A Guide to the Federal Style of Architecture

Architecture comes in a variety of styles and forms, such as the Federal style. This style was quite popular during the late 18^th century and early part of the 19^th century, particularly in public buildings. The first buildings of this style appeared in the United States in 1780, though it didn't truly gain in popularity until 1785. It seemingly died off around 1815, though examples of Federal style buildings appear until 1830 or later.

Most Federal style homes featured a side gable roof, though a hipped roof was also common. The rooflines on these homes were broken up by gabled dormers. On public buildings, the roof lines were typically flat or a low hipped roof. These homes and buildings were almost always symmetrical on the front façade and featured double hung sash windows. This was one of the first times in history that double hung sash windows were used.

The majority of buildings made in this style had a high level of decoration. Over the front door people could find a fanlight, with a rounder upper part. The door itself usually had sidelights that matched the fanlight. The entryways were usually grand and done in the Greek tradition. Palladian windows were also highly common. A Palladian window is usually a good indication of an original Federal style building, though some examples exist on replica buildings from modern times.

The interior of the home sometimes featured circular shaped rooms. A great example of this is the White House in Washington D.C., with its famous oval office. Some public buildings also had balustrades along the roofline, to create a small balcony area. These balustrades were often found on the exterior of the building as well, in a porch type space.

Historians believe that the Federal style came about as a response to the architects the Adam brothers, who were creating similar buildings in Europe. As it's often associated with historical buildings along the East Coast, it was known as Federal style. Its name also relates to the fact that many well known public figures with ties to the founding of the country opted for this style. Federal style is also related to the Georgian style of architecture.

Historians also note that this style was in direct contradiction with the previous popular Gothic style of architecture. This style had a heavy and oppressive feel, which followed early political ties to Britain. The Federal style was less heavy and more open, which worked well with the freedom Americans felt at the time. Architects working during this period included William Strickland, Thomas Jefferson and Asher Benjamin.

Sources:

http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~twp/architecture/federal/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_architecture