A picture is worth a thousand words, and these online dictionaries are packed with pictures that illustrate important ideas in architecture and housing design. Find out the name of an interesting roof, discover the history of an unusual column, and learn to recognize historic periods in architecture.
Historic Periods and Styles
Photo © Medioimages/Photodisc - Getty Images
What do we mean when we call a building Gothic or Baroque or Classical? Use this picture dictionary to identify the important features of architectural styles from ancient to modern.
Modern Architecture
Photo ©2005 Niko Vujevic / iStockphoto
Do you know your isms? These photos illustrate important vocabulary for discussing modern architecture. See pictures for Modernism, Postmodernism, Structuralism, Formalism, Brutalism, and more.
Column Styles & Types
Photo © Jan Rihak / iStockphoto
An architectural column does so much more than hold up a roof. Browse this picture dictionary to find column types, column styles, and column designs through the centuries.
Roof Styles
Photo © Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images
The shape of the roof is one of the most important clues to a building's architectural style. Find out about roofing styles and learn roofing terminology in this illustrated guide.
House Styles
Photo © Jackie Craven
Learn about house styles and housing types in North America. See photos of Bungalows, Cape Cod houses, Queen Anne houses, and other popular house styles.
Victorian Architecture
Photo © 2005 Jupiterimages Corporation
Many different house styles were constructed during the Victorian era. This easy guide introduces the most important Victorian styles, including Queen Anne, Italianate, and Gothic Revival.
