# Which architectural styles define your city?



## Mr Bricks (May 6, 2005)

So which styles define your city? I'm not talking about landmarks but rather the most commonly seen and most famous styles of a particular city.

For Helsinki it would be the neoclassical (Empire-style) architecture of the early 19th century, Jugendstil, Nordic Classicism and early Functionalism. Naturally, other styles such as Neo-Renaissance, Modernism, Post-Modernism and contemporary architecture are also present but they are not nearly as dominating or historically important. 

Some examples:

In the early 1800s Helsinki was completely rebuilt in neoclassical style following the creation of the Grand Duchy of Finland under Russian rule. German architect Carl Ludvig Engel designed most of the new buildings which were built in a monumental yet simple style, the facades often completed in shades of yellow and white. Most of the stone buildings survive while almost all the wooden ones are gone. Period: 1812-1855.









https://www.vastavalo.net/albums/userpics/18622/normal_150930_2v.jpg









https://www.toimitilat.fi/objectmanager/?cmd=image_resize&src_type=image&src_file=image_10600248-32548313.jpg&max_size=900









http://www.maisemat.fi/database/galleria/images/helsinki_etelainen_kantakaupunki/1_HELSINKI_21_2_2017_pekka_piiparinen.jpg


Jugenstil (Art Nouveau) was part of the national romantic awakening in Finland and drew inspiration from Finnish mythology, nature and Medieval architecture. It is one of the most recognizable styles in Helsinki with its colourful and artistic facades. Period: 1898-1914.









https://a.travel-assets.com/findyours-php/viewfinder/images/res60/175000/175202-Katajanokka.jpg









https://scontent-frx5-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/6cfaa00b80b8e51b655d544d9e4d9ffd/5B4E013E/t51.2885-15/e35/27891721_1910294699261224_1816184224567263232_n.jpg









https://www.kirkkojakaupunki.fi/documents/20147/141362/e28698a220af4f5ba84be2134b9aeb33/e564d2aa-e5f3-f583-6dec-fde06b809293?imageThumbnail=3


In the 1920s Nordic Classicism took over, dominating the vast new districts built during this time. Period: 1920-1930.









http://realestate.immobilien/files/oglasi/56d41a1bec3f87851ca79d87fbab00d42d76c43df6094_87213_1.jpg









https://realestate.immobilien/files/oglasi/55489ebf2cea07.54335361_main.jpeg









https://d3ls91xgksobn.cloudfront.net/651x434,fit/etuovimedia/images/property/import/45/909045/0e76b9541118d347871c0e0e51d244c4/610c1b64f447b5c3ce9426722795613f/ORIGINAL.jpeg


Towards the late 1920s the emerging functionalist style took over. This style dominates many districts in Helsinki. Period: 1930-1940.









https://www.vastavalo.net/albums/userpics/19037/normal_Helsinkiii.jpg









https://www.hel.fi/static/heltu/palvelukartta/kuvat/Toolontori.jpg









http://akustiikka-shop.com/images/42-FlatironBuilding.jpg


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## wakka12 (May 17, 2015)

Even though georgian architecture only makes up about a third of the city, it is by far the most defining architectural style of the city
Most public buildings are neo classical stone, or red brick gothic victorian style, stone churches common throughout the city
































































The majority of the older residential fabric is in quite a simple, austere georgian style, even less ornamented than georgian styles in the UK. About 30-40% of the city is in georgian style.





























































The majority of post war era modernist architecture is quite a simple, and kind of ugly, sort of pastiche georgian styles, almost always clad in a cheap orange machine fed brick.- this type of building makes up about a third of the city's fabric also, unfortunately










































Contemporary architecture makes up about 30% of the citys fabric, this architecture which is only about 20-30 years old makes up a dominant portion of the city fabrics due to huge economic boom in the city over the last 3 decades, almost always grey/blue glass and steel


































As for suburban housing, semi detached housing- which makes up like 60% of the entire city's land mass
All houses in middle class historic area look like this
































Houses in poor historic former industrial areas








More modern areas, post WW2 to present
















And in poorer areas like this








Brutalist and functionalist buildings were common in dublin a few decades ago but almost all have been replaced by modern buildings by now


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## Mr Bricks (May 6, 2005)

Great post! I visited Dublin a decade ago and remember being impressed by all the stylish Georgian houses and terraces.


