natural” lines, and the use of new technologies (metal, glass). Like a number of other styles, modern architecture is also distinguished by the desire to create both aesthetically beautiful and functional buildings. Much attention was paid not only to the appearance of the buildings, but also to the interior, which was carefully worked out. All structural elements: stairs, doors, pillars, balconies were artistically processed. Modern architecture has a number of characteristic features, for example, the rejection of mandatory symmetrical forms. New forms appear in it, such as “shop windows,” that is, wide ones designed to act as shop windows. During this period, the type of residential apartment building finally takes shape. Multi-storey construction is being developed.

Constructivism, direction to contemporary art 1920s, which put forward the task of designing the material environment surrounding humans. Constructivism sought to use new technology to create simple, logical, functionally justified forms, expedient structures (architectural projects of the brothers A.A., V.A. and L.A. Vesnin, M.Ya. Ginzburg, I.I. Leonidov).

Hi-tech (English). hi-tech, from high technology - high technology) is a style in architecture and design that originated in the depths of postmodern architecture in the 1970s and found widespread use in the 1980s. It is characterized by pragmatism, the idea of ​​the architect as an elite professional, the provision of services by architecture, complex simplicity, sculptural form, hyperbole, manufacturability, structure and design as an ornament, anti-historicity, monumentality.

Deconstructivism- a trend in modern architecture that took shape as an independent movement in the late 1980s in America and Europe and then spread in one form or another throughout the world.

Architectural style is a set of characteristic features and attributes of architecture.
Characteristic features of a certain time and place, manifested in the features of the functional, constructive and artistic sides: the purpose of buildings, building materials and structures, methods of architectural composition - form the architectural style.

Architectural styles - complete list:

≡ Navigation 40 styles

English façade: solid and durable

A modern English house combines several subtypes of style: Georgian, Victorian, Tudor.
The main features of such buildings are two floors, a steep roof slope, brickwork(usually red), a balcony with a balustrade, lattice windows, the presence of wild stone and forged parts in the decoration.
Signs of a home in English are an indispensable lawn at the entrance, as well as ivy or picturesque grapes on the walls. The British set up garages separately, under awnings. British design style is all about restraint, solidity and durability.

Barnhouse: simple but stylish

Barnhouse (from English - “barn house”) is an architectural style of the 20th-21st centuries.
The fashion for barnhouses originated in Western Europe - at the intersection of minimalism, loft and bio-tech. Externally, such a house looks simple: rectangular, gable roof (often without overhangs), laconic exterior decoration, no frills. At the same time, it is quite practical and convenient for life.

Baroque in the exterior: monumental splendor

Michelangelo is considered the trendsetter of Baroque fashion. In any case, Baroque houses are grandiose and pompous, like his sculptures. The scope, sinuosity, unity of construction and meticulous decoration - this is a brief overview of Baroque architecture.
Such a house requires space and funds, because the style includes bay windows with balconies, pilasters, recessed ceilings, arched openings, and even towers. And also rich decoration: molded rosettes, garlands, wreaths.
Windows in Baroque houses are often semicircular in shape, and the doors are framed by columns.

Victorian style: prestige and elegance

Architecture, popular in the 19th century in Foggy Albion and in the colonies, does not lose ground today.
Victorian houses have 2-3 floors, asymmetry, a complex, multifaceted roof, an attic, often a round turret, a spacious porch, trimmed with carved wood or metal, white or beige.
However, the Victorian style has many variations, depending on the time and place of its penetration into a specific cultural environment.

Gothic in architecture: minted mystery

The style is legendary, historical, reminiscent of knights and fights. It is characterized by pointed, fan vaults, ribbed and vertical lines rushing to the sky, arches turning into pillars, coffered ceilings, elongated, often stained glass windows.
The Gothic style house has a sharp "skeleton"; its colors are yellow, brown, red, blue.
Both stone and wood are used as building materials, because the style was formed in different circumstances.
A house with a Gothic “face” is strict, graphically clear and darkly solemn!

