Philly’s Architecture: A Walk Through Centuries of Style and Design

Philadelphia is a beautiful city filled with so many different kinds of architecture — from Georgian colonial buildings from the 1700s to modern glass towers rising into the clouds. Philly’s skyline has certainly changed from 1682, the year William Penn founded the city. Built on a grid system between the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers, the look and feel of the city has drastically changed over time. Historical events have left their mark and millions of immigrants have added unique touches and color to the neighborhoods they have inhabited.

Philadelphia has grown from a village of 600 to a spread out metropolis of over 1.5 million people. This has led to the creation of over 150 distinct neighborhoods — some dominated by the ubiquitous Philly row home, others by duplexes, split-levels, and twins, and others with single-family mansion-sized estates. The diversity of the city, in both its inhabitants and its architecture, add an unparalleled richness to the region.

Those who find inspiration in the old - that is, in historic homes - have many different areas to choose from. For one, there are the downtown neighborhoods of Society Hill, Olde City, and Rittenhouse Square, lined with street after street of quintessential red-brick row homes. Some of these are minute little houses dating back to the 1700s, a time when people were shorter, life was simpler, and the average person didn’t need (or perhaps couldn’t afford) that much space. Thus, the “Trinity style” was born - basically 1 large room per floor, stacked one on top of the other. Elfreth’s Alley — which is supposedly the oldest continually inhabited street in the country — has the largest concentration of Trinity homes in the city. And then you have Rittenhouse Square, a historically well-heeled area with larger houses, such as the imposing mansion-like walk-ups scattered along Delancey Street.

Those who may want a bit more space with their history flock to the leafy northwest, where stone homes built from local mica schist dominate the region. Mt. Airy, Germantown, and Chestnut Hill are all excellent examples of how different architectural styles can live in harmony with each other: Victorian, Norman, Cotswold, and Greek, Tudor, and Colonial Revival. While some of the properties in this area are estates unto themselves, you can also find streets that have a variety of styles and sizes all in the same vicinity — rows next to twins next to large single-family abodes.

And then there are those who may prefer new build architecture — sleek, modern, more of an emphasis on function than on form. This type of home can be found throughout most sections of the city, whether that be a more historical area, or a neighborhood with lots of new development. Some are choosing new builds over the older stock as they see them as the future — bold, perhaps more practical, something different.

Whether it’s old, new, or somewhere in between, you can find it here in Philly. Join me in the coming weeks for features on specific neighborhoods, buildings, historic homes, and interesting anecdotes about the architectural landscape of this wonderfully colorful city.

Written by Dan Stroiman