# Your City's Distinctive Housing



## NorthaBmore (Jul 17, 2008)

It seems to me that most major cities have a certain distinctive style or styles of housing that set that city apart. These styles are easily recognizable not only as being from a specific country, but as being from that specific city. In this thread you can post pictures of the distinctive styles of housing that your city has developed- housing that would be easily recognizable in a picture as your city.


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## NorthaBmore (Jul 17, 2008)

Here in Baltimore, USA the main feature of the urban landscape is row houses. Some of the distinctive row house styles that we have developed here in Baltimore include: 
The swell-front row house, as seen here in the Hampden neighborhood:
















The most ubiquitous row house in the city, however, and the one that most represents Baltimore is the green-tiled overhang with porch. These can be seen in almost every neighborhood; these are in Coldstream:








Baltimoreans in many neighborhoods, particularly south and east of the CBD, have adopted the unique practice of building rooftop decks on top of their row houses:
















Finally, we have adopted the practice of covering old brick row houses in fake stone called formstone. I haven't seen this anywhere except Baltimore:


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## gabrielbabb (Aug 11, 2006)

Mexico City must be these kind of XIXcentury combined with art deco in Roma and Condesa neighbourhoods

Colonia Roma y Colonia Condesa, Ciudad de México








Las calles de la colonia roma, a mi parecer son románticas.













Algunas casas de Obregón están siendo restauradas y usadas como oficinas o restaurantes.


El camellon de esta avenida se encuentra engalanado con hermosas esculturas y fuentes.



























Esta hermosa construcción ahora es un centro cultural denominado Casa Lam, originalmente fue las oficinas de urbanización de la colonia, ahí iba uno y elegía el lote que quisiera comprar.






Eso es todo por el momento pero me falta la mitad de fotos por subir, cuando tenga tiempo lo haré, gracias por sus comentarios.


Continuando me desvíe hacia el sur, a un jardín hermoso, creo que se llama plaza Orizaba, no estoy seguro, siempre la había conocido de noche ya que en ella se ubicaba una disco gay muy chida pero la verdad cuando llegaba no me fijaba mucho en ella.









 


























El domingo estaba viendo la TV cuando pasaron en el canal 11 un programa sobre la colonia roma, y hablaron de la romita, el pueblo original que se ubicaba al oriente de la colonia y quedo inmerso en ella, es bien raro ya que pues el estilo afrancesado de la colonia contrasta intensamente con estas cuadritas con trazo y arquitectura diferente, se encuentra ahí una iglesia colonial una verdadera joya.





[/QUOTE]


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## Sweet Zombie Jesus (Sep 11, 2008)

The Glasgow tenement, generally 4 floors high, generally red/blonde stone, with 2-3 flats per floor accessed off a common stair or "close"


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## Slartibartfas (Aug 15, 2006)

Picture from SSC member Bahnsteig4

Thats an example of nice looking and well maintained buildings which are from the "Gründerzeit", ie late 19th century/beginning of the 20th century. Vienna is full of them, even if a many are in a worse state and many have been robbed of their exterior beauty and feature plain wal nowadays. 

This photo shows one of the historical outer suburbs btw., in the 18th district. The historical inner suburbs feature one or two floors more


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## FREKI (Sep 27, 2005)

Copenhagen's 3 most typical styles..

14-1600s









1700-1900s









1850s-1950s..









Pretty much a natural evolution starting from around 1400 where fire risk made old tudor a tad too risky ( as we learned trough a couple bad fires )


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## Dimethyltryptamine (Aug 22, 2009)

> Queenslander architecture is a modern term for the vernacular type of architecture of Queensland, Australia. It is also found in the northern parts of the adjacent state of New South Wales and shares many traits with architecture in other states of Australia but is distinct and unique. The type developed in the 1840s and is still constructed today, displaying an evolution of local style. The term is primarily applied to residential construction, although some commercial and other types of construction are identified as Queenslander.
































> The Queenslander, a "type" not a "style", is defined primarily by architectural characteristics of climate-consideration. They have been constructed in the popular styles of the time including, but not limited to colonial, Victorian, Federation, Arts and Crafts/Art Nouveau, Interwar styles, and Post-WWII styles. The Queenslander is popularly thought of as an "old" house although Queenslanders are constructed today using modern styles as well as "reproductions" of previous styles.


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## Mr Bricks (May 6, 2005)

Helsinki

City centre: 19th century/Jugend buildings







Inner city areas: Jugend, 20s classicism, functionalist buildings







Suburbs: tower blocks, modern apartment buildings, detached and semi- detached houses, some old villa areas.


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## redstone (Nov 15, 2003)

Singapore's traditional typology, the Shophouse. Blend of styles from Western, Chinese, Indian, Malay architecture. 

Shopfront on the ground level and residential upstairs. Feature of this architecture is the "five foot way" covered walkway at street level, very narrow frontage but deep plots and courtyards

Once treated as slums and many entire districts were torn down en masse in the 1970s, the remaining are mostly conserved by the authorities









































































In the 1930s, shophouse-apartments started to appear. A new typology. Shops on ground level, apartments upstairs.


