14 Architectural Styles That Changed The Industry

For as long as humans have needed shelter, the practice of architecture has existed. In its earliest forms—huts, tents, and caves—the only aim was to meet the basic needs of protection from weather and predators. However, architecture soon evolved into an interdisciplinary field, incorporating elements of science, art, and culture, which resulted in a wide range of diverse and fascinating styles.

Over time, architecture has adapted to various influences, including cultural, geographical, and societal, with architects keeping some aspects while replacing and updating others. This evolution shows how certain architecture styles have profoundly shaped the industry, leaving a lasting impact that continues to influence design today.

Read on to learn about 14 architectural styles that changed the industry.

Significance of Architectural Style

Architecture encompasses the design and construction techniques required to create a building, from initial planning of the project by using an architectural rendering for example, to the finished product. While all buildings result from the architectural process, the term often refers to particularly noteworthy structures, such as those that are interesting, beautiful, or complex.

Specific architectural styles emerged over time, shaped by the materials, landscapes, climates, economies, cultures, and aesthetic preferences of their periods and locations. With these factors influencing design, it’s easy to understand how distinct styles develop over time.

Although not every architectural style greatly impacts the industry, there are undoubtedly certain styles that have. These styles reflect the environments in which they were developed, demonstrating the interconnectedness between architecture and the societies it serves.

1. Ancient Greece Architecture

The ancient Greeks were pioneers in architecture, with their influence spanning from around 900 BC to the 1st century AD across mainland Greece, the Aegean Islands, Asia Minor, and Italy. This era, encompassing the Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods, saw Greek architecture thrive. Greek culture and the classical style emphasized beauty, harmony, and proportion, which were reflected in their structures. Architects of the time demanded precision, often inventing formulas and calculations when tools fell short, many of which continue to influence architecture today. They also developed the three classical architecture orders—Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian—fundamental to this ancient architectural style.

Given Greece's rugged, rocky terrain, limestone and marble were the primary materials used in ancient Greek architecture, with clay employed for tiles and decorative architectural elements. Greek architects designed open structures to take advantage of the temperate maritime climate, using colonnades to provide protection from the sun and sudden storms.

Examples of famous ancient Greece architecture:

• The Acropolis, Athens, Greece
• The Temple of Apollo, Delphi, Greece
• The Temple of Aphaia, Aegina, Greece

2. Roman Architecture

Roman architecture, which began in the 8th century BC and ended with the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, was heavily influenced by Greek styles, while also integrating elements from Etruscan architecture and innovations discovered as the Roman Empire expanded. The Romans were ambitious builders, pioneering infrastructure such as aqueducts and sewers. They also introduced urban planning with intentional spaces for leisure, religion, politics, and entertainment, like forums and basilicas.

The use of concrete as a building material enabled the Romans to create grand structures featuring domes, arches, and vaults, exemplified by iconic buildings like the Colosseum and Pantheon. These structures demonstrated the Romans’ architectural skill and also reflected the strength and achievements of the Empire. Aesthetics and cultural expression were highly valued, as seen in the decorative elements like frescoes, mosaics, and sculptural reliefs that adorned many Roman buildings.

Most famous examples of Roman buildings:

• Colosseum, Rome, Italy
• Pantheon, Rome, Italy
• Forum of Augustus, Rome, Italy

3. Gothic Architecture

Gothic architecture, best described as "total drama," originated in France in the mid-12th century and quickly spread across Europe. These architects favored Gothic decorative elements like pointed arches, spires, ribbed vaults, flying buttresses, stained glass windows, and elaborate facades adorned with gargoyles. These architectural features enabled the construction of massive buildings with expansive interior spaces and towering exteriors, creating the illusion of the structures reaching toward the heavens.

While we might be most familiar with Gothic-style churches and cathedrals, Gothic castles, palaces, and other civic buildings also exist. Gothic architecture demanded skilled tradesmen, such as masons, sculptors, and stained glass artists, to bring these gothic design elements and structures to life.