Dutch style: unpretentious peace

Dwellings in kingdom of tulips and windmills– real hearths: comfortable, practical and durable. And all thanks to the conditions: unsteady, swampy soil forced the architects to be pedantically thorough, and the lack of space forced them to search for maximum utility and functionality of housing.
The qualities of Dutch house-building are a symmetrical layout, high gables, a sharp roof with wide hip ribs, windows with wooden shutters, light plastered walls and a base trimmed with stone.
The Dutch House is an ideal “haven” for those seeking privacy.

Deconstructivism: not like everyone else

The style of deconstructivism leaves no chance for any of the architectural absolutes. It is introduced into any environment with flashy broken shapes and structures that are difficult for visual perception.
Deconstructivism is not called the direction of architecture, but its negation, however, deconstructivists still have a foothold - constructivism and postmodernism.
Architects deliberately distort the principles and compositional motifs of these styles and end up with a dynamic and individual building project.

European Style: Popular Versatility

Conservative, solid and suitable for any landscape, the European house, for the most part, has a square shape and is built in 2-3 floors.
Features - a hipped, tiled roof, a plinth lined with stone or tiles, not very large, rectangular or arched windows, a balcony or bay window, a door in a contrasting color.
The decor is spare and rational, for example, wrought iron porch and balcony railings...

Italian architectural style: refined drama

Smooth, “swan” lines, arched windows, vaulted ceilings, pretty balconies and a natural palette of the facade (from gray to Brown), here are the signs of this style.
Italian-style houses are built from stone and wood, and budget option- made of brick and timber. The number of floors is from one to four.
The courtyard plays a key role in creating the image of a magnificent Italian villa: it must have paved paths, living fences, several sculptures, and a fountain. The fence is usually made of textured stone.

Country style house: warmth and soulfulness

This style has many faces and is based on local customs: for example, in France “rural” houses are made of stone, and in Canada they are made of logs. In any case, country style involves traditional and natural raw materials.
Distinctive touches of such an exterior are rusticity (cladding the external walls with faceted stones), inclusion of objects handmade(this could be forged door handles or a horseshoe at the entrance), the color of the facade, reminiscent of shades of clay, wood, sand. The yard is decorated with appropriate archaic elements: bird nests on poles, flower beds on carts, a model of a mill.

Classic style in the exterior: imitation of the best

Classical architecture is based on ancient canons, on the best examples of the Italian Renaissance, English Georgianism or Russian architecture.
Classic in the exterior is the symmetry of the building (the main entrance is the axis around which the extensions are located), the presence of columns, triangular pediments, porticoes, balustrades, balusters and other accessories of one or another architectural era.
Classic-type houses are decorated with pilasters and moldings. The preferred material, of course, is stone, however, nowadays decorative elements are well made from plaster or polyurethane.
Classic mansions - often two-story, light color…

Colonial style exterior: discreet charm

Wealthy immigrants and planters built their households, combining “imported” capital and comfort with local exoticism. This is how the colonial exterior came into being.
Houses in this style are monumental, with two floors. The layout is rectilinear, the entrance is supported by a colonnade. They are built from stone, neutral-colored plaster. The door is massive, wooden. There is almost always a terrace available. The buildings are distinguished by large, panoramic windows that offer views of the garden or wildlife.

Perhaps the most famous subtype of colonial exterior is a bungalow, a one-story or attic mansion, with a spreading veranda along the entire width of the pediment.
Its color is traditionally white, reflective, because bungalows were built in the tropics, combining the features of a traditional English cottage, army tents and oriental tents.

Constructivism in architecture: simplicity as art

Houses in the constructivist style are distinguished by high functionality and artistic expressiveness, which is achieved not through decorative elements, but through shapes and materials.
Laconic geometry and high expediency inherent in constructivism are intertwined today with naturalness, naturalness, and an abundance of light and space in interior spaces.
The main building materials are: concrete, glass, metal, plastic and other modern raw materials.

Loft: fashionable fundamentality

The idea of ​​the style is to transform technological rooms, factory floors, garages or hangars into bohemian, luxury apartments.

