Neo-eclectic architecture is a name for an

architectural style An architectural style is a set of characteristics and features that make a building or other structure notable or historically identifiable. It is a sub-class of style in the visual arts generally, and most styles in architecture relate closely ...

that has influenced residential building construction in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

in the latter part of the 20th century and early part of the 21st. It is a contemporary version of

Revivalism Revivalism may refer to: * Christian revival, increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or society, with a local, national or global effect * Revivalism (architecture), the use of visual styles that consciously ...

that has perennially occurred since

Neoclassical architecture Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing style ...

developed in the mid 18th century. In contrast to the occasionally faux and low-budget Neo-Eclectic detached homesteads, the term

New Classical architecture New Classical architecture, New Classicism or the New Classical movement is a contemporary movement in architecture that continues the practice of Classical architecture. It is sometimes considered the modern continuation of Neoclassical architec ...

identifies contemporary buildings that stick to the basic ideals, proportions, materials and craftsmanship of traditional architecture.

Characteristics

Neo-eclectic architecture combines a wide array of decorative techniques taken from an assortment of different house styles. It can be considered a devolution from the clean and unadorned

modernist Modernism is both a philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new forms of art, philosophy, an ...

styles and principals behind the Mid-Century modern and

Ranch-style house Ranch (also known as American ranch, California ranch, rambler, or rancher) is a domestic architectural style that originated in the United States. The ranch-style house is noted for its long, close-to-the-ground profile, and wide open layout. ...

s that dominated North American residential design and construction in the first decades after the Second World War. It is an outgrowth of

postmodern architecture Postmodern architecture is a style or movement which emerged in the 1960s as a reaction against the austerity, formality, and lack of variety of modern architecture, particularly in the international style advocated by Philip Johnson and Henry- ...

, yet differs from postmodernism in that it is not creatively experimental.

Applications

Some Neo-Eclectic buildings will combine an array of different historical styles in a single building. A house so designed may have

Cape Cod Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...

Mission Revival The Mission Revival style was part of an architectural movement, beginning in the late 19th century, for the revival and reinterpretation of American colonial styles. Mission Revival drew inspiration from the late 18th and early 19th century ...

Tudor Revival Tudor Revival architecture (also known as mock Tudor in the UK) first manifested itself in domestic architecture in the United Kingdom in the latter half of the 19th century. Based on revival of aspects that were perceived as Tudor architecture ...

, or

Châteauesque Châteauesque (or Francis I style,Whiffen, Marcus, ''American Architecture Since 1780: A guide to the styles'', The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1969, p. 142. or in Canada, the Château Style) is a Revivalist architectural style based on the Fr ...

and

French Provincial ''French Provincial'' (french: Souvenirs d’en France) is a 1975 French drama film directed by André Téchiné, starring Jeanne Moreau, Michel Auclair and Marie-France Pisier. The film presents an overview of French life and politics though th ...

elements all at the same time. Often houses, or whole subdivisions, will focus on one revival style. Different historical styles predominated in different regions. In

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

elements from the

Mediterranean Revival Mediterranean Revival is an architectural style introduced in the United States, Canada, and certain other countries in the 19th century. It incorporated references from Spanish Renaissance, Spanish Colonial, Italian Renaissance, French Colonial ...

and

Spanish Colonial Revival Style The Spanish Colonial Revival Style ( es, Arquitectura neocolonial española) is an architectural stylistic movement arising in the early 20th century based on the Spanish Colonial architecture of the Spanish colonization of the Americas. In the ...

continue to be a regional vernacular and popular. In

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

and the Mid-Atlantic the

Colonial Revival Style The Colonial Revival architectural style seeks to revive elements of American colonial architecture. The beginnings of the Colonial Revival style are often attributed to the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, which reawakened Americans to the archi ...

and

Georgian Revival architecture *Colonial Revival architecture in the United States — ''primarily reviving the British Colonial period style''. ::*''See also: Spanish Colonial Revival architecture in the United States, and Dutch Colonial Revival architecture in the United Sta ...

combinations are common. In Neo-Eclectic architecture the revival elements are almost always decorative, consisting of surface elements such as claddings and windows. Details such as heavy moldings and/or trim (that would be cut stone or plaster in traditional architecture) are usually extruded foam with a stucco veneer. Aside from specifications adjusted for lower quality, newer growth lumber, the basic construction of Neo-Eclectic houses is unchanged from previous house styles such as the ranch-style house. An important development leading to the modern Neo-Eclectic style is the popularity of EIFS, a form of external insulation that is easy to apply and can be coloured and shaped to appear like an array of different materials such as stucco and stone.

Critiques

Bulcolic Mc Mansions Leesburg (4949100182)

Neo-eclectic architecture is most prominent in what are pejoratively known as

McMansions In suburban communities, McMansion is a pejorative term for a large "mass-produced" dwelling marketed to the upper middle class mainly in the United States. Virginia Savage McAlester, who also gave a first description of the common features w ...

, but it has been embraced by almost all residential builders. Across North America most suburbs built in the last three decades can largely be described as Neo-Eclectic . Critics of Neo-Eclectic architecture see the style as pretentious, wasteful and/or garish, and unoriginal.Cathleen McGuigan
The Mcmansion Next Door
''Newsweek'', October 27, 2003. Retrieved on 2008-10-26. Typically and somewhat deceptively, the Neo-Eclectic style plays an instrumental role in making cheaply built, over-sized tract homes on comparatively small parcels of land appear as something far greater than the sum of their parts.

References

External links

Humanities Web - Neo-Eclectic Style
{{Architecture in the United States House styles American architectural styles Postmodern architecture