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## eklips (Mar 29, 2005)

It's annoying, but many of us have to accept that in our cities, most people do not live in 'distinctive housing'. In many European cities, 'distinctive' housing is generally a folkloric city-center kind of thing, but far from having a big impact on the urban fabric of the city.


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## Sweet Zombie Jesus (Sep 11, 2008)

eklips said:


> It's annoying, but many of us have to accept that in our cities, most people do not live in 'distinctive housing'. In many European cities, 'distinctive' housing is generally a folkloric city-center kind of thing, but far from having a big impact on the urban fabric of the city.


Perhaps, but these "distinctive" areas are what most people associate with their cities, not the suburbs and "planned areas" around them. I'd say its all down to density. In European cities it's these older "distinctive" areas that generate more city diversity and culture than the sprawl beyond.


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## Piltup Man (May 21, 2010)

I agree. Here is a typical street in Marseille's oldest district (le Panier). Although none of the houses are identical, as in a typical terraced housing street, they all share a certain style (generally 3 floors, stone masonry covered in painted plaster, two windows wide, red tiled roofs etc.).

The pic isn't perfect in this aspect but hopefully shows enough (pic from wikipedia).


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

This image alone shows the typical residential blocks in HK both mid-rise and high-rise.

By H.L. Tam


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## VECTROTALENZIS (Jul 10, 2010)

Stockholm's innercity mainly consists of these type of buildings:


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## spongeg (May 1, 2006)

Vancouver has a lot of these and they call them "Vancouver Specials" basically houses that use as much of the lot as possible with rooms/suites to rent out sometimes or for large families

they try to vary the look of them but they are all ugly and usually identifiable to what era they were built i what finishes were trendy

3 different eras side by side

















































































recently they have been more appreciated and given makeovers and architects really like working with them
before and after


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## bayviews (Mar 3, 2006)

NorthaBmore said:


> Here in Baltimore, USA the main feature of the urban landscape is row houses. Some of the distinctive row house styles that we have developed here in Baltimore include:
> The swell-front row house, as seen here in the Hampden neighborhood:
> 
> 
> ...


Great pictures! 

IMO, the overwhelming predominance of solid, brick rowhouse throughout Baltimore is what really makes the city seem more urban & larger than it really is. 

Baltimore has certainly suffered its share of population loss. But its hard to tell given the dense fabric of rowhouses 

Brick cities are built to last!


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## keirajohnson (Oct 26, 2010)

Many of us must accept that in our cities, most people do not live in homes distinctive. In many European cities, character housing is usually some sort of center folk thing, but far from having a major impact on urban structure city.In European cities, it is the old unusual areas that generate a greater diversity in urban and cultural dissemination outside.


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## coronadodedios (Oct 27, 2010)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_CBk3HfKtA
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_CBk3HfKtA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_CBk3HfKtA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_CBk3HfKtA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_CBk3HfKtA
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_CBk3HfKtA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_CBk3HfKtA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_CBk3HfKtA


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## Vovin (Jan 18, 2006)

Morro da Conceição is a residential area near the downtown of Rio de Janeiro that managed to keep it's "discinctive" look and at the same time avoid gentrification, althought i don't know for how long.


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## shtoopid (Jun 15, 2010)

in la, there are a lot of little old apartment complexes from the 20s and 30s. they're usually long and skinny, but are never connected










many of them look like large single family houses from the front










there are also a lot of spanish style homes










you also see a lot of "california bungalows" from around the same time period, but i'm too lazy to find pictures.


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## Dr_Cosmo (Nov 8, 2010)

Berlin "Gründerzeit" buildings can be found in many districs.
These blocks were typically built from 1900 onwards ...


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## Marcanadian (May 7, 2005)

Toronto varies, but I think our most known and recognized are our rowhouses:


Kensington Market 1 by salvi08, on Flickr


Ashby Place, Toronto by JL1967, on Flickr


Hazelton Row Houses by mcwidi_2, on Flickr


We have a few other distinct styles too.

These are in the 'Beach' neighbourhood and lie near Lake Ontario's shore.











These are very common as well, especially in middle to upper class neighbourhoods:










Our condos:


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## wc eend (Sep 16, 2002)

I like this thread! Too much attention is paid to "iconical" architecture, but not enough to vernucalar architecture, which makes places distinctive.


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## hfocacci (Mar 10, 2011)

Loved the thread!

MADRID

From the City Centre:

















































http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo324/yvaldbs/ImagenAAN430.jpg


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## hfocacci (Mar 10, 2011)

MADRID

Suburbs: 

Flat




























































































Houses












































That's really characteristic of Outer Madrid...


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## hfocacci (Mar 10, 2011)

And i've never seen this anywhere that's not Madrid


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## Pavlemadrid (Nov 30, 2006)

Thank you for showing Madrid! 

