Alsana and Clara - A Study in History and Culture
The role of history and culture and how they architecturally influence a given region.  

Rural Jamaican House

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- lowland plantations
- urban trade
- administrative centers, ports, domestic markets

plantations --> declined
                                    slums --> increased
poulation --> increased

Cultural Influences:
- Spanish, African, baroque British 
-pre-Columbian - palm fronds thatch and mud walls 
-Styles, materials, size, and furnishings differ more by class than by ethnicity. 
- Outdoor influences size - esp. rural
- Spanish - balconies, wrought iron, plaster and brick facades, arched windows and doors, and high ceilings. 
- British - wooden jalousies, wide porches, and patterned railings and fretwork
- Plantation - stone and wood
- Town houses typically were built with wood

Traditional London House

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- Not characterized by one particular style

- Most existing buildings don't predate the Great Fire of 1666

- Gregorian architecture rapidly took over London and took over surrounding villages.

- Windows are rectangular instead of arched or rounded

- Buildings are constructed in a uniform manor because of the high population density.



Modern Bangladeshi House

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-Stone is scarce in Bangladesh. 
-buildings/homes constructed with bamboo are often seen throughout Bangladesh. 

-Muslim and Mughal prominence in the land lead to many mosques being built, some of which remain. 
Present architecture resembles many of the architectural and building techniques used in the construction of ancient mosques. 

-The public buildings are a mixture of Mughal and European styles.