A loft-style house is a very spacious, tall, distinctly geometric building, usually with a minimum number of internal partitions.
The main building materials are brick and concrete.
The loft façade does not require any finishing, nor does it require siding.
The roof is often flat, but can be hip, pitched or gable. Panoramic windows.

Art Nouveau house: delightful chic

Once upon a time, this style became the banner of the movement for a new architecture, in defiance of the “boring” classics: with stately, curved lines, a variety of shapes and decorations.
Since then, the contours of the openings in a modern house are necessarily rounded, the windows are decorated with wavy, elaborate grilles or stained glass, glazed tiles, mosaics, paintings are used in the decoration of the facade...
In general, “any whim,” since the goal of Art Nouveau is to show the individuality of the homeowner, emphasizing the originality of his nature.

Minimalism in architecture: freedom and light

Elementary and three-dimensional form, flat roof, huge windows, lots of glass - this is what a cottage looks like in business, minimalist style.
Glass fragments are even mounted on the roof, and light plaster, stone or wood siding are used to decorate the facade.
Common colors are calm, natural: white, beige, olive, gray.

German-style houses: fabulous originality

These houses seem to have “jumped out” from the fairy tales of Hoffmann and the Brothers Grimm. They are compact and very neat in appearance.
The German style is characterized by laconicism, efficiency, the absence of intricate decoration and the natural color of the facade.
Such a dwelling has a square or rectangular shape, the base is covered with stone, and the gable roof is covered with red tiles.
A German house is decorated with a balcony or attic, as well as tinted boards - elements of half-timbered wood.
An original detail is the windows, separated by lintels and protected by shutters. The door is painted in a color that stands out against the background of the house.

Norwegian style: compact and environmentally friendly

A traditional Norwegian house is usually built from a carriage, that is, from half-hewn logs.
Single-story, squat, with small windows, it is nevertheless spacious inside, helped by the lack of a straight ceiling.
The decor of the exterior is primarily the texture of the building material. Color also makes its contribution to aesthetics: Norwegian houses are painted in bright and rich colors - cherry, orange, rich green.
A common occurrence is a grass roof. This is not only a folklore “twist”, but also additional protection from heat and cold.

Postmodernism in architecture

Irony and paradox, theatricality and complex figurative associations - all this is about postmodernism, whose representatives present familiar forms in an unusual context and advocate that anything can be art.

Architecture in the Provence style: rustic romanticism

Why does this style know no boundaries?
— Because Provence is the embodiment of both brilliance and naivety, and also a symbol of family values. It is believed that the name of the style was given by the French region, but “Provence” means “province”: pastoralism, simplicity, leisurely and measured - these are its main “trump cards”.
In the south of France, houses are mainly built from wild stone, making extensive use of pebbles and slate. In other places they resort to imitation, gypsum panels and slabs. But the roofs are always tiled, often multi-layered, of various levels.
The northern wall is necessarily blank. The windows on the lower floor may differ in size from the rest; they are often supplemented with sashes.
Natural colors are preferred: milky white, grass, straw. Extensions are welcome - verandas, terraces, kitchens, barns. The door is wooden, weighty, with forged hinges and a viewing window. The yard is covered with paving stones.

A house in the Provencal style is unthinkable without a plot with herbs, simple flowers and lavender in terracotta pots...

Prairie style (Wright style): harmony and functionality

“Frank Lloyd Wright is an innovative American architect. He had a huge influence on the development of Western architecture in the first half of the 20th century. Created "organic architecture" and promoted open plan architecture."

Wright-style houses blend harmoniously into the surrounding landscape and decorate it.

Ranch style: thrift and thoroughness

This exterior is one of the most popular in “one-story” America. Having absorbed the nuances of other styles, features of bungalows and “prairie buildings,” it finally took shape at the beginning of the last century.
Low-rise ranch houses are “spread out” in width, complicated by extensions, plastered and painted with light colors.
The appearance of a ranch-style house reminds us that farmers began to build such housing: harsh, unpretentious people who value work, but also good rest!

