The Architectural Fashion of Residential Neighbourhoods

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Introduction Toronto Architectural Styles

The majority of styled houses in the United States and Canada are The of residential houses in Toronto is mainly influenced by its history and its culture. modeled on one of four principal architectural traditions: Ancient Classical, Renaissance Classical, Medieval or Modern. The majority of Toronto's older buildings are loosely modeled on architectural traditions of the , such as Georgian, Victorian, and . Toronto was traditionally a peripheral city in the The earliest, the Ancient Classical Tradition, is based upon the monuments architectural world, embracing styles and ideas developed in and the United States with only limited of early Greece and . local variation. A few unique styles of architecture have emerged in Toronto, such as the and gable style house and style house. The closely related Renaissance Classical Tradition stems from a revival of interest in during the Renaissance, which began in in the The late nineteenth century Torontonians embraced and all of its diverse revival styles. 15th century. The two classical traditions, Ancient and Renaissance, share Victorian refers to the reign of (1837-1901), called the , during which period the many of the same architectural details. styles known as Victorian were used in construction. The styles often included interpretations and eclectic revivals of historic styles mixed with the introduction of Middle Eastern and Asian influences. The name The Third tradition, the Medieval, separated the Ancient Classical and the represents the British and French custom of naming architectural styles for a reigning monarch. Within this Renaissance Classical in time. The Medieval tradition includes naming and classification scheme, it follows and later , and was architecture based on the formal Gothic style used for church buildings succeeded by Edwardian architecture. during the Middle Ages, as well as that based upon the simpler domestic buildings of the same era. Most of the that has Victorian-style housing dominates a number of the city's older neighbourhoods, most notably Cabbagetown, influenced the Toronto houses originated in and . Parkdale, Rosedale, and The Annex. These neighbourhoods hold some of the largest collections of Victorian houses in North America. During this period Toronto also developed some unique styles of housing. The bay- The fourth traditions, the Modern style, began in the late 19th century and and-gable house was a simple and cost effective design that also aped the elegance of Victorian mansions. continues to the present. It is based primarily on the lack of applied ornamentation and a resulting external simplicity or "honesty", as well as Many of the world's most prominent architects have done work in Toronto, including Toronto native Frank on spatial variations made possible by new construction techniques. Gehry, Daniel Libeskind, Norman Foster, , I. M. Pei, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. 03 | The Architectural Fashion of Toronto Residential Neighbourhoods RASEK ARCHITECTS LTD

GEORGIAN

The Georgian style is highly variable, but marked by symmetry and proportion based on the of Greece and Rome, as revived in . is also normally in the classical tradition, but typically restrained, and sometimes almost completely absent on the exterior.

IDENTIFYING FEATURES Georgian architecture is characterized by its proportion and balance; simple mathematical ratios were used to determine the height of a window in relation to its width or the shape of a room as a double cube.

Paneled front door, usually centred and capped by an elaborate decorative crown (entablature) supported by decorative (flattened columns); usually with a row of small rectangular panes of glass beneath the crown, either within the door or in a transom just above; usually emphasized by decorative moldings, most commonly by tooth like ; windows aligned horizontally and vertically in symmetrical rows, usually five -ranked on front facade, less commonly three- or seven-ranked.

Form: Rectangular and symmetrical Storeys: 2 to 3 Façade: In bays: usually 5-bay fronts; , stone, clapboard Roof: Hip or end gable roof with matching chimneys Windows: Small-paned , sash usually 12-over-12 Entrance: Centred, single door, usually plain, may have shallow transom and side lights 04 | The Architectural Fashion of Toronto Residential Neighbourhoods RASEK ARCHITECTS LTD

EARLY CLASSICAL REVIVAL

The Early Classical Revival style developed at the end of the 18th century and reflected a desire to take architectural inspiration directly from the ancient buildings of Rome and Greece.While earlier styles (the Georgian and Federal styles) were also inspired by these classical forms, they relied more on architectural details and did not attempt to recreate the look of those ancient buildings. The Roman Classical Revival style (sometimes called Roman Classicism) and later the Greek Revival style emulated the form of classical Roman and Greek temples.

