Living in New York City puts you in the thick of diversity – both demographically and architecturally. The City that Never Sleeps is also the city that never forgets or abandons its architectural history, with styles going as far back as 300 years. The result is an eclectic mix of old, old-revival, and new architectural styles that make New York City a marquee example of fine construction. If you are considering buying a home in New York City, here is a look at the more classic styles you will encounter.
Neoclassical/Greek Revival
Many of the homes you will explore with New York City real estate experts The ATelier Team will likely be Neoclassical or Greek Revivals. While initially employed in government buildings, this style is very common in New York City neighborhoods like Gramercy and the Upper East Side as quaint townhouses and austere mansions, respectively. A more laid-back and recent version of the style called Italianate is evident in NYC brownstones. This 19th-century style is characterized by dramatic columns reminiscent of Ancient Greek and Roman temples, regimented geometries of large sizes, and heavy massing.
Renaissance Revival
Renaissance Revival buildings draw their inspiration from Renaissance France and Italy, with nods to ancient Rome. Homes and buildings built in this style resemble the grand chateaux and palaces of the era, complete with bold, ornate elements and classical patterns. When the style first became popular in New York City, the wealthy took to it so much that Renaissance Revival mansions made up most of Fifth Avenue. A more toned-down version called the Romanesque Revival is more common today, and you can see it in iconic buildings like the American Museum of Natural History (south wing),
Colonial/Neo-Colonial
Colonial-style homes and structures echoing European influences were built or built to look like they were built between 1600 and 1800. Naturally, New York, as a former colonial power, retains several Colonial and Neo-Colonial buildings, specifically in lower Manhattan. Homes built in this style typically feature symmetrical designs, pitched roofs, and wood cladding, brick, or stone. Over the years, the architectural style has undergone revivals, giving rise to French Colonial, Cape Code, Federalist, and Georgian styles.
Art Deco
New York City would be unrecognizable without the Art Deco style. Conceived in the aftermath of the Roaring ’20s and named after the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs of 1925, this style is bold and uninhibited. Homes built in this style often feature showy materials like glass blocks, stainless steel, plastic, chrome plating, or colorful stone. You will also notice them for their dramatic nods to history, industrial craft, and geometric motifs.
Beaux-Arts
Another iconic NYC architectural style, Beaux-Arts, came into the city at the turn of the 20th century. The Beaux-Arts style was conceived in Paris at the École des Beaux-Arts and is considered an amalgamation of Renaissance-inspired ornamentation and uplift and traditional classicism. Homes built in this style embrace technology, and you will see innovations like large glass sheets and steel-reinforced concrete.
Explore NYC with the ATelier Team
The wide variety of styles and property types means you can be looking at homes for sale in New York City for months and never exhaust your options. To cut down the man-hours and make home-hunting less of a hassle, contact the ATelier Team. Founded in 2019, the luxury brokerage firm features agents, brokers, and other real estate experts intimately familiar with the architectural variety of NYC.
