As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, 海角精品黑料 presents 鈥�250 Years of America,鈥� a multipart series examining the innovations, breakthroughs, and pivotal moments that have shaped the nation since 1778.
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Washington, D.C.鈥檚 architectural history spans Gothic Victorians, practical Colonials and stately Greek Revivals.
When colonists arrived in the area more than 250 years ago, Georgian architecture was the most common house style. Named for Great Britain鈥檚 King George, Georgian homes are symmetrical, with flat-fronted, relatively non-ornamental facades and gable roofs.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what most people think of when they think of a house. They draw a box [with] the triangle on top. That鈥檚 a gable roof,鈥� said Joe Himali, a licensed real estate broker and architecture influencer who leads walking tours in the District. 鈥淚t is very popular in our area, and you鈥檒l see that specifically in Georgetown. You鈥檒l see it also on Capitol Hill.鈥�
After the American Revolution, however, Georgian became an undesirable name. With the Federal Party in control of the U.S. government, the style became known as Federal. Similar to Georgian architecture, Federal homes were lighter and slightly more decorative.
鈥淭he most important difference between Federal and Georgian is generally the front door,鈥� Himali said. 鈥淵ou鈥檒l have what鈥檚 called a fanlight, or a window above the door that鈥檚 sort of a half arch.鈥�
Federal homes also typically featured sidelights, narrow windows on either side of the front door.
Today, both Georgian and Federal homes are often referred to as Colonial.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e looking in Northwest D.C., and you see these houses in American University Park, they call them Center Hall Colonials,鈥� Himali said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 actually generally a Georgian or Federal style house, but we just don鈥檛 call it that anymore.鈥�
After the Federal style came the Greek Revival movement, which tied back to the earliest democracy. The goal was to connect the history of the new nation to ancient cultures as a way to legitimize the U.S. governmental structure. Greek Revival homes are symmetrical and often white, with large front columns.
One hallmark characteristic of Greek Revival architecture can be seen at the Supreme Court and National Archives buildings.
鈥淎bove the columns, there will be a big triangle,鈥� Himali said. 鈥淭hat is called a pediment, and that pediment is a major style choice with the Greek Revival.鈥�
Another detail is dentil molding, small blocks resembling teeth beneath the roofline.
The Industrial Revolution helped usher in Victorian architecture, known for elaborate and decorative elements. Unique curves and shapes could now be machine-made rather than crafted by hand.
鈥淚t sort of took a mishmash of different things and mixed it all together in a big pot, and came up with these crazy architectural styles,鈥� Himali said. 鈥淭urrets sticking out, conical roofs, and asymmetrical shapes. The front doors on the left, a big tower on the right, and these weird windows all over the place.鈥�
Victorian homes were generally larger houses for the upper middle class. Several styles fall under the Victorian umbrella, including Queen Anne, Italianate and Second Empire.
Himali said his favorite is Romanesque Revival, which features a Roman arch surrounded by short columns. One example is the Heurich House Museum in Dupont Circle.
鈥淸It鈥檚] very dark and brooding, but it鈥檚 just exuberant on the inside,鈥� Himali said.
The pendulum later swung back toward the Arts and Crafts movement, which emphasized humanity and imperfection in construction. Homes featured exposed natural wood, color, increased light and stronger connections to nature. A popular Craftsman home type was the bungalow, found in Northeast and Southeast Washington.
After World War I, Americans were feeling optimistic, fueling the Art Deco movement. New materials such as stainless steel and chrome symbolized modernity during the machine age. Two well-known Art Deco buildings in Washington are the Kennedy-Warren Apartment Building and the Greyhound bus terminal.
鈥淵ou鈥檒l see a lot of this machine-look stainless steel,鈥� Himali said. 鈥淪leek lines and then very angular.鈥�
Modernism arrived after World War II and is now commonly referred to as Mid-Century Modern. The movement aimed to strip away decoration in favor of a more egalitarian approach. International Style buildings often featured rows of concrete and glass windows.
鈥淭his is also where you get the term 鈥榝orm follows function鈥� or 鈥榣ess is more,鈥欌�� Himali said. 鈥淸It鈥檚] almost a socialist point of view, that we don鈥檛 need ornamentation.鈥�
But criticism of Mid-Century Modern鈥檚 strict, machine-like appearance led to Postmodernism, which reintroduced bold shapes and colors and encouraged homeowners to express personality through design.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 need to have square walls with 90-degree angles,鈥� Himali said. 鈥淟et鈥檚 do 30-degree angles, and we鈥檒l drop the ceilings to eight feet, and we鈥檒l popcorn ceilings up.鈥�
Today, architecture in Washington often blends historic character with modern design elements, including high ceilings, open floor plans and large windows. The city stands out for its range of home styles, reflecting centuries of changing tastes and technologies.
To book a walking tour with Himali, visit .
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