Post on 19-Apr-2020
a pat t e r n b o o k f or
Details and techniques for building andrenovating Gulf Coast houses
m i s s i s s i p p i r e n e wa l f o r u m
gulf coast neighborhoods
To the Residents of the Gulf Coast:
As a result of the leadership of the Governor's Commission on Recovery,Rebuilding and Renewal and the efforts of many talented professionals, APattern Book for Gulf Coast Neighborhoods is now available. This valu-able tool marks a new beginning in the rebuilding efforts of our residentsand businesses throughout the Gulf Coast region. While many of our mostloved places have disappeared, we are compelled to rebuild the Coast in atime- honored way. To ensure that this effort is properly performed, I urgebuilders to use this pattern book in their efforts. It will not only result inbeautiful buildings, but also strong and well- protected homes and busi-nesses.
A Pattern Book for Gulf Coast Neighborhoods follows the tradition ofAmerican town building by providing practical tools and resources for smallbuilders, homeowners and suppliers. In an effort to conserve and restorethe sense of place that is specific to each locality, this book provides a kindof DNA code for our communities and our inherited architecture. Patternbooks have been in use since ancient Roman times, and the British broughtthe idea to the American colonies, where pattern books remained a com-mon town-building tool through the first half of the 20th Century. With-in this pattern book is a resource that offers general direction for charac-ter retention that should be used in both renovation, as well as newconstruction opportunities.
I wish to thank and acknowledge the many agencies and participantswho contributed in the preparation of this document. So many people haverisen to the challenge of Hurricane Katrina's impact, and I am proud tohave their help in our time of need. Marsha and I look forward to peoplerebuilding our remarkable neighborhoods and communities and hope thispattern book will help bring back some of the best of what we lost.
Sincerely,
Haley BarbourGovernor
Governor’s Commission
on Recovery, Rebuilding,
and Renewal
Chairman
Jim Barksdale
Vice Chairmen
Derrick Johnson
Ricky Matthews
Jerry St. Pe
Joe Sanderson
Anthony Topazi
Outside Counsel
William Winter
Commission Staff
Henry Barbour - Executive Director
Brian Sanderson - General Counsel
Emily Fair - Staff Assistant
a p a t t e r n b o o k f o r g u l f c o a s t n e i g h b o r h o o d s
Urban Design Associates707 Grant Street, 31st FloorThe Gulf TowerPittsburgh, PA 15219
www.urbandesignassociates.com
© urban design associates, 2005Drawings in the Gulf Coast Pattern Book are forillustrative purposes only and not to be used forconstruction purposes. A professional architect orengineer should be consulted for any residentialreconstruction.
Special thanks to all the CNU contributors well asJohn Norquist and his staff for a terrific job organ-izing the design teams. To Andres Duany and thegreat folks at DPZ for their tireless support andwork to bring everyone together to find optionsfor rebuilding in ways that enhance traditionalurbanism in the Gulf Coast.
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Mississippi’s Gulf Coast has a rich archi-tectural heritage that has created a col-lection of neighborhoods remarkable fortheir diversity and unique regional char-acter. While the architecture of the hous-es varies from town to town, a commonarchitectural language was shared by theregion's traditional builders which hasresulted in the unique character and qual-ity of neighborhood streets, public spacesand parks, and downtown streets. As wewalk along these streets today, or remem-ber doing so in places that are now gone,it is the graceful porches, the ornamenton top of a porch column, the grandeurof tall narrow windows, and the graceful-ness of a cornice detail that tell us wherewe are – and who we are.
The devastation wrought by hurricanesin the region destroyed many of thebuildings which created these streets,
Purpose of the Gulf Coast Pattern Book
Overview of the Gulf Coast Pattern Book
neighborhoods, and towns. With theurgent need to rebuild, it is essential tofind the most efficient and cost effectivemeans for providing housing and makingit possible to resume activities. However,there is also a danger that the essentialqualities of these places will be lost. Theuse of mass production, standardizedplans, modular units, and the need forspeed, could result in generic buildingsthat seem the same as anywhere else.
It is also imperative to make sure thenew houses are as well prepared as possi-ble to withstand future storms. FEMA isintroducing new regulations which willresult in further changes in the way inwhich houses are built.
The Mississippi Renewal Forum hasdeveloped concepts for rebuilding townsand cities in new ways but as traditionalurban environments. That work address-
This Pattern Book is organized in foursections: The Overview, NeighborhoodPatterns, Architectural Patterns, and Land-scape Patterns. Each section is designed toprovide key information to help informdesign and site planning decisions abouta planned renovation or new house con-struction.
The Neighborhood Patterns sectionopens with a series of illustrations thatdescribe the way in which individualhouses create a Gulf Coast neighborhoodstreet. Illustrations include different typesof streets including small scale neighbor-hood streets, larger scale streets, and com-mercial streets. It then provides a descrip-tion of the various Gulf Coast
neighborhoods and relates them to theTransect Zones in the SmartCode whichserved as the basis of the conceptual plansthat developed in the Forum. Each zonehas an appropriate range of building typesand street cross sections. And finally,building types will need to respond toFEMA regulations that control the min-imum floor elevation of buildings. Inaddition to determining the range ofappropriate house types, this will requireparticular care in placing the house on thesite and designing elements such as stairs,porches, and other elements that relatethe house to the street.
The Architectural Patterns section pres-ents guidelines for building or renovating
Architectural Patterns
es the larger scale issues of new urbanpatterns, building relationships and towncharacter. It also has produced somebeautiful, large scale building proposalsfor waterfronts and downtowns.
A Pattern Book for Gulf Coast Neighbor-hoods provides patterns for traditionalhouses and small commercial buildings asa resource for individual owners, localbuilders, architects and communities asthey rebuild houses, businesses andneighborhoods. Whether repairing adamaged house, erecting a pre-manufac-tured house, or building with conven-tional means and methods, readers willbe able to find appropriate patterns tohelp guide the process of designing andbuilding houses consistent with traditionsof the Gulf Coast. Mississippi architectsare a great resource to help residents andbusiness owners design appropriate build-ings for their towns.
s e c t i o n
o v e r v i e w 1
Purpose and Overview ofthe Gulf Coast Pattern Book 1
How To Use the Pattern Book forGulf Coast Neighborhoods 2
s e c t i o n
n e i g h b o r h o o d p a t t e r n s 4
Neighborhood Patterns 6
Building a New TraditionalCommunity 8
Neighborhood Character 10
s e c t i o n
a r c h i t e c t u r a l p a t t e r n s 12
Gulf Coast Building Types 13
Kit of Parts – Strategies to MeetFEMA Requirements 14
Building a Gulf Coast House 18
Gulf Coast Architectural Styles 20
Gulf Coast Acadian-Creole 22
Gulf Coast Victorian 28
Gulf Coast Classical 34
Gulf Coast Arts & Crafts 40
Gulf Coast Mixed-Use 46
Ancillary Structures andGarages 52
s e c t i o n
l a n d s c a p e p a t t e r n s 54
Landscape Elements 55
s e c t i o n
a p p e n d i x 58
House Types 58
Material Manufacturers 68
Resources 68
Glossary of Terms 69
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A Pattern Book HistoryNeighborhood Patterns
A
B
C
D
E
Landscape Patterns
traditional Gulf Coast houses and smallcommercial buildings within a specificarchitectural vocabulary. Four primaryarchitectural traditions found throughoutthe Gulf Coast neighborhoods are illus-trated with key details, materials andshapes to help owners determine theappropriate design elements for theirhouse or building.
The Landscape Patterns section illus-trates specific examples of fencing, walls,paving, and garden types found in GulfCoast neighborhoods.
An Appendix, illustrating a variety ofregional house plans and elevations pre-pared by architects as well as a listing ofmaterial resources, reference materialsand a glossary, is also included.
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How To Use The Pattern Book For Gulf Coast NeighborhoodsStep 1: Identify Neighborhood
Type and Character
The Neighborhood Patterns section pro-vides an overview of the unique charac-teristics of each type of traditional neigh-borhood street and keys them to thetransect zone which identifies the rangeof appropriate building types, as well asarchitectural character.
Step 2: Identify Appropriate House
Types
The rebuilding effort will identify areasfor different building and lot types, rang-ing from small cottages to large and com-plex mixed use buildings. Review thepotential building types for the site andestablish the minimum required floor ele-vation above grade level for your floodzone. The diagrams on pages C14 - C17illustrate strategies to achieve variousminimum floor elevations for commonbuilding types.
Step 3: Identify Appropriate
Architectural Character
Four primary architectural styles found inGulf Coast are documented in the Pat-tern Book: Acadian-Creole, Classical,Arts & Crafts, and Victorian. An addi-tional Mixed-Use Building types isdescribed as well. These sections followthe structure outlined below:
HISTORY & CHARACTER
The first page of every architectural stylesection begins with a brief description ofthe style and its history. Photos of rele-vant examples of the style in Gulf Coasthave been documented and are shownalong with the essential qualities of eachstyle. A partial elevation drawing andmeasured cross section relay the criticalvertical dimensions and elements of thefacade.
Architectural details are illustrated with typical dimensions and locationsA Gulf Coast neighborhood corner lot
Assembling the elements of a Gulf Coast house
MASSING & COMPOSITION
This page describes the basic massingtypes or shapes of houses found in theGulf Coast precedents for each architec-tural style. Each massing type is shownas a three-dimensional image with a cor-responding elevation diagram showingpotential additions. The layout of roomsshould be designed to fit into the mass-ing types found within the particularstyle.The roof types are part of this over-all massing description.
WINDOWS & DOORS
The window and door spacing is relatedto both the shape and the style of thehouse. Typical window and door compo-sitions are illustrated as part of the mass-ing illustrations for each style. Typicalwindow and door proportions, trimdetails and special window or door ele-ments are illustrated on a separate pagewithin each section.
PORCHES & CHIMNEYS
Porches are essential elements of thecharacter of many Gulf Coast neighbor-hoods. The location and design elementsof porches are covered on this page. Themassing of the front porch is specific toeach house type and distinct within a par-ticular style.
Chimneys are a key element in thecomposition of the elevation for some ofthe styles. Massing and details such aschimney caps are outlined on this page.
MATERIALS & APPLICATIONS
This page of each style section in theArchitectural Patterns includes a list ofacceptable materials and their applica-tion. Also included on this page are hand-drawn elevation “possibilities” composedusing elements described in the PatternBook to illustrate the end result achievedif one follows the guidelines of the Pat-tern Book.
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GALLERY OF EXAMPLES
This last page of each style section con-tains both a collection of photos of GulfCoast houses in that style as well as detailphotos of porches, doors and windows.
Step 6: Review
the Material Manufacturers
List in the Appendix
An abbreviated list of material manufac-turers for items such as doors, windows,columns, and moldings is provided here.When keyed to the appropriate architec-tural style, the list can serve as a referenceor resource when searching for the appro-priate building supplies from localsources.
Step 7: Review the Resources List
in the Appendix
For those interested in learning moreabout the Gulf Coast’s residential archi-tecture, architectural styles in general, theGulf Coast’s history, or other availableresources, this list provides a handy ref-erence.
Identifying or selecting a window
Character sketch of a traditional Gulf Coast house
Material options example
Massing and composition diagrams
Style examples
Eave details
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a p a t t e r n b o o k f o r g u l f c o a s t n e i g h b o r h o o d s
Boxed eave – Sloped
6–8
12
1’ - 6” to 2'-0"
8"
Boxed eave return
6"
12"–16"
12
8–12
1’to 1'-6"
2
12
Individual double-hung windows are themost common type. Front doors are gen-erally located in the corner of narrowhouses and at the center of wide houses.Paired or bay windows are often used inthe forward gable of the gable L massingtypes. Bay windows may be one or twostories tall.
Roof
The roof pitch on most Victorianhouses varies from 6 to 14 in 12. Slate,shingles and metal are appropriate roof-ing materials.
Eaves
Two eave types define the Gulf coast Vic-torian, one is more formal than the other:
• Boxed eaves, with frieze, are the moreformal option, with or withoutbrackets that are either horizontal orvertical in proportion. Eaves have a12- to 16-inch frieze board eithertouching or at least 8 inches above the
Massing
RAISED COTTAGE
Rectangular volume with a roof pitchranging from 5 to 7 in 12 for the mainbody. Roofs are either hipped or gableend. Porches are typically inset within theroof form or added on the front as a fullfront porch. Sometimes the porch is ahipped added to a Gable roof over theMain Body.
CREOLE COTTAGE
This massing typically accommodates aone-story continuous porch with a shedor hipped roof running the full length ofthe front facade.This is a side gable housefacing the street. Roof pitches are typi-cally 10 in 12.GABLE L
Square volume with hipped roof fromwhich a front-facing gabled wingextends. Roof pitches range from 8 in 12to 12 in 12. Front porches extend the fullwidth of the front facade or occasionallyare one and two-bay, hipped porches at
and tie into the gable “L”BROAD FRONT
Side-gable rectangular volume with roofpitches ranging from 6 in 12 to 10 in 12.One-story shed porches are often placedsymmetrically on the front facade. One-story side wings often occur. This mass-ing also accommodates a two-story con-tinuous porch with a shed or hipped roof.
Combinations
Complex forms and larger living spacesmay be created by combining side wingsand/or rear wings with the main body.Gabled or arched dormers may be addedto introduce light into half-story and atticspaces. The architectural character of theattached parts should match that of themain body.
Facade Composition
Victorian facade composition is charac-terized by a symmetrical and balancedplacement of doors and windows.
window head trim. Eave returnsshould have metal flashing back to thewall at a maximum slope of 2 in 12.
• Boxed eave with sloped soffit, oftenhipped, at gables. The rake features anoverhang with simple decorativevergeboard.
Wall Section & Eave Details
The first floor of the Victorian house istypically set three feet above the finishedgrade. For one-story houses, the floor-to-ceiling height should be 9 to 10 feet. Fortwo-story houses, the minimum floor-to-ceiling height is 9 feet for the first floorand 8 feet for the second floor.
Window head heights should be 8 feetabove the floor for first floor windowsand 7 feet for second floor windows.
These houses have 8-inch-wide skirtboards. Foundation vents are centeredunder windows when used.
MASSING DIAGRAMS
Massing & Composition
MASSING COMBINATIONS
Creole CottageRaised Cottage Gable L - 1 and 2 story
gulf coast victorian
Essential Elements of
the Gulf Coast Victorian Style
• Prominent porch elements
• Cut wood ornament, often withnatural forms such as leaves and vinesor turned decorative millwork
• Wood clapboard siding
• Vertically proportioned windowsand doors
Partial elevation and wall section
The Victorian style builds on the Carpenter Gothic cottages abundant inearly rail-served coastal resorts. Pattern Books published by Andrew Jack-son Downing and others were the source for many of these early housedesigns. These books made it easier for the builders of early resorts, coun-try estates and even modest dwellings to adopt the style. Although exoticVictorian houses incorporating Eastlake, Queen Anne and Italianate detailsgrew in popularity, folk-based Victorian houses flourished in this region.
The Gulf Coast Victorian style is based on the simple, elegant formsadapted to small houses. The massing forms are simple, while ornamentis typically restrained and limited to the porch and the building’s cornice.
Broad Front
3/5 2/5
24'—32'
2/5 3/5
34'—42'
1/3 1/3 1/3
22'—28'
24'—32'
1/3 1/31/3
FACADE COMPOSITION DIAGRAMS
TYPICAL EAVE DETAILS
8'-
0" t
yp
ical
10'-
0" t
yp
ical
4'-
0" t
yp
.