Examples of famous Gothic-style buildings:

• Reims Cathedral/Notre-Dame de Reims, Reims, France
• Chartres Cathedral/Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres, Chartres, France
• Cologne Cathedral, Cologne, Germany

4. Renaissance Architecture

In the early 15th Century, Renaissance architecture began to replace Gothic architecture, marking a period of renewed interest in the classical art, literature, and science of ancient Greece and Rome. The Renaissance era produced some of history's most famous artists, literary figures, and architects. Inspired by ancient architects, Renaissance architects like Filippo Brunelleschi and Andrea Palladio emphasized symmetry and proportion in their designs, using rounded arches, domes, columns, and pilasters in the classical orders.

Renaissance architects also introduced new techniques, such as perspective, to better plan buildings and create spaces that drew the viewer's gaze to specific focal points. This use of perspective laid the groundwork for modern architectural visualization techniques. Tudor architecture, which emerged in the late medieval period and into the Renaissance, was a blend of Gothic and Renaissance influences, particularly how it used traditional medieval elements combined with emerging Renaissance ideas.

Famous Renaissance structures:

• Florence Cathedral (Santa Maria del Fiore), Florence, Italy
• Tempietto del Bramante, Rome, Italy
• Palazzo Farnese, Rome, Italy

5. Baroque Architecture

In the late 16th Century, architects began emphasizing movement, contrast, and boldness, marking the onset of the Baroque period. This shift was partly influenced by the Counter-Reformation, with the Catholic Church using highly emotional art and architecture to attract parishioners. Baroque architecture is characterized by its boldness and dramatic use of light and shadow, with intricate decorations and the integration of art and sculpture into architectural designs.

Departing from the straight lines favored in the Renaissance, Baroque architects embraced curved lines, undulating walls, and complex shapes to convey motion and grandeur. As it coincided with the Age of Discovery, the Baroque style spread throughout Europe and South America during the 17th and 18th centuries. In South America, the style evolved into a unique fusion known as Colonial Baroque, blending European influences with local tastes and religious traditions.

Examples of famous Baroque architecture buildings:

• Palace of Versailles, Paris, France
• Belvedere Palace, Vienna, Austria
• La Compañía de Jesús, Quito, Ecuador

6. Neoclassical Architecture

Neoclassical architecture emerged in the mid-18th Century. It stripped back the drama and excess of the Baroque and took inspiration from ancient Greek and Roman classical architecture. Many Neoclassical buildings incorporate columns, friezes, porticos, domes, and light, bright stonework in a style that favors simplicity, symmetry, and grandeur.

Neoclassical architecture became one of the popular architectural styles in England and France but spread as aristocrats or leaders became champions for it—especially after sites like Pompeii became a tourist destination. Countries undergoing political change, such as the USA and France, used it to convey democracy, stability, and power. While the Neoclassical style lasted into the 19th Century, its influence continued into the 20th Century through revival movements, including Beaux-Arts architecture.

Iconic Neoclassical structures:

• The British Museum, London, UK
• The White House, Washington D.C., USA
• Altes Museum, Berlin, Germany

7. Victorian Architecture

Victorian-style architecture describes the many revivalist styles that emerged and developed during Queen Victoria’s reign from 1837 to 1901. The Victorian era was one of massive societal shifts, driven largely by the Industrial Revolution, which reached its peak in the 19th Century and enabled mass production and better access to materials through rail and ship

Victorian architecture originated in the U.K. but quickly spread to North America and colonies like Australia and New Zealand. Some of the different styles that fall under Victorian architecture include the Gothic Revival, Renaissance Revival, Romanesque Revival, Italianate architecture, Second Empire, Queen Anne, and the Arts and Crafts movement. Although overlapping in time and some characteristics, Beaux-Arts architecture is not considered Victorian architecture.

Each style has its distinctive features, though generally speaking, Victorian architecture favored ornate design and dramatic facades, such as turrets, steep gables, arches, tall windows, and bay windows.

Examples of famous Victorian architecture buildings:

• St Pancras Railway Station, London, UK
• Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament), London, UK
• The Painted Ladies, San Francisco, USA

8. Art Nouveau

Art Nouveau emerged at the tail end of the Victorian era. As the name suggests, it was a new style that sought to break from the traditional, looking to nature for inspiration. Art Nouveau architecture was first seen in the 1890s in Brussels and popularized at the 1900 Paris International Exposition.

