Early nineteenth century architects were undoubtedly influenced in their approach to their designs by both the early Renaissance of the 1200’s and the later Renaissance in the 1700’s. The freedom of thinking that emanated from that era, the revolutionary approaches, the challenge at every turn, brought forward architects and builders who were more audacious than ever. The Victorian Mannerist Architectural style is found between the more austere, though still vibrant, Victorian Academic Classical and the prosperous Victorian Free Classical.

This was a time when intricate stucco mouldings became the interesting feature. There were more decorations and details on this type of architecture than ever before and some of the adornments became quite complex and plentiful.

There was too the attitude by many designers and architects that this was the time to thumb their noses at convention and combine several different styles. There would be startling combinations of arches, pediments, columns, stucco and the like, that heretofore had been unheard of, but now, had rather a vibrant and interesting result. There were temple characteristics aligned with parapets and stucco and other usually non-related features.

This era of architecture saw the breaking away from tradition and constricting styles to a more liberated and free thinking approach. It was a time of optimism, wealth and experimentation.

Not all combinations had a favourable result though, and some buildings did look like a hotch-potch of hits and misses. There were exaggerated or distorted proportions and scales. There were also unusual motifs or liberal use of stucco. All sorts of shapes, sizes, mixtures, proportions, scales and additions adorned and characterised the buildings.

There were unexpected combinations and odd usage of triangular and segmented pediments.

View a series of images highlighting Victorian Mannerist.

To sum up this style in one word would be to say it was ‘unexpected’.