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Neomediterranean architecture in Houston?


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I am doing research on neomediterranean architecture in south florida. This would be a revival of the 1920's Addison Mizner architecture. In many communities in Palm Beach county, it is illegal to build anything else. Clearly it is dominate after some time in the 1980s: pink stucco with red barrel tile roofs. When I left Houston in 1979 it seemed that the garage dominant L ranch style was still the main style. I wonder if there is any of this post 1970 revival architecture in Houston. Is is common anywhere, or was it a trend at any time?

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You bet it's a trend. Houston is experiencing an onslaught of Faux Mediterranean residential architecture right now, with an emphasis on tan stucco/EIFS, fake stone, and turrets. I'm actually wishing the Faux Georgian homes of the 1980s would come back in vogue. At least most of those houses weren't as hideous as the stuff builders are putting up in Memorial & Bellaire...

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You bet it's a trend. Houston is experiencing an onslaught of Faux Mediterranean residential architecture right now, with an emphasis on tan stucco/EIFS, fake stone, and turrets. I'm actually wishing the Faux Georgian homes of the 1980s would come back in vogue. At least most of those houses weren't as hideous as the stuff builders are putting up in Memorial & Bellaire...

Are these infilling or rebuilds, or whole developments by the likes of lennar and centex, as we have here.

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I actually kind of like the faux Mediterranean styled houses, but maybe that's because I'm from Canada that style is completely unheard of in Canada, so it seems kind of exotic to me still.

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I actually kind of like the faux Mediterranean styled houses, but maybe that's because I'm from Canada that style is completely unheard of in Canada, so it seems kind of exotic to me still.

The original version began in Florida in the 1920s. A series of spanish and italian styles (italian renassaince, spanish renassaince, mission, spanish eclectic, monterrey style) were popular, and elements were mixed together to create a new style by a would be architect (Addison Mizner never could pass a college entrance exam) with an eye for style, elite connections and a desire to be a society architect. He connected with Stanford White, met his first patron, Paris Singer and came to florida and built some 40 houses in Palm Beach. By 1926 he was disgraced, having developed the boca raton hotel and falsely marketed its earnings and potentials. The "style"stopped at this point. It was apparently revitalized in the late 1970s and early 80s when the boca raton historical society began promoting the city founder, Mizner and Neo versions of his architecture. By 1990 it was the dominant style, with many communities banning any other style. Even McDonalds must build in this style in some communities. I am trying to come to grips with its rise in popularity.

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