Historic Architectural Styles Guide Spanish Colonial Revival

Spanish Colonial Revival
H istoric R esources • Santa Barbara, California
INTRODUCTION
Known for its Spanish Colonial Revival architecture,
Santa Barbara owes much of its charm to the many
thick plaster walls and clay tile roofs of this style. The
various subtle details carved in wood or crafted in iron
add to the quality of the architecture and character
of the city. Spanish Colonial Revival architecture will
always be key to Santa Barbara’s identity.
See the El Puelo Viejo Design Guidelines for more

details of the style.
Historic Resources Design Guidelines: 11. Spanish Colonial Revival
HISTORY
In 1916, Bertram Goodhue, author of a book on Spanish Colonial architecture,
helped to kick-start the new Spanish style with his designs for the Panama-
California Expo in San Diego. Until then, the only Spanish themed architecture
was based on Mission prototypes. Soon, however, architects and patrons began to
look to Spain itself for detailed examples of the Spanish style.
Throughout the territories originally settled by the Spanish in the Southwest, as

well as Texas and Florida, the Spanish Colonial Revival flourished. In Santa Bar-
bara, the style was championed by many architects including George Washington
Smith, Lutah Maria Riggs, Winsor Soule, Reginald Johnson, William Edwards,
and Joseph Plunkett.
Also key to the success of the Spanish Colonial Revival in Santa Barbara was the
The 1920s Spanish Colonial Revival hotel in West Beach neighborhood features deco-
Plans and Planting Committee through which Pearl Chase and others helped to
rative tile steps and a plaster balustrade leading to the front entrance.
sway Santa Barbara towards a more unified architectural style based on the City’s
Spanish Colonial and Mexican past. After the earthquake of 1925, much of this
vision was realized in the rebuilding of State Street and the Pueblo Viejo area, from
which Santa Barbara has received much of its beauty and notoriety.
The details of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture vary greatly depending on

which period of Spanish architecture is being referenced. In Santa Barbara, the
Andalusian vernacular, (southern-Spanish farmhouse) was the key inspiration for
the simplicity in detail found in much of the region’s architecture. The Spanish
Colonial Revival style emphasizes the interplay of cubic volumes, patios, pergolas
and verandas; each interpreted and redefined by local architects or regions in their
own oeuvre of the form, massing, and decorative treatments. In Santa Barbara, the
Spanish Colonial Revival style was exemplified by George Washington Smith, one
of Santa Barbara’s noted architects from the 1920s when he was one of the most
popular architects in the United States.
The 1925 Spanish Colonial Revival house across from the Mission features wood Santa Barbara has examples of the Spanish Colonial Revival style throughout
entrance doors, recessed wood windows, smooth stucco walls, and red terra-cotta roofs. the city from the distinct commercial buildings on State Street, to large homes
and estates on the Riviera, to multi-family housing and hotels in the West Beach
neighborhood along the waterfront.
2 City of Santa Barbara

City of Santa Barbara
MASSING & OVERALL FORM

The massing of the Spanish Colonial Revival house
takes on a wide variety of forms. In all forms,
the roof pitch is low (usually 4:12 or less) and an
asymmetrical plan is the norm. Five massing types
include: the side-gabled type, which is rectangular
in form and sometimes includes lower side-wing
portions; cross-gabled roof, which typically has one
front-facing gable and one side facing gable; the
hipped-and-gabled roofs; the hipped roof, which
tend to be simple rectangular box-shaped houses;
and the flat-roof, which is a relative of the Pueblo
Revival house.
CHARACTER DEFINING
FEATURES
Cornice and Eave Details: Simple if any ornamen-
tal detail at the cornices and eaves with the emphasis
on the terra cotta tile that create a decorative edge
from the roof to the wall.
Porches and Balconies: Front entries are often re-

cessed in a deep wall opening. The emphasis is on
balconies with balustrades made of wood, plaster or
iron rather than elaborate porches of the Victorian
styles.
Historic Resources Design Guidelines: 11. Spanish Colonial Revival 3

Doors: The wood entry door expresses solidity with

an arched decorative plaster or stone surround that
sets it apart from the other façade openings. Doors
are made of wood planks or panels and recess in the
wall plane with a stucco return and no trim. Color-
ful decorative tiles are used as baseboards, door sur-
rounds, or other features of interest.
Windows: Deeply recessed, wood windows are

generally fixed or paired casement windows with
lights divided by horizontal mullions. Windows re-
cess at the wall plane with a stucco return with no
trim. Awnings are often found at windows openings.
Santa Barbara has many Spanish Colonial Revival
buildings with a variety of intricate to simple wood
or iron grilles (rejas) over the windows, especially on
the ground floor.
Vents and Chimneys: Venting in places such as

gable peaks is often accomplished through decora-
tive plaster grills. Stucco chimneys are tower-like
elements with decorative openings that are both
practical and ornamental.
Wall materials: The Spanish Colonial Revival style

features smooth, whitewashed, planar, stucco walls,
with the emphasis on broad, uninterrupted wall sur-
faces punctuated by a careful use of openings that
are asymmetrically arranged. The thick walls help
the plaster building to feel believable as it imitates
buildings originally made of load-bearing masonry.

City of Santa Barbara
Local examples of the Spanish Colonial Revival style with smooth stucco walls, deeply recessed windows, and terra cotta tile roofs.
Historic Resources Design Guidelines: 11. Spanish Colonial Revival 5


Historic Architectural Styles Guide Spanish Colonial Revival

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Historic Architectural Styles Guide Spanish Colonial Revival

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Historic Architectural Styles Guide Spanish Colonial Revival

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Spanish Colonial Revival

H istoric R esources • Santa Barbara, California

See the El Puelo Viejo Design Guidelines for more

Throughout the territories originally settled by the Spanish in the Southwest, as

The details of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture vary greatly depending on

2 City of Santa Barbara

MASSING & OVERALL FORM

Porches and Balconies: Front entries are often re-

Historic Resources Design Guidelines: 11. Spanish Colonial Revival 3

Doors: The wood entry door expresses solidity with

Windows: Deeply recessed, wood windows are

Vents and Chimneys: Venting in places such as

Wall materials: The Spanish Colonial Revival style

4 City of Santa Barbara

Historic Resources Design Guidelines: 11. Spanish Colonial Revival 5

6 City of Santa Barbara

You might also like