![Harlaxton House](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Harlaxton_House.jpg)
A veranda or verandah is a
roof
A roof ( : roofs or rooves) is the top covering of a building, including all materials and constructions necessary to support it on the walls of the building or on uprights, providing protection against rain, snow, sunlight, extremes of te ...
ed, open-air gallery or
porch
A porch (from Old French ''porche'', from Latin ''porticus'' "colonnade", from ''porta'' "passage") is a room or gallery located in front of an entrance of a building. A porch is placed in front of the facade of a building it commands, and form ...
, attached to the outside of a building.
A veranda is often partly enclosed by a
rail
Rail or rails may refer to:
Rail transport
*Rail transport and related matters
*Rail (rail transport) or railway lines, the running surface of a railway
Arts and media Film
* ''Rails'' (film), a 1929 Italian film by Mario Camerini
* ''Rail'' ( ...
ing and frequently extends across the front and sides of the structure.
Although the form ''verandah'' is correct and very common, some authorities prefer the version without an "h" (the ''
Concise Oxford English Dictionary
The ''Concise Oxford English Dictionary'' (officially titled ''The Concise Oxford Dictionary'' until 2002, and widely abbreviated ''COD'' or ''COED'') is probably the best-known of the 'smaller' Oxford dictionaries. The latest edition contains ...
'' gives the "h" version as a variant and ''
The Guardian Style Guide'' says
"veranda not verandah"). Australia's ''
Macquarie Dictionary
The ''Macquarie Dictionary'' () is a dictionary of Australian English. It is generally considered by universities and the legal profession to be the authoritative source on Australian English. It also pays considerable attention to New Zealand ...
'' prefers ''verandah''.
Architecture styles notable for verandas
Australia
![Verandah of The Hollow](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Verandah_of_The_Hollow.jpg)
The veranda has featured quite prominently in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
n vernacular architecture and first became widespread in colonial buildings during the 1850s. The Victorian Filigree architecture style is used by residential (particularly
terraced houses in Australia
Terraced houses in Australia are mostly Victorian and Edwardian era terraced houses or replicas, almost always found in the older, inner city areas of the major cities, mainly Sydney and Melbourne. Terraced housing was introduced to Australia ...
and New Zealand) and commercial buildings (particularly
hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...
s) across Australia and features decorative screens of wrought iron, cast iron "lace" or wood fretwork. The
Queenslander is a style of residential construction in
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
, Australia, which is adapted to subtropical climates and characterized in part by its large verandas, which sometimes encircle the entire house.
Brazil
The
bandeirista style house from Brazil typically has a veranda positioned to face the sunrise.
Japan
![Escapement street of Takada](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Escapement_street_of_Takada.jpg)
In regions with heavy snowfall, especially
Aomori
is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 278,964 in 136,457 households, and a population density of 340 people per square kilometer spread over the city's total area of ...
and
Niigata prefectures, structures called Gangi-Zukuri (
:ja:雁木造) have been developed since the
Edo period
The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
. For example, the total length of Gangi in
old Takada city is over 16 Kilometers.
Poland
In Poland, the word "weranda" is commonly used for the unheated roofed annex to a house, without walls or with glass walls.
United States
The
Creole townhouse
The buildings and architecture of New Orleans are reflective of its history and multicultural heritage, from Creole cottages to historic mansions on St. Charles Avenue, from the balconies of the French Quarter to an Egyptian Revival U.S. Customs ...
in
,
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
, is also noted for its prominent use of verandas. In fact, most houses constructed in the
Southern United States
The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...
before the advent of
air conditioning
Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C or AC, is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior environment (sometimes referred to as 'comfort cooling') and in some cases also strictly controlling ...
were built with a covered front porch or veranda.
Spanish Colonial architecture (as well as the "Mission style" revivalist version that became popular in the Western United States in the early 1900s) commonly incorporates verandas, both on the exterior of buildings and, in cases of buildings with courtyards, along the interior walls of courtyards. In some cases, homes were constructed with every room opening into a courtyard veranda, rather than interior corridors or direct connections to other rooms.
