Traditional NOLA architecture

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New Orleans and Louisiana is architecturally different from any other region in the Untied States because of its early identification as a French colony. This identification brought different influences into what was mostly a British colonized country. But, the most important influence that impacted how French colonists should make their houses was the weather. The Louisiana climate is never too cold, usually too hot, and always too humid.  What did this mean? For many for many colonies this meant High ceilings and large windows.

 

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The housing format was also adapted to better fit the environment. The Anglo style