Building Styles & Types

Quickly identify building features. Using the buttons from the categories below, see which building styles and types have those features. Combine multiple categories to further refine your results.

      • a hip roof where the sloping ridges (or hips) rise to a single point, creating a pyramid-like shape
      • a roof with gables at each end
      • a roof with slopes on all sides of the building; the sloping ridge created where two slopes join together
      • similar to a gable roof but with two pitches on each side of the roof peak
      • a roof sloping to only one side
      • a roof having two different slopes on all sides; the lower slope being steeper than the upper slope
      • The slope of a roof aids in emphasizing the proportions of the mass. A flat roof  is almost level in contrast to sloped roofs and tends to emphasize horizontal aspects.
      • a roofed projection from a sloping roof often with a window
      • a series of windows separated by narrow mullions arranged side-by-side to form a continuous band
      • a roofed window unit that projects from an exterior wall; projection could be angular or curved
      • a classical window style with a tall, often arched central opening flanked on each side by shorter windows with flat window heads; closely identified with the Italian architect, Andrea Palladio (1508-1580)
      • a window type where the sash is hinged along its vertical edge and swings to the side like a door
      • a window type with two sashes arranged vertically that opens by sliding the upper sash down or the lower sash up
      • in classical architecture, the triangular end of a low-pitched gable; a triangular element used over doors and windows
      • a roofed porch or balcony attached to the elevation of a building
      • an open-sided porch with a column-supported roof
      • a part of a façade given prominence because it projects out from the façade; often having a higher or lower height and its own roof; usually located centrally or at one or both ends of a façade
      • a composition that is off-balance with respect to a point of reference, such as an imaginary centre-line, as it is drawn through the plan of a façade
      • a compositional balance with respect to a point of reference such as an imaginary centre-line, as it is drawn through the plan or façade
      • box-like massing is a design approach that emphasizes simplicity, clean lines, and the strategic arrangement of rectangular volumes
      • a roof or ceiling structure over an area that is based on the form of an arch
      • a structural roof member that slopes up from the wall to the ridge or peak of a roof and supports the roof covering
      • the part of a sloping roof that overhangs a wall
      • a bulbous dome with a pointed peak on top of a cupola, tower or turret; typical of Eastern European architecture
      • a roof composed of thick layers of reeds, straw or other plant matter attached to rafters and purlins
      • horizontal structural members that run perpendicularly across the top edges of roof trusses, rafters, trusses or beams; the purlins support the roof covering
      • a beam that supports rafters at the ridge of a roof
      • wood or asphalt tiles for covering roofs and walls
      • a series of square indentations in a parapet giving a castle-like appearance
      • an ornament at the top of a roof gable, spire or other architectural feature
      • a tall, narrow, steep roof structure ending in a point, rising from a tower or roof peak
      • a board, often decorative, covering the projecting edge of a gable roof
      • a high degree of slope on a roof
      • a shallow or gradual sloped roof
      • the portion of an exterior wall that projects above the edge of a roof area
      • an arch in the shape of a segment of a circle
      • an arch that is pointed at the top, often characteristic of Gothic architecture
      • the last phase of the Perpendicular Gothic style during the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII (1485 to 1547); identifiable by the use of shallow arches that come to a subtle point (known as a four-centred or Tudor arch)
      • a curved structure spanning across the top of an opening in a vertical surface (such as a wall)
      • a sculptural ornamental design slightly raised from or recessed from the surface
      • a decorative element that defines edges, joints or surfaces through the use of a continuous profile.
      • an ornamental feature that hangs down from a supporting structure or architectural feature
      • stonework emphasized by recessed joints or roughly cut block faces
      • stones or bricks used to decoratively emphasize the outside corners of a building
      • a V-shaped decoration typically used in a continuous band as a moulding
      • composed of more than two colours
      • trim around a door or window opening
      • hinged panels used to cover and protect window openings
      • a moulding that runs across the top and part-way down the sides of a window or door opening
      • a pattern of interlocking muntins in the upper part of a Gothic window
      • the framework that holds a piece of glass or several small pieces of glass
      • windows located at the sides of doors
      • a window located above a door and separated by a horizontal element between the door and the light known as a transom bar
      • a structure projecting from a building and located in front of an entrance; usually roofed, often open-sided and occasionally supporting a balcony above