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a pattern book for gulf coast neighborhoods
neighborhood patternsThe Gulf Coast has a remarkable collection of distinct and unique places,each with its own individual identity and inherited traditions. The diver-sity of this regional character is a result of many factors including the richmix of cultures, the sub-tropical environment, and the migration of peo-ple from many parts of the world. Since the earliest settlements of theFrench, Spanish, and English colonists, this mix of traditions has been evi-dent in food, music, literature, and language as well as architectural andurban patterns. The legacy of this complex history is found in the charac-ter of the architecture and urbanism throughout the region, whether insmall rural hamlets, towns, or cities.
Within the diverse range of settlements, there are common elementsthat have emerged over time to create this fabric of Gulf Coast neighbor-hoods and places.
The Transect, which describes the hierarchy of scale and location with-in the region, helps us understand the fundamental qualities of the differ-ent settlement patterns. They include rural landscapes with farmsteads orcoastal homesteads, small hamlets and villages, collective settlementsaround historic trading towns and government centers up to the largerurban centers. These areas are defined in The SmartCode, a tool used toguide planning and development policies based on the quality and char-acter of the type of place. When rebuilding in your own neighborhood, itis helpful to understand the underlying patterns, the way houses and build-ings are located on property, the size and character of streets, the preser-vation of agricultural or coastal land, the landscape and the architecture.
An example of a raised cottage in the Victorian style
Photo of typical streetscaping in a Mississippi town
Biloxi
Gulfport
Long Beach
Pass
Christian
Waveland
Bay St.Louis
D’Iberville
Ocean
SpringsGautier
Pascagoula
Moss
Point
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Photo of typical cottage in Bay St.Louis
Typical L-shape massing in the Victorian style
Historic postcard of Beach Boulevard in Waveland, MS
View of large home in rural setting
View of Howard Avenue in Biloxi
View of typical main street in Natchez
Plan of Waveland, Mississippi Plan of Bay St.Louis, Mississippi Plan of Biloxi, Mississippi
Settlement Character
Neighborhoods and buildings have verydifferent character traits that create thedistinct sense of place. The SmartCodehas defined a series of zones that includethe most rural – T1 to T2 – to typicalneighborhoods in towns and villages – T3
to T4 – and urban centers that have moreof a mix of uses with a variety of buildingsizes and densities. These zones includetraditional Main streets and areas withspecial uses – T5 and SD.
Transect Zone T3: Transect Zone T4: Transect Zone T5:
Note: All requirements in thistable are subject to adjustmentfor local context.
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a pattern book for gulf coast neighborhoods
Neighborhood Patterns
Neighborhoods in the City
The Gulf Coast’s wonderful neighbor-hoods including vacation homes inWaveland and residential neighborhoodsin Biloxi and Ocean Springs, provide awide variety of architectural styles, housetypes and sizes. Yet despite the differ-ences, these neighborhoods share a fun-damental physical structure.
Streets & Blocks
The physical structure of a neighborhoodis defined by its network of public streets,(occasionally with alleys), residentialdevelopment blocks and park spaces.Thestreet pattern can vary from a small-scalegrid of streets focused on a park green tocurving streets to a series of cul-de-sacsdepending on the neighborhood’s era ofdevelopment.
Houses on Lots
Houses are built along a relatively con-sistent front yard setback line. Setbacksvary slightly to provide visual relief andto allow for porches, existing trees andother landscape elements to remain. Firstfloors and porches tend to sit two to threefeet above finished grade. Ancillary struc-tures, such as garages and sheds, areattached to the house or are located at therear of the lot.
Building Setbacks
Each residential development block (yel-low) is lotted into individual house lotswith a typical front yard zone (lightgreen) which is the “public face” of thehouse.These lots can vary in size and canaccommodate single or multi-family lots.The “building setback” is the distancefrom the front property line to the face ofthe house. Neighborhoods usually have acommon setback for the houses thatvaries depending on the era of the neigh-borhood.
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The Individual House
The last component of a neighborhoodis the individual house. The house pro-vides the greatest opportunity for varietythrough the use of architectural styles,massing forms, color palette and the var-ied possibilities of landscaping selections.
Public Street Landscape
Public street landscape, such as grassverges (lawns) and street trees, provideboth a visual edge as well as a bufferbetween the street and the front lawn. Inthe older neighborhoods, the trees havegrown quite large and beautiful creatinga canopy of green as one walks down thestreet.
Neighborhood Character
Each neighborhood derives its uniquecharacter from the composition and jux-taposition of these individual elements –streets, blocks, houses, parks, and publicand private landscape elements – whichtogether form the residential fabricof the Gulf Coast.
Private Front Yard Landscape
The individual personality of the home-owner is displayed through the varyingtreatments that front and back yardsreceive. Landscaping patterns can rangefrom the formal to the informal, andbrick edging, brick walks and well-trimmed hedges are as common as natu-ralistic gardens of low groundcover,medium height shrubs and indigenousornamental trees.
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a pattern book for gulf coast neighborhoods
Building a New Traditional Community
Surface Parking Commercial
Main Street
Mixed use buildings
with structured parking
Beach
Boulevard
Bay
Mixed- Use
Main Street
Residential Street
3-5 story
Mixed-Use
buildings
3-5 story
Mixed-Use
buildings
TownhousesSingle Family 2-3 story
Mixed-Use
buildings
Single Family
Beach-front-
Promenade
Potential transect section of transition from gulf front to residential neighborhoods
Each of the communities of the Missis-sippi Gulf Coast is unique, and each hasits own special sense of place, which mustbe recognized, sustained, and nurtured asthose communities recover and rebuild inthe aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Eachcommunity has its own history, its ownpatterns of settlement and growth, itsown history and cultural heritage, and itsown distinctive architectural characterwhich reflects that history and culturalheritage.
In the effort to retain each communi-ty's individuality and sense of place, thepreservation of historic buildings is ofutmost importance. Historic buildings arevisible ties to the community's past --tangible links with the lifetimes and con-tributions of earlier generations -- help-ing to provide a sense of continuity in theongoing process of shaping the history ofa place and its people. Historic buildingsalso help to establish the uniqueness andindividuality of the community, for onlythat particular community has those par-ticular buildings with their particularcharacter and appearance. To a largeextent, a place retains its identity becauseit has a degree of visual continuity overthe years. The buildings of a communi-ty provide much of that visual continuity.They help to form its picture in ourminds, and make it recognizable to us.
But many of the older buildings of theGulf Coast, which helped to impart thatdistinctive character and sense of place,have been destroyed, and many othershave been irreparably damaged. In someplaces whole neighborhoods have beendevastated, and some areas of the Coasthave been completely destroyed. How dothese communities go about rebuilding ina manner that will enable them to retaintheir individuality and distinctiveness? Inthose areas, there will be a need to con-struct new buildings that are designed ina manner that is sympathetic to the dis-tinctive architectural character of thecommunity.
Although each community of the Mis-sissippi Gulf Coast has a unique historyand its own distinctive appearance, thereare certain patterns of settlement andarchitecture that are widely shared. Build-ing and designing in a manner that isconsistent with and sympathetic to thesepatterns can produce neighborhoods andcommunities that "belong" to the Mis-sissippi Gulf Coast.
Richard J. Cawthon,Chief Architectural Historian,Mississippi Department of Archives andHistory
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Above drawings provided by Milton W. Grenfell, Michael Imber, Marianne Cusato, and Eric Moser
As each house and shop is rebuilt orrenovated, homeowners and builders havean opportunity to create the sense of con-tinuity and unique quality of Gulf Coastplaces. It is all too easy to build genericbuildings that could be anywhere. Thesame is true for windows, porches, doorsand materials. A Pattern Book for GulfCoast Neighborhoods is intended to pro-vide a resource for building in tradition-
al ways. It offers patterns that buildersonce knew very well. These vocabulariesare still alive. It is still possible to buywindows, doors, trim boards and porchcolumns much like the ones used in tra-ditional houses, new and improved with-out losing their character and quality.Each house, shop, and building must bethought about as part of the larger neigh-borhood. Porches pulled up close to the
street, front gardens that are kept for thebenefit of neighbors walking down thestreet - all of these rituals and acts ofbuilding community, reinforce our ties tothe region, history and a sense of thefuture.
The most important aspect of each ofthe building types illustrated is the wayin which they contribute to the publicrealm. Individual houses line the streets
of neighborhoods and offer a front porchand front lawn as a gift to the street. Thelarge scale buildings provide openfacades, arcades, and loggias to add scaleand character to streets and public spaces.Even in V-zones, the articulation of thebases of large buildings must provide thisscale and character to create humane andinviting urban environments
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a pattern book for gulf coast neighborhoods
Elements of Medium Scale
Neighborhood street
• Mixed -use but primarilyresidential
• Wide range of building types
• Varying setbacks
• Medium size blocks
Neighborhood Character
20' 5' 5'6'28'6' 15'
StreetFront Yard
Sidewalk
Verge Verge
Sidewalk
Front Yard
Elements of Small Scale
Neighborhood street
• Low density suburban residentialareas
• Naturalistic planting
• Deep setbacks
• Large blocks
• Irregular roads to accommodatenatural conditions
varies varies20'
StreetFront Yard Front Yard
T3: THE SUBURBAN ZONE
T4: THE GENERAL URBAN ZONE
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StreetRaised Arcade
Sidewalk Sidewalk
Elevated Arcade
Setback
Sidewalk
Verge Boulevard Pedestrian
Promenade
Elements of Mixed Use
Neighborhood Street
• Higher density mixed-usebuildings
• Varying building types includingretail, offices, rowhouses andapartments
• Tight network of streets with widesidewalks
• Consistent street tree planting
• Buildings set close to the streetwide sidewalks
Elements of Water Front Streets
• Highest density
• Greatest variety of uses
• Civic buildings of regionalimportance
• Larger blocks with screenedparking
• Steady tree planting along streets
• Buildings set close to the street
T4: THE GENERAL URBAN ZONE
T5: THE URBAN CENTER ZONE
BayBuilding Zone
Above drawings provided by Michael Imber, and Marianne Cusato
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architectural patternsThis Pattern Book establishes patterns among traditional house types in Gulf
Coast neighborhoods. There are other conditions described in the plans devel-oped by the Mississippi Forum Charrette that include buildings in the Downtownsand in coastal zones that have more complex requirements by FEMAand willneed special architectural designs. This Pattern Book is intended for use by indi-viduals and builders as they rebuild the fabric of neighborhoods and thereforefocuses on the design of houses and small commercial buildings. It provides meansof coping with FEMA requirements forcing new houses to be built at higher ele-vations than in the past, but it does so only within the range of elevations thatare appropriate for traditional house types and for affordable construction. Spe-cial conditions that require greater height should be designed by architects as spe-cial conditions.
The information in this section is intended to help homeowners and buildersin understanding the key elements that contribute to the character or “style” ofGulf Coast houses and small commercial buildings. These guidelines can beapplied to new construction renovation and additions to historic buildings or evenprovide resources to “transform” existing production houses that do not reflectGulf Coast traditions.
This section begins with an overview of the traditional building types foundthroughout the Gulf Coast. Following that, individual sections based on com-mon architectural styles identify typical characteristics and elements of a houseincluding general massing types, window and door composition, common eavesand porch details as well as materials and examples. These are described in bothgraphic and written form. These patterns can help enhance the original charac-ter of a regional house or as residents build new houses within one of the tradi-tional Gulf Coast neighborhoods, new plans can be adapted to reflect one of thesetraditional styles.
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The Gulf Coast House
The Architectural Patterns section buildson the Neighborhood Patterns described inthe previous section to create distinctplaces. Seven distinct building typolo-gies recur throughout the region and inthe Gulf Coast neighborhoods. Thisinventory of regional building types isadapted to reflect various architecturalstyles or vocabularies. In many older hous-es, styles were adapted over time as cer-tain patterns became popular. Whilethere are many variations on regionalhouse types, the types illustrated on thispage appear to dominate neighborhoodpatterns before World War II, through-out the region1 SIDE HALL HOUSES
These houses include ‘shotgun’ types aswell where the primary difference is thesingle room width bay on the shotgunand a wider house with a hallway alongone side to access rooms.Typically hippedroof but also gabled roofs are common.2 RAISED COTTAGE
This type is often called a Creole Cottageor Acadian Cottage. Influences are a mixof French and Spanish adaptations to theregion. Later versions include what isreferred to as an American Cottage withClassical detailing and a typical 5 baycomposition for windows and doors.3 L-SHAPED
These houses often have a perpendicularwing in the back or a cross gable wingthat forms a ‘T’ in plan. Porches or gal-leries often run along the side and tie intothe rear wing.
4 SIDE GABLE
This house type is found nationally andforms the simple rectangular form thatcan be adapted to most styles. In thisregion, the rear or the front can haveporches inset under the main roof.
5 PYRAMID
This house type is found throughout theregion typically as a one or one and a halfstory massing often called a Bayed Cot-tage. The floor to ceiling height is typi-cally taller to allow for deep porches.
6 TOWNHOUSE
Found in the heart of urban centers,many townhouses developed as mixed usetypes with commercial ground floors andresidential floors above. French influ-enced buildings often feature a balconyabove the ground floor.7 MIXED-USE BUILDINGS
These form the local commercial streetsand districts. Typically simple, two storyforms of masonry with plaster finishing.Balconies and repetitive openings onupper floors are typical. Decorative cor-nices of either wood or masonry.
1 SIDE HALL
Gulf Coast Building Types
3. L- SHAPE
2. COTTAGE
4. SIDE GABLE
5. PYRAMID
6. TOWNHOUSE
7. MIXED-USE
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Kit of Parts – Strategies to Meet FEMA Requirements
FEMA has outlined requirements in par-ticular zones to raise the finish floor ofnew homes to minimum heights abovesea level. Check local requirements todetermine specific site criteria. For moreinformation check with FEMA atwww.fema.gov.
This document includes a ‘kit of parts’to achieve these requirements in a man-ner derived from typical local and ver-nacular examples. These options can beused individually and together in combi-nation. In vernacular conditions, thestrategies were carefully designed not tooverwhelm the building’s scale. Not allbuilding types can be used with the mostrestrictive conditions. Basic strategiesinclude:
1 Raising the site with 4 feet of fill
2 4-foot base to raise the floor elevation
3 8-foot sub-story with a grand stair
Used in combination, they can reachup to 16 feet above original site grade.The diagram suggests how these optionscan achieve the maximum elevation.
Option 14-foot Raised SiteThe first option is to use fill toraised the building site up fourfeet. In more urban conditions, asite wall is used at the sidewalk tomaximize the flat areas of the site
Option 24-foot BaseThe most commonly used optionis to build the finish floor four feetabove grade. This is achieved withthe use of either piles or founda-tion walls
Option 38-foot Sub-Story withGrand StairAnother common option is toraise the house 8 feet above finishgrade. When a porch is used, thestair is often incorporated insidethe porch itself. In many cases, theground floor is enclosed withwalls to create useable uncondi-tioned space for vehicles andequipment
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ALTERNATIVE A
BUILDING BASE
Side Hall
Side Hall and Shotgun style houses typ-ically have very narrow forms. They aretraditionally raised above the ground sev-eral feet and accommodate a 4 foot highbase and a perpendicular set of steps toget up onto the porch.The two story Side Gable house is lesscommon but is also a traditional form inthe region. These houses often have twostory front porches and are articulated asVictorian style houses. Stairs are some-times pulled inside the porch structure.With the addition of a raised site, thehouse can achieve a 12 foot height abovesurrounding grade.
