Mission Revival Architecture In Phoenix
Mission Revival Architecture was a Spanish influenced movement that began in the late 19th century. This movement revived and reinterpreted colonial style that used Spanish missions in California from the late 18th century, early 19th century as their guide.
The types of structures that this movement focused on were residential homes, commercial and institutional structures such as schools. The high point of this movement when these recognizable structures became popular was between 1890 and 1915. Like many other architectural movements during this time, Mission Revival Architecture gained steam and began to make a transition toward having an impact thanks to the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 and became popular in Phoenix as well.
Most of the other architectural movements were established east of California then moved west to include Phoenix, the Mission Revival movement was the first to begin in the west and expand east.
The Spanish missions in which this style originated revolved around their common trait of security and necessity. The early structures of the Spanish missions consisted of adobe walls with plastered surfaces, low pitched roofs, and non-flammable clay roof tiles.
These structures typically enclosed a courtyard that added to the security feature of the Spanish missions’ style. To help protect the adobe walls from rain, the exterior was covered on stucco so that the walls would not be ruined. The adobe build of these structures makes them very common to most Spanish structures in this time.
The doorways and windows that are present throughout these structures are usually arched.
When the Mission Revival movement began to take its course, they were able to recreate these structures with varying degrees, proportions, and accuracy. While the Mission Revival began to take its course, the people of California that this revival was affecting were aware that these missions style was fading in to ruins.
Even knowing this, they continued forward in search of a style that will lead them toward more simple times. To go with the traditional elements of the Spanish Mission style like tile roofing and outdoor courtyards, the Mission Revival movement added various other elements to make it more up to date. They used more current construction materials that got away from the adobe build and made the structures more stable.
With California constantly prone to earthquakes, when constructing these buildings, earthquake codes were taken in to consideration. Religious components were also taken in to heavy consideration when these structures were built and they were built with an emphasis on decoration, something that made these buildings really stand out.
One of the largest buildings that came as a result of the Mission Revival movement was the Mission Inn, located in Southern California. Constructed in 1935, the building still stands in Riverside and has been restored to showcase this style’s expression.
Other notable structures in California that came as a result of this movement are the California Baptist University and the main quad of Stanford University. This style of architecture evolved and was included in the Spanish Colonial Revival style that was established at the Panama-California Exposition in 1915.
The best palce to see Mission Revival homes are in Alvarado historic district and Medlock Place.
Learn about the architectural styles in Phoenix.
