Central Block With Wings

Central Block With Wings, also known as Beaux Arts or Fine Arts, was an important style in France from the 17th until the 20th century.  Famous examples in Paris are the Louvre (1667-70) and the Paris Opera (1861-74).  Americans who studied in France brought the style back during the mid-19th century.  The style copied Greek and Roman features and symmetry, which were especially well suited for colossal public buildings, such as the Eau Claire City Hall and the previous Carnegie-endowed Library.  Indeed, the 1916 City Hall is a replica of the Petit Trianon in Versailles, France!  Sedate forms of this style were used by the rich for town houses and villas in larger cities.    

This style was widely used at the turn of the 19th century when Neoclassicism  was popular.  It was used most extensively for public and institutional buildings,  such as courthouses and public libraries.  

Most Central Block With Wings structures have these features: 2-4 stories this facade generally consists of a projecting center section Classical porticos frequently characterize the central section subordinate flanking units that are at least half as wide and often much wider

Type	1850	1860	1870	1880	1890	1900	1910	1920	1930	1940	1950	Feature
Central Block With Wings												Public and Institutional Buildings

Created by Jaime Blechschmidt 9 June 1997