      • a building, either freestanding or attached as a prominent element of another building, of great height compared to its floor area; a slender, tall structure usually rising above the building to which it is attached
      • an angular support for a horizontal element that projects from a wall
      • a corner joint used in round log construction, consisting of semi-circular notches cut near the ends of the logs
      • a joint in cabinetry and square log construction, consisting of interlocking 'V'-shaped cuts
      • a non-loadbearing, prefabricated exterior cladding system usually consisting of steel or masonry spandrel panels and glazing (window) panels attached to a structural frame of steel or concrete
      • a structural platform extending from the wall of a building and enclosed with a balustrade; supported from below or cantilevered from a supporting wall
      • a slender, horizontal band that projects from an exterior wall often at window sill or interior floor levels
      • a regularly repeated visual division of a façade, usually related to the building's structural system; division often indicated by pilasters, columns or piers on the façade
      • a horizontal, projecting decorative moulding along the top of a wall or building, or the top portion of an entablature
      • an upright post, usually a tapered cylinder, used for support or decoration; in classical architecture a column consists of a base, shaft and capital
      • a method of construction where the spaces in a timber-frame wall are filled with rubble or brickwork; or where the appearance of this construction is achieved by applied surface decoration
      • a small, slender tower characteristically projecting from the corner of a building
      • lathe-turned wood elements, often used as balusters and porch decoration
      • a vertical support member, similar to a column; wood posts can be turned on a lathe to create an ornamental silhouette
      • a projecting line of masonry or belt courses supported by corbels
      • a masonry unit or series of masonry units that progressively step out from a supporting wall or column; creates a shelf or bracket to support overhanging masonry walls or corbel tables, the bases of arches, ornamental elements, etc.
      • a vertical structural member resembling a massive post built against an exterior wall; designed to absorb outward-pushing (lateral) forces of a roof
      • a small vertical ornament with a spire-like pyramidal or conical shape, usually used to crown buttresses or the corners of parapets and towers
      • the decorative feature at the top of a column or pilaster
      • a massive vertical support of masonry, placed under columns, arches or walls to support a concentration of loads
      • a shallow pier or post, often decorative, projecting slightly from the surface of a wall; resembles a square post attached to a wall
      • panels with windows above and below, spanning between vertical support posts or mullions
      • a thick, paint-like material using lime that was brushed onto log structures to provide a white finish to the walls
      • a heavy coating of a cement, lime, sand and water mixture applied to a wall surface as its exterior finish
      • fired clay cast in moulds, often used for decorative elements or to clad a building exterior
      • Also known as glass bricks, are architectural elements made from thick, translucent or transparent glass. Particularly popular in Art Deco and Mid-Century Modern, they're employed for their aesthetic and functional qualities, bringing a blend of light, privacy, and decorative appeal.
      • a metallic material that has lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and strong properties making it a favoured choice for various building applications. From structural components to architectural details, aluminum contributes to construction by offering both functional and aesthetic benefits.
      • a versatile and enduring material that architects and designers use to enhance the aesthetics, functionality, and longevity of buildings
      • made from clay that is molded, dried, and fired in a kiln, resulting in a sturdy, durable, and visually appealing material. It's used in walls, facades, arches, pavements, and more, both for functional and aesthetic purposes.
      • a metallic material with versatility, strength, and adaptable properties that significantly impacted design and construction, from iconic skyscrapers to contemporary residential homes
      • a structural system composed of lightweight, milled dimensioned lumber (i.e., 2x4 or 2x6 nominal dimensions), in which vertical members (studs) are fastened to top and bottom members (plates) with nails
      • a structural element assembled from a number of individual structural elements fastened together and used to span a distance
      • wide vertical wood sheathing (boards) with narrow vertical wood strips (battens) covering the joints between the boards
      • a vertical element such as a wall or a column that slopes in from the base; the wall or column appears to flare outwards at its base
      • in the 17th century, picturesque buildings would look as if they came from the romanticized landscape paintings of the day, such as those by Claude and Poussin; by the late 18th century picturesque buildings were a visually interesting assemblage of asynimetrically arranged forms with a variety of textures; picturesque motifs were applied in particular to cottage and Italianate and Gothic style villas
      • balusters are upright posts that support a handrail/a balustrade is a series of balusters under a handrail (as in a porch or stair railing)

