Richardsonian Romanesque Department Store by Built4ever on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

Original design sketches for the front elevation and first floor plan of a rather large department store with shopping and offices on second and third floor, designed in the American "Richardsonian Romanesque" style. I used massive lintels over the doors and windows, a variant, in contrast to the more common huge semi-circular arches more often seen. This style of building still exists today in every American city, small or large, as commercial and public buildings, and, sometimes as grand luxury homes. To say they were well-built is an understatement. Some are primarily grey stone of some type, some are tan sandstone, but many are brownstone style in dark reddish brown sandstone with matching brick. This building design is a commissioned piece so there were stringent requirements on the size and shape of the ground plan and interior layout.

Technique: Hand-drawn pencil studies in small scale, 1/16"=one foot, front elevation toned to terracotta with software, floor plan reduced to half size.