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Traditional Architecture

Traditional architecture considers the styles that were popular to a region or area. The
characteristics of traditional architecture used by architects and builders includes a
commitment to maintaining a link to the past styles of building, reuse of materials or
designing homes and building to stay consistent with the overall building design of the area.
This creates a sense of continuity and connection to the past, which helps the area
maintains its traditional look and feel for the residents of the community.
Victorian Architecture
Victorian architecture isn't limited to one specific style. Victorian architecture is a broad
term that describes the many different styles that emerged during Victoria's 63 years as
queen. There was no standard style, which allowed architects and builders to create
buildings that suited their patron's wants and wishes. The Industrial Revolution had
prompted societal change which influenced the design of these buildings, and the expansion
of the railroads allowed for prefabricated items such as window glass, tiles, and granite to
be shipped.
Federal Architecture
Typically, a Federal style house is a simple square or rectangular box, two or three stories
high and two rooms deep. Some Federal styled homes have been made larger, modified
with projecting wings, attached dependencies or even both. In some Federal homes and
buildings, one can find an elaborate curved or polygonal floor plan such as with the Octagon
House in Washington, D.C. (1799) located at 18th Street and New York Avenue NW. In the
Rockville historic district at 103 West Montgomery Avenue, the Beall-Dawson house is an
excellent example of Federal style.
Brutalist Architecture
Brutalism in architecture is both an aesthetic and an ideology. Ideologically, it represents
the concept that structural components should be made visible. But what does this actually
look like in terms of aesthetics? Brutalist architecture is recognizable by the prominence of
basic building materials - most notably concrete. In fact, the term 'Brutalism' is actually
derived from the French phrase béton burt, which means raw concrete. So, most Brutalist
structures will emphasize a solid, unadorned and undecorated flat, concrete exterior.
Modern Architecture
Modern architecture is an architectural style that refers to a large group of similar buildings
that emerged in many countries by the practice of many architects between the 1920s and
1950s. Modern architecture first took off in Europe and then made its way into the
American style.

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