Rococo in architecture: unbridled luxury

Such houses were preferred by French aristocrats. The classical order system on the basis of which they were erected is almost invisible due to the abundant, ornate decor.
The walls of the Rococo house are literally drowning in through patterns and lace details - curls, rocailles, cartouches.
Playful arches, slender colonnades, graceful cornices and railings add idleness to the premises and a pleasant lightness to life. Artistry and mannerism permeate the Rococo building like the sun through a crystal shard.
Traditional colors are soft pastel colors.

Romanesque style in architecture: my home is my fortress

The origins of this trend lie in the Middle Ages, when citadel castles arose everywhere. Their characteristic features are primitiveness silhouette, massiveness and brutality, because protection and shelter were the main task of such monasteries.
The main building material was (and still is) stone. The construction of apses, towers with domes and arched vaults was diversified.
The window openings were narrow, like loopholes.
Of course, in modern version the Romanesque mansion does not look as trivial and rude as in ancient engravings.
The windows have become significantly larger, and the wild stone has been replaced by elegant stylization. But the principle remained unshakable: Romanesque-style mansions should be large, bulky and inaccessible in appearance.

Russian architectural style: toy house

Exterior design in the Russian style is not as monotonous as it might seem. These are houses typical of Slavic wooden architecture, and mansions in the style of Russian merchants, and noble estates.
Wood, of course, rules the roost.
A house in the Russian style rarely exceeds two floors, the roof is gable, the windows are small, covered with platbands, and a covered porch is highly desirable. Balconies, staircases, and turrets will give the mansion a resemblance to a fairy-tale hut, and intricate carved decoration and an open veranda on figured supports will resemble boyar mansions.

Scandinavian style in the exterior: Nordic character

Among the features of this direction are: natural building materials, minimal decor, glass doors, huge windows (or an entire transparent wall), which is dictated by the lack of sunlight.
Scandinavian houses are covered with either white plaster or wooden paneling, which also fulfills an aesthetic mission: doors and windows are edged with dark wood, walls are sheathed with light wood, or vice versa.
The roof can be either flat or gable.

Mediterranean style house: glamor and bliss

Residences that could only be admired on the warm coast were also included in the design encyclopedia.
Their peculiarity is their light and joyful color (white, cream, pink); flat, tiled roof; half-open verandas covered with greenery; spacious balconies and rotundas; the presence of a swimming pool and, of course, a patio.
The building may consist of several parts flowing into each other. Windows and doorways are often horseshoe-shaped.
Preference is given to natural stone, ceramics, and wood.

Modern architectural style: freedom of choice

Its value lies in democracy. This design accepts any building materials, including the latest ones.
Such a house is distinguished by its simplicity and relevance. It does not need decoration or any stylistic tricks.
A gable roof, sufficient space, panoramic glazing and energy efficiency - perhaps all that is required...

Tudor style: noble heritage

The Tudor house is the material embodiment of a truly English character. He is imposing and a little old-fashioned, like a 100% gentleman.
Formed in the 16th century, combining touches of Gothic and Renaissance, Flemish and Italian motifs, the Tudor style still remains in demand.
Its attributes are thick walls, high chimneys, turrets, lancet openings. Well, of course, half-timbered- outer frame.
In the old days, such houses were built from stone and wood, but today they use aerated concrete, panels and blocks. Beams, cornices and shutters, as before, stand out in a dark color.
The main facade almost always contains a bay window, sometimes in the form of a turret.
It is impossible not to mention the roofing: Tudor roofs are complex, with long hips and high gables, with small dormers.
The entrance is in the form of an arch, lined with stone and decorated with the family coat of arms.
The area around the house is decorated with stone sidewalks, paved paths, wrought-iron fences and, of course, an English lawn.

Half-timbered houses: ancient flavor

Glimpses of this style appeared in the 15th century in Germany. Several centuries later, half-timbered “captured” the entire Western Europe. They still turn to him today.

