Cast-iron architecture is a purely American invention, and the largest concentration of cast-iron buildings is in SOHO. Practical, easy to maintain, durable, and inexpensive cast-iron buildings started appearing in the 1840s but gained popularity by the 1860s. Cast-iron storefronts were made from pre-fabricated molds and, therefore, were cheaper and faster to produce than the ones…
Category: NYC Architectural Styles
Art Deco in New York (1920s-1930s)
Art Deco was the first architectural style in America that didn’t look back to historical styles for inspiration. It rejected historical precedents and emerged as the first truly original modern style of architecture. Art Deco was not just an architectural style but a movement that influenced fashion, art, homewares, and interior design in the 1920s…
Greek Revival in New York (1825 to 1860)
Greek Revival was the first architectural style in America not based on a British style. American culture was steeped in the English tradition, and even after the American Revolution, the aesthetics were still English. It changed after the War of 1812 when the British attempted once again to take over. The need to establish a…
High Victorian Gothic in New York
High Victorian Gothic was an eclectic architectural style and movement during the mid-late 19th century. A sub-style of the broader Gothic Revival style, it developed in England in the mid of the 19th century. Initially, this style was inspired by English medieval architecture, but later it drew from medieval French and German traditions as well. It…
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