American Vs European Architecture

[FavreKev04 13]

I don't know about you guys but I love European Architecture. I live in near Boston, MA USA and I honestly don't like the look of the buildings here. Theres a few old homes that make me say that looks kinda cool. But when I see a European Towns or cities I just want to jump into the picture. I mean honestly its so good I might just cry or punch a baby (whatever is easier). I thought I just start a thread on how European Architecture is different compared to USA. I know not all places in the USA are ugly, I mean look at Atlanta,GA. So I want your Guys opinion.

Haugeund,Norway

London, England

Atlanta, Georgia

[isaklindh 0]

I have never been to the USA. I have only been on that side of the Atlantic once and that was in the caribbean so i have not seen American architecture for real, but from what i've seen on pictures of US and Canadian cities i really dont like it.

I think euro cities are by far more elegant and has superior architecture. Especially cities which has not uglyfied themselves with skyscrapers.

This is not true for all cities but for most.

I think old buildings like churches and hanseatic houses are more beautyful then glass skyscrapers which i really don't like at all.

[montrouge 2]

You don't like european cities with skyscrapers

Don't go at 

Frankfurt

Paris 

London

Warsaw

Rotterdam

Vienna

Because all this cities have a skyscrapers

especially those cities 

Rotterdam has little skyscrapers.

Frankfurt

Paris

London

(You can see already a pics)

Warsaw

Vienna

[isaklindh 0]

Well i didnt say i never will visit a skyscraper city, but i dont think skyscrapers fit in in european cities.

But i can see the practical point of having them.

There are lots of beutiful cities without skyscrapers, H. Hamburg, Stockholm, Aarhus, Rome etc.

Some other euro cities is starting to get skyscrpers but the parts without is much more elegant, Berlin, Vilnius.

[confused04 14]

I find American Skyscrapers much more attractive and appropriate than the European counterparts. There are some downtown areas that just have WEIRD skyscrapers in Europe. The "everyday" architecture is generally much better in Europe, particularly pre-WW I buildings. New housing and buildings aren't terribly different than what is being built in the States. If I could blend Minneapolis with "Old School" Europe, that would be an AWESOME city.

BTW, the pic of London is Canary Wharf and I'm going to visit it this Saturday!!!

[xgriffinx 4]

I'm living in europe and I must say that I like european architecture very much but american architecture isn't bad, too. I've been to new york a few months ago and the skyscrapers really impressed me. but I think skyscrapers shouldn't be too tall imo especially in european cities.

[devonald 0]

I think that european are more beutifull, Cities like London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Paris, Berlin etc... ONLY have skyscrapes because of employment, As LONDON i the world biggest finincial centre I don't blame my Capital for being so big!

[Glenni 1,444]

Ok, um Kev, can you please tell me why the  HELL you have uploaded a pic of Haugesund? My hometown is like the fugliest town ever existed

[devonald 0]

(lol- Its London, not England lol} Or Britain to me as I HATE being called English as I live in Wales...lol

[devonald 0]

(lol- Its London, not England lol} Or Britain to me as I HATE being called English as I live in Wales...lol, Im not a squatter!!!!!

[Glenni 1,444]

And just to partake a lil bit ,here's a pic from the seaside promenade, and no the thing to the right IS NOT a river!

It's a strait

[toxicpiano 125]

Well considering most North American architecture is based of European architecture (well at least before a certain date), then I would say that I prefer European Architecture.

[belfastuniguy 18]

Clearly Europen architecture wins. The long history and wealth of various styles and design. Many of the great non-skyscraper landmarks in America are based on European design.

 Just remember all of the those great Europen cities and the huge amount of historic buildings they have; London, Paris, Rome, Milan, Berlin, Vienna, Madrid the list goes on.

America has the advantage of the skyscraper, these buildings can look very out of place in many European towns and cities. Europe does have a good number of them and that number is increasing. 

Some pics below, I'd be here all day if I got a picture of all European buildings

[mayormommy 8]

You're comparing apples to oranges. You can't compare pre-war European architecture with post-war American architecture. The U.S. has a fraction of the history to draw upon as Europe, but we still have some interesting old buildings too.

State Circle, Annapolis, MD, built 1779

Wrigley Building, Chicago (built 1924, picture from 1930, still standing)

[ExiL3 10]

Well never been to North America my self, but I kind of agree that it is a little bit wrong to compare a thousands of years old continent with ancient cities, to a very young continent (civilized of course).

Still I want to add some pictures of European Architecture of cities that I have visited.

Grimstad, Norway. My home town

Bergen, Norway

Århus(Aarhus), Denmark

Göteborg (Gothenburg), Sweden

Stuttgart, Germany

Schwäbisch Hall, Germany (lived there for two years)

Image 2 of Schwäbisch Hall, Love this perspective

Stratford Upon Avon, England

Hannover, Germany

So I have obviously visited more cities, like Oslo, Berlin, Stockholm, Copenhagen, London, Paris and many more. Though I wanted to show some pictures of some more "uknown" cities...

take care,

[bartonn 0]

Its a flip with me. I'm into modern architechure so its hard to pick. Vancouver, Miami and Chicago have some buildings I really like. However, some cities tend to build big grey buildings.

Europe has some cool things like Turning Torso and CommerzBank. However, some stuff get too weird for me or some building are really run down.