IDENTIFYING FEATURES Entry porch (portico) dominating the front facade and normally equaling it in height; porch roof usually supported by four simple columns (Roman Doric or Tuscan Types) each with a shallow square base (plinth); the columns support a prominent centred gable; a semi-circular or elliptical fanlight normally occurs above paneled front door; windows aligned horizontally and vertically in symmetrical rows, usually five-ranked on front facade, less commonly three-ranked or seven-ranked. Neoclassical Architecture is characterized by grandeur of scale, simplicity of geometric forms, Greek—especially Doric or Roman detail, dramatic use of columns, and a preference for blank walls.

Form: Box-like, symmetrical Storeys: 2 to 3 Façade: In bays: usually 3-bay fronts, quoins on corners Roof: Hip or end gable roof with matching chimneys Windows: Small-paned , usually 9-over-9 or 6-over-6 Entrance: Centred, decorative with pilasters and sidelights, transoms, fan lights around single door. 05 | The Architectural Fashion of Toronto Residential Neighbourhoods RASEK ARCHITECTS LTD

REGENCY

Regency architecture refers to classical buildings built in Britain during the in the early 19th century when George IV was Prince Regent, and also to earlier and later buildings following the same style.The style is strictly the late phase of Georgian architecture, and follows closely on from the Neo-classical style of the preceding years, which indeed continued to be produced throughout the period.

IDENTIFYING FEATURES Regency architecture is especially distinctive in its houses, and also marked by an increase in the use of a range of eclectic "revival" styles, from Gothic through Greek to Indian, as alternatives to the main neoclassical stream.

Form: Low, rectangular and symmetrical Storeys: 1 or 1-1/2, occasionally 2 Façade: In bays: 3 to 5- bay fronts Roof: Hip, may have dormer, often has iron cresting Windows: Tall, often “French”, 6-over-6 Entrance: Centred, often recessed with sidelights and transom 06 | The Architectural Fashion of Toronto Residential Neighbourhoods RASEK ARCHITECTS LTD

GREEK REVIVAL

The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. American interest in the culture of ancient Greece grew from sympathy for the Greek War of Independence (1821-1830) and emerging archaeological finds showing Greece as the earliest democracy.

IDENTIFYING FEATURES Greek Revival style buildings can take several forms (even appearing occasionally as townhouses with strong columned front entries), but are most easily identifiable by the presence of a columned entry, a front facing gable or , pilasters at the front façade corners, or a wide cornice with small windows.

Form: Rectangular, symmetrical, centre portion tall, may have single storey wings; Distinguished by columns Storeys: 2 Façade: Brick or clapboard, (rare) 2 storey centre, double height columns, often with porch Roof: Front temple-pediment gable Windows: Small-paned sash , usually 9-over-9 or 6-over-6 07 | The Architectural Fashion of Toronto Residential Neighbourhoods RASEK ARCHITECTS LTD

GOTHIC REVIVAL

The Gothic Revival style is part of the mid-19th century picturesque and romantic movement in architecture, reflecting the public's taste for buildings inspired by medieval design. This was a real departure from the previously popular styles that drew inspiration from the classical forms of ancient Greece and Rome.

IDENTIFYING FEATURES The most commonly identifiable feature of the Gothic Revival style is the pointed arch, used for windows, doors, and decorative elements like porches, dormers, or roof gables. Other characteristic details include steeply pitched roofs and front facing gables with delicate wooden trim called vergeboards or bargeboards. This distinctive incised wooden trim is often referred to as "gingerbread" and is the feature most associated with this style.

Form: Usually symmetrical , tall with peaks Storeys: 1 ½ + Façade: Stone, board and batten, brick Roof: Steeply pitched roof, front gable(s) usually with decorative bargeboard Windows: Arched under peaked gables, occasionally bay on first level, often have drip moulds Entrance: Centred, door often with sidelights and transom Verandas: Usually have bargeboard, often second storey above entrance 08 | The Architectural Fashion of Toronto Residential Neighbourhoods

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ITALIANATE

The Italian /Italianate style was also part of the romantic and picturesque movement, a quest to provide architectural forms that evoked a romanticized region or earlier period of history. The Italianate style was modeled after the medieval farmhouses of the Italian countryside. These farmhouses were irregularly shaped and seemed to fit naturally into their rustic settings, an important objective of the Romantic Movement.