Art Nouveau architecture often used or was inspired by organic forms and natural motifs, such as flowers, plants, and animals—seen in motifs like the whiplash line. There was an emphasis on craftsmanship and detail, especially harmony between interior and exterior decoration. The styles also incorporated interesting materials like glass, iron, and ceramics into design.

Notable Art Nouveau buildings:

• Casa Batlló, Barcelona, Spain
• Hôtel Tassel, Brussels, Belgium
• Municipal House, Prague, Czech Republic

9. Modern Architecture

As technological innovations, engineering, and materials developed in the early 20th Century, Modern architecture emerged. This architectural style favored materials like steel, glass, and concrete and followed functionalism, which holds that design should be based on a building's function and purpose. As a result, Modern architecture is characterized by clean lines, functional floor plans, and a lot of natural light, through features like floor-to-ceiling and glass curtain walls. The style lacks decorative details and ornamentation, focusing on simplicity and the honest expression of materials.

Modern architecture lasted from the 1920s until the 1960s and included many different architectural movements and styles, including the International Style, the German Bauhaus Movement, and Mid-century modernism.

Famous modern architects and their contributions:

• Frank Lloyd Wright: Fallingwater, Guggenheim Museum
• Le Corbusier: Villa Savoye, Notre-Dame du Haut
• Eero Saarinen: TWA Terminal, Gateway Arch

10. Contemporary Architecture

Contemporary architecture encompasses architectural styles and trends from the 1990s to today. It has built on Modern architecture by emphasizing sustainability, energy efficiency, cultural sensitivity, fluidity, organic forms, and mixed-use spaces. It also heavily incorporates technology, taking advantage of the advances computers have enabled, such as 3D printing and laser-cutting technology.

Contemporary architects often use modern materials like glass, steel, wood, concrete, and cork, which allow them to create innovative structures that are visually impressive while also being durable and lightweight without needing intense upkeep and maintenance.

Examples of iconic contemporary buildings:

• Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest), Beijing, China
• The Shard, London, UK
• Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE

11. Art Deco Architecture

The Art Deco movement, popular in the 1920s and 30s, influenced fashion, art, objects, and architecture. Originating in France, it gained international recognition at the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, where designers like Pierre Chareau and Jean Dunand showcased their work, giving the style its name.

Art Deco architecture, characterized by simple geometric forms such as chevrons, pyramids, zigzags, and stylized sunbursts, maintained a consistent aesthetic inside and out. Buildings in this architectural style are bright and colorful, often featuring decorative windows and spires for visual interest, and are constructed using a blend of traditional and modern materials like chrome, steel, aluminum, stucco, and terracotta.

Examples of iconic Art Deco architecture buildings:

• Empire State Building, New York City, USA
• Hoover Building, London, UK
• Miami Beach Architectural District, Miami, USA

12. Brutalist Architecture

Huge unpainted concrete structures in interesting yet minimalist shapes with flat roofs characterize Brutalist architecture, named for the French phrase "béton brut" or "raw concrete." The stark, hulking appearances of Brutalist buildings have been polarizing since the start, beloved by some and hated by others. 

Emerging in the United Kingdom from the 1950s through the 1970s, Brutalism was influenced by socialist principles, focusing on concepts like egalitarianism and functionality. This was reflected in the types of buildings the architectural style was used for—first, social housing projects and then institutional buildings such as schools, universities, courts, libraries, and city halls.

Examples of iconic Brutalist buildings:

• Boston City Hall, Boston, USA
• Barbican Center, London, UK
• Unité d'Habitation, Marseille, France

13. Cape Cod

Cape Cod architecture style first appeared after English colonists arrived in Massachusetts in the 17th Century and found they needed to adapt housing design to account for the snowy, cold East Coast winters. The design tends to be simple, rectangular homes—often cottages—with central chimneys, low ceilings, and steeply pitched roofs that snow can slide off.

In the 1920s came the Cape Cod Revival, which helped the architectural style spread across the US. Because Cape Cod homes were so simple in their construction while also appearing elegant, it gained popularity as a cheap housing solution during the Depression in the 1930s and the post-World War II housing boom in the 1940s and 50s.

Well known Cape Cod style homes:

• Hoxie House, Sandwich, Massachusetts
• Nickerson House, Chatham, Massachusetts

14. Sustainable/Green Architecture

As we entered the 21st Century and climate change became a political and societal focus, architecture shifted towards using technology to create buildings with minimal environmental impact. This is known as Sustainable or Green architecture. 

