RE COM CAR M I CITY OF NEW ORLEANS S X S U IO E I N V Vieux Carré Commission ES TA 36 BLISHED 19 Guidelines for Building Types & Architectural Styles BUILDING TYPES & ARCHITECTURAL STYLES SECTION INDEX The Vieux Carré is comprised of a unique mix of • Building Types & Architectural Styles; Changes Over Time architectural types and styles representative of the – 02-2 French Quarter’s 300-year development. The buildings • Building Types – 02-3 reflect the city’s diverse history including French and Creole Cott age – 02-3 Spanish rule, Caribbean/West Indies influence and varied uses such as shipping, commerce, banking and tourism, Townhouse – 02-4 all of which provide a mix of materials and cultures that Center-hall – 02-6 impart the district’s unique character. In the Vieux Carré Outbuilding – 02-7 today, many of the buildings were constructed in the Shotgun – 02-8 early-19th century with the earliest dating from the 18th • Architectural Styles – 02-10 century. Creole – 02-10 Just as the French Quarter is disti ncti ve and diverse, Greek Revival – 02-11 so is the terminology that describes its architectural Italianate – 02-12 types, styles and details. There are numerous books Eastlake – 02-13 documenti ng the historical and architectural development of the district. These Guidelines are intended to provide Colonial Revival/Neoclassical Revival – 02-14 a brief overview to recognize and describe the most Arts and Craft s – 02-15 prevalent historic building types and architectural styles • high-Style Versus Individual Style; Alterati ons to Building in the Vieux Carré. Types & Styles – 02-16 All applicants must obtain a Vieux Carré Commission (VCC) The fi rst step in using these Guidelines is to understand a permit as well as all other necessary City permits prior to property’s color rati ng. The rati ng corresponds to the historical proceeding with any work. Reviewing and becoming familiar and/or architectural signifi cance and then determines what with these Guidelines during the early stages of a project can type of change will be permitt ed and the review process assist in moving a project quickly through the permit approval required for each property under the jurisdicti on of the VCC. process, saving an applicant both ti me and money. Staff Review boxes provided throughout the Guidelines indicate the review of all details is required to ensure proposed work is lowest level of review required for the specifi ed work. Staff appropriate to a specifi c property. can forward any applicati on to the architectural Committ ee Guidelines addressing additi onal historic property topics are (aC) and/or the Commission for further considerati on. available at the VCC offi ce and on its website at www.nola. gov/vcc. For more informati on, to clarify whether a proposed Greater Lesser Pink Blue Green Yellow Purple Signifi cance Brown Signifi cance project requires VCC review, or to obtain a property rati ng of Orange signifi cance or a permit applicati on, contact the VCC at (504) Review Process 658-1420. 1 2 3 BUILDING TYPES & ARCHITECTURAL STYLES Distinguishing a building type from an architectural style can be confusing to someone unfamiliar with the terminology. To simplify, a building’s type is the basic form and massing of the building, whereas its architectural style describes the detailing applied to the form. Type addresses the overall size, shape and proportions of a building and the configuration of its rooms. Style refers to the decorative elements applied to a specific form, such as brackets or type of window or door. When a building type like a shotgun is combined with elements of an architectural style, such as Greek Revival, the final product is a Greek This is a rare example of residential Spanish architecture Revival shotgun, which contains the bones of one and the remaining in the Vieux Carré. Note the stacked barrel tile styling of the other. parapet. It is important to keep in mind that some building types are CHANGES OVER TIME closely associated with specific styles, such as a bungalow Trends in building types and styles demonstrate changes in and Arts and Crafts. By contrast, some combinations almost technology, a response to a historic event and/or fashion. never happen, for example a Creole cottage with Eastlake Beyond reflecting shifting preferences, building types detailing. and architectural styles tell the story of the Vieux Carré’s development and broader societal changes. Prior to the fires of 1788 and 1794, the majority of the French Quarter’s building stock was constructed from wood cleared from the early settlement area. Following these fires, with the growing ability to manufacture bricks and the requirements of Spanish law, brick-between-posts (briquete-entre-poteaux) and masonry structures became more common. Toward the end of the 19th century with the inexpensive construction cost of a shotgun house, wood framed buildings were once again popular. Three