Raised Cottage
These houses are the most adaptable tothe raised condition. Most traditionalhouses of this type are either raised 4 to6 feet with a storage area underneath theporch and the first floor, or they are raid-ed a full story with square masonry pierson the ground floor and the light woodporch structure above.These are found inthe rural (T1 and T2 transect areas) andas urban cottages as well. The diagramsillustrate the potential to add an addi-tional 4 foot base to the two story type toachieve a 12 foot height above grade. Ifthe site can be raised and additional 4feet, than the potential of 16 feet abovesurrounding grade can be achieved. Un-occupied ground floor exterior walls canbe articulated as louvered panels insetbetween square, masonry piers.
ALTERNATIVE B
SUB-STORY
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ALTERNATIVE A
BUILDING BASE
L-Shape
These houses are variations on the Sidehall and Shotgun types.They are tradi-tionally raised above the ground severalfeet and accommodate a 4 foot high baseand a perpendicular set of steps to thefront porch or parallel to the side porch.
The two story L-shape house often hasa two story front porch. Stairs are some-times pulled inside the porch structure forthese as well. With the addition of araised site, the house can achieve a 12 footheight above surrounding grade. Un-occupied ground floor exterior walls canbe articulated as louvered panels insetbetween square, masonry piers.
Side Gable
These houses are simple rectangularboxes. Typically they are two story mass-es. An additional 4 foot base can be addedto achieve a minimum elevation abovethe surrounding grade. Stairs can run par-allel to the front face of the house toaccess the porch or run perpendicular tothe front porch. The ground floor shouldbe designed as light, panel walls withwindow like openings. Shutters shouldinfill between piers. An additional 8 footsub-story can be added to achieve a twostory living space above an un-occupiedground floor. This can be combined witha 4 foot high base and a raised site toachieve 16 feet above surrounding grade.
ALTERNATIVE B
SUB-STORY
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Pyramid
The pyramidal house form is typicallybuilt as a single story house. The house isalmost always raised on a base masonrypiers infilled with lattice.To achieve addi-tional height above surrounding grade, asub-story of 8 feet and a base of four feetcan be combined to create a reasonablehouse form. This can be raised an addi-tional 4 feet with the site where possible.The base articulation requires masonrypiers with louvered panel infill.
Townhouse
Townhouses can accommodate an 8 footheight sub-story that can serve as park-ing and some light storage.The base mustbe articulated as masonry piers with lou-ver shutter infill panels. An additional 4foot high base can be added to achieve a12 foot height above surrounding grade.Stairs will have to un parallel to the frontface with a sub-base of 8 feet. Addition-al height will require some setback fromthe sidewalk to allow for perpendicularruns of steps as well.
Mixed-Use
Mixed-use buildings typically rely ongrade level entrances to accommodateADA access and street level activity.Additional height can be gained by pro-viding deeper setbacks to the street - 20feet plus - and a raised base. ADA accessis provided wither as a parallel ramp inthe front just off the sidewalk or a per-pendicular ramp along one side of thebuilding.
ALTERNATIVE A
BUILDING BASE
ALTERNATIVE B
SUB-STORY
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Building a Gulf Coast House
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gulf coast victorian
Essential Elements of
the Gulf Coast Victorian Style
• Prominent porch elements
• Cut wood ornament, often withnatural forms such as leaves and vinesor turned decorative millwork
• Wood clapboard siding
• Vertically proportioned windowsand doors
Partial elevation and wall section
The Victorian style builds on the Carpenter Gothic cottages abundant inearly rail-served coastal resorts. Pattern Books published by Andrew Jack-son Downing and others were the source for many of these early housedesigns. These books made it easier for the builders of early resorts, coun-try estates and even modest dwellings to adopt the style. Although exoticVictorian houses incorporating Eastlake, Queen Anne and Italianate detailsgrew in popularity, folk-based Victorian houses flourished in this region.
The Gulf Coast Victorian style is based on the simple, elegant formsadapted to small houses. The massing forms are simple, while ornamentis typically restrained and limited to the porch and the building’s cornice.
8'-
0" t
yp
ica
l
10
'-0
" t
yp
ica
l
4'-
0" t
yp
.
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Boxed eave – Sloped
6–8
12
1’ - 6” to 2'-0"
8"
Boxed eave return
6"
12
"–1
6"
12
8–12
1’to 1'-6"
2
12
Individual double-hung windows are themost common type. Front doors are gen-erally located in the corner of narrowhouses and at the center of wide houses.Paired or bay windows are often used inthe forward gable of the gable L massingtypes. Bay windows may be one or twostories tall.
Roof
The roof pitch on most Victorianhouses varies from 6 to 14 in 12. Slate,shingles and metal are appropriate roof-ing materials.
Eaves
Two eave types define the Gulf coast Vic-torian, one is more formal than the other:
• Boxed eaves, with frieze, are the moreformal option, with or withoutbrackets that are either horizontal orvertical in proportion. Eaves have a12- to 16-inch frieze board eithertouching or at least 8 inches above the
Massing
RAISED COTTAGE
Rectangular volume with a roof pitchranging from 5 to 7 in 12 for the mainbody. Roofs are either hipped or gableend. Porches are typically inset within theroof form or added on the front as a fullfront porch. Sometimes the porch is ahipped added to a Gable roof over theMain Body.
CREOLE COTTAGE
This massing typically accommodates aone-story continuous porch with a shedor hipped roof running the full length ofthe front facade.This is a side gable housefacing the street. Roof pitches are typi-cally 10 in 12.GABLE L
Square volume with hipped roof fromwhich a front-facing gabled wingextends. Roof pitches range from 8 in 12to 12 in 12. Front porches extend the fullwidth of the front facade or occasionallyare one and two-bay, hipped porches at
and tie into the gable “L”BROAD FRONT
Side-gable rectangular volume with roofpitches ranging from 6 in 12 to 10 in 12.One-story shed porches are often placedsymmetrically on the front facade. One-story side wings often occur. This mass-ing also accommodates a two-story con-tinuous porch with a shed or hipped roof.
Combinations
Complex forms and larger living spacesmay be created by combining side wingsand/or rear wings with the main body.Gabled or arched dormers may be addedto introduce light into half-story and atticspaces. The architectural character of theattached parts should match that of themain body.
Facade Composition
Victorian facade composition is charac-terized by a symmetrical and balancedplacement of doors and windows.
window head trim. Eave returnsshould have metal flashing back to thewall at a maximum slope of 2 in 12.
• Boxed eave with sloped soffit, oftenhipped, at gables. The rake features anoverhang with simple decorativevergeboard.
Wall Section & Eave Details
The first floor of the Victorian house istypically set three feet above the finishedgrade. For one-story houses, the floor-to-ceiling height should be 9 to 10 feet. Fortwo-story houses, the minimum floor-to-ceiling height is 9 feet for the first floorand 8 feet for the second floor.
Window head heights should be 8 feetabove the floor for first floor windowsand 7 feet for second floor windows.
These houses have 8-inch-wide skirtboards. Foundation vents are centeredunder windows when used.
MASSING DIAGRAMS
Massing & Composition
MASSING COMBINATIONS
Creole CottageRaised Cottage Gable L - 1 and 2 story Broad Front
3/5 2/5
30'
32'
1/3 1/3 1/3
30'
24'
1/3 1/31/3
FACADE COMPOSITION DIAGRAMS
TYPICAL EAVE--- DETAILS
40'
1/4 1/41/4 1/4 1/5 1/51/5 1/5 1/5
40'
1/5 1/51/5 1/5 1/5
Most traditional houses are distinguished by a Main Body thatis always the most important form. Additional space is creat-ed through secondary additions to this Main Body. The firststep in designing a house is to determine the Main Body Mass-ing Type.This will guide the development of a new house planor the modifications to an existing house.
In general, additions are treated as Wings. Side wings can beeither one, or one-and-one-half stories, set back from the frontfacade of the Main Body. Two-story additions can be addedto two-story Main Bodies, but should be set back from thefront facade and limited in width to a maximum of one-thirdthe width of the Main Body. Side wings and rear wings canbe added in many combinations.
Once the massing and the floor-to-floor heights are deter-mined, various Door and Window Compositions can beexplored. Most styles have very definite patterns that were usedto produce balanced or picturesque compositions with a har-monious and pleasing image. Window proportions, locationand spacing are all important and were well understood byearly house builders.
The History & Character Page of the GulfCoast Victorian Architectural Style
The Massing & Composition Page of the GulfCoast Victorian Architectural Style
Historic photos of Gulf Coast Victorian houses
Massing Diagram indicating a 4-foot base
Typical Boxed eaves return
Partial elevation and wall section
1/5 1/51/5 1/5 1/5
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While windows and doors are available today from a widerange of manufacturers and come in almost any shape and size,correctly proportioned and detailed Windows and Doors arecritical in reinforcing the style of the house. The Pattern Bookillustrates standard window and door types used for each archi-tectural style and special windows and doors used as accents.
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8"
STANDARD WINDOWS
Box bay window
3'-
0"
6'-
6"
1'-
6"
8'-4"
1'-4"2'-6"12"
First floor
Second floor
SPECIAL WINDOWS
TYPICAL WINDOW DETAIL
6"
2"
Flat trim
2"
1'-
0"
5'-
10
''
2'-8'' 3'-0"
6'-
2''
6'-
2''
2'-8''
6'-
6''
3'-0''
DORMER WINDOW
8
12
1'-
2"
5'-
2"
2'-4"6" 6"
5'-
2''
Windows
Windows are vertical in proportion andhave a 2 over 2 or 4 over 4 muntin pat-tern. Panes are always taller than they arewide. Some houses may have windowswith rounded upper sashes. Standardwindows are double hung.
Special Windows
Gulf coast Victorian houses featureround- top windows, dormers and boxand angled bay windows. Bay windowsmust project a minimum of 8 inches fromthe main structure. Bay windows have acontinuous base to the ground; two-storybays are common.
Windows & Doors
Doors
Doors on Gulf coast Victorian houses arevertical in proportion. The maximumwidth of a pair of double doors is 5 feetfor doors at least 8 feet tall, and 4 feet forshorter pairs of double doors.
Trim
Windows and doors have 6-inch trimwith a simple backband profile. Victori-an window and door trim carries a deco-rative crown and cap above; windows mayfeature an ornate hood.
DOORS
4'-0"8"3'-4"6" 6" 2'-8" 1'-3"
8'-
0"
6'-
8"
2'-8
"
6'-
8"
2'-
0"
1'-3"
2'-4"6" 6"
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Classical
3½"
3½"
3¼
"
3"
1½" sq.
RAIL DETAILS
2½"
3½"
2½
"2
½"
2" turned
One-story porch elevation
One-story porch elevation
mental balusters are also used with squarecolumns. Square pattern lattice is used asinfill between piers at the foundation.
Brackets
Brackets range from simple designs cutfrom boards, to more elaborate turnedwood or jigsaw-cut openwork. Bracketsare a minimum of 2 inches thick. Arch-way bracketing can be used to formportals over key entry locations.
Porch Location
Full front porches are encouraged onGulf coast Victorian houses. Porches canbe used to wrap the corner of a house, orfill in the void created by an L-shapedplan.The minimum porch depth is 8 feet.
PORCH COLUMN TYPES
Square
8" square,
chamfered
corner8"–10"dia.
Ionic or
Doric order
Porch Roofs & Eaves
Porches can be one or two stories tall withflat, shed or shallow hipped roofs. Fullporches may be integrated under thehouse’s main roof. Shed or hip porcheshave a 3 in 12 to 4 in 12 pitch. Exposed2 x 8 rafter tails typically occur every 14to 16 inches on center. Entablatures aregenerally Classically proportioned anddetailed.
Columns & Railings
Column types include 8-inch-squareposts and 8- to 10-inch-diameter Doricand Ionic columns. First-floor columnsare 9- to 10-feet tall, while second-floorcolumns are 8- to 9- feet tall. Turned orsquare balusters are spaced no more than4 inches apart. Porch bays should bevertically proportioned. Flat-cut orna-
PORCH EAVE DETAILS
12''
14
" t
o 2
0"
8''
Section A-A
12''
EQ
EQ
Porches
TYPICAL PORCH LOCATIONS
Wrap
Full front porch
Side portico
House
Porch
A
A
Porches are important elements in the environment and findexpression in almost every architectural style or vocabulary.Setting the appropriate column types, porch cornices, railing,and balustrades is key to establishing the character of thehouse. The Pattern Book offers options found within a par-ticular style complete with sample profiles that illustrate thecorrect dimensions and components.
The final assembly of the various components should producea house of recognized character and quality no matter whatthe size. Appropriate materials are discussed in the Appendix.A series of illustrated possibilities within each style sectiondemonstrates the effective application of the Pattern Bookguidelines.
The Doors & Windows Page of the Gulf Coast Victorian Architectural Style
The Porches Page of the Gulf CoastVictorian Architectural Style
Illustration of the correct assembly of a house inthe Victorian Style
PORCH EAVES DETAILS
Porch eaves detail
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Gulf Coast House Styles
A series of well developed architecturalstyles or vocabularies were popularthroughout the Gulf Region in the 19thand early 20th Century.These styles wereadapted by local builders through the useof early Pattern Books and later catalogsof house plans. Many of the early houseswere built without the aid of PatternBooks and are increasingly rare. Thesestyles represent the broader patternsfound in the neighborhoods constructedlargely before 1940.Each style has become adapted to thelocal environment and local building tra-ditions. Many patterns emerged from theinfluence of Caribbean builders and set-tlers trading with the West Indies andLatin America.
Four principal architectural styles giveneighborhoods their character:
1 Acadian-Creole
2 Victorian
3 Classical
4 Arts & Crafts
These styles are described in more detailwith typical key elements in the follow-ing pages.
Gulf Coast Architectural Styles
2 VICTORIAN
1 ACADIAN-CREOLE
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gulf coast acadian-creole
Essential Elements of the
Coastal Style
• Deep one and two story porches
• High ceiling with verticallyproportioned column bays and wallopenings
• French doors and full length windowson the ground floor with tall shutters
• First floors raised above the ground
Partial Elevation and Wall Section
The Acadian-Creole style found throughout this region was influenced byFrench speaking people who first migrated to Nova Scotia and later reset-tled along the Gulf Coast. They brought with them the rich culture ofFrance, which has continued with their descendants. While Biloxi, NewOrleans, and other Gulf Coast towns have a strong French flavor, theirs isby no means the only culture to contribute to this distinctive style; it is alsoa mix of English and Spanish colonial architecture. Much of the “look”also reflects a Caribbean influence. This collage of influences has createdone of the most appealing styles that is a direct response to the climaticand environmental conditions of the region. Deep porches, or “galleries”,evolved as an integral part of the principal house massing and combinedwith the traditional steeply pitched French hipped roof produced the dis-tinctive double pitch roof of the Acadian-Creole house. While these hous-es have many different massing types, the detailing is largely Classical withVictorian variations.
10'-
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8'-
6"
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MASSING DIAGRAMS
MASSING COMBINATIONS
Massing Combinations
The strong form of these houses limitsthe number of ways in which additionalwings can be added. Add-on wingsshould have similar roof pitches and betreated as separate “additions” to the basicform rather than part of a single complexform.