In essence, the half-timbered technique is a frame construction method. Its basis is fastenings made of wooden beams, racks, crossbars, and braces. They were once made of oak, intricately joined together with “secret” notches and wooden pins. The voids between the beams were compacted with clay, pebbles, and straw. The walls were plastered, whitewashed, and the frame was painted brown, cherry or black. It served as an ornament to the façade, dividing it into clear segments. Houses lined with wooden patterns are still called half-timbered.

Today, in the construction of modern half-timbered houses, insulated panels, double-glazed windows are used, and large panoramic windows are installed. Thus, combining ancient crafts and new technologies, they create an exclusive image of the home.

Farmhouse style: maximum air

This exterior is a broad category: its English modification differs significantly from the Italian one, and the Italian one from the North American one. Let's look at the general details.
Farm houses are often one-story, light in color, with unobtrusive decor. A notable feature is a large porch or open veranda, which, if space allows, can stretch along the perimeter of the house.
For finishing, either wood or materials imitating it are chosen. The windows are large, with good review, the door is often also glass...

Finnish style: scent of wood

Another type of wooden exterior.
For façade cladding, Finns use clapboard or planken.
The height is one and a half to two floors. The roof is gable, ceramic tile. There is often a terrace in front of the house, and above it a glazed balcony.
The color of the facade is wood shades or light paints: blue, gray, beige.
The highlight of a Finnish home is, of course, the sauna.

Fusion style: harmony of contradictions

This amazing style sweeps away laws and rules.
The architect and designer are free to use any materials, shapes, textures... And even principles!
Unlike eclecticism, which interweaves individual details of similar exteriors into a whole, fusion is a daring attempt to combine diametrically opposed things. For example, industrial design (loft) and baroque fragments. Or gothic with ethno.
In addition, the style involves the use of a complex color scheme, a variety of decor... And, of course, a subtle artistic flair that will not allow you to slip into architectural cacophony And design heresy.

High-tech in architecture: on the verge of fantasy

Such houses are a challenge to traditions and a demonstration of scientific achievements.
High-tech real estate is noticeable from afar thanks to wind generators and solar panels. The layout assumes significant home sizes and cubic shapes.
The walls are absolutely flat, the structure is smooth, the materials are concrete, glass, metal and plastic.
Color solution– white, black, silver, shades of various metals.
High-tech houses are also distinguished by a large glass area.
The terrace may be open, but the central door is also glass and sliding. Roofs are often flat, in the form of flat platforms, which are easy to adapt for recreation. The facades are equipped with lighting.

Czech house: a secluded place

The design of Czech cottages echoes European architectural traditions. Czech mansions are distinguished by their regular geometry, squatness, high and multifaceted tiled roofs, and stone foundations.
However, instead of tiles, they are sometimes covered with straw, which is in harmony with rural landscape. Windows and doors are streamlined, rounded...

Chalet style houses: reliable protection

It's hard to believe that in the past, the chalet was just a shepherd's house at the foot of the mountains. Cut off from civilization, this shelter had to be resilient, invulnerability, have the required level of comfort.
The foundation and first floor were built of stone, the attic was built of logs. The roof of Alpine houses is gable, flat, with significant projections turning into awnings.
The facade faces east, living rooms to the south. The chalet has at least one spacious balcony.

The chalet in its modern form is not only stone and wood, but also brick and concrete, as well as panoramic windows and a large terrace...

Chateau style house: noble nest

Actually, this was the name given to the country estates of French nobles, consisting of a castle, a park and, often, a winery. The famous Versailles is essentially a chateau.

The style of this exterior is determined by classic proportions, a large number of lancet windows decorated with frames, a multi-pitched roof, elegant gables, wide terraces, spacious balconies with forged, filigree railings and bay windows.
The walls can be finished with rusticated stone, brick, or decorated with stucco.
The base is usually made of natural stone, and the roof is made of tiles.
The chateau-style façade is a proud sign of family nobility.

