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Historic Styles · Federal/Adam Style 1780-1840 By Bruce Wentworth, AIA
Overview The Federal, or Adam, style dominated the American architectural landscape from roughly 1780 to 1840, having evolved from Georgian, the principal design language of the colonial period. Fundamentally, it was the comparatively progressive European ideas about architecture that prompted this American change in taste. Indeed, many historians today think of the Federal style as merely a refinement of the Georgian style, a view easily justified by a close comparison of the two. In general, the term "Federal" connotes that period in American history when our Federal system of governance was being developed and honed. More specifically, it refers to the buildings that went up during the ensuing construction boom in which designers readily incorporated styling variants popular in Europe. Page 1 of 7
Despite the long fight for independence, Americans were highly influenced by Robert Adam (1728–1792), Great Britain's most popular architect, whose work, in turn, was heavily indebted to ancient Greek and Roman forms. Nonetheless, to this day its association with America's hard-won independence lends the Federal style a special cachet with preservationists and architectural aficionados.
Federal-style buildings are found in virtually every eastern city, from New England's seaport towns, where merchant princes grew rich from trade, to Georgetown and Alexandria, Virginia, which were burgeoning in population and importance at about the same time. Easily recognizable Federal-style residences in Greater Washington include Woodlawn Plantation (1805) in Virginia and Tudor Place (1815), and Decatur House (1819), all in the capitol city. Page 2 of 7
Characteristics
Typically, a Federal-style house is a simple square or rectangular box, two or three stories high and two rooms deep. Some structures have been made larger, modified with projecting wings or attached dependencies, or even both. In some instances, one finds an elaborate curved or polygonal floor plan such as with the Octagon House in Washington DC (1799) located at 18th Street and New York Avenue NW. In the Rockville historic district, at 103 West Montgomery Avenue, the Beall-Dawson house is an excellent example of Federal style, and exemplifies the shift away from the rigid axial symmetry of the Georgian style. Its asymmetrical arrangement of wings and other dependencies owes as much to function as to form. Page 3 of 7
Many Federal-style design elements are notably understated. Exterior decoration, for example, is generally confined to a porch or entry element. Compared to a Georgian house, the columns and moldings are narrow and rather simple.
Federal-style decoration often showcases geometrical concepts. Elliptical, circular, and fan-shaped motifs formed by fluted radiating lines are common. One of the oldest American examples of such flourishes is on the dining-room ceiling of Mount Vernon. Executed in plaster, the design contains an ornamental rinceau border festooned by corn husks and a central rosette. Materials Not surprisingly, the building materials in Federal-style structures vary with location. The homes of the Northeast were typically clapboard. Southern houses were often brick, as are most of the homes in the urban north, where fireproofing was much desired. Page 4 of 7
Roof
Hip roofs capped by a balustrade, simple gable shapes (such as those on numerous Federal town houses in Washington DC), and even roofs with a center gable crowned by afront façade pediment, are among the most popular Federal roof forms. The Friendship House, located on South Carolina Avenue SE, on Capitol Hill (c. 1795) is a good example of the front façade pediment. Dormers often pierce the roof to bring light and space into an attic. The Carberry House (1803) at 421½ Sixth Street S.E., in the Capitol Hill area of Washington DC is a particularly good example. Page 5 of 7
Windows
Windows are never grouped in the Federal-style house, but arranged individually in strict horizontal and vertical symmetry. Typically, the front windows are five-ranked, although there are examples of three and seven-ranked windows. Palladian-style windows are often used in gables as an architectural flourish. Windows are almost invariably composed of double-hung wood sashes with the top sash held in place by metal pins (counterbalancing weights had not been invented yet). Thin wooden muntins divide the window into small lights (panes). Before the Revolutionary War, the standard light was 6” x 8”, but as glazing technologies improved, the size increased to 8” x 13”. Generally, the windows feature six over six lights, although nine over nine and other configurations can also be found. Page 6 of 7
Entrance
Befitting its importance, especially when the center of a strictly symmetrical façade, the front door of a Federal home is usually the most decorated part of the exterior. On this score, a semicircular or elliptical Fanlight above the door, with or without flanking sidelights, is a favorite device. A doorway's surround might also include ornate molding or a small entry porch. Some Federal-style designers often enhanced the drama of the front entrance with curvilinear lines, front stair rails, iron balconies, and even curved fronts. Decorative moldings, such as tooth-like dentils, are often used to emphasize cornices.  Page 7 of 7 |
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