Facade Composition
An informal relationship among the ele-ments enables window spacing, dormerplacement, and porch bays to each havetheir own spacing and dimensions.
Eaves
Simple unadorned eaves are characteris-tic of the Acadian-Creole style.They canhave exposed rafter ends that are shaped.A frieze board is used below the rafters.They can also be flush to the wall orbeam at the porch, or slightly projectingwith a boxed soffit.
Wall
The first floor of an Acadian-Creolehouse is typically set three feet above thefinished grade for a one-story house andone foot above finished grade for a two-story house. For one-story houses, theminimum floor-to-ceiling height is 10feet. For two-story houses, the minimumfloor-to-ceiling height is 10 feet for thefirst floor and 9 feet for the second floor.
Window head heights should be 8 feetabove the floor for the first floor win-dows, and 7 feet to 8 feet for the secondfloor windows.
Massing
A deep front porch is recessed within thevolume of the house under one roof.
The one-story houses are raised off theground three feet and have 16-inch by20-inch brick piers supporting each col-umn on the front porch. The two-storyhouse is typically a one-story house raisedon full-height brick piers. Dormers areadded to create a one-and-one-half- ortwo-and-one-half-story house. Porchescan wrap around one or more sides of thehouse.
BROAD FRONT
Rectangular volume with either a gabledor hipped roof. The pitch is typically 10-in-12
BROAD FRONT WITH DOUBLE PITCH ROOF
Rectangular volume with a side gabledroof. The roof has a pitch of 9-in-12 over
the main body and 6-in-12 over therecessed porch.
N A R R OW F R O N T
Rectangular or square volume with eithera side gabled or hipped roof. Side gabledroof has either a constant 10 in 12 pitchor a double pitch roof at the front , andmay have a double pitch roof at the rear.Hipped roof has a 10 in 12 pitch and theridge line, if any, runs perpendicular tothe front of the house.
S I D E H A L L
One-story narrow front rectangular vol-ume with either a hip or gable facing thestreet. Roof pitch is 8 in 12 to 10 in 12.A full width front porch is added to thevolume of the house. An inset porch mayalso run the full width of the hipped roofvolume.
Massing & Composition
TYPICAL EAVE DETAILS
24'–32'
1/3 1/3 1/3 1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4
1/41/4 1/41/4 1/5 1/5 1/5 1/5 1/5
32'–40'
32'–40' 36'–40'
Broad Front Broad Front with Double Pitch Roof
Narrow Front Side Hall
12"-18"
5/4" x 4"
7"
10"-1
2"
10"
Open rafters Flush or boxed
1/2 1/2
12'–16'
FACADE COMPOSITION DIAGRAMS
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DOORS
SPECIAL WINDOWSSTANDARD WINDOWS
First floor
Second floor
Standard Windows
Windows are typically vertical in pro-portion with muntin patterns of 6 over 6or 9 over 9. Window panes are square orvertical in proportion. First floor windowscan have 4 over 4 or 2 over 2 muntin pat-terns as well. Standard windows are dou-ble-hung.
Special Windows
Special windows are typically smallaccent windows with 6 panes or in a 4over 4 muntin pattern. A single leaf shut-ter is often used. Dormer windows aremulti-paned in the 6 over 6 pattern.
Shutters
Louvered and board & batten shutters arecommon elements for windows anddoors. They should be sized to match thewindow sash and mounted with hardwareto appear operable.
Doors
Multi-pane doors are often used in lieuof windows on the first floor under theporch. Entry doors are typically 4-, 6- or8-paneled and include either a transomor a transom and sidelites.
Windows & Doors
Trim
Windows and doors typically have 4-inch-wide trim with a backband. Classi-cal door surrounds are sometimes used atthe front door. Stone or wood lintels overwindows and doors are common ele-ments clad in brick or stucco.
3'-0"
6'-
8"
4"
1’-
4"
4'-0"4"
6'-
8"
4"
1’-
4"
4"
6'-
8"
8"
1’-
8"
1'-8"
3'-0"
6'-
2"
5'-
6''
3'-0''
5'-
6''
3'-0''
2'-8''
4'-
6''
8
12
10''
6'-
8''
2'-0''
TYPICAL WINDOW DETAIL
4"
2"
2"
2'-8"
2'-
0''
2'-0"
4'-
0''
Shutters
Eq
ual
to
hei
gh
t o
f w
ind
ow
op
enin
g o
r o
f sa
sh/f
ram
e
1/2 sashwidth
1/2 sashwidth
18''
7'-
0''
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Porch Roofs & Eaves
Acadian-Creole porches are symmetricaland run the full length of the facade.Columns have a regular spacing ofbetween 8 to 12 feet on center. Eaves canbe either open rafters or flush with theporch beam.
Columns & Railings
Column types for one-story porches andthe second floor of two-story porchesinclude slender round or square Tuscancolumns, and chamfered or plain rectan-gular posts with out trim. Columns at thefirst floor of two-story porches are moremassive with either no detail, or a mini-mum capital expression.
Railings have square balusters spacedno more than 4 inches on center with
intermediate posts for railings over 9 feetin length.
Porch Location & Massing
Side Hall houses have two “Bays” for thefront facade length, or three bays forporches that wrap one side. Houses 24 to32 feet wide have three bays for the frontfacade length, or four or five bays forporches that wrap one or two sides.Houses 36 to 40 feet wide have a five bayporch. The porch can extend beyond themain body of the house and wrap one ortwo sides.
Porches should have a minimum porchdepth of 8 feet. Porches are frame con-struction set up on masonry piers. Thespace between piers may remain openwithout infill.
PORCH COLUMN TYPES
Porches
TYPICAL PORCH LOCATIONS
Wrapped two sides
Wrapped one side
Full front porch
House
Porch
6"sq.6"-8"
8'-
0" t
o 9
'-0"
8'-
0" t
o 9
'-0"
3½"
3½"
3¼
"
3"
1½" sq.
TYPICAL RAIL DETAIL
10''
1'-
6''
8''
9'-
4''
3'-
0''
3'-
0''
126
129
8''
8'-
6''
1'-
0''
10'-
0''
1'-
0''
3'-
0''
126
One-Story Porch Section
Two-Story Porch Section
12
9
PORCH TYPES
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Roofing
• Standing seam metal (painted), slate(including manufactured slateproducts), asphalt or compositionshingles
Soffits
• Smooth-finish wood, fiber-cement orcomposition board
Gutters & Downspouts
• Half-round or ogee profile gutterswith round or rectangular down-spouts in copper, painted orprefinished metal
Front Yard Fences
• Wood picket on brick base
Lighting
• Porch ceiling or wall-mountedcoach light
Windows
• Painted wood or solid cellular PVC,or clad wood or vinyl with brickveneer only; true divided light orsimulated divided light (SDL) sashwith traditional exterior muntinprofile (⅞ inch wide)
Doors
• Wood, fiberglass or steel withtraditional stile-and-rail proportionsand raised panel profiles, paintedor stained
Shutters
• Wood or composite, sized to matchwindow sash and mounted withhardware to appear operable
Columns
• Round or square Tuscan or Doricorders, or 6 inch x 8 inch chamferedposts in wood, fiberglass orcomposite material; brick or blockwith stucco, 16 inch x 20 inch
Railings
• Milled wood top and bottom railswith turned or square balusters
Porch Ceilings
• Plaster, tongue-and-groove wood orcomposite boards, or beaded-profileplywood
Cladding
• Smooth-finish wood or fiber-cementlap siding, 4 to 6 inches exposure
• Smooth finish brick in Common,English or Flemish bond pattern
• Painted brick
• Light sand-finish stucco
Foundations & Chimneys
• Brick veneer
Trim
• Wood, composite or cellular PVC
Materials & Applications
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Gallery of Examples
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gulf coast victorian
Essential Elements of
the Gulf Coast Victorian Style
• Prominent porch elements
• Cut wood ornament, influenced bynatural forms such as leaves and vines,or turned decorative millwork
• Wood clapboard siding
• Vertically proportioned windowsand doors
Partial elevation and wall section
The Victorian style builds on the Carpenter Gothic cottages abundant inearly rail-served coastal resorts. Pattern Books published by Andrew Jack-son Downing and others were the source of many of these early housedesigns. These books made it easier for the builders of early resorts, coun-try estates and even modest dwellings to adopt the style. Although exoticVictorian houses incorporating Eastlake, Queen Anne and Italianate detailsgrew in popularity, folk-based Victorian houses flourished in this region.
The Gulf Coast Victorian style is based on the simple, elegant formsadapted to small houses. The massing is simple, while ornament is typi-cally restrained and limited to the porch and the building’s cornice.
8'-
0" t
yp
ical
10'-
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yp
ical
3'-
0" t
yp
.
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Boxed Eave – Sloped
6–8
12
1’ - 6” to 2'-0"
8"
Boxed Eave
8"
8”
12
6–8
12”
Facade Composition
Victorian facade composition is charac-terized by a symmetrical and balancedplacement of doors and windows.Individual double-hung windows are themost common type. Front doors are gen-erally located in the corner of narrowhouses and at the center of wide houses.Paired or bay windows are often used inthe forward gable of the Gable L mass-ing type. Bay windows may be one- ortwo- stories tall.
Eaves
Two eave types define the Gulf coast Vic-torian, one is more formal than the other:
• A boxed eave with frieze is the mostformal option, with or withoutbrackets. A 12- to 16-inch friezeboard either touching or at least 8inches above the window head trim iscommon. Eave returns should havemetal flashing back to the wall at a
Massing
RAISED COTTAGE
Rectangular volume with a roof pitchranging from 5 to 8 in 12 for the mainbody. Roofs are either hipped or gabled.Porches are typically inset within the roofform or added on the front as a full frontporch. Add on porches may have a dif-ferent roof type than the Main Body ofthe house.
CREOLE COTTAGE
This massing typically accommodates aone-story continuous porch with a shedor hipped roof running the full length ofthe front facade.This is a side gable housewith the ridge parallel with the street.Roof pitches are typically 8 to 10 in 12.
GABLE L
Square volume with hipped roof fromwhich a front-facing gabled wingextends. Roof pitches range from 8 in 12to 12 in 12. Front porches are typicall twoor three bay, hipped porches that tie into
the gable “L”. Often in corner houses, theporches wrap one corner and tie into aside wing.
BROAD FRONT
Two story, side-gabled rectangular vol-ume with roof pitches ranging from 6 in12 to 10 in 12. One-story shed porchesare often placed symmetrically on thefront facade. One-story side wings oftenoccur. This massing also accommodatesa two-story continuous porch with a shedor hipped roof.
Combinations
Complex forms and larger living spacesmay be created by combining side wingsand/or rear wings with the main body.Gabled or arched dormers may be addedto introduce light into half-story and atticspaces. The architectural character of theattached parts should match that of themain body.
maximum slope of 2 in 12.
• A boxed eave with sloped soffit. Therake features an overhang with simpledecorative vergeboard.
Wall Section & Eave Details
The first floor of the Victorian house istypically set four feet above the finishedgrade. For one-story houses, the floor-to-ceiling height should be 9 to 10 feet. Fortwo-story houses, the minimum floor-to-ceiling height is 9 feet for the first floorand 8 feet for the second floor.
Window head heights should be 8 feetabove the floor for first floor windowsand 7 feet for second floor windows.
These houses have 8-inch-wide skirtboards. Foundation vents are centeredunder windows when used.
MASSING DIAGRAMS
Massing & Composition
MASSING COMBINATIONS
Creole CottageHipped Cottage Gable L - 1 and 2 story Broad Front
3/5 2/5
32’ - 36’
32 - 36'
1/3 1/3 1/3
32’ - 36’
16 - 24'
1/3 1/31/3
FACADE COMPOSITION DIAGRAMS
TYPICAL EAVE DETAILS
36’ -40'
1/4 1/41/4 1/4 1/5 1/51/5 1/5 1/5
36’ -40'
1/5 1/51/5 1/5 1/5
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8"
STANDARD WINDOWS
Box bay window
3'-
0"
6'-
6"
1'-
6"
8'-4"
1'-4"2'-6"12"
First floor
Second floor
SPECIAL WINDOWS
TYPICAL WINDOW DETAIL
6"
2"
Flat trim with crown
2"
1'-
0"
5'-
10''
2'-8'' 3'-0"
6'-
2''
6'-
2''
2'-8''
6'-
6''
3'-0''
DORMER WINDOW
8
12
1'-
2"
5'-
2"
2'-4"6" 6"5'-
2''
Windows
Windows are vertical in proportion andhave a 2 over 2 or 4 over 4 muntin pat-tern. Panes are always taller than they arewide. Some houses may have windowswith rounded upper sashes. Standardwindows are double hung.
Special Windows
Gulf coast Victorian houses featureround- top windows, dormers and boxand angled bay windows. Bay windowsmust project a minimum of 8 inches fromthe main structure. Bay windows have acontinuous base to the ground; two-storybays are common.
Windows & Doors
Doors
Doors on Gulf coast Victorian houses arevertical in proportion. The maximumwidth of a pair of double doors is 5 feetfor doors at least 8 feet tall, and 4 feet forshorter pairs of double doors.
Trim
Windows and doors have 6-inch trimwith a simple backband profile. Victori-an window and door trim carries a deco-rative crown and cap above; windows mayfeature an ornate hood.
DOORS
4'-0"8"3'-4"6" 6" 2'-8" 1'-3"
8'-
0"
6'-
8"
2'-8"
6'-
8"
2'-
0"
1'-3"
2'-4"6" 6"
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Classical
3½"
3½"
3¼
"
3"
1½" sq.
RAIL DETAILS
2½"
2½"
2½
"2½
"
2" turned
One-story, hipped porch elevation
One-story porch elevationSection AA
mental balusters are also used with squarecolumns. Square pattern lattice is used asinfill between piers at the foundation.
Brackets
Brackets range from simple designs cutfrom boards, to more elaborate turnedwood or jigsaw-cut openwork. Bracketsare a minimum of 2 inches thick. Arch-way bracketing can be used to formportals over key entry locations.
Porch Location
Full front porches are common on GulfCoast Victorian houses. Porches can beused to wrap the corner of a house, or fillin the void created by an L-shaped plan.The minimum porch depth is 8 feet.
PORCH COLUMN TYPES
Square
8" square,
chamfered
corner8"–10"dia.
Ionic or
Doric order
Porch Roofs & Eaves
Porches can be one or two stories tall withflat, shed or shallow hipped roofs. Fullporches may be integrated under thehouse’s main roof. Shed or hipped porch-es have a 3 in 12 to 4 in 12 pitch. Exposed2 x 8 rafter tails typically occur every 14to 16 inches on center. Entablatures aregenerally Classically proportioned anddetailed.