Swedish style: sweet naturalness

Part of the Scandinavian style, Swedish domestic architecture continues the tradition of dramatic simplicity.
The peculiarity of the Swedish cottage is its contrasting color: its walls are painted red, and the corners, window frames and doors are highlighted in relief with white.
The buildings are often wooden, with large windows, because sunlight is especially valued in these parts.

Ethnic style: from tower to wigwam

National style is the soul of ethnic style. This could be a house resembling a Russian log house, built using timber and topped with a ridge on the roof. Or a mansion with an oriental “accent” in the form of Arabic ornaments, Persian grilles and tiles. In other words, there are as many cultures and building traditions as there are sources that feed the diverse ethno-exterior.

Japanese style in architecture: laconicism and lightness

Japanese country houses can be seen not only in the country Rising Sun. This is because Japanese style is incredibly organic.
Its strengths are clarity, perfection, and unpretentious lines.
The materials are stone, glass and wood, the palette is restrained.
Sliding doors in such a house are on each side; the central entrance is often complemented by a stepped deck, reminiscent of a porch and bridge.
The house can have a covered veranda with a wide view, and an open terrace.
The continuation of the Japanese home is an authentic landscape: a mini-pond, several picturesque boulders and a couple of dwarf pine trees will turn even an ordinary home into a philosopher’s refuge.

The architectural style reflects common features in the design of building facades, plans, forms, structures. Architectural styles were formed in certain conditions of economic and social development of society under the influence of religion, government structure, ideology, architectural traditions and national characteristics, climatic conditions, and landscape. The emergence of a new type of architectural style has always been associated with technical progress, changes in ideology and geopolitical structures of society. Let us consider some types of architectural styles that served as the basis for various trends in architecture in different periods time.

Archaic architecture

Structures erected before the 5th century BC are usually classified as archaic architecture. Stylistically, the buildings of Mesopotamia and Assyria (states of Western Asia) are related to the buildings Ancient Egypt. They are united by simplicity, monumentality, geometric shapes, and the desire for large sizes. There were also differences: Egyptian buildings are characterized by symmetry, while the architecture of Mesopotamia is characterized by asymmetry. The Egyptian temple consisted of a suite of rooms and was stretched horizontally; in the Mesopotamian temple, the rooms seem to be attached to each other randomly. In addition, one of the parts of the temple had a vertical orientation (ziggurat (sigguratu - peak) - a temple tower, a characteristic feature of the temples of the Babylonian and Assyrian civilizations).

Antique style

Antiquity, as a type of architectural style, dates back to Ancient Greece. Greek buildings were built in the likeness of the “megaron” residential building of the Cretan-Mycenaean era. In the Greek temple, the walls were made thick, massive, without windows, and a hole was made in the roof for light. The construction was based on a modular system, rhythm and symmetry.

Megaron - means “large hall” - a rectangular house with a hearth in the middle (beginning of 4 thousand BC)

The ancient architectural style became the basis for the development of the order system. There were directions in the order system: Doric, Ionic, Corinthian. The Doric order appeared in the 6th century BC, it was distinguished by its severity and massiveness. The lighter and more elegant Ionic order appeared later and was popular in Asia Minor. The Corinthian order appeared in the 5th century. BC. Colonnades became a hallmark of this type of architectural style. The architectural style, the photo of which is located below, is defined as antique, Doric order.

The Romans, who conquered Greece, adopted the architectural style, enriched it with decoration and introduced an order system into the construction of not only temples, but also palaces.

Roman style

Type of architectural style of the 10th-12th centuries. - received its name “Romanesque” only in the 19th century. thanks to art critics. The structures were created as a structure from simple geometric shapes: cylinders, parallelepipeds, cubes. Castles, temples and monasteries with powerful stone walls with teeth. In the 12th century towers with loopholes and galleries appeared at castle-fortresses.

The main buildings of that era were the temple, the fortress and the castle. The buildings of this era were simple geometric shapes: cubes, prisms, cylinders; during their construction, vaulted structures were created, the vaults themselves were made cylindrical, cross-rib, cross. In the early Romanesque architectural style, walls were painted, and by the end of the 11th century. Three-dimensional stone reliefs appeared on the facades.