[FavreKev04 13]

Glenni - Man you live in an awesome town. I love to colors, when I saw that pic in the other topic I was awed

Guys I'm glad you taken interest into this topic. My point of view though, Europe Architecture looks like they took time and effort for the eye candy part. In United States they have the same building that looks to plain. In Europe they have different color roof and houses, here in USA most new urban project and housing have the same color and the same black roof tops.

[UltraGIR XL 3]

I don't see it as a style for the continents, but a style for the ages. Most of Europe's skyscrapers ahve just been going up, so its natural they have the glassy modern look.

New skyscrapers in the United States are quite the same, though existing ones look so-much-different because of the era of construction.

[SCMayor 0]

I think there is no difference between European and American Architecture.

American Architecture is originally invented and inspired by Europeans and European Architecture...

[josefmayor 8]

Hm. Now for some beautiful American Architecture! (This is where I will be going to college!)

University of Tampa, Tampa, FL.

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Tampa, FL.

Tampa Theater

S.H Kress Building

Hillsborough H.S, Tampa, FL

These are just a few from Tampa.

Perhaps we need some New Yorkers to post some of New York's treasures!

[Uumke 0]

I love the European style, allthough some american buildings can be beautiful.

But Montrouge, Vienna isn't ugly at all. The only skycrapers are out of downtown. The city centre is beautiful, the Stephandsom, Oper, Hofburg.But of course, den Handelskai is quite ugly. But I have to agree, that Rotterdam is quite ugly, but some buildings are quite special.

Stephansdom, Wien:

Some Rotterdam Buildings:"

You should visit my hometown (almost), Maastricht. There's some nice architecture:

The Central Station:

The city walls:

Vrijthofsquare and St. Servaaskerk and St. Janskerk

Vrijthof:

St. Jans:

The old roman bridge:

The city hall, where the Maastricht treaty is located at the moment:

[Glenni 1,444]

And here's another pic of the city,hehe

and this is still Haugesund

Hope it's ok that it's 600X800 rather than 800X600

[xgriffinx 4]

well it's funny that everyone dislikes his hometown. I think that's because everyone always wants to have the things one doesn't have ;D

[Gozer_Jep 0]

I think it's very difficult to compare the architecture of the 2 continents. In Europe, for example, there is also many differents in architecture: German cities doesn't look like french, or british or Dutch cities. Of the North American cities, i've only been in Toronto, but i think there are many diffrences there to.

[RushHourFreak 1]

I think American architecture can sometimes be very dull and monotonous. The skyscrapers are easily very similar, but there in Europe you can appreciate different styles.

We are talking about a country and a continent, it is a bit desproportionate.

And remember, America is not only USA, is everything so if we are talking about northamerican is very different to talk about Central or South American.

Every archutecture has, in its dull or beautiful way, some charming details, like the clean buildings, the manage of trees in Northamerica, and the nice pedestrain sidewalks in Europe.

[dosomthin90210 0]

greece and southern italy is extremly breathtaking but here my hometown in the US its really  beautiful as well:

one of my other fav places is como italy:

i also love the art deco style in miami:

[Edited for messing up the page] Mic

[mayorron 0]

All the way american. If you want to see great Architecture, go visit Houston, Austin, Dallas, Seattle, Los Angeles and Atlanta. There are more, but hell, wel all know it. DC is kinda of European in many ways. Let's admit it, American architecture is somehow a little bit similar to European. But America, all the way!

Oh! and yeah, Miami!

[Dark_Jedi06 13]

I'm prefer the look and feel of Mediterranean cities and towns...

---

Athens

---

Rhodes

---

Crete

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[Micah 16]

I love both European and American architecture. Most if not all of the pre-WW2 buildings in Europe are so elegant and beautiful, especially England's Victorian-age buildings. Europe has truly been inventing archtecture for centuries. However, America has been inventing what is known as modern architecture and most of it started in Houston. Here are pictures of Houston (And you'll notice that some aspects of Houston come from European archtecture):

-Full credit goes to RGV & Westerngulf on Skyscrapercity.com

These following photos aren't actually in downtown Houston. They're a part of Houston's sprawl:

Notice a little bit of European architecture here:

Here is downtown Houston (Finally! ):

Houston's sprawl again:

Notice the European architecture here again: 

More of America's modernism architecture (Still, all from Houston):

Here is more European architecture ih Houston:

Houston invented the modern stadium (First closed stadium in the world on the left):

Here's a part of Houston's medical center:

More of Houston's modern sprawl:

I'm not sure which type of architecture this is:

And lastly, Houston's (or, America's) modern night:

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Of course, these are from Detroit, which I'm most familiar with.

Two churches:

A university:

A skyscraper (Europe didn't really have them, but this is european design applied to a skyscraper):

The two places have similar architecture (of course, all architecture has different vibes from location to location.  From continent to continent, and from city to city, but they are similiar), but the places where building buildings at different times.  The US didn't have much before the 1800s, while Europe didn't have much from the 1920s and 1930s.  And for some reason, Europe didn't build skyscrapers, and I don't really know why.

Edit: Someone said something about how there isn't victorian architecure in the US, which is absolutely untrue.  Note that the victorian era is basicly the 1800s, which is also when the US was building stuff.  If you drive around any American city that was around during that time, you'll easily find it.