India
Being a warm, tropical country, porches were a natural idea in India. In North India the porch area is called the Otala, these structures are not only used too cool off, but also as a center of social life, where neighbors can talk and kids play, but also a religious center, where rituals and worship of the Gods can take place. The exact origin of the structure is not yet known, but it appears to date back at least 500 years, making it a well established Indian design.
In Southern India, the term ''thinnai'' is used, and these structures are very common. This area serves a religious purpose in addition to a social one, and is the center of everyday life for many.
Konkan's architecture is influenced by nature. It is sustainable and cost effective. In Konkan traditional architecture, the veranda is called "Otti", a semi-open space with low height seating covered with a permanent roof. It serves as a transition space leading to an enclosed environment. Sometimes the sides are covered by wooden
jali
A ''jali'' or jaali (''jālī'', meaning "net") is the term for a perforated stone or latticed screen, usually with an ornamental pattern constructed through the use of calligraphy, geometry or natural patterns. This form of architectural d ...
walls. It offers temporary resting space to house members during the afternoon and evening time.
Sri Lanka
Given its Portuguese, Dutch and British rule, many colonial Sri Lankan bungalows feature verandas. In the Sri Lankan Walauwa (a house once used by headmen under colonial rule) it is used as a space for leisure where families will spend time or read newspapers. Given the rarity of the architectural style in contemporary Sri Lanka houses with verandas are often featured in local films and dramas and symbolise a wealthy household.
Hong Kong
Often appear on the upper floor of the first - third generation of Tong Lau (shophouse) due to lack of space since the 19th century.
See also
*
Awning
An awning or overhang is a secondary covering attached to the exterior wall of a building. It is typically composed of canvas woven of acrylic, cotton or polyester yarn, or vinyl laminated to polyester fabric that is stretched tightly over a li ...
*
Baldresca
*
Canopy
Canopy may refer to:
Plants
* Canopy (biology), aboveground portion of plant community or crop (including forests)
* Canopy (grape), aboveground portion of grapes
Religion and ceremonies
* Baldachin or canopy of state, typically placed over an ...
*
Deck
*
Engawa
An or is an edging strip of non-tatami-matted flooring in Japanese architecture, usually wood or bamboo. The may run around the rooms, on the outside of the building, in which case they resemble a porch or sunroom.
Usually, the is outside t ...
*
Gallery (architecture) {{Wiktionary, gallery
In architecture, "gallery" may refer to:
* A balcony or low roof promenade inside a building, or facing a courtyard.
** Gallery (theatre), a zone above other seating, aisles or side rooms inside a theater or church
** Minstr ...
*
Lanai (architecture)
A lanai or lānai is a type of roofed, open-sided veranda, patio, or porch originating in Hawaii. Many homes, apartment buildings, hotels and restaurants in Hawaii are built with one or more lānais.
In Hawaii, the term's use has grown colloqui ...
*
Loggia
In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior gallery or corridor, usually on an upper level, but sometimes on the ground level of a building. The outer wall is open to the elements, usually supported by a series of columns ...
*
Overhang (architecture)
In architecture, an overhang is a protruding structure that may provide protection for lower levels. Overhangs on two sides of Pennsylvania Dutch barns protect doors, windows, and other lower-level structures. Overhangs on all four sides of barn ...
*
Patio
A patio (, from es, patio ; "courtyard", "forecourt", "yard", "little garden") is an outdoor space generally used for dining or recreation that adjoins a structure and is typically paved. In Australia the term is expanded to include roofed str ...
*
Porch sitting
Porch sitting, i.e., sitting on a front porch or stoop, usually of a private residence is a leisure activity which can be a direct or indirect form of social interaction. This activity is a staple of most urban areas in the United States, and ...
*
Shophouse
*
Terrace
Terrace may refer to:
Landforms and construction
* Fluvial terrace, a natural, flat surface that borders and lies above the floodplain of a stream or river
* Terrace, a street suffix
* Terrace, the portion of a lot between the public sidewalk an ...
References
External links
Archnet discussion forum on Verandah*
ttps://web.archive.org/web/20130516224159/https://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/comm/csj/040601/sinha.shtml Ajay Sinha Discovers Experimentation in Ancient Indian Temple Design*See more verandahs in th
State Library of Queensland's collection
{{Authority control
Architectural elements
Architecture in Barbados
Hindi words and phrases