centuries of living and building are what have created the “distinctive character” of the Vieux Carré. The overall pattern of the streets, lots, buildings and landmarks was established in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, the general appearance of a street vista and the character of an individual building represent an accumulation of several periods and cultural influences. This Greek Revival cottage has a projecting porch with Determining the rectangular posts and a bracketed cornice with a decorative original type parapet. and style of a building can be SELECTION OF TYPES & STYLES FOR challenging. The THIS SECTION ground floor of There are a wide variety of buildings in the Vieux Carré. this example The types and styles found on the following pages are has many of the those that occur most often. The descriptions of these characteristics of types and styles will be useful to most property owners. a Creole cottage, As a result, some have been omitted. If a specific while the second property does not seem to fit any of the types and/or floor addition styles described in these Guidelines, please consult the has features of books and other resources on New Orleans architecture an Italianate referenced on page 01-14 of the Guidelines Introduction, shotgun double. on the VCC website www.nola.gov/vcc, or contact the VCC Staff at (504) 658-1420 for assistance. 02-2 Vieux Carré Commission – Guidelines for Building Types & Architectural Styles BUILDING TYPES All of the Creole cottages pictured have a side gable roof This four-bay Creole cottage has wood weatherboard siding, with dormers. The cottage in the foreground has a stucco a side gable roof with an abat-vent, a central brick chimney finish, while brick-between-post construction is visible at the with a “V” cap and two gabled, dormer windows. neighboring house. CreolE Cottage The Creole cottage, constructed from the 1790s to 1870s, is the earliest remaining Open Air local housing type in the city of New Orleans. It is a vernacular type – designed Loggia and built by owners and builders to fit local needs – and heavily influenced by both French and Spanish construction methods and the local climate. The typical Creole cottage is 1- to 1-1/2- stories tall, 2-rooms wide and 2-rooms deep, often with two small storage rooms (cabinets), flanking a covered, open-air loggia. Creole cottages have a hipped or side gabled roof, frequently with tall, narrow, gabled dormer windows. A typical Creole cottage façade is symmetrical with four openings, usually four sets of French doors or two sets of French doors and two double-hung or casement windows, all shuttered. The front façade is sheltered from the weather by an overhang (abat-vent) or roof overhang that directs rain away from the front façade. Earlier examples of Creole cottages are constructed of brick-between- posts or masonry, with smooth plaster or wood weatherboard sheathing. later examples of Creole cottages are often of wood-frame construction with wood weatherboard siding. While the Creole cottage is a vernacular type with minimal stylistic features, cottages built in different eras may exhibit subtle stylistic details of their period, such as arched or flat-topped windows, dentil moldings or “Greek Key” door First Floor Plan surrounds. In some cases, Italianate details were added to update an older cottage. Hipped Roof Gable Roof with Gable Roof with Gable Roof with Parapets & Abat-Vent Canted Overhang Overhang Vieux Carré Commission – Guidelines for Building Types & Architectural Styles 02-3 This porte-cochere townhouse includes a carriageway in the Many of the French Quarter’s Greek Revival townhouses right bay, providing access to the rear courtyard. The full- include granite piers topped by a granite lintel at the width balcony is accessed by four sets of French doors. ground floor and a brick or stucco façade above. TownhOuse The townhouse building type, or some variation thereof, is common because its vertical massing and long, narrow footprint make efficient use of land. Common in the Vieux Carré from about the 1790s to 1890s, the townhouse building type is a 2- to 4-story, 1- to 2-room wide, 2-room deep masonry building with distinct vertical massing, a side gable or hipped roof and an orientation towards the street. The townhouse type first appeared in its Creole form in the late colonial period, but the basic type remained for the better part of a century as the American townhouse gained popularity. In townhouses from different periods of construction, the shape, type and style of windows vary, and whether or not a projection, such as a balcony or gallery, is present. The main block of a townhouse is typically rectangular in plan with a service building attached or semi-attached either to the rear at one side of the house or, alternatively, located along the rear edge of the property providing additional bedrooms or a garçonnière, and historically, a kitchen.