History and characteristics of American Foursquare House

American Foursquare House

History and characteristics of American Foursquare House

The architectural style known as the American Foursquare is unique to the United States. It features a square shape, a symmetrical facade, and no ornamentation at all.

The basic design of each American Foursquare house is the same, but the decorative details vary. The Colonial Revival, Craftsman, and Mission styles of Foursquare homes are among the most well-liked designs.

Beginning in the 1890s, the American Foursquare house gained popularity. However, by 1930, the use of Foursquare house plans had declined.

The Rise of the American Foursquare

In the 1890s, American Foursquares began to appear in American cities. The design’s simplicity and symmetry were a response to the excessive ornamentation and asymmetry of the Queen Anne style in the United States.

Foursquare houses gained popularity due to their lower construction costs, smaller footprint, and increased interior space.

Many experts attribute Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie style and the Foursquare house’s origins to his work.

The boxy shape, symmetrical facades, strong horizontal lines, and efficient designs of the early Foursquare homes are all Prairie-style characteristics. However, there are significant distinctions between American Foursquare and Prairie architecture.

Prairie architecture emphasizes making use of the natural world and blending in with the surrounding environment, whereas American Foursquare architecture places a greater emphasis on efficiency and simplicity.

American Foursquare Characteristics

The shape and size of American Foursquares are one of the most recognizable aspects of this traditional American design, though the specifics will vary.

Exterior Features
- Symmetrical facade: A rectangular and boxy shape with windows arranged in a symmetrical pattern on either side of the front door.
- Roof: Style with a hipped roof and gabled or pedimented dormer windows.
- Central entrance: Sidelights or a transom window may sometimes surround the central front door.
- Porches: One-story porches that are wide and wrap-around.
- One and a half or two stories: On the first floor, there is a room for living and bedrooms up there. Basements may be partial or complete in some.
- Construction materials: Brick, stucco, and other mass-produced materials used to build Foursquare.
- Simple facade: A facade that is unadorned and simple, with little to no exterior decoration.
- Window style: Utilizing double-hung or casement windows in a symmetrical arrangement for the windows.
Interior Features
- Interior hallway: The house is connected to the rest of the house by a long central hallway.
- First floor: The living room, dining room, and kitchen were common living areas on the first floor of Foursquare. A central hallway connects these rooms in some homes. The floor plan of other Foursquare designs is more open.
- Second floor: Private areas like bathrooms and bedrooms can be found on the second floor of an American Foursquare.
- Staircase: Connecting the first and second floors with staircases. Lines can be straight or curved in designs for open or closed stairways.
- Simple decoration: Builders kept ornamentation to a minimum because Foursquare design prioritized budget and functionality.
- Natural materials: The interior’s texture and warmth are provided by the utilization of natural materials like brick, stone, and wood.

Design Styles of American Foursquares

American Foursquare House

Although foursquare houses are a prevalent design type, their decorative details vary according to design style.

Colonial Revival Foursquare Houses

Classical-style columns and a pedimented gable over the porch distinguish Colonial Revival Foursquare. Other neoclassical features in these homes include dormers with Palladian windows and dentil or medallion cornice molding. When the American style was just getting popular, the Colonial Revival Foursquares gained the most attention.

Craftsman Foursquare Homes

In the 1910s, Foursquares designed in the Craftsman style gained popularity. The classical columns were replaced by tapered columns in this style of home. These homes featured knee braces and wide, overhanging eaves with exposed rafters. Additionally, they had low-pitched roofs and large windows with gables or shed dormers.

Mission-Style Foursquare Houses

The Alhambra design from Sears, Roebuck, and Co. was one popular Mission-style Foursquare. It was a Spanish-themed four-square house kit. It had stucco siding, a red tile roof, a red brick foundation, and curved exterior details.

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