Columns & Railings
Column types include 8-inch-squareposts and 8- to 10-inch-diameter Doricand Ionic columns. First-floor columnsare 9- to 10-feet tall, while second-floorcolumns are 8- to 9- feet tall. Turned orsquare balusters are spaced no more than4 inches apart. Porch bays should bevertically proportioned. Flat-cut orna-
PORCH EAVE DETAIL
12''
14" t
o 2
0"
8''
Typical porch entablature
12''
EQ
EQ
Porches
TYPICAL PORCH LOCATIONS
Wrap
Full front porch
Side portico
House
Porch
A
A
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Materials & Applications
Roofing
• Slate (including manufactured slateproducts), laminated asphalt orcomposition shingles with a slatepattern, or painted metal standingseam or 5-V crimp panels
Soffits
• Smooth-finish composition board,tongue-and-groove wood boards, orfiber-cement panels
Gutters & Downspouts
• Half-round or ogee profile gutterswith round or rectangular down-spouts in copper, painted orprefinished metal
Front Fences
• Wood picket, or wrought iron orsolid bar stock metal picket withornamental metal posts
Lighting
• Porch pendant or wall-mountedcarriage lantern
Windows
• Painted wood or solid cellular PVC,or clad wood or vinyl with brickveneer only; true divided light orsimulated divided light (SDL) sashwith traditional exterior muntinprofile (⅞ inch wide)
Doors
• Wood, fiberglass or steel withtraditional stile-and-rail proportionsand raised panel profiles, paintedor stained
Shutters
• Wood or composite, sized to matchwindow sash and mounted withhardware to appear operable
Columns
• Architecturally correct Classicalproportions and details in wood,fiberglass or composite material
• Square box column with chamferedcorners in built-up wood, fiberglassor composite material
• Turned posts (minimum 6-inchstock) in wood, fiberglass orcomposite material
Railings
• Milled wood top and bottom railswith square, turned or scroll-cutboard balusters
Porch Ceilings
• Plaster, tongue-and-groove wood orcomposite boards, or beaded-profileplywood
Cladding
• Smooth-finish wood or fiber-cementlap siding, 4 to 6 inches exposure
• Vertical board and batten siding
• Smooth-finish brick, common bond
• Random-width cut wood or fiber-cement shingles
• Decorative cut wood or fiber-cementshingles in fishscale, diamond andstaggered patterns
Trim
• Wood, composite, cellular PVC orpolyurethane millwork; stone orcast stone
Foundations & Chimneys
• Brick or stone veneer
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gulf coast classical
Essential Elements of the
Gulf Coast Classical Style
• Simple volumes with side wings andporches added to make more complexshapes
• Symmetrical composition of doorsand windows
• Simplified versions of Classical detailsand columns, often with robust andexotic Classical orders such as Ionicand Corinthian used in the porchelement
• Multi-pane windows that are morebroad in proportion, usually with6 over 6 or 9 over 9 pane patterns
The Gulf Coast Classical style is based on Federal and Greek houses fromthe mid-nineteenth century. This region has significant examples of hous-es from this period. The dominant Federal style was practiced by notablearchitects such as Robert Mills and Benjamin Latrobe and many housesfrom this period were constructed using Pattern Books such as Asher Ben-jamin’s American Builder’s Companion.
These houses typically begin as simple, additive massing types with adominant center pavilion, or main body, which can be one or two stories,with additive side wings, rear wings and pavilions. Palladian compositionsdocumented in many English pattern books, were a principle reference formany houses from this period. Classical detailing and proportions weresimplifed and applied to common massing types found on the Gulf Coast.
Partial elevation and wall section
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9'-
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.
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.
10'-
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4'-0" typicalheight at front ofhouse betweenfinish floor andfinish grade
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Massing
BROAD FRONT
Hipped or side-gabled rectangular vol-ume with roof pitches ranging from 6 to8 in 12. One-story shed or hipped porch-es are often located centrally on the frontfacade. One-story side wings often occur.Although porches are most often one-third or one-fifth the length of the mainbody, they may also be three-fifths or theentire length of the front facade.
NARROW FRONT
Hipped or front-gabled box with roofpitches ranging from 6 to 8 in 12. Three-bay compositions are common. Full frontporches and one-story side-wings arecommon to this massing type.
Facade Composition
The Gulf Coast Classical facade com-position is characterized by a symmetri-cal and balanced placement of doors andwindows. Entrance doors are typicallylocated in the center of the composition.Typically windows align vertically from
floor to floor.
Combinations
Complex forms and larger living spacesmay be created by combining side and/orrear wings with the main body. Gabled orhipped dormers may be added to intro-duce light into half-story and attic spaces.The architectural character of theattached parts should match that of themain body.
Wall Section & Eave Details
The first floor of the Main Body is
MASSING DIAGRAMS FACADE COMPOSITION DIAGRAMS
Broad FrontNarrow Front
Massing & Composition
24'–36'
1/3 1/3 1/3
3/8 1/4 3/8
36'–40'
3/8 1/4 3/8
36'–40' 36’ - 40’
3/8 1/4 3/8
MASSING COMBINATIONS
typically set 4 feet above the finishedgrade. The floor-to-ceiling height on thefirst floor is typically 10 feet. For two-story houses, the second-story floor-to-ceiling height is typically 8 to 9 feet tall.
The Gulf Coast Classical style is char-acterized by the vertical proportion of thewindow and door elements and well-detailed Classical eaves and cornices.Thefrieze below the soffit is typically smallwith profiled moldings and dentils.
6"
eq
.eq
.
8"
8"
TYPICAL EAVE DETAILS
Boxed Eave Detail
Boxed Eave Section
8"
10"
1'-0"
Boxed Eave SectionBoxed Eave Return
Boxed Eave Return
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Windows & Doors
10''
6'-
8''
6''
5'-
0''
10''
STANDARD WINDOWS
6'-
6''
5'-
6'' t
yp
5'-
10'' t
yp
5'-
6'' t
yp
3'-0''
3'-0'' 3'-0''
3'-0''
DOORS
6'-
8''
1'-
4''
4''
8
12
1'-
3''
8'-
6''
6''
10'' 8''
6
12
2'-0''
SidingBrick
1 1
/2''
6''
TYPICAL WINDOW DETAILS
Triple window
3'-0''
5'-
6''
6''
Accent
Palladian window
SPECIAL WINDOWS
2'-8''
4'-
6''
8
12
1'-4'' 3'-0''
Dormer
5 1/2''
Standard Windows
Windows are typically vertical in pro-portion. Two basic window muntin pat-terns are 9 over 9 or 6 over 6 on the firstfloor, 9 over 9, 6 over 9 or 6 over 6 on thesecond floor, double hung with widetrim. Stone or brick jack arch lintels aretypical.
Special Windows
Special windows include Palladian archedaccent windows in gabled ends, dormerswith gable or hipped roof, and the triplewindow with broad center sash, a hall-mark of the Gulf Coast Classical stylehouse.
Shutters
Shutters should be sized and mounted toappear operable. Shutter styles can eitherbe paneled or louvered.
Doors
Doors include 6- and 8-panel patterns,typically with sidelights and transomsurrounds.
Trim
Windows and doors typically have4-inch-wide profiled trim.
First floor
Second floor
Eq
ual
to
hei
gh
t o
f w
ind
ow
op
enin
g o
r o
f sa
sh/f
ram
e
1/2 sashwidth
Eq
ual
to
hei
gh
t o
f w
ind
ow
op
enin
g o
r o
f sa
sh/f
ram
e
1/2 sashwidth
4'-0'' 3'-0''
2'-8''1'-2'' 1'-2''
1'-4'' 6''6''6''
6'-
8''
1'-
4''
4''
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Porches & Eaves
Porches can be one or two stories tall witheither flat, shed, gabled, or hipped roofs.Shed or hipped porches have a 2 to 4 in12 pitch, while classically proportionedtemple-front porch roofs have a 5 to 7 in12 roof pitch.
Columns & Railings
Columns include 10-inch diameter Doriccolumns, and 12-inch diameter Ioniccolumns. Single-story porches have 9-to10-foot-tall columns. Two-story porchesuse 10-inch diameter, 8-to 9-foot-tallcolumns on the second story and 12-inchdiameter 9-to 10-foot-tall columns onthe first floor. Porch column bays shouldbe more narrow than wide. Balusters havea square or turned cross section, andshould be spaced no more than 4 incheson center.
Porch Location & Massing
Entry porticos and three-bay front porch-es are encouraged on Gulf Coast Classi-cal houses. Porches are generally centeredin the facade composition of this style.Minimum porch depth is 8 feet. Forwood deck porches, the gaps betweenbrick piers have lattice infill panels. Con-crete porches should be faced in brick,stone or stucco if appropriate.
DoricIonic
10" dia. 10–12" dia.
COLUMN TYPES
6
12
Type A Pediment Type B Portico with railing Type C Shed or hipped 6' to
8'
6' to
8' 8'
7'
9'
2'
8'-10''
9'
2'-
4''
2'-
8''
8'-
6 ''
2'-
4''
TYPICAL PORCH LOCATIONS
Portico
Full front porch
Three-fifthsfront porch
12''
20''
8''
EAVE SECTIONS
12''
12''
8''
8''
A
B and C
Align
PorchesPORCH TYPES
3½"
3½"
3¼
"
3"
RAIL DETAILS
1½" sq.
House
Porch
6" 4"
2"
4" 2
"
4¼" dia.
28"
6"
Partial elevation
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Roofing
• Slate (including manufactured slateproducts), laminated asphalt orcomposition shingles with a slatepattern, flat clay tile, or painted metalstanding seam or 5-V crimp panels
Soffits
• Smooth finish composition board,tongue-and-groove wood boards, orfiber-cement panels
Gutters & Downspouts
• Half-round or ogee profile gutterswith round or rectangular down-spouts in copper, painted orprefinished metal
Windows
• Painted wood or solid cellular PVC,or clad wood or vinyl with brickveneer only; true divided light orsimulated divided light (SDL) sashwith traditional exterior muntinprofile (⅞ inch wide)
Trim
• Wood, composite, cellular PVC orpolyurethane millwork; stucco, stoneor cast stone
Doors
• Wood, fiberglass or steel withtraditional stile-and-rail proportionsand raised panel profiles, paintedor stained
Shutters
• Wood or composite, sized to matchwindow sash and mounted withhardware to appear operable
Front Yard Fences
• Wood picket or wood, wrought ironor solid bar stock metal picket withbrick or stucco finish masonry piers
Lighting
• Porch pendant or wall-mountedcarriage lantern
Cladding
• Sand-molded or smooth-finish brickin Common, English or Flemishbond patterns
• Smooth-finish wood or fiber-cementlap siding, 4 to 6 inches wide
• Light sand-finish stucco
Foundations & Chimneys
• Brick, stucco or stone veneer
Materials & Applications
Columns
• Architecturally correct Classicalproportions and details in wood,fiberglass, cast stone, or compositematerial
Railings
• Milled wood top and bottom railswith square or turned balusters;square balusters in Chippendalepatterns
• Wrought iron or solid bar stockdecorative metal
Porch Ceilings
• Plaster, tongue-and-groove wood orcomposite boards, or beaded-profileplywood
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gulf coast arts & crafts
Essential Elements of the
Gulf Coast Arts & Crafts Style
• Shallow-pitched roofs with deepoverhangs
• Deep, broad porch elements withexpressive structural components
• Expressive structural elements such asrafters, brackets and columns
• A mixture of materials such as brick,shingles and siding
• Asymmetrical window and doorcompositions
Partial elevation and wall section
Gulf Coast Arts & Crafts houses emerged from the traditions of crafts-man design found throughout the country during the early twentieth cen-tury. Many local builders picked up elements of the style from house planpublications and mail order houses. The Arts & Crafts movement, whichbegan in England in the late 19th Century, espoused a simple decorativeexpression of structural elements and use of natural materials which buildersfound suitable for estate and cottage homes.The Gulf Coast region is home to many small craftsman cottages that have been adapted to local build-ing types and traditions.
The Gulf Coast Arts & Crafts style is characterized by broad, openporches; roofs with deep overhangs and exposed rafter tails; asymmetriccompositions; grouped windows with a variety of upper muntin patterns;expressive trim; and porches with brackets. One unique trait of many ofthe Arts & Crafts houses in this region is the use of a more vertical col-umn as opposed to the shorter and wider columns used in other regions.
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Massing
HIPPED
Rectangular or square volume with a 6 in12 to 8 in 12 roof pitch; the ridge lineruns perpendicular to the front of thehouse. Porches are inset under the roofand run the full front facade. These typesare either three bay or five bay porches.These can be two stories, often with fulltwo story porches.
BROAD FRONT
Rectangular one or two story volumewitha 4 in 12 to 8 in 12 hipped or gableroof pitch. Asymmetrically placed gabledand/or shed roofed porches are common.Porches are typically one story.
BUNGALOW
Rectangular one-and-one-half-story vol-ume with a 6 in 12 to 8 in 12 roof pitch.The integral porch is set under occupi-able interior space, made possible by a
Hipped Broad Front Bungalow Narrow Front
dormer and high knee wall on the secondfloor. Integral front porches range fromhalf to the full length of the front facade.Symmetrically placed gabled or sheddormers have a 3 in 12 roof pitch.
NARROW FRONT
Rectangular volume with a 6 in 12 to8 in 12 roof pitch with gable facing thestreet. This can be either one or two sto-ries. Hipped roof houses of this type arealso found in the region.Asymmetricallyplaced, single bay, gable end porches arecommon. An inset one-story porch mayalso run the full width of the house.
Massing Combinations
Complex forms and larger living spacesmay be created by combining side and/orrear wings with the main body. Gabled orshed dormers may be added to introducelight into half-story and attic spaces. Thearchitectural character of the attachedparts should match that of the main body.
Massing & Composition
MASSING COMBINATIONS
Facade Composition
Arts & Crafts facade composition ischaracterized by an asymmetrical yetbalanced placement of doors and win-dows. Typically, windows occur in pairsand multiples to create larger composi-tions. Entrance doors are most oftenunder porches and off center. Doors typ-ically have wide sidelights with expressivemuntin patterns or Arts & Crafts stainedglass elements.
Eaves
Deep eaves are a dominant characteristicof the Arts & Crafts style. There are twotypes of eaves in the style:
• Boxed eave with flat soffit and shallowprofile brackets 6 inches wide and 24inches on center (less common in GulfCoast)
• Exposed 2 x 8-inch rafter tails, 16 to24 inches on center is the mostcommon eave type. Often hipped,gables feature a continuous fascia
rather than exposed rafter ends.
Eave profiles often have a wide friezeboard either touching or no more than 12inches above the window head trim. Thehouses may have a Victorian-era charac-ter achieved by using more vertically pro-portioned columns on the porch.
Walls
The first floor of the Arts & Crafts houseis typically set three to four feet above thefinished grade. For one-story houses, thetypical floor-to-ceiling height is 9 feet.For two-story houses, the typical floor-to-ceiling height is 9 feet for the firstfloor and 8 feet for the second floor.
Window head heights should be 7 feetto 8 feet above the floor for first floorwindows, and 7 feet for second floor win-dows.
These houses have 8- to 10-inch-wideskirt boards. Foundation vents are cen-tered under windows when used.
Exposed rafter tail, shapedExposed rafter tail
12"
8"
18"– 24"
6–8
12
18"– 24"
"8
6–8
12
6"–8" Frieze
32'—40'
24'—32'
3/7
32'—40'
2/3
24'—32'
3/5 2/5
TYPICAL EAVE DETAILS
FACADE COMPOSITION DIAGRAMSMASSING DIAGRAMS
1/31/3 1/3
4/7 1/3
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1/2 sashwidth
6"
Standard Windows
Windows are typically vertical in pro-portion and have a 3 over 1, 4 over 1, 6over 1, or 9 over 1 muntin pattern. Stan-dard windows are double hung.
Special Windows
Special windows include paired or triplewindows, small square accent windows,and box bay windows supported on woodbrackets. Broad, horizontal windowsdivided into several panes occur in dorm-ers and gables. Other dormer windowsare ganged together in wide gabled orshed dormers.