In Sustainable building design, structures are designed with energy efficiency and awareness of their location and ecosystem in mind and use modern or natural materials. Although much of this is achieved by new technology, as you may see from the start of this article, these concepts were also being used by the ancient Greeks.

Green buildings may generate their own power or have water reserves, providing a net-positive environmental impact. Green architecture often has a warm, lush appearance, incorporating trees and greenery. This is a significant contrast to architecture styles of the 20th Century, like Brutalism, but builds on the idea of harnessing natural elements, as seen in Modern architecture.

Examples of prominent sustainable buildings:

• The Bullitt Center, Seattle, USA
• The Edge, Amsterdam, Netherlands
• The Crystal, London, UK

Impact and Evolution of Architecture Styles

Architectural styles have always mirrored the culture and society of their time. The design of public buildings, in particular, often embodies a society's values or aspirations. For example, Neoclassical architecture in the government buildings of France and the USA conveys democracy and stability, while the emotive architecture of Baroque churches was designed to attract worshippers.

The advancement of science and technology also majorly shaped the evolution of architecture styles. In the 19th Century, the Industrial Revolution impacted Victorian architecture due to the mass production of steel and concrete. This later helped Modern architecture emerge. More recently, technological advances, such as the rise of architectural visualization and an increased focus on environmental sustainability, have driven the rise of sustainable architecture.

Architectural styles can be defined by distinct design patterns that reflect what was culturally relevant or technologically feasible at the time. Classical architecture—and later Neoclassical—used proportionality and symmetry to show grandeur, while Gothic architects employed towering spires and high interiors to evoke spirituality. Art Deco, with its use of zigzags and chevrons, symbolized the dynamism and progression of the 20th century. These design patterns not only distinguish architectural styles but also offer insight into the priorities or mindset of society during each style's peak.

Final Thoughts

After learning about 14 different architectural building styles, you now have a great foundation for understanding their contexts and can identify each style on your own. Moreover, you can see how each style influenced those that followed, even those not covered in this article.

Historically, architectural styles evolved significantly with new innovations and technological breakthroughs, such as during the expansion of the Roman Empire or the Industrial Revolution. Today, with the advent of computer-aided design, visualization tools, and the rise of AI in architecture we are poised for more transformations in the field. But, as we've learned, any emerging style will undoubtedly draw on the foundational elements of the styles that came before it.

FAQ

What is architectural design style?

An architectural design style groups buildings based on shared features like materials, decoration, and layout, making them identifiable to a particular time, place, or culture.

How many types of architecture design are there?

Architectural design can be categorized into seven types: residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, landscape architecture, urban design, and interior design. These types focus on different functions but architectural styles may apply across multiple types. For example, Brutalist encompasses commercial, institutional, and residential buildings.

What is an example of an architectural style?

Ancient Greek architecture is an example of an architectural style. It emphasized harmony and order and used marble and stone. Ancient Greeks developed the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian classic orders which were fundamental to this particular style.

Which architectural styles are decreasing in popularity?

Styles that rely on expensive, non-sustainable materials and do not consider their users are decreasing in popularity. This could see elements of some styles be reconsidered for the needs of modern society, as we’ve previously seen with revivalist styles, e.g., Neoclassical looked to the Ancient Greek style for classical elements but reimagined it for the culture and society of the time.

What is Bauhaus architecture?

Bauhaus architecture, developed at the school of design and architecture founded by Walter Gropius in Weimar, Germany, emphasizes simple, functional design with features like smooth facades, flat roofs, and asymmetry.

What is the German style of architecture called?

Bauhaus is the most famous German architectural style. Alternatively, medieval half-timbered houses, or Fachwerkbau, are commonly associated with Germany (though also similar to Tudor architecture).

What is 1950 architecture called?

1950s architecture is often associated with Mid-Century Modern, a continuation of modern architecture characterized by clean lines, functional design, and natural light.

What architectural style are we in now?

Contemporary architecture defines the 21st Century. Encompassing styles like modern interpretations of classical architecture, postmodernism, and sustainable architecture. Computer-aided design and architectural visualization tools, like Enscape, have made construction faster and more precise than ever.