# What are your favorite architecture styles? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 3, 2017, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423 "2017-09-03T20:37:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2017, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/1 "2017-09-03T20:37:07Z")
Same as on the tin. What architecture styles, for buildings and houses, appeal to you most? For public buildings (especially government buildings), Brutalism is one I love. Very utilitarian looking. For houses, the classical English “terrace house” or row house is something I love. Yourselves? ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2017, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/2 "2017-09-03T23:31:29Z")
Yurts. While I understand the appeal of Brutalism, I work in 1960s Brutalist buildings and they are depressing as the concrete bleeds into the fog and it is oppressive. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2017, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/3 "2017-09-03T23:31:57Z")
Mid Century Modern. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/4 "2017-09-04T00:27:41Z")
Fading Spanish, like you see scattered across South America is kind of appealing. Thai, pre concrete pad houses are very lovely. Old Chinese style hotels also have a special charm. I adore living in Victorian homes, weighted windows, high ceilings, pocket doors and inlaid harwood, seem so warm and inviting. Hmmmm, I think it depends on my mood and don’t think I could choose a favourite. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/5 "2017-09-04T00:43:31Z")
As a Disneyland fan, I love the comfy old 1910 “Main Street” look. My home town has a town hall that would look right at home in Disneyland. I’m also fond of 1960s – I don’t know the name – cantilever balconies and stuff. [You know the house in the movie “North by Northwest”?](http://1cqgxm3l59yi2wwbnn3qy35h.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Modernist-Vandamm-House-in-North-by-Northwest-Movie1.jpg) That look. (Google says it is “modernist.”) [I adore the UCSD library, as another example.](http://www.oceanlight.com/stock-photo/ucsd-geisel-library-photograph-11275-642295.jpg) (“Our boudoir on the ‘open plan’ has been a huge success. Now everywhere’s so open, there’s no place safe to dress.”) Flanders and Swann Roman classical, and [Palladian](https://fthmb.tqn.com/1R_qfd6PDgPwd4bXijVn8NHcIYs=/768x0/filters:no_upscale()/about/Basilica02-57a9afda3df78cf459f72e47.jpg) styles are also pretty. I’d never hear of brutalism before, but the images that pop up under Google do not make me happy. I’ll have to vote against that style. ETA: Also, I love “Churrigaresque” style – not least because it’s such a fun word! Based on the church in Churrigara, Mexico. (I’m probably spelling that wrong.) ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/6 "2017-09-04T00:52:47Z")
There’s a [Frank Lloyd Wright](http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/minnesota-home-designed-frank-lloyd-wright-sale-original-furniture-and-all-180962946/) house for sale in Minnesota that is simply stunning, but I think living in it would be like living in a college library (check out the pictures). I do like mid-century modern up to the 1970’s; the Brady Bunch house would be nice to live in. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/7 "2017-09-04T01:01:35Z")
> [@JohnGalt](#): > > There’s a [Frank Lloyd Wright](http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/minnesota-home-designed-frank-lloyd-wright-sale-original-furniture-and-all-180962946/) house for sale in Minnesota that is simply stunning, but I think living in it would be like living in a college library (check out the pictures). I do like mid-century modern up to the 1970’s; the Brady Bunch house would be nice to live in. Not only that, but if you’re taller than 5’ 8", you might have trouble with the ceilings. I’m 6’ 0" and felt like I was brushing the ceilings at Fallingwater. Art Deco; very nice. – Egon Spengler ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/8 "2017-09-04T01:24:47Z")
> [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > For public buildings (especially government buildings), Brutalism is one I love. Very utilitarian looking. Claims like that don’t help me to believe you’re being sincere. No one likes Brutalism. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/9 "2017-09-04T01:34:01Z")
Arts and Crafts ---
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/10 "2017-09-04T02:28:49Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Claims like that don’t help me to believe you’re being sincere. No one likes Brutalism. Buildings like the Tesco Center in Slovakia I feel are suited to government buildings and the like. They just have a very spartan, utilitarian look. I also like Mid-Century Modern for government buildings too (more things like military installations and such). ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/11 "2017-09-04T02:41:42Z")
The [Geisel Library](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geisel_Library) at UCSD is a pretty cool Brutalist structure, but it’s really atypical. Most Brutalist buildings look like prisons. My least favorite architect has to be Frank Gehry. I’ve never seen anything designed by him that I’d buy for 50 cents. Ug-Ly. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/12 "2017-09-04T02:44:51Z")
I’m not familiar with the “Tesco Center” in Slovakia; got a link? And I find it difficult to believe anyone could like [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Edgar_Hoover_Building#/media/File:Fbi_headquarters.jpg), [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_City_Hall#/media/File:Boston_city_hall.jpg) or [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County_Government_Center#/media/File:Orange_County_Government_Center.jpg). Fortunately, the last one has been demolished, and the FBI headquarters building was going to be demolished as part of a big deal to relocate the headquarters to a new campus, but the project fell apart. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/13 "2017-09-04T02:48:46Z")
> [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > Buildings like the Tesco Center in Slovakia I feel are suited to government buildings and the like. They just have a very spartan, utilitarian look. I also like Mid-Century Modern for government buildings too (more things like military installations and such). Wait…[THIS](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/b5/53/a9/b553a97b1629bf5f39463dd8bab9054a.jpg) is what you’re offering as an aesthetically pleasing example of Brutalist architecture? ---
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/14 "2017-09-04T02:52:28Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I’m not familiar with the “Tesco Center” in Slovakia; got a link? And I find it difficult to believe anyone could like [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Edgar_Hoover_Building#/media/File:Fbi_headquarters.jpg), [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_City_Hall#/media/File:Boston_city_hall.jpg) or [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County_Government_Center#/media/File:Orange_County_Government_Center.jpg). Fortunately, the last one has been demolished, and the FBI headquarters building was going to be demolished as part of a big deal to relocate the headquarters to a new campus, but the project fell apart. The last one is too extreme. I just like the way they look. They have a very retro feel to them. Because of buildings like the Hoover building or the Parker Center, I just have always associated them with government buildings -shrug- It’s not my absolute favorite, I don’t have a favorite. Art Deco, Mid Century Modern, Neo-Classical and others are also ones I like. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/15 "2017-09-04T03:48:56Z")
Was always a fan of structural expressionism or “high-tech”. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/16 "2017-09-04T04:07:41Z")
Art Deco and Gothic; I like the visually-complicated style, with lots of “stuff” to give the building character. Not the modern “blank box with windows” style. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/17 "2017-09-04T04:08:58Z")
In particular I’m fond of things designed by Moshe Safdie. Habitat 67 is awesome, as are National Gallery of Canada, United States Institute of Peace Headquarters, and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/18 "2017-09-04T04:17:24Z")
If Frank Lloyd Wright did Mid-Century Modern, with some Art Deco touches, I might be in heaven. Or I might rip my eyes out ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/19 "2017-09-04T10:30:02Z")
For public buildings: Greek Revival and Bauhaus For houses: Scandinavian Modern and Traditional Japanese ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423/20 "2017-09-04T13:53:35Z")
I love Victorians but I would not want to maintain one at this point in my life. To actually own and maintain, a nice simple ranch is fine. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-architecture-styles/795423.md?page=2)