DOORS
TYPICAL WINDOW DETAIL
6’-
8"
3'-4"
2"
7" t
o 9
"
6"
STANDARD WINDOWS5'-
2"
5'-
10"
3'-0"6" 6"
First floor
Second floor
Shed dormer
5'-
10"
6'-
2"
3'-0"
6'-
8"
1'-
5"
5"
7"
2'-0"6" 6"
3'-
6"
10"
6"
4
12
2'-0"
4" 4"
8"
6'-
8"
7"
2'-8" 6"1'-6" 1'-6"6" 6"
3'-4"6" 6"
4"
Doors
Arts & Crafts doors are often stainedwood with either wood plank design ora panel door with a variety of differentglazing patterns in the top half. Doorsmay have sidelights or transomsin clear or leaded glass in Arts & Craftspatterns.
Trim
Windows and doors have 6-inch straightor tapered flat trim. Arts & Crafts win-dow and door trim carries a simple mold-ing and cap above.
Windows & Doors
8"
Box bay elevation and plan
3'-0"8" 6" 6"6" 2'-0" 2'-0" 8"6"
18"
Gable end windowDouble window
3'-0"8" 8" 6"6" 1'-2" 1'-2"
5'-
2"
6"
2"
3"
3'-0"6" 8" 6"3'-0"
2'-4"6" 6"
2'-
2"
10"
6"
6" 2'-4"
2'-
2"
4'-6"
4"
4" 4"
Accent windows
SPECIAL WINDOWS
Dormer accent
Eq
ual
to
hei
gh
t o
f w
ind
ow
op
enin
g o
r o
f sa
sh/f
ram
e
2'-4" 6"
1/2 sashwidth
Eq
ual
to
hei
gh
t o
f w
ind
ow
op
enin
g o
r o
f sa
sh/f
ram
e
6'-
2"
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8"
3"
10"
2"
Paneled box
Section A-A Porch eave section
Paired
Section B-B Porch gable section
Tapered box
Porch Roofs & Eaves
Porches can have shed or gabled roofs orcombinations of the two. Hipped porch-es are also common. Gable-end porchesare designed with expressive structuralelements. Shed and hip porches typical-ly have a 4 in 12 to 6 in 12 pitch. Porch-es have deep eaves often repeating thesame rafter or eave treatment as the mainhouse body. Exposed rafter tails are eithershaped or cut plumb.
Columns & Railings
Columns include full-height tapered box,half-height paneled box, and three-quar-ter-height paired box columns. Manycolumns are set on square piers or solidporch balustrades.
PORCH EAVES
1'-
6"
6'-
0"
3'-
0"
Bay porch elevation
B
B
2'-6" minimumheight to porch floor
5½"
¾"–1¼" sq.
3½"
1½
"1½
"2"
RAIL DETAILS
Porches
Porch side elevation
PORCH COLUMN TYPES
Porch Location & Massing
Porches and porch locations vary consid-erably and are used to create a number ofspatial effects. Porches are typicallybroad and low or fill in the void createdby an inset house plan.
Minimum porch depth is 8 feet. Forwood deck porches, the gaps betweenbrick piers are infilled with lattice panels.Solid porches should be faced in brick, orstucco if appropriate and should read aspart of a continuous foundation or base-treatment.
3½"
3½"
3¼
"3"
1½" sq.
16"–18" 8"–10"
6" Bracket
16"-18"
Exposed rafter tail
10"–12"sq.
12"sq. 8"–10"sq.4'-
0" t
o 5
’-0”
3'-
6"
6'-
0"
2'-
6"
8'-
0" t
o 9
'-0"
6"
TYPICAL PORCH LOCATIONS
Side porch
Full front porch
Side portico
House
Porch
1½
"
6"
A
A
Partial porch front elevation
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Materials & Applications
Roofing
• Cedar shakes, slate (includingmanufactured slate products),laminated asphalt or compositionshingles, or clay tile with flat orbarrel profile
Soffits
• Smooth-finish composition board,tongue-and-groove wood boards, orfiber-cement panels
Gutters & Downspouts
• Half-round or ogee profile gutterswith round or rectangular down-spouts in copper, painted orprefinished metal
Front Yard Fences
• Wood picket, masonry with stucco,brick or stone finish, or combination
Lighting
• Porch pendant or wall-mountedlantern
Windows
• Painted wood or solid cellular PVC,or clad wood or vinyl with brickveneer only; true divided light orsimulated divided light (SDL) sashwith traditional exterior muntinprofile (⅞ inch wide)
Shutters
• Wood or composite, sized to matchwindow sash and mounted withhardware to appear operable
Doors
• Wood, fiberglass or steel withtraditional stile-and-rail proportionsand panel profiles, painted or stained
Columns
• Wood, fiberglass, or compositematerial with Classical proportionsand details
Railings
• Wood top and bottom rails withsquare balusters
• Solid rails clad in siding, shingles,stucco, brick or stone veneer
Brackets
• Wood
Porch Ceilings
• Plaster, tongue-and-groove woodor composite boards, or beaded-profile plywood
Cladding
• Smooth-finish wood or fiber-cementlap siding, 4 to 8 inches exposure,with mitered corners or ⁵⁄₄ x 6-inchcorner board trim
• Random-width cut wood or fiber-cement shingles with mitered cornersor ⁵⁄₄ x 6-inch corner board trim
• Smooth-finish brick in Commonbond pattern
• Light sand-finish stucco
Foundations, Piers & Chimneys
• Brick, stucco or stone veneer
Trim
• Wood, composite, cellular PVC orpolyurethane millwork
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Gallery of Examples
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gulf coast mixed-use
Essential Elements of the
Gulf Coast Mixed use
• Ground floors have storefront designwith large windows and glass doors.
• Two- and three-story buildings withindividual expression at storefrontlevel.
• Simple, individual windowcompositions above the groundfloor with vertically proportioned,double-hung sashes.
• Front facades have parapet walls withcornice expression.
Partial elevation
Throughout this region, many small towns and villages have a traditionalcommercial core. In this core, shops and offices line the main commercialstreets or crossroads on the ground floor, while apartments and offices occu-py space above.This pattern creates a public and civic center for these com-munities within a relatively close proximity of the surrounding neighbor-hoods. In more rural communities, these districts serve as a kind of regionalcenter. Neighborhood services and amenities are in walking distance of theneighborhoods. Historic building types tend to have a very regular pat-tern of large storefront openings, where wood trim frames large glass store-fronts and double doors. The upper floors have a regular pattern of win-dows, usually in either two-bay or three-bay compositions. Gulf Coastbuildings often have deep verandas over passages to provide shade.
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Massing & CompositionFACADE COMPOSITION DIAGRAMS
B Three-Bay F Six-BayA Two-Bay C Four-Bay E Five-Bay
1/5 1/5 1/5 1/5 1/5
1/5 1/5 1/5 1/5 1/5
1/5 1/5 1/5 1/5 1/5
1/3 1/3 1/3
1/3 1/3 1/3
1/3 1/3 1/3
1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4
1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4
1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4
1/2 1/2
1/2 1/2
1/2 1/2
1/6 1/6 1/6 1/6 1/6 1/6
1/6 1/6 1/6 1/6 1/6 1/6
1/6 1/6 1/6 1/6 1/6 1/6
Massing
Gulf Coast mixed-use buildings will havea variety of forms and compositions.Front facades are designed as parapet wallfronts with some form of cornice expres-sion.The parapet may be continuous witheither an articulated cornice using brack-ets, paneling, and shaped molding, or thetop may be defined using cut or cast stoneelements and accent brickwork.
Massing is typically a two- or three-story building with a tall ground floor andmore vertical proportions.
Composition
Typically, these buildings will have two-to three-bay door and window composi-tions with the ground floor expressed asa single storefront composition.These are
then attached to form a streetscape.Heights may vary from building to build-ing. Larger buildings may have five- orsix-bay compositions above the groundfloor with varying storefront treatmentson the ground floor.
Cornices
The cornice is generally used as device toarticulate the parapet and give the build-ing a ‘top’. In the Gulf Coast towns, thereis considerable variety in their design.The silhouette can be straight or eccen-tric to create a profile against the sky,ornamentation can be simple or elabo-rate, the depth of the projections can beshallow or deep to modulate the shadowon the building face.
Storefront
Cornice
Signage Display
Storefront
Paneled Base
Typical Storefront Section A-A
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Standard Windows
Windows above the ground floor are typ-ically vertical in proportion. Standardwindows are double hung with a two overone pattern or two over two pattern ofdivided lights. Jack arches, stone, and pre-cast lintels as well as articulated windowhoods and trim are common over win-dows set in masonry walls.
Windows & BalconiesBalconies and Galleries
Upper-story balconies are typical on GulfCoast mixed-use buildings.They are usu-ally decorative metal with ornate balus-ters and columns. Early balconies werewrought iron, later balconies were madeof cast iron. Ornate wood balconies arecommon as well. Many buildings havecontinuous galleries across the frontfacade with metal shed or hipped roofs.
French balcony
Shallow balcony
BALCONIES
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Paneled
Base
Square/
Round
Column
Expression
Signage
Display
Storefront
Storefronts on the ground floor aredesigned using millwork shapes of roundor square columns to trim large shopfrontwindows with a glass panel entrance doorcentered in between two shopfront win-dows or off to one side. Storefronts typ-ically have a deep entablature /corniceexpression above the shopfront thatserves as an area for signs.
Shopfronts
Frontages
Elevations
Arcade
Stoop
Gallery
Porch and Fence
Shopfront
Dooryard
STOREFRONT OPTIONS
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Signage
Gulf Coast shops and mixed-use build-ings have a variety of sign types: bladesigns which hang perpendicular to thebuilding, neon signs that also are mount-ed perpendicular to the building or hangin shopfront windows, individual lettersmounted on signage bands above theshopfronts, or logos and names etched onshopfront glass. Signs painted on clothawnings are also a traditional method ofidentity.
Elements of commercial signage
Awnigs are often used for identity signs. etching on shopfronts and Blade signs are alsoused in combination
Postal Sign
Signage Band
Window
Blade Sign
Awning Sign
Plaque
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Gallery & Materials
Gallery
View of proposed mixed-use building provided by Michael Imber
Siding
• Brick, stucco or horizontal siding with4-inch lap reveal.
Roofing
• Membrane roofing or shallow pitchgable/hip roof behind parapet wallwith composition shingles;composition shingles for sloped roofs
Windows
• Energy-efficient wood, pvc,aluminum-clad, or aluminum; withtrue divided light appearance (7/8-inch exterior muntins).
Storefronts
• Pre-finished aluminum, steel,aluminum clad wood or decorativemetal, with clear glass displaywindows; decorative translucent glassor opaque glass with ceramic frit canbe used in transoms 9 feet or higherabove the finished floor. Doors anddisplay windows can be trimmed withpilasters and columns, fiber-cementpanels, dense polyurethene or cellularPVC trim, or composite millwork forbuilt-up sections. Structural steelshapes may be expressed as lintels andcolumns. Canvas awnings with ashallow slope and minimum four footprojection from the building.
Trim
• Cast stone, fiber-cement,polyurethane, PVC or painted wood.
Exterior Ceilings
• Beaded board, smooth surface orplank and beam appearance.
Cornices & Trim
• Wood, composite, cellular PVC orpolyurethane millwork; stucco, stoneor cast stone
Gutters
• Half-round metal or PVC.
Downspouts
• Round metal or PVC.
Signs
• Painted/screened raised individualletters on entablatures or glassstorefronts; perpendicularpainted/screened signs on metalbrackets or suspended from brackets;exposed neon tubing mounted insidewindows; decorative canvas awnings.Signs should be lighted with exteriorsources.
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Ancillary Structures
Ancillary structures may include garages,carriage houses (a garage with a livablesecond floor), and garden sheds andpavilions. These structures should alwaysbe smaller than the main house and,whenever possible, should have similardetailing as the main house. In general,ancillary structures are detached from themain body of the house although theymay be connected with a variety ofelements like breezeways, fences orpergolas.
Historic Photo of a detached ancillary structure in the South
Ancillary Structures & Garages
a p a t t e r n b o o k f o r g u l f c o a s t n e i g h b o r h o o d s
In the case of recovery of the GulfRegion, temporary housing can be partof an incremental growth over time tocreate permanent solutions. This patternbook suggests the addition of structuresover time as resources allow.The step-by-step approach is a sustainable neighbor-hood growth principle and an efficientresources of land and resources.
These Historic Photos of a carriage house from the South. The structure can serve a number of uses as temporary housing, guest house, andpermanent residence as a low-cost housing alternative.
House expansion forthe long term
Main House is added inthe near term
Temporary oremergency housing ona lot in the short term
Diagram series by Eric Moser
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Detached Garages & Carriage Houses
The construction of garages and carriage houses can addgreat value to an existing home. It is best to locategarages at the back of your lot if possible, though it isalso possible to build tasteful, attached garages.The prin-cipal issues with garages are the size, location and detail-ing for the doors. A common problem with current con-struction is that the garage additions often overwhelmthe scale and character of the house. General principlesfor siting and designing garages are listed below.
THE CORNER LOT
For houses on corner lots, the garage should be locatedin the rear yard close to the property line, turned to facethe side street, and be set back to match the house’s set-back, if possible. It is preferable to locate the garage sothat the parking area in front of the garage is at least 15feet back (18 feet preferred) from the side street prop-erty line. This prevents parked cars from encroachinginto the public sidewalk which creates a safety hazard.
Corner lots are also good places for two- or three-carcarriage houses which incorporate a small apartment,studio or workshop above.
Single-width garage doors up to 8 feet wide are rec-ommended. Paneled door styles appropriate to the styleof the house should be used. Doors with divided lightsare recommended, as shown in the photos on the nextpage. Often it is better to paint the doors a deeper, morecontrasting color to help offset the large size, depend-ing on the color palette of the house.
THE IN-LINE LOT
In many cases, there may be enough room to build aone-, two-, or even a three-car garage in the rear yardof a relatively narrow lot. Access to the garage is typi-cally from a narrow driveway, usually 8 to 9 feet wide,that slips along one side of the house.
A carriage porch was often used to provide a drop-off at the house and is a good way to screen the backyard and garage area from the front. It is recommend-ed that the garage be placed in the rear of the lot to pro-vide turnaround space between the house and thegarage.
ATTACHED GARAGE
If an attached garage is preferred over a detached oneand the lot is wide enough, a one-car garage is recom-mended. An attached two-car garage addition can cre-ate a massing problem in which the garage appears widerthan the house. Two- or three-car garages should bedetached and located in the rear of the lot.
Attached one-car garages should be treated as anywing addition in terms of its setback from the front ofthe house (a distance equal to the width of the garage)and its architectural character, which should match thatof the house.
Attached garages are typically built a step or twodown from the main living level to prevent gases fromseeping into the main living areas.
A porte cochère (carriage porch) and a carriage house isshown on a mid-block lot
An attached garage on a mid-block lot
Ancillary structures include pavilions anddetached garages on a corner lot
Possibilities for garages
Examples of garage doors commercially available for traditional houses - Colonial, Victorian and Acadian Creole Cottage
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landscape patternsGulf Coast neighborhoods have a marvelous mix of flowering trees, shadetrees, perennials, hedges, ornamental grasses, ground covers, and pavingmaterials that create a distinct sense of place and character. Neighborhoodsof different densities have a broad range of street types, building setbacksand lot sizes, environmental location and public planting areas so the feeland character of each neighborhood is distinct. This section of the PatternBook is intended to provide guidance for homeowners regarding the pri-vate landscape elements found on individual lots within these varyingneighborhood locations from the more rural to the most urban.