IDENTIFYING FEATURES The most outstanding feature of the Italianate Villa style is the square tower, topped with a bracketed cornice. Italianate houses are easily distinguished by their gently sloping roofs and deep overhanging eaves, which are seemingly supported by a row of decorative brackets, or corbels. Brick, stone or stucco is used to construct the exterior. Tall, rounded windows.

Form: Square , or rectangular “T” or “L” shaped. Tall. Italianate have distinguishing tower or Storeys: 2-3 Façade: Stone, Brick, Clapboard; Villas can be stucco Roof: Hip, low-pitch with wide overhanging eaves and large decorative brackets; on “L” shaped buildings may have front gable Windows: Tall, narrow, frequently round arched and with ornate detailing above called hood or drip moulds. Windows often are paired. Bay windows at the side. L-shaped Italianate houses often have a round (ocular) window in peak. Entrance: Often porch or portico, single or paired doors with details similar to those over windows. Centred only in villas. Porches: Single-story entry porches with supporting square posts Towers: Some Italian Villas have square towers, , or belvederes 09 | The Architectural Fashion of Toronto Residential Neighbourhoods RASEK ARCHITECTS LTD

SECOND EMPIRE

The Second had its beginnings in France, where it was the chosen style during the reign of III (1852-70), France's Second Empire, hence its name.Well- attended exhibitions in in 1855 and 1867 helped to spread to England and then the United States and Canada.

IDENTIFYING FEATURES Second Empire mansions or public buildings are often elaborately detailed, but many other buildings of this style have only the curving lines of the shingled to mark them. Other commonly seen details are a bracketed cornice beneath the mansard roof, round arched windows, decorative dormer windows, an iron crest at the roofline, and columned porches or porticoes.

Form: Tall, can be either symmetrical or asymmetrical; In asymmetrical houses, a central pavilion often extends above house Storeys: 2+ Façade: Multiple surfaces, usually brick or stone Roof: Mansard, with dormers. Iron , often slate tiled, wide with heavy brackets, may have tower or turret Windows: Tall, slender, 2-over-2 sash with decorative moulds or voussoirs. Bay windows also common. Entrance: Usually in porch or portico, paired doors 10 | The Architectural Fashion of Toronto Residential Neighbourhoods RASEK ARCHITECTS LTD

QUEEN ANN

The name refers to the Renaissance style architecture popular during the reign of England's Queen Anne (1702-1714).For many, the Queen Anne style typifies the architecture of the Victorian age. The Queen Anne style evolved from those early English designs to become a distinctly North American style with numerous, sometimes regional variations.

IDENTIFYING FEATURES With its distinctive form, abundance of decorative detail, corner tower, expansive porches and richly patterned wall surfaces, the Queen Anne style is easy to identify.While the Queen Anne style can take a variety of forms, certain key elements are commonly found. Queen Anne buildings almost always have a steep roof with cross gables or large dormers, an asymmetrical front façade, and an expansive porch with decorative wood trim.

Form: High and wide, asymmetrical, complex Storeys: 2+ Façade: Irregular, multiple surfaces with intricate woodwork, brickwork, occasionally in stone Roof: Steep pitch with multiple rooflines and gables, original roofs are often slate Windows: Tall, sash 1-over-1, also palladium, bay and oriel, may have stained -glass windows and transoms Entrance: In verandah, ornate door with glass inserts Verandas: Usually present, can be wide, wrap-around with round columns 11 | The Architectural Fashion of Toronto Residential Neighbourhoods RASEK ARCHITECTS LTD

ROMANEQUE REVIVAL

The Romanesque Revival style was introduced in North America in the mid 19th century, as architectural ideas from Europe, based on the buildings of ancient Rome, were imported here. Only a few public buildings were built in this style until the talented and influential American embraced the style in the 1870s and 1880s.

IDENTIFYING FEATURES Buildings of Romanesque Revival style are most easily identified by their pronounced round arches and heavy, massive stone or brick construction. Most have round towers, squat columns and decorative plaques with intricate or interlacing patterns. Since masonry buildings were more expensive to build than wooden ones, Romanesque Revival structures are less common than some of the other Victorian era styles executed in wood.

