Edwardian architecture Facts for Kids

Belfast City Hall, a great example of Edwardian Baroque architecture in Northern Ireland.

Edwardian architecture is a cool building style that was popular in the British Empire from 1901 to 1910, during a time called the Edwardian era. Sometimes, buildings made up to 1914 are also considered part of this style. It's like a new version of an older style called Baroque.

What is Edwardian Architecture?
- Key Features of Edwardian Baroque
Architectural Influences
Famous Edwardian Buildings
- United Kingdom
- Argentina
- Australia
- Canada
- Hong Kong
- India
- Ireland
- Malaysia
- New Zealand
- Singapore
- Sri Lanka
See also

What is Edwardian Architecture?

Edwardian buildings are usually simpler than the fancy Victorian ones that came before them. However, there's a special type called Edwardian Baroque architecture that was used for big, important buildings. These buildings are often very grand and decorative.

The Victorian Society is a group that works to protect buildings made between 1837 and 1914. This means they help look after both Victorian and Edwardian buildings.

Key Features of Edwardian Baroque

The Masonic Temple in Aberdeen, Scotland, built in 1910.

The Edwardian Baroque style got its ideas from two main places:

French buildings from the 1700s.
Buildings designed by Sir Christopher Wren in England during the 1600s.

Because of Sir Christopher Wren's influence, this style is sometimes called "Wrenaissance." A famous architect named Sir Edwin Lutyens used this "Grand Style" for many business buildings in the 1910s and 1920s. This time in British architecture looked back at older styles, even though a new style called Art Nouveau was also popular.

Typical details you might see in Edwardian Baroque buildings include:

Rough Stone Look: Walls often have a rough, textured stone finish, especially near the bottom. This can make the arches over windows and doors look even bigger.
Fancy Roofs: Many buildings have domed towers on the corners of their roofs and a taller tower in the middle. This creates an interesting shape against the sky.
Italian Baroque Touches: You might see big, decorative keystones (the wedge-shaped stone at the top of an arch), curved pediments (triangular or curved shapes above windows), and columns that look like they have blocks attached to them.
Columns: Rows of columns, sometimes in pairs, are common. They often follow the Ionic order, which means they have scroll-like decorations at the top. These columns and domed towers were often inspired by Wren's designs for the Royal Naval College in Greenwich.
Some Edwardian Baroque buildings also mix in other styles, like the Dutch gables (stepped or curved roof edges) seen on Norman Shaw's Piccadilly Hotel in London.

Edwardian houses in Sutton, Greater London, England.

Catts Farm, Kingsclere, Newbury, designed by H. Launcelot Fedden in 1908.

Other common features include:

Lighter Colours: Edwardian buildings often used lighter colours. This was partly because gas and electric lights meant people didn't worry as much about soot making walls dirty, unlike in the Victorian era.
Simpler Patterns: Designs for things like wallpaper and curtains were less complicated than before.
Less Clutter: There were fewer small decorations everywhere. Ornaments might be grouped together instead of spread out all over the room.