The landscape elements that constitute the front yards are the primaryfocus for this section. These elements include steps, walls, piers, sidewalkand driveway materials, fencing, lighting and accessories as well as“softscape” materials such as plantings and hedges. This is where the land-scaping of the individual house contributes to the overall character ofthe street and neighborhood.
Houses located in the most rural zones create more individual com-pounds often set deep into the lot. The pattern is often more informal.Historic patterns along the traditional traces and roads often created moreformal sequences into the private yard with tree lined streets and pictur-esque planting within gracious yards.These were typical in the early man-sions along the coast as well. The late nineteenth-century neighborhoodsthat comprise much of the fabric in places like Biloxi often have a mar-velous diversity and mix of large lots and small lots in a broad assortmentof patterns. As the frontage along streets filled in over time, the housestypically had shallower front yards that werewell planted, sometimes over-flowing to the sidewalk or edged with a low wall between the public side-walk and the foundation planting of the house. Resort settlements likeWaveland, have more informal patterns less defined by tree lines or housefronts.
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T3 and T4 neighborhood front yards
Gardens in the shallow yards of many in-town neighborhoods
A variety of sidewalk edging defines the entrance to the house
Hedges and gates define the front yard Turn-of-the-century front yard A variety of plantings define individual front yards
Landscape ElementsFront Yards
The majority of Gulf Coast front yardsare composed of a few key elements rang-ing from canopy and ornamental trees,foundation plantings (including orna-mental trees and shrubs), beds of flower-ing perennials and annuals, groundcover,expanses of grass lawns, and “hardscape”materials such as sidewalks, steps, lowwalls, fences, and driveways.
Due to the shallow depth of the frontyards in the more urban neighborhoods(T4), canopy trees in the lawn are nottypical. However, extensive foundationplanting and plots of green lawn edgedwith flower-beds, brick or stone are com-mon, as is the use of fencing, typically castiron with or without brick piers.The dis-tinct boundary between public and pri-vate—whether through a material changeor vertical element such as a short wall,fence or hedge is typical here.
The deeper front yards of the earlyresort neighborhoods allow the greenlawn to become the base for a variety ofplanting beds, hedges, shrubs, and a mixof canopy and ornamental trees thatframe the view of the house. The use ofplanting beds—whether groundcover,flowers, or low shrubbery—define thelawn as a “room.” Houses of this era aretypically raised and many have largeporches and stairs providing anothertransition area as one approaches theentrance.
Foundation Planting
Foundation planting varies from low,manicured evergreens to brightly coloredflowering bushes, to groundcover. All“ground” the house to the front yard.
Sidewalk Edging
Sidewalk edge planting, which variesfrom ornamental grasses, to colorfulperennials and textured groundcovers,enhances the entrance and guides visitorsto many Gulf coast houses, regardless ofthe era.
Hedges
Hedges are found throughout GulfCoast, and have been used historically asa transition between the public realm ofthe sidewalk and the front lawn of theprivate lot as well as a definer betweenhouse lots.
Other definers of individual lotsinclude any plant material such as orna-mental grasses, low shrubbery, and evengroundcover that is visually high enoughto define the room of the front yard.
T3 and T4 neighborhood front yards
Foundation plantings in early-twentieth-century neighborhoods (T3)
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Section Running bond withsquare stone cap
Running bond with shapedbrick cap and water course
Walls, Piers & Steps
One of the most common landscaping ele-ments is the low brick or stone wall defin-ing the front yard. Typically between 12and 18 inches high, these walls encloseeither a planting edge or simply the frontlawn. Often these walls will turn to followthe private sidewalk as an edging and cre-ate the low piers that border the front stepsto the porch. These piers are usuallycapped with stone. If there is a slight riseto the yard, there will be two sets of stepsleading to the front porch.
Quite often the steps leading to thefront porch are brick. Although the mostcommon material for steps is concrete,steps of stone, either rough cut orsmooth, are found as well.
Brick walk Concrete walk(with brick border)
Stone walk
4'
Sidewalk Paving & Driveway
Pavement Surfaces
Private sidewalks found in Gulf coastrange from the typical concrete to brick,stone, or even terra cotta tile. Brick side-walks, both public and private—verycommon in the nineteenth-centuryneighborhoods—are also found through-out Gulf coast. Concrete is the mostcommon sidewalk material, sometimesedged with brick. Also found are steppingstones set within the front lawn.
Driveways are typically concrete, usu-ally smooth, but exposed aggregate onesare also common. A variation of the typ-ical driveway found in Gulf coast is thetype that has only two tire paths in con-crete with grass between.
Historic photo of a typical walk to the house Brick steps with capped side walls Brick wall and steps
Low, painted masonry walls edge the sidewalk Concrete sidewalk and brick steps A low, brick wall
Typical concrete walk
4' 4'
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Flat picket fence Square picket fence Simple iron fenceOrnate iron fence
Six-foot-high privacy fence
Wall and fence combinations
Fencing and Screening
Fences provide definition between pub-lic and private spaces and are an integralcomponent of Gulf coast landscaping.
Wood fences are the most common,especially in the early-twentieth- andpost-war neighborhoods. Typically 30 to36 inches high, these fences have eitherflat wide boards that are decoratively cutor square pickets. Privacy fences shouldonly be used in the rear yard and shouldnot exceed 6 feet in height. The uppertwo feet should have 50 percent opacity(a lattice or grid pattern, for example).
Very common in the oldest Gulf coastneighborhoods, wrought iron fences –with or without brick piers – aretypically 3 feet in height and can rangefrom simple, vertical balusters to veryornate geometries.
It is recommended that air condition-ing and mechanical equipment and anytrash enclosures be screened from publicview with shrubs, hedges, walls, fences,or a combination of those elements.
Garden Features
Gulf coast houses and lots have a varietyof elements that enhance the front, sideand rear yards.Trellises, arbors, secludedsitting areas, and decorative fencing ele-ments provide visual interest, additionalplanting areas, and private, outdoor space.
Front Yard Lighting & Accessories
In addition to streetlights, private home-owners often augment their propertywith freestanding lights, typically near thefront property line next to the driveway,as well as porch lights or sidelights on thehouse at the entrance.
In the photos at right, the light polesprovide a location for the house numberas well as a birdfeeder. Front yard acces-sories that match the materials of thehouse, such as a planter that doubles as amailbox (see photo), make attractiveaccents.
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appendixThe attached architectural plans represents selections from the designs ofthe Mississippi Renewal Forum. The entire showcase of these designs willbe available in a separate document in the near future. The plan selectionsattached are designed to address the housing needs for the immediatefuture, and the near and long term for the rebuilding of Mississippi. Theseplans also may serve as references of typologies to suit a variety of needsand requirements for attached and detached single family houses. Theseplans are available in the form of builder sets at the contact informationindicated on each plan.
The Appendix also includes a reference list of Material Manufacturersthat provide materials that are compatible with this pattern book; resourcesfor further research and a Glossary of Terms used in A Pattern Book for GulfCoast Neighborhoods.
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Housing Type Emergency Housing – Cottage
Contact R. John Anderson
Contact Information janderson@newurbanbuilders.com
Total Square Feet 448
Number of Bedrooms 1
Number of Bathrooms 1
Timing Immediate/Medium Term/Long Term
Housing Type Mobile/Modular/Panelized/Stock Plan
Housing Type Emergency Housing – Small Cottage
Contact Erika Albright and Matthew Lister
Contact Information matthew@flmarchitects.com
Total Square Feet 300
Number of Bedrooms 1
Number of Bathrooms 1
Timing Immediate/Medium Term/Long Term
Housing Type Temporary/Mobile/Modular/Panelized/Stock Plan
Floor Plan
Floor Plan
Elevation Alternatives
Front Elevation
Rear Elevation
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Housing Type Affordable Housing – Vernacular Sideyard
Contact Susan Henderson
Contact Information susan@placemakers.com
Total Square Feet 784
Number of Bedrooms 3
Number of Bathrooms 3
Timing Immediate/Medium Term/Long Term
Housing Type Mobile/ModularPanelized/Stock Plan
Housing Type Affordable Housing – Cottage
Contact Gary William Justiss
Contact Information gwjustiss@aol.com
Total Square Feet 720
Number of Bedrooms 2
Number of Bathrooms 1
Timing Immediate/Medium Term/Long Term
Housing Type Mobile/Modular/Panelized/Stock Plan
Floor Plan
Front Elevation Rear Elevation
Floor Plan
Elevation
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Housing Type Affordable Housing – Modular Cottages
Contact Dan Osbourne
Contact Information dosbourne@historicalconcepts.com
Total Square Feet 768
Number of Bedrooms 2
Number of Bathrooms 1
Timing Immediate/Medium Term/Long Term
Housing Type Modular/Panelized/Stock Plan
Housing Type Affordable Housing – Single Barrel
Contact Stephen A. Mouzon
Contact Information steve@newurbanguild.com
Total Square Feet 849
Number of Bedrooms 1
Number of Bathrooms 1
Timing Immediate/Medium Term/Long Term
Housing Type Mobile/Modular/Panelized/Stock Plan
Floor Plan Alternatives
Elevation Alternatives
Floor Plan
Front Elevation
Side Elevation
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Housing Type Affordable Housing – Bungalow
Contact Eric Moser
Contact Information ericmoser@moserdesigngroup.com
Total Square Feet 1,117
Number of Bedrooms 2
Number of Bathrooms 2
Timing Medium Term/Long Term
Housing Type Modular/Panelized/Stock PlanFloor Plan
Elevation
Alternative Elevation
Alternative Elevation
Housing Type Affordable Housing – Cottage
Contact Marianne Cusato
Contact Information mcusato@aol.com
Total Square Feet 850
Number of Bedrooms 2
Number of Bathrooms 2
Timing Medium Term/Long Term
Housing Type Modular/Panelized/Stock Plan
Elevation with Lower Terrace
Elevation
Plan
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Housing Type Affordable Housing – “Doublewide Cottage”
Contact Laura Anne Bossardt Welsh and Jeremy Welsh
Contact Information labwelsh@gmail.com
Total Square Feet 1,232
Number of Bedrooms 4
Number of Bathrooms 2
Timing Immediate/Medium Term/Long Term
Housing Type Mobile/Modular/Panelized/Stock Plan
Elevation
M A S T E R B E D R O O M
B E D R O O M 1
B E D R O O M 2B E D R O O M 3
B AT HM A S T E R B AT H
K I T C H E N D I N I N G R O O M
14'-0 '' 14 '-0 ''
28 '-0 ''
44'-
0''
14'-
0''
Floor Plan
Housing Type Detached Single-Family
Contact Urban Design Associates
Contact Information http://www.urbandesignassociates.com/
Total Square Feet 1,311
Number of Bedrooms 3
Number of Bathrooms 2
Timing Medium Term/Long Term
Housing Type Stock Plan
Floor Plan
Elevation
OptionalFireplace
OptionalDeck
Master Bedroom124 x 16
Bedroom 211 x 10
Bedroom 312 x 10
Living/ Dining 126 x 24
Kitchen
Porch
Cl
BathM.Bath
45'
32'
Foyer
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Housing Type Attached Single-Family
Contact Torti Gallas and Partners
Contact Information http://www.tortigallas.com/
Total Square Feet 1,521
Number of Bedrooms 3
Number of Bathrooms 1.5
Timing Medium Term/Long Term
Housing Type Stock Plan
Second Floor PlanFirst Floor Plan
Elevation
Housing Type Detached Single-Family
Contact Urban Design Associates
Contact Information http://www.urbandesignassociates.com
Total Square Feet 1,536
Number of Bedrooms 3
Number of Bathrooms 2.5
Timing Medium Term/Long Term
Housing Type Stock Plan
First Floor Plan
Second Floor Plan
32'
24' Optional
Fireplace
Living Room12 x 232
Cl
Kitchen
Dining Room12 x 108
Pdr
Porch
Cl
Master Bedroom12 x 145
BathBath Bedroom
10 x 98
Bedroom102 x 11
ClCl
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Housing Type Detached Single-Family
Contact Pier Carlo Bontempi and Victor Deupi
Contact Information vdeupi@nd.edu
Total Square Feet 1,584
Number of Bedrooms 4
Number of Bathrooms 3.5
Timing Medium Term/Long Term
Housing Type Stock Plan
Master Bedroom
Bedroom 2
Bedroom 1
Dining Room Living Room
Screened Porch
Garage
Bedroom 3
Balcony
FrontPorch
MasterBath
MasterDressing
Bath
Bath
Kitchen Utility
Alternative Elevation Alternative ElevationFirst Floor Plan
Second Floor Plan
Housing Type Detached Single-Family
Contact Urban Design Associates
Contact Information http://www.urbandesignassociates.com/
Total Square Feet 1,630
Number of Bedrooms 4
Number of Bathrooms 2
Timing Medium Term/Long Term
Housing Type Stock Plan
46'
Living/ Dining164 x 204
Master Bed-room
134 x 16
W
D
L. P.
Bedroom 210 x 1010
Bedroom 3/ Den10 x1010
Kitchen
32'
Bedroom 4106 x 13
M.Bath Bath
Alternative Elevation
Alternative Elevation
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Housing Type Attached Single-Family
Contact Torti Gallas and Partners
Contact Information http://www.tortigallas.com/
Total Square Feet 1,972
Number of Bedrooms 4
Number of Bathrooms 2.5
Timing Medium Term/Long Term
Housing Type Stock Plan
Second Floor PlanFirst Floor Plan
Elevation
Housing Type Affordable Housing
Contact Lew Oliver
Contact Information archi60@bellsouth.net
Total Square Feet 1,972
Number of Bedrooms 3
Number of Bathrooms 3
Timing Medium Term/Long Term
Housing Type Panelized/Stock Plan
First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan
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Housing Type Affordable Housing – House
Contact Eric Moser
Contact Information ericmoser@moserdesigngroup.com
Total Square Feet 2,066
Number of Bedrooms 4
Number of Bathrooms 3
Timing Medium Term/Long Term
Housing Type Panelized/Stock Plan
Elevation
First Floor Plan
Second Floor Plan
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Material ManufacturersAmerican House Styles. Baker, John2002 Norton
Identifying American Architecture. Blumenson, John1995 Rowman & Littlefield
Ocean Springs Historic District Design Guidelines.Callahan, Monica 1999 City of Ocean Springs, Mis-sissippi
The Visual Dictionary of American DomesticArchitecture. Carley, Rachel 1997 Henry Holt
The Buildings of Biloxi. 2000 City of Biloxi
The Grammar of Architecture. Cole, Emily2002 Bullfinch
Historic Architecture in Mississippi. Crocker, Mary Wal-lace 1973 University Press of Mississippi
Musing Through Towns in Mississippi. Deese,WynellScott
Clues to American Architecture. Klein, Marilyn W.and Fogle, David P. 1986 Starrhill Press
Architecture of the Old South. Lane, Mills1993 Abbeville Press
Architecture of the Old South: Mississippi and Alabama.Lane, Mills 1996 Beehive Press
A Field Guide to American Houses. McAlester, V. & L.1984 Random House
Written in the Bricks. Miller, MaryCarol
Lost Landmarks in Mississippi. Miller, Mary Carol
Classic New Orleans. Mitchell, Willian R Jr. 1993Martin-St. Martin Publishing Company
Victorian Houses of Mississippi. Pace, Sherry 1995
Design Review Guidelines. Thomason and Associates2005 City of Biloxi
New Orleans Houses: A House-Watcher's Guide. Vogt,Lloyd 1992 Pelican Publishing Company
What Style Is It? Poppeliers, John1977 John Wiley & Sons
Traditional Details for Rehabilitation andReconstruction. Ramsey, C. & Sleeper, H. 1998 John Wiley & Sons
A Concise History of American Architecture.Roth, Leland 1980 Westview Press
American Homes, An Illustrated Encyclopedia ofDomestic Architecture. Walker, Lester1996 Black Dog & Leventhal
The American Vignola. Ware, William R.1994 Dover
The SmartCode, a product of Duany Plater-Zyberk& Company (DPZ), is available at:http://www.placemakers.net/info/smartcode.html
PPrints & Photographs Online Catalog – HistoricAmerican Buildings Survey/Historic American Engi-neering Record (HABS-HAER) Collection:http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pp/hhquery.html (search “Mississippi,” “houses,” and “drawings”)
ResourcesThe following partial list of national manufacturers ofbuilding products, developed by Urban Design Associ-ates, is being provided as a starting point for home-owners in their search for appropriate materials for theirhome improvement efforts. These products have beenselected due to their appropriateness for the architec-tural styles outlined in the Pattern Book.