Form: Asymmetrical, Richardsonian is massive Storeys: 2+ Façade: Richardsonian: Weight and mass in building appearance, rough-faced square stone sometimes with smooth red brick walls, and cut-stone foundations Roof: Steep pitch. Round towers with cone-shaped roofs Windows: Openings often arched Entrance: Recessed, within arched entranceway Verandas: Usually present with stone columns 12 | The Architectural Fashion of Toronto Residential Neighbourhoods RASEK ARCHITECTS LTD

BEAUX ARTS

The Beaux Arts style, named for the premier French school of architecture, the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, was introduced to the United States by American architects like Richard Morris Hunt who attended the prestigious school in the late nineteenth- century. With its grandiose treatment of classic architectural forms, the Beaux Arts style was seen as an ideal expression of both corporate or wealth and civic pride. Buildings of this style are both formal and monumental with abundant and opulent decorative details.

IDENTIFYING FEATURES The Beaux Arts style uses formal symmetry, Italian Renaissance form, and classical Greek and Roman decorative elements like columns, and balustrades to create a grand and imposing architectural statement. Exterior decorative details include may include quoins, , terraces, porches, and porticoes as well as ornamental windows and grand entrances.

Form: Symmetrical, tall Storeys: 2+ Façade: Lavish, ornamental. Paired columns frequent, smooth masonry, with paired columns or pilasters, quoins, wall surfaces may have decorative garlands Roof: Low pitched with tall parapet or pediment or , heavy decorated cornices Windows: Tall, often framed by columns or pilasters Entrance: Recessed behind columns or pilasters 13 | The Architectural Fashion of Toronto Residential Neighbourhoods RASEK ARCHITECTS LTD

BAY AND GABLE

A Bay-and-Gable is a distinct of house that is ubiquitous in the older parts of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was one of the most common forms of house built in late nineteenth and early twentieth century Toronto. The style was well suited to the layout of the city and the tastes of Torontonians. Toronto architectural tastes in this era were dominated by the various Victorian Revival styles, especially Gothic Revival. The older parts of the city such as Cabbagetown and Little Italy are still home to many hundreds of examples. IDENTIFYING FEATURES The classic bay and gable is a red brick semi-detached structure that is two and a half storeys tall, though many variations also exist. The style was also very flexible. The typical bay-and-gable house was made out of brick, but ones made completely out of wood were also easily produced. Bay-and-gable houses were most often built as semi-detached buildings, but the basic design could also easily be modified into a stand-alone or row house format and many examples of both exist in Toronto. There are many variations on the bay-and-gable found in Toronto. One of the most common simplifications on the style is to replace the bay window with a flat wall. 14 | The Architectural Fashion of Toronto Residential Neighbourhoods RASEK ARCHITECTS LTD

MODERN

Modern architecture or modernist architecture is a term applied to a group of styles of architecture which emerged at the end of the 19th century from revolutions in technology, engineering and building materials, and from a desire to break away from historical architectural styles and to invent something that was purely functional and new. continued to be the dominant architectural style for institutional and corporate buildings into 1980s, when it was challenged by postmodernism, and then by "neomodernism".

Contemporary Architecture Contemporary architecture is the architecture of the 21st century. No single style is dominant; contemporary architects are working in a dozen different styles.The different styles and approaches have in common the use of very advanced technology and modern building materials.

Contemporary buildings are designed to be noticed and to astonish. Some feature concrete structures wrapped in glass or aluminum screens, very asymmetric facades, and cantilevered sections which hang over the street. Skyscrapers twist, or break into crystal-like facets. 15 | The Architectural Fashion of Toronto Residential Neighbourhoods RASEK ARCHITECTS LTD

References & Links

References Kalman, Harold D. A History of Canadian Architecture. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1994. Ricketts, Shannon; Maitland, Leslie; Hucker, Jacqueline , A guide to Canadian architectural styles, Broadview Press, 2004.

Links to Google Architecture of Toronto Pennsylvania Architectural Field Guide Ontario Architecture Ontario Architectural Style Guide - University of Waterloo

Note: This publication is a compilation collected from multiple sources available to RASEK ARCHITECTS. We take no credit for any of the materials published here.