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## Mr Bricks (May 6, 2005)

Normally people on here seem extremely eager to showcase their city..

Oh well :lol:


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## wakka12 (May 17, 2015)

Mr Bricks said:


> Normally people on here seem extremely eager to showcase their city..
> 
> Oh well :lol:


Yeh I was disappointed there wasnt more posts !For instance I dont know much about helsinki so I found the post very interesting, would be great to see some more cities


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## GGJ16 (Oct 11, 2015)

I will try to show a bit of Barcelona, both the beautiful and uglier architecture styles found in my city:

Barcelona's architecture has always followed the history of the city. This means that through the millenia, the city has evolved constantly and adapting itself with the new forms of architecture. This have made Barcelona stand out for its diversity of different architectural styles, especially from the last 2 centuries.

The most famous and representative style of Barcelona is, without a doubt, Modernisme (catalan Art Nouveau). This style is found mostly in the Eixample district, but also in many former downtowns that were included as part of Barcelona (such as Gràcia, Poblenou, Sants, Les Corts, etc.). This style shares the cityscape with other historicist styles like Noucentisme or other kinds of eclecticism.

However, during the 60s-80s, Barcelona and its metropolitan area grew rapidly, with poor urban planning and common speculation. That means that the styles from that time can also be found all around the city and its surroundings: it's the case of postmodernism and rationalism (with many styles like Escola de Barcelona, modern eclecticism, etc.). I also need to mention the existence of many neighbourhoods with what are the Franco's regime version of the commieblocks, cheap housing that was built in order to cope with the large immigration rates during the Desarrollismo.

I will try to showcase ordinary streetscapes of Barcelona, so you can get an idea of the most common building styles of the city. Take into account that while most "newer" buildings look quite similar, almost every modernist building is unique :cheers:



Els edificis de l'Eixample (carrer Diputació, 300) by Sonia Rodríguez, en Flickr






































073 by Nannan Zhang, en Flickr


Casa Coma - 01 by martin lastra, en Flickr


Barcelona streets by Nannan Zhang, en Flickr











Barcelona by joan ggk, en Flickr


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## Mr Bricks (May 6, 2005)

Interesting. Barcelona is a very old city so presumably older architecture defines the more central parts? I also find it curious that in Southern Europe the modernist architecture was organized in a more dense and urban pattern along traditional streets while in the north we seem to have been following the "towers in the park" concept a lot more.


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## Rocky031 (Feb 18, 2010)

Probably every style that came during and after baroque. Ruins of Roman colony Mursa were used as construction material for most of the medieval city. After Ottomans invaded and took the city in 1526 old medieval city center was pretty much in bad shape all the time and after we took back the city in 1687. it was in such poor state that they decided to completely demolish it and construct a baroque fortress with inner city. But since the city grew fast two new settlements were built, one on the east and one on the west. To make a long story short after some time those separate settlements joined into one city.

Oldest part today is Tvrđa, the baroque fortress I mentioned. Although most of its walls were demolished, the city itself is almost intact. There are plans to reconstruct the walls. There is baroque in other parts of the city, but I do not wish to spam with photos









Tvrđa by Igor Čanak, on Flickr









man in black by Cherrys Picks, on Flickr









Osijek by cinxxx, on Flickr


Silent streets by Roko Poljak, on Flickr









Osijek by Charles Drago, on Flickr

^^

Tvrđa was also used for War and remembrance in 1985:






Next most common style after baroque is historicism, typical for Upper town (there are many more, but can't find photos right now)









Osijek co-cathedral of st. Peter and Paul by Roko Poljak, on Flickr









Osijek by Charles Drago, on Flickr









Osijek by Charles Drago, on Flickr

Next up and probably most famous is art nouveau, some buildings are in pretty bad shape but most of them are being renovated:









Baranja 05-2017 0099 by Tomislav Ozanic, on Flickr









The secession watherwell during the fog by Vatroslav Haramustek, on Flickr




























We also have a lot of early modern architecture but this post would be too long if I posted everything.


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