The Octagon House - Essay Example

The Octagon HouseOne of the houses that I have visited that was constructed before 1915 is the Octagon Museum or Octagon House. The building was designed by William Thornton, the same architect that designed the U.S. Capitol as noted by AIA (2014). The building was constructed between 1799 and 1801 and is found in 1799 New York Avenue, Washington DC. The building is three storied and features a circle, triangle and two rectangles in its plan. The building is made of bricks, sandstone, and coade stone.

The six sided building has symmetrical wing that fits well with its triangular lot (Lonely Planet, 2014). The building closely resembles the octagonal and circular buildings that prominently featured in England during the 1700s and the 1800s (Fodors, 2014). The building is a notable example of U.S. federal architecture. The building has chimneys and a furnace for heating water sits at the basement. It also has a central spiral staircase and the rooms are so arranged that they appear to be symmetrical while its roof is flat and surmounted by a cupola.

The roof of the building is made of cedar and shingle and has a balustrade. Some of the rooms that are in the building are the treaty room, dining room, parlor, and kitchen. Today, the building is under use as a museum and hosts exhibits related to building design and architecture. Generally, the building is simple in design. It was designed differently from the traditional buildings that were common in Washington DC at the time of its construction. The traditional style at the time of its construction was Georgian.

It is partly inspired by Federal style architecture, creativity, and Greek interior style (AIA, 2014).ReferencesAIA (2014). Sold Out - Architecture Week Tour: The Octagon. Retrieved 6 August, 2014 from http://aiadc.com/calendar/event/architecture-week-tour-octagon Lonely Planet (2014). Lonely Planet review: Octagon Museum. 6 August, 2014 from http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/washington-dc/sights/museums-galleries/octagon-museum Fodors (2014). The Octagon House. 6 August, 2014 from http://www.fodors.com/world/north-america/usa/district-of-columbia/washington-dc/review-180548.html