INTRODUCTION
The “Spanish Territorial” was rather dirty and plain, “brutish and short“, as Hobbes would say, until Anglos gentrified the style with Greek elements, the Anglo-imagined Greek elements of American Greek Revival. In truth, the style is a hodge-podge, folksy, “Folk Architecture“, you might say, a style almost without history, a style of necessity. The most honest examples omit the whitewash, remain simple dried mud, an unnecessary pretense. When observing the style, I am put in mind of the myth of the House, tree trunks becoming columns, joints becoming triglyphs, and everywhere the opportunity for sculpted or painted meaning, history before history. Spanish Territorial.
In Precedent
Folk necessity, Pueblo, and later, Classive elements, notably, the Greek Revival.
The adobes of the Hopi Pueblo, the barrack of soldiers.
Characteristics
Facades are most often stuccoed, simple, white, orderly if asymmetrical.
Low-pitched roofs with clay tiles, sometimes of tin.
Most-times, plain wood doors and windows.
Floors like to be of pine.
Old examples display the mud brick.
Features
Simple as a house can be, for contemporary living in full, this Spanish Territorial house is suitable to homestead, retreat, or weekend project, at barely 1,300 feet, it is a small home just larger than tiny. Too, this house is most suitable to physicians, artists, attorneys in private practice, to home-business and to the growing generation of work-from-home industries.
The plan is suited to its purpose. The public room is sufficiently grand with an open-beam ceiling, tile floors, and stucco walls. The separated back-hall is a semi-private transition from the garage, the utility rooms, and the open, playful master suite. The second building is suitable for family, visitors, or office; it has a separate entrance, and could have a kitchenette, for long stays, as in VRBO or Airbnb. The walled courtyard is reminiscent of stables that would have been common, as might be in this house, if for homestead. If for country or sub-country house, the home might like a pool, gaming area, et cetera, as the outdoor shower and outdoor television suggest.
If my house, I would transform the porch piers to simple columns, and add antefix to roof or pictured carving to canales and beams. Spanish Territorial.
Spanish Territorial, Plan and Elevation. M. Curtis, designer.
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Plan #43
1,288 Total Square Feet
811 Building 1
477 Building 2
13′-2” Height
65’-3” Width overall
54′-3” Depth
11’-6’ Ceiling (GR)
3 Bedrooms
2 1/2 Bathrooms
Stucco.
Room Size
Family Room 12’-6” x 22’-0”
Kitchen 12’-6” x 7’-9”
Master Bedroom 12’-0” x 16’11”
Master Bath 12’-0” x 5’-6”
Walk In Closet 6’-6” x 6’-0”
Powder Room 3’-0” x 6’-0”
Laundry 3’-0” x 6’-0”
Bedroom 2 16’-0” x 11’-6”
Bedroom 3 16’-0” x 10’-0”
Bathroom 6’-0” x 7’-8”
(potential solar panels above)
Garage 12’-6” x 22’-0”.
Features
Energy Efficient Design
adaptable to solar water, electrical, and fan
open floor plan
economical to build
kitchen island
main floor bed & bath
main floor laundry
office/study
side-entry garage
wheelchair adaptable
Other Beautiful Spanish Eclectic houses include:
#43 Las Cruces
#5 Presidio
Featured image: Plan #84, Spanish Territorial, Pomona, Elevation. M. Curtis, designer
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