(27) Possible Matching Building Styles and Types

Resulting Building Styles and Types

A 4-post square tower extending on the corner of a flat roof

Art Deco

A jazz-age style of "deco-ration" first applied to jewelry and interior design, Art Deco was most popular in the 1920s…


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A flat-roofed structure with a rounded corner

Art Modern

Like Art Deco style, and sometimes combined wit it, Art Moderne was apart of the Modern movement and the rejection…


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A half-circle roof with parapets extending above a small building

Boomtown Structures

When the Canadian West was opened to settlement in the 1880s -- the beginning of the Boom years -- and…


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A gable roof with dormer and chimney on the side angling over an open verandah

Bungalow

What is commonly called the Bungalow style is the combination of a building type and a design movement. Strictly a…


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Vertical 5-storey building with windows on facade and flat roof

Chicago School

The Chicago School, or Style, takes its name from the Chicago architects of the 1880s and 90s who took the…


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2-storey structure with stairs between columns below a triangular pediment

Classical Revival

The classical tradition re-emerged as an important force in Canadian architecture at the turn of the century as a reaction…


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Onion dome above façade with towers on both corners

Eastern European Churches

Ukrainian, Romanian and Russian immigrants to Manitoba constructed church buildings with reference to the varied architectural traditions of their homelands.


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Steeply pitched roof over a 2-storey box-like structure with windows

Georgian

The Georgian style was developed from the simplification of classical, Italian Renaissance and Baroque architecture. It was most popular in…


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Pitched roof with chimneys on either side over a 2-storey box-like structure with windows, and columns on either side of entrance

Georgian Revival

Similar to other early 20th century architectural styles, the Georgian Revival attempted to restore order and a greater simplicity to…


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Steeply pitched roof with spire towers and pointed arch windows and entrance

Gothic Revival

The Gothic Revival was one of the most enduring and influential architectural movements of the 19th century. Based upon a…


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Weigh station on side of tall windowless structure with equipment to vacuum grain in and out of grain bins to trains

Grain Elevators

A vital component of the distribution and storage network of the emerging agricultural economy in Manitoba were the country grain…


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Canvas or hide wrapped in a cone-like tent around 11 poles

Indigenous Structures

The origin of the tipi is unclear, but may date from as early as 10,000 B.C., when people first inhabited…


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Flat roof above a 2-storey rectangular structure with balcony cut out of one corner

International

The International style was a reaction against historicist styles of the 19th and 20th centuries. It stressed a new machine…


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Low-pitch roof above a 2-storey structure with long verandah and arch windows on each floor

Italianate

This style was loosely based on the Renaissance villas of Italy, which were characterized by an L- or T-shaped plan,…


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Steep-pitched roof with gable ends over a 2-storey horizontal structure with pointed arch windows on 2nd floor

Late Gothic Revival

The flamboyant Victorian Gothic architecture of the late 19th century gave way in the early 1900s to a smoother and…


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Small 1 1/2-storey steep-pitched residence adjacent to barn

Mennonite Housebarns

During the 1870s almost 8.000 German-speaking Mennonites (religious refugees from Czarist Russia) settled on two large land reserves in southern…


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A tall woodframe structure with a gambrel roof

Pattern Book Barns

By the turn of the century the introduction of new farm machinery, innovative construction techniques and scientific planning greatly altered…


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A 2-storey bungalow with a low pyramidal roof with front dormer

Pattern Book Houses

The rush to settle the West created a vast market for pattern book buildings. Pattern books, produced by mail-order and…


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Gable-roofed frame built with heavy timber

Pioneer Barns

Barns built in Manitoba before 1870 were crude one-storey log or even sod structures. The major settlement groups that opened…


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Wide 2-storey residence with open porch entrance with a chimney in the center of a low-pitch roof

Prairie School

The Prairie School, or Style, evolved around the turn of the century in the work of Chicago architect Frank Lloyd…


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3-storey structure featuring bays, turrets, towers, decorative chimneys, with a wrap-around verandah and a steep multi-gabled roof

Queen Anne Revival

In narrow architectural terms this refers to a London-based revival of the ordinary red-brick building of the 17th and early…


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Long rectangular structure with hipped roof and dormer windows and large cargo door under overhang

Railway Stations

The Prairie Provinces were opened to settlement during the 1880s and 90s by the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Canadian…


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Non-descript log structure with gabled roof

Red River Frame Structure

Before 1870 Red River frame was the building construction method used by most inhabitants of the Red River Settlement. The…


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Steep-pitched roof with single conical tower and round arches for doors and windows

Romanesque Revival

Originally little more than an offshoot of the Gothic Revival, it was distinguished by the use of typically Romanesque motifs,…


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Gable roof with small dormer in front of chimney

Schools

One and two-room schools were built throughout Manitoba between 1880 and 1940. Pioneer classes were held in churches or private…


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3-storey residence with dormer windows and a gated mansard roof

Second Empire

Introduced to Canada and the United States from France via England, this style takes its name from the French Second…


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Small 1-storey residence with a hipped roof

Ukrainian Houses

Like other immigrant groups who settled the rural areas of Manitoba, Ukrainian pioneers arriving in the last years of the…


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