You've showed the city centre "ensanches", but any of the photos was of Madrid historical centre (biggest in Spain and one of the biggest in the world).
Here some pics, if you want you can open them:
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/25549093.jpg

http://www.esacademic.com/pictures/eswiki/80/Plaza_de_la_Villa_(Madrid)_05.jpg

http://www.plusesmas.com/images/121_plaza_mayor_madrid.jpg

http://i40.tinypic.com/33243lg.jpg

http://www.fernandoorgambides.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/cava-baja-madrid2.jpg


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## hfocacci (Mar 10, 2011)

Yeah, like the guys that showed emblematic districts in the central region, but not properly the historic town 

Anyway, marvellous photos. Thanks  The last one is magnificent!


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## xerxesjc28 (Mar 3, 2008)

shtoopid said:


> many of them look like large single family houses from the front
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Many of these homes could just as easily fit in Miami. I would use them as an example of one of the most typical styles found in Miami (especially closer to the city center or older neighborhoods).


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## dweebo2220 (Jan 13, 2006)

Yeah I'd say for LA the distinctive housing types are these:
Dingbat Apt.:








Craftsman Bungalow:








Spanish revival Bungalow:








Spanish revival four-plex:








Mid-century Modern House:








French Chateau-revival Apt:









Other cities indeed have these kinds of architecture, but each of these is a typology that when you look at them, you first think Los Angeles or Southern California. Each of these was definitely either invented or popularized in LA.


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## xerxesjc28 (Mar 3, 2008)

^^ With the exception of the French Chateau-revival the rest could just as easily be found through Miami.


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## dweebo2220 (Jan 13, 2006)

xerxesjc28 said:


> ^^ With the exception of the French Chateau-revival the rest could just as easily be found through Miami.


Right, as I said, these can be found in other cities, but they were developed in or were popularized in LA or Southern California. 

Just like you can find a lot of streamline moderne buildings in LA, but when you see them you first think "miami beach."

For example, the craftsman bungalow style came out of Pasadena and was largely emblematic of Los Angeles in the early days. The mid-century modern house pictured has roots in the case-study program of LA in the 40s and 50s and was definitely emblematic of LA in the 50s. As was the dingbat apartment in the 50s and 60s. The spanish-revival style is generally regarded as being popularized by the Panama-California Exposition in San Diego in 1915, and was emblematic of LA and SoCal during the 20s and 30s. The French Chateau style was popular in the 30s and 40s and was greatly associated with hollywood in that era (chateau marmont).

If someone asked what SF's distinctive housing style is, you'd definitely say "victorian rowhouse." There are obviously other cities where these exist, but in SF they really are a "distinctive housing style." Same with the typlogies I listed for LA.


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## dweebo2220 (Jan 13, 2006)

Also, I'd have to disagree that they can just as easily be found in Miami. These typologies dominate large swaths of LA, while being only confined to certain neighborhoods in Miami.

On the whole there is a different architecture that dominates Miami. It has red-tile roofs but is a few decades newer than the spanish-revival architecture I posted. It's much more similar to the 1950s tract housing that dominates much of southwest and southeast LA and the san fernando valley, but with red roofs. Also, I've noticed that houses in miami much more commonly have front-yard iron fences.


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## Hia-leah JDM (May 7, 2007)

*MIAMI*

By far the most common type of homes throughout Miami are something like this



































This is what you see a lot of in Miami Beach, Little Havana, Coral Way, Coral Gables, Shenandoah, Little Haiti and all the way up to North Miami and Miami Shores.


















































Distinctive?


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## dweebo2220 (Jan 13, 2006)

Thanks, Hialeah. Those first few were exactly what I was thinking of in terms of distinctive Miami housing. The homes are wider and more squared off (more like ranch homes) than the spanish colonials you find in LA. 

Miami and LA are definitely cousins, though, in terms of architectural style.

Where is the 4th picture from the bottom taken? That looks the most to me like parts of LA.


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## Hia-leah JDM (May 7, 2007)

dweebo2220 said:


> Where is the 4th picture from the bottom taken? That looks the most to me like parts of LA.


That is Little Havana. I've also always taken note of how similar Miami and LA can be.

Here's the last batch I'll add for Miami.









Flickr








Flickr








Flickr


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## Kensingtonian (Nov 8, 2008)

there's something really '50s about all those pastel colours and i kind of love it!


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## hfocacci (Mar 10, 2011)

Very similar those from Miami and LA


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## Galro (Aug 9, 2010)

Here in Oslo we have what we call "business palaces". These are distinctive city blocks usually consisting of huge glass areas and all built with a steel skeleton, which made all the glass possibly. They had 5 floors where bottom two where commercial, the two above was officies and the last floor was apartments. Usually built between 1895 and 1899, and each with their distinctive style. The idea was borrowed from the Us and in many ways these are our skyscrapers only in a european scale. Sadly a lot these buildings have been altering (some beyond recognition), a few have burned down and some have been demolished to make way for new and denser buildings. 
































































Etc...


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## Dimethyltryptamine (Aug 22, 2009)

^^they look gorgeous. very much remind me of Melbourne's old Coffee Palaces.


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