Victorian_Architecture

=Victorian Architecture=
 * Matt Bernstein, Ben Karlin, and Seth Litwack**

In Victorian England, there were many different kinds of architecture. As we can see in __Pride and Prejudice__, many families lived in estates. Social class played an important role in determining the type of architecture that was used in building these estates. One could often tell a person's social standing by looking at the type of estate that a person lived in. This type of architecture emphasized building large structures with a lot of decorative aspects. The architecture of this era overlaps with the rule of Queen Victoria in England.

Pemberley Estate
While Austen provides few details as to the specific nature of the architecture comprising the Pemberley Estate, many inferences can be made based on the nature of the estate's residence and the few clues the author leaves behind. Pemberley is portrayed as a "large, handsome, stone building" (Austen, p. 235) and its lavish furnishings are described in depth. Such an arrangement was not unusual for a family of such high social standing and large fortune of the Darcys, and upper class citizens of Victorian society often enjoyed such extravagant estates. It can be further deduced that the Pemberley architecture was influenced by the Romanesque Revival style, an architectural technique making use of stone as one of its primary construction materials [2].

Lady Catherine's Estate (Rosings)
Little more details are provided in regards to the Rosings estate then were given in the description of Pemberley, however one key clue has yet again been left behind to aid a diligent searcher. Mr. Collins pays special regard to the decorated windows at the front of the building, a trait indicative of the Neo-Renaissance style architecture that was responsible for the first "picture windows". Special care is taken to instill in the reader a sense of awe at the fine furnishings that adorn the Rosings estate, and yet again such materialism can only be the result of high social standing and excessive wealth. The Rosings estate is an excellent example of the dwelling places of those at the top of the social hierarchy [2].

Jacobethan Architecture
This English Revival style of architecture was popular around the 1830's, and derived most of its inspiration from the English Renaissance(1550-1625). The most well known examples of Jacobethan Architecture are Mentmore in Buckinghamshire and Sandringham House in Norfolk, England. The detailing of Jacobethan architecture includes some aspects of Gothic Architecture, such as pointed arches and steep roof gables. Elizabethan Architecture is also a large part of Jacobethan Architecture in that most Jacobethan Architecture includes the use of masonry with light stone detail around windows and doors, as well as rounded arches. Other features of Jacobethan Architecture include "Tudor" arches, terra cotta brickwork, and pillars to support porches [3].

Queen Anne Architecture
This style of architecture was popular in the late nineteenth century. It should not be confused with the architecture during the reign of Queen Anne in the early eighteenth century. Queen Anne architecture was formed at the same time the industrial revolution was taking place and was possibly a product of it. However, it is often called romantic and feminine. The main advocates of Queen Anne style architecture include Norman Shaw and George Devey. Often, architects borrowed ideas from the earlier medieval era. The style combined brickwork with woodwork or limestone and the overall shape of a Queen Anne house is asymmetrical. The windows, entrances, and porches were done in a free Renaissance style. Types of detailing that are found on Queen Anne homes include spindled, free classic, half-timbered, and patterned Masonry. While some Queen Anne houses are lavishly decorated, others are more unadorned. This style of architecture overlaps with the arts and crafts movement of the late nineteenth century, which was characterized by simplicity of design [6].

Neo-Renaissance Architecture
Neo-Renaissance architecture covers many aspects of revival style of Italian modes in the 19th century. It includes styles of buildings that began in Florence and central Italy in the 15th century. Nevertheless, many consider the structures of Neo-Renaissance style to overlap with that of the Italianate. Charles Barry introduced the Neo-Renaissance to England in the early 19th century with his design of the Travellers Club and the Pall Mall. Throughout Europe Neo-Renaissance was the style for public buildings, universities, opera houses, banks, and urban villas. The most common feature of the Neo-Renaissance was the great staircases that were copied from the chateaux of Blois and Chambord. However, apart from the original Renaissance, Neo-Renaissance included an innovative use of glass to give protection form the weather. Improvements in glass also provided for the first “picture windows” that were made of sheets of plate glass. The period of Neo-Renaissance architecture was the first time the rooms of a building could be decorated differently. Moreover, Neo-Renaissance existed in many countries, but it took on different forms in each of these nations [5].

Romanesque Revival Architecture
This form of Victorian architecture, popular in the late 19th century, was inspired by the Romanesque style of architecture from the 11th and 12th centuries. The most prominent features of these buildings are large, rounded arches, semicircular arches over windows, and continuous rows of bricks, tiles, stones, or shingles. Other features are cavernous entryways and large rounded towers. The arches used in this style were for the purpose of highlighting an entryway or pulling together different parts of the building visually. This style became very popular for courthouses and universities in the 20th century. The University of California, Los Angeles is known for utilizing Romanesque Revival architectural styles for their buildings [1, 7].

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Neoclassical Architecture
Neoclassical Architecture was a style that was produced by the neoclassical movement and began in the mid-18th century. This architecture was mainly based off the architecture of Classical Greece. British architects such as George Dance, Henry Holland, Sir John Soane, James Wyatt, and Thomas Harrison developed Neoclassical Architecture in England, by taking much of their ideas from Paris, where the architecture originated. The interior was based on exterior architecture of Roman basilicas and temples. This type of architecture was used to make Sir John Soane's Bank of England in London [4].

media type="custom" key="260577" width="300" height="203" Video: Buildings of Victorian Architecture

=Work Cited=

1. "Architectural Styles." __Doing it with Style__. Riverside Avondale Preservation, Inc.. 28 Oct 2007 <[|http://riverside-avondale.com/architectural%20styles.htm>.]

2. Austen, Jane. Pride And Prejudice. New York City: Penguin Group, 2005.

= = 3. "Jacobethan." __Wikipedia__. Wikipedia. 28 Oct 2007 <[|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacobethan_architecture>.]

4. "Neoclassical Architecture." __Wikipedia__. Wikipedia. 28 Oct 2007 <[|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoclassical_architecture>.]

5. "Neo-Renaissance." __Wikipedia__. Wikipedia. 28 Oct 2007 <[|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Renaissance>.]

6. "Queen Anne Style architecture." __Wikipedia__. Wikipedia. 28 Oct 2007 <[|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Anne_Style_architecture>.]

7. "Romanesque Revival architecture ." __Wikipedia__. Wikipedia. 28 Oct 2007 <[|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanesque_Revival_architecture>.]