If you own a heritage home, have a beginning interest in architectural history or just want to increase random facts that you know about property so as to make yourself seem well educated, then this 7 part blog series is for you.
The first period of time that we will be looking at is the Old Colonial Period. As the title suggests, it ranges from 1788 - 1840. The name is derived from the European Settlement and what it brought with it.
In this period of time there were three main styles: Old Georgian, Old Colonial Regency Style and Old Colonial Gothic.
We'll take a look at the identifying aspects of these structures as well as their influences.
There were many different types of buildings being erected in the first 50 years, most of them being Convict huts, Marine Barracks, Government stores and houses for officials. They were simple and necessary, generally rectangular with hipped or gabled roofs with verandahs supported by wooden columns in a classical style. Some were influenced by British Military buildings built in India and other warmer climate locations.
Personal homes started out being one room structures and if the breadwinner flourished then extensions were made. They would turn the main room into either the bedroom or living area and extended by adding a kitchen in the form of a lean-to.
Planned homes tended to be symmetrical with a central hall way. I bet you've seen the exact style of house I'm talking about. Simplicity was the design mantra in these times and only really had either 2 or 4 rooms. Kitchens were detached and entered into via the verandah.
Wood fireplaces were in most rooms and projected from the exterior of the home except in the cases of the inner city Georgian row houses.
At the time of this settlement Georgian Houses were the Architectural go to at the time in Britain. In the U.K Architectural eras were named after the reigning monarch and so the King of the day just so happened to be King George III then King George the IV through to 1830.
Now, in saying the building style in this time was simplistic, that was not always the case when it came to homes and buildings that attracted a higher level of affluence.
Builders, Craftsmen and Plasterers were well accustomed to the Palladian Style. This influence appeared in Regency homes and generally had a distinct triangular shaped roof line over the portico, accompanied by columns.
As well as this styles you will also see greek and ancient greek motifs appear in the later part of this time, sometimes referred to Neoclassical, Gothic, or Grecian. Grecian/ Roman Columns were a symbol of wealth and grandeur that was typical of notoriety in this period.
You may also hear this period be referred to as Rococo, this is what 1715-1774 was referred to in Italy and France. It's not a very common term here, as during that time our influence came from the British until more of Europe started to migrate to Australia.
This was all the very beginning of the European structures being built in Australia, I would love to hear from you if you live in one of these homes.
If you want to undergo a period true restoration and you need help, please don't hesitate to contact me for a consultation to make sure you are in good hands.