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How to Talk About Architecture
By Alexa11221 | January 10, 2008
A few key words and phrases to memorize in preparation for Friday’s Real Estate Picks.
Row of bay-fronted brownstones (triangular bays)
Bowfront under renovation.
Asymmetrical bay-fronts stepping out to corner building flush with the property line.
Asymmetrical bay-front in middle of block (note mansard roof to the right)
Row of brick houses with mansards and dormers.
Hanging corner turret (on left) + bow window on right.
Hanging corner bay.
Tripartite bay windows on new housing.
I took these pictures on a few blocks in Central Stuy, so you should be able to find examples near you too.
January 10th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
A hanging bay - one whose projection doesn’t reach to the ground and is therefore cantilevered out from the face of the building - is also known as an oriel. The same term is also used for a round window.
January 10th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Love it! Thanks!
January 10th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Wow. Thank you. Will there be a test?
January 10th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
@Xris - An oriel is a specific type of hanging bay, usually seen in Gothic Revival buildings. I would probably be more inclined to use the term oriel for a smaller feature. Not to say that you’re incorrect–this is in no way an exact science. But oriel windows are not round windows — maybe you are thinking of oeil d’boeuf? One of my fave architecture terms, I just hope I spelled it correctly.
@ Newbie2 - There will be a pop quiz. You better be prepared!
January 10th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Thanks! Very informative! Keep ‘em coming!
January 11th, 2008 at 1:00 am
I absolutely loved this little lesson on different styles on homes. Alexa - hats off to you for sharing your knowledge, and taking the pictures. Did you walk around a lot during these nice warm days we were having to take these pictures? Whereabouts were most of them. I’ve love to take an architectural walking tour of these!
Not sure I like the triangular bays, but on these brownstones they look nice, but on a frame house forget it!
Bowfront home looks gorgeous look at those pocket shutters.
Can a mansard roof not have dormers?
turret and corner hanging bays are lovely also.
Are one of these homes yours? Can’t image you knowing so much about this stuff and not owning something thats beautiful like all of these homes.
January 11th, 2008 at 10:14 am
@Anonymous: These are all on Greene Ave on my walk home from the G train, except for the new houses, which are on Clifton between Nostrand and Marcy. The bay-fronts face Von King Park, the mansards and asymmetrical bay-fronts are are between Tompkins & Throop, the bow-front and hanging turret are between Marcus Garvey & Lewis and the hanging corner bay is on Lewis at the corner of Greene.
One thing I love about this neighborhood is that it’s possible to see great examples of 19th century architecture on almost any block. Walk around some and see!
January 11th, 2008 at 10:37 am
this was a lovely and informing lesson. thanks!
January 11th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
I live in, according to these descriptions, an asymmetrical bay front (it’s rounded off not flat plane). It is semi-attached and the first in a series of many tripartite bay front brownstones, and protrudes out beyond all the others. I always thought of it as a bookend to the block.
January 11th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
hey that’s my house! (second from last- hanging corner turret (on left) + bow window on right.) sometimes i forget how beautiful it is. thanks for noticing.
January 12th, 2008 at 1:08 am
Wow sha! You are very fortunate to live in such a lovely home!
January 12th, 2008 at 10:15 am
Hi Sha! I really like your block, it has a lot of interesting and unusual houses on the north side. The south side has more uniform houses with their own type of beauty.
Your house is a fine example of brick Romanesque Revival/Queen Anne with gorgeous terracotta details. I also like the way the entrance has been turned into a south-facing sun porch. Perfect in the winter!
January 12th, 2008 at 10:42 am
In San Francisco, there are three types of Victorian bays:
1. Eastlake Stick (rectangular)
2. Queen Anne (curved)
3. Italianate - triangular
January 12th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Anonymous: Can you please tell me what are the signs of the Eastlake style? A co-worker said the details of the woodwork in my house is indicative of the Eastlake style and I wanted to learn more about it. Any resources (web sites, please) that might help me research my house? Anything you know would be exrtemely helpful. Thank you.
January 12th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Eastlake is Charles Eastlake. He was a British architect who wrote a book called Hints on Household Taste (US pub date 1872). Here are a few links
http://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/art/htmls/ms_eastlake.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastlake_Style
http://www.drloriv.com/lectures/eastlake.asp
It’s a style which was originally seen in furniture but his book was very successful in the US and there was a huge “Eastlake movement.” The term has come to have pretty broad application, but mostly it refers to low-relief applied and incised decoration, rather than deep relief carvings. I didn’t include any examples of Eastlake style decoration amongst my photos, but they are certainly there to be seen.
January 15th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
We really need to get out area landmarked these homes are beautiful… Well not really feeling the new construction… How can we get more trees in BS… In reading old newspapers from 1900 this area was know for canopy trees over the streets but in the 30s most came down due to worms… This area would like so much better with tree lined streets…
March 28th, 2008 at 10:33 am
This is so helpful. Thanks!