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Alice Springs - could be any small southwester/western town, but maybe Phoenix
I'm not necessarily sure how these compare, all I did was some quick research for some (though I'm sure about Sydney/LA).
For those who maybe know a bit more, how would you compare them? What is different about these cities and what is similar? That is, how are American cities different or similar?
I couldn't really find Australian equivalent for a lot of American cities like Boston, San Francisco, Charleston, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, etc...Aus seems somewhat lacking in historic quality or eclectic non-British influences, and a lot of the city comparisons above are pushing it - Canberra is nothing like Washington, structurally, Adelaide and Chicago is a giant push, as is a Melbourne/NYC comparison.
Could also find no Australian equivalents to some big new sunbelt cities (Nashville, Atlanta), the western ski towns, some old, Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic industrial cities...
There a lot of non-"British" historical architectural influences in Australian cities. Colonial era buildings with their broad covered verandahs and low pointed roofs; terrace/row houses that have an almost mediterranean feel compared to those you find in both the UK and US; the classic "Queenslander" home, and the "Federation style" that was more prevalent in the south. Then there is the classic country pub, with wide verandahs, metal roofs and heavy use of iron "lace work" trim.
Colonial era buildings with their broad covered verandahs and low pointed roofs; terrace/row houses that have an almost mediterranean feel compared to those you find in both the UK and US
The former were common in the US south.
I don't think the terrace/row houses you can find in some Australian big cities are "mediterranean", they're a variation of British architecture. The USA has a lot more in the way of Spanish and Mediterranean colonial and revival architecture, Churrigueresque and Mission style churches, Italianate buildings, and Second French Empire and Beaux Arts architecture.
I don't think the terrace/row houses you can find in some Australian big cities are "mediterranean", they're a variation of British architecture. The USA has a lot more in the way of Spanish and Mediterranean colonial and revival architecture, Churrigueresque and Mission style churches, Italianate buildings, and Second French Empire and Beaux Arts architecture.
You can also find a lot of very German style buildings in parts. Hahndorf is the best known such town in SA (its very close to Adelaide so its a bit of a tourist trap) , but there are many others. Similarly German Lutheran missionaries brought their style with them to some pretty remote parts of the country. Hermannsburg in the NT is definitely well known because of Albert Namatjira, but again its only one of many such mission settlements.
The terrace houses you find in Sydney and Melbourne do have a very different street presentation and style compared to what you find when walking around British or Irish cities.
The only cities in Australia were there are still a lot of buildings dating back to the 1800s or even early 1900s would be Hobart and Launceston in Tasmania. In short, they grew so slowly compared to their mainland counterparts that old buildings were pretty much left intact until the preservation movement became established in the 1960s and 70s.
You can still find old Chinese Joss Houses from the 1850s that have been maintained and restored, but not many are left. There is a good example in Bendigo in Victoria, and Googling will probably reveal a lot more through the country.
Last edited by Bakery Hill; 09-29-2022 at 08:30 PM..
The only cities in Australia were there are still a lot of buildings dating back to the 1800s or even early 1900s would be Hobart and Launceston in Tasmania. In short, they grew so slowly compared to their mainland counterparts that old buildings were pretty much left intact until the preservation movement became established in the 1960s and 70s.
The whole of inner Sydney is basically from the 1800s. Even the CBD retains a hell of a lot of old buildings.
The whole of inner Sydney is basically from the 1800s. Even the CBD retains a hell of a lot of old buildings.
Yep, I could have worded that better. I was reflecting on how much of the overall stock of buildings in Tasmanian cities is pretty old. They are quite distinct from their mainland counterparts in that regard.
Yep, I could have worded that better. I was reflecting on how much of the overall stock of buildings in Tasmanian cities is pretty old. They are quite distinct from their mainland counterparts in that regard.
"The whole of inner Sydney" is definitely not from the 19th century.
Yep, I could have worded that better. I was reflecting on how much of the overall stock of buildings in Tasmanian cities is pretty old. They are quite distinct from their mainland counterparts in that regard.
Yeah that's true. But when you look at all the inner suburbs of Sydney the average age of the houses is 1880s or so. It is all very old.
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