General Resources Periodical
Clem Labine’s Period Homes (http://www.period-homes.com)
The professional’s resource for residential architecture.
Windows
Marvin (http://www.marvin.com)Wood double-hung and casementClad double-hung and casement with aluminum
trim accessoriesReplacement sash w/profiled aluminum panningWood or clad simulated divided lights (SDL)French doors
Caradco(http://www.jeld-wen.com/windows/wood/caradco)
Wood double-hung and casementClad double-hung and casement with aluminum
trim accessoriesWood or clad simulated divided lights (SDL)French doors
Windsor (http://www.windsorwindows.com)Wood double-hung and casementCellular PVC Legend Series double-hung
and casementWood or PVC simulated divided light (SDL)Direct set transoms and sidelights
Shutters
Southern Shutter Company (http://www.southernshutter.com)
J&L Shutters (http://www.jlshutters.com)Stephen Fuller Signature Series (composite
shutters, Permex)
Entry Doors
Simpson (http://www.simpsondoor.com)Wood doors: Appropriate for all styles; hard to findArts & Crafts door (#1662) is less than $400;
several hard-to-find 2/3 light Victorian doors; European Romantic doors
Nord (http://jeld-wen.com/windows/wood/norco)Wood doors: Classical and Colonial Revival styles,some Victorian and European Romantic doors
ThermaTru (http://www.thermatru.com)Fiberglass and Premium Steel Series Steel Doors: Classical, Colonial Revival and Victorian styles; acceptable European Romantic
and Arts & Crafts doors
Stanley (http://www.stanleyworks.com)Fiberglass and steel doors: Classical, ColonialRevival and Victorian styles; acceptable EuropeanRomantic doors
Peachtree (http://www.peach99.com)Fiberglass and steel doors: Classical, ColonialRevival and Victorian styles; acceptable
European Romantic doors
Columns
Turncraft (http://www.turncraft.com)Architecturally correct round and square composite
and wood columns; Arts & Crafts tapered square“Polybox”; composite columns
Column & Post (http://www.columnpost.com)Architecturally correct round and square composite
columns
Somerset (http://www.somersetcolumns.com)Architecturally correct round and square wood
columns and pilasters
HB&G (http://www.hbgcolumns.com)PermaPorch system: Cellular pvc; 2x2 square or
turned balusters with “Savannah” top rail
Exterior Siding (synthetic options)
James Hardie (http://www.jameshardie.com)Hardiplank (fiber cement), lap siding, shingle,
panel, and soffit products
Georgia-Pacific (http://www.gp.com)Fiber cement cladding board
Exterior Molding,Trim & Brackets
(synthetic options)
Chemcrest (http://www.chemcrest.com)Classic Moulding & Door: Crown, bed, casing,
and brackets in polyurethane
Azek (http://www.azek.com)Cellular PVC flat sheet (4' x 8', 4' x 10' and 4' x 12')for gables, soffits, etc. 3/4'' thick trim boards, 5/4'' thick trim boards (4'' and 6'' widths), tongue-and-groove paneling
Royal Wood (http://www.royalwood.com)Composite 1x trim boards, brickmould and T&G paneling for porch ceilings
Fypon or Duraflex (http://www.fypon.com)
Porch Ceilings
Georgia-Pacific (http://www.gp.com)“PlyBead Classic” or T&G beaded paneling
Fencing (synthetic options)
Kroy (http://www.kroybp.com)Classic Manor Collection: Vinyl fences in
traditional designs and profiles
Garage Doors
Designer Door (http://www.designerdoors.com)
Clopay Doors (http://www.clopay.com)
Roof Shingles & Tiles (synthetic options)
Majestic Skylines (http://www.majesticskylines.com)Synthetic slate
Owens Corning (http://www.miravistaroof.com)MiraVista specialty roofing: synthetic shakes,
slate, copper, and metal Berkshire Collection: composite shingles
Tamko Roofing Products (http://www.lamarite.com)Lamarite slate composite shingles
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Glossary of TermsAcadian-Creole: Descriptive term for anarchitectural style that blends French-Canadian, Spanish Colonial, and Car-ribean influences in response to the localclimate and inherited building traditionsof the early settlers of the Gulf Coast.
Apron: A raised panel below a windowsill.
Architrave: The lowest part of an entab-lature, sometimes used by itself.
Arts & Crafts: Eclectic movement ofAmerican domestic architecture in thearts and architecture during the secondhalf of the 19th century and early part ofthe 20th century, emphasizing crafts-manship in a regional expression.
Balustrade: An entire railing systemincluding a top rail, balusters, and oftena bottom rail.
Batten: A narrow strip of wood appliedto cover a joint along the edges of twoparallel boards in the same plane.
Beaded-Profile Panels: Panels manufac-tured to resemble traditional bead board.
Boxed Eave (boxed cornice): A holloweave enclosed by the roofing, the soffitand the building wall.
Bricked Eave: Eave condition where thetop of a brick masonry wall is corbelledout to the eave eliminating the soffit.
Brickmold: Window or door trim, typi-cally 2 inches wide.
Carriage Porch: A roofed structure overa driveway at the door to a building, pro-tecting from the weather those enteringor leaving a vehicle.
Casement: A window sash which swingsopen along its entire length; usually onhinges fixed to the sides.
Chimney Cap: Cornice forming a crown-ing termination of a chimney.
Classical Architecture: The architectureof Hellenic Greece and imperial Rome.
Classical Revival: An architecture move-ment in the early nineteenth centurybased on the use of Roman and Greekforms.
Colonial Revival: The reuse of Georgianand colonial design in the U.S. in the latenineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Corbelling: Brickwork projecting suc-cessively more in each course to supportor meet a structure above.
Corinthian: the slenderest and mostornate of the three Greek orders of archi-tecture, having elaborate capitals withvolutes and acanthus leaf decoration.
Corner Board: A board which is used astrim on the external corner of a wood-frame structure.
Cornice: An ornamental molding at themeeting of the roof and walls; usuallyconsists of bed molding, soffit, fascia, andcrown molding.
Crown Molding: Projecting moldingforming the top member of a cornice,door or window frame.
Dentil: One of a band of small, square,tooth-like blocks forming part of thecharacteristic ornamentation of someclassical orders.
Doric Order: The column and entabla-ture developed by the Dorian Greeks,sturdy in proportion, with a simple cush-ion capital, a frieze of triglyphs andmetopes, and mutules in the cornice.
Entablature: In classical architecture, theelaborated beam member carried by thecolumns, horizontally divided into archi-trave, frieze, and cornice.
Fascia: Vertical board that terminates asloped roof at the eave.
FEMA: Federal Emergency Manage-ment Agency (http://www.fema.gov)
Frieze: The middle horizontal memberof a classical entablature, above the archi-trave and below the cornice.
Gable: The vertical triangular portion ofthe end of a building having a double-sloping roof, from the level of the corniceor eaves to the ridge of the roof.
Gable L: Describes the massing of ahouse having a hipped roof with a pro-jecting gable form at the front, typicallytwo-thirds the width of the facade.
Gable Roof: A roof having a gable at oneor both ends.
Half-timbering: A technique of wooden-frame construction in which the timbermembers are exposed on the outside ofthe wall.
Hipped Roof: A roof which slopesupward from all four sides of a building,requiring a hip rafter at each corner.
Hood: A cover placed above an openingor an object to shelter it.
Ionic Order: The classical order of archi-tecture characterized by its capital withlarge volutes, a fasciated entablature, con-tinuous frieze, usually dentils in the cor-nice, and by its elegant detailing.
Jack Arch: A flat or straight masonryarch.
Knee wall: Short, vertical wall that closesoff the low space created by a sloping ceil-ing and the floor.
Light: A pane of glass, a window or asubdivision of a window.
Lintel: A horizontal structural member(such as a beam) over an opening whichcarries the weight of the wall above it.
Louver: An assembly of sloping, over-lapping blades or slats designed to admitair and/or light and exclude rain andsnow.
Mullion and Muntin: The vertical andhorizontal members separating (andoften supporting) window, doors, or pan-els set in series.
Ogee Curve: a double curve resemblingan S-shape.
Oriel Window: In medieval Englisharchitecture, a window corbelled out fromthe wall of an upper story.
Palladian Motif: A door or window open-ing in three parts with a flat lintel overeach side and an arch over the center.
Pediment: In classical architecture, thetriangular gable end of the roof above thehorizontal cornice. Also, a surface usedornamentally over doors or windows.
Pergola: A structure of posts or piers car-rying beams and trelliswork for climbingplants.
Pilaster: An engaged pier or pillar, oftenwith capital and base.
Porte cochère: A carriage porch.
Portico: A porch or covered walk con-sisting of a roof supported by columns; acolonnaded porch.
Post-and-beam framing: A type of fram-ing which horizontal members rest on apost as distinguished from a wall.
Rafter Tails: A rafter, bracket, or joistwhich projects beyond the side of a build-ing and supports an overhanging portionof the roof.
Roof Pitch: The slope of a roof expressedas a ratio of its vertical rise to its hori-zontal rise.
Sash: Any framework of a window. Maybe movable or fixed; may slide in a verti-cal plane or pivoted.
Shed Dormer: A dormer window whoseeave line is parallel to the eave line of themain roof instead of being gabled.
Shed Roof: A roof shape having only onesloping plane.
Shutter Dog: A pivoting bar for fixingshutters in the open position against awall.
Side Gable: Describes the massing of ahouse having the gable end (or roofridgeline) perpendicular to the street.
Side Hall: Narrow residential house typethat is one room wide, associated withFrench settlements and the MississippiRiver region.
Simulated Divided Light: Refers to alight in a window sash that is visually sub-divided by applied muntins that simulatesa true divided sash.
Skirt Board: A board set horizontally atthe bottom of wall cladding.
Soffit: the exposed undersurface of anyoverhead component of a building, suchas a beam, cornice, lintel, or vault.
Stile-and-rail: Type of door constructionthat utilizes a framework of vertical andhorizontal members infilled with panels.
Tongue-and-groove: Method of joiningmaterials, usually wood, where a tongueor projection in one board fits the grooveof its neighbor.
Transom: A horizontal bar of wood orstone across a window. Also the windowor opening above the transom bar.
Verge: The edge projecting over the gableof a roof. Also, the area of planting, lawnor pavement between the sidewalk andthe curb on a street.
Vergeboard: An ornamental board hang-ing from the rake, or verge, of a gableroof.
Vernacular Architecture: A mode ofbuilding based on regional forms andmaterials.
Victorian: Eclectic style of domesticarchitecture of the late 19th Century;named after the reign of Britain’s QueenVictoria (1837-1901).
Vocabulary: A collection of related archi-tectural elements, materials or stylisticconventions used to describe a buildingor structure.
Water Course or Water Table: A boardor masonry projection fixed to the foot ofa wall to shoot water away from it.
Wing: a subsidiary part of a buildingextending out from the main portion orbody.
A Pattern Book History
Above Left: Traditional houses in Hattiesburg, MississippiAbove Right: This example of Pattern Book pages originally published by William T. Comstock in 1881 istypical of the books used by American builders through the early part of the twentieth century.
All across this country, in small towns, large cities,villages and hamlets, you will find remarkably beau-tiful traditional neighborhoods. The Gulf Coast isno exception. These collections of houses weredesigned and grouped together to create a series ofneighborhood streets and spaces of remarkable
charm and character. Much though we admire the variety and individu-ality of these houses, we are most struck by the way in which each indi-vidual house and public building relates to its neighbors and the consis-tently high design standards followed by all. There is never a discordantor incorrect house.
Initially, houses and towns were built on the frontier of the wilderness,often far removed from civilization.The rapid growth of our country result-ed in a series of building booms, in which thousands of houses were builteach decade in each community. And yet, the results of this mass produc-tion were carefully crafted houses in a variety of architectural styles, allwith superb proportions and ornament. Windows, doors, roof forms, andporches followed complex and sophisticated design principles and pat-terns.
How was such a sophisticated level of design maintained across so widea geographic area and for nearly 150 years? There were certainly not enougharchitects to design each of the houses. Architects did, however, contributedesigns and principles to the building industry in a series of builders’ hand-books known as Pattern Books. These books contained the principles andkey details for a variety of architectural styles.They were the direct descen-dants of books created since Roman times, the means by which architectshave passed along their knowledge of design to builders in remote places.From Vitruvius, to Palladio, to Asher Benjamin, to William Ware, archi-tects provided helpful guides for the building industry.
In the second half of the nineteenth century, Pattern Books became partof builders’ marketing programs. These attractively designed books wereeasy to understand. Their pages combined realistic drawings of housesalong with floor plans and important details. There were many choices offloor plans and arrangements of architectural elements, but all used thedetails and proportions of the style.
Pattern Books set the rules, but each builder found ways of interpret-ing them, elaborating them, or even bending them.The result is the much-admired balance between individual expression and unity found in tradi-tional neighborhoods. The patterns and elements of style were expresseddifferently in each region and often elements were “cross-bred” across dif-ferent styles.They represented a consensus among architects, builders, real-tors, and home buyers on the way to design buildings and communities.Later on in the early and mid portions of the twentieth century, mail orderhouses were enormously popular. Companies such as Sears, Alladin, Stan-dard Homes Company, and others, created volumes of varied house designsavailable directly to consumers.
A Pattern Book Revival
Our goal in reviving the Pattern Book tradition is to help builders, homeowners and architects understand the elements and principles of designthat help create the distinct character and image of each distinct tradition.
Urban Design Associates (UDA) Pattern Books are designed as a “kitof parts,” with a great deal of flexibility for the designers and builders whouse them. They generally have three sections: Overview; Community Pat-terns; and Architectural Patterns. Occasionally they also include a Land-scape Patterns section. A Pattern Book for Gulf Coast Neighborhoods followsthis same structure and includes principles for building placement andmassing for a variety of conditions and lot types.
Key construction and proportioning details were illustrated and described in a popularnineteenth-century builder’s reference entitled The Builder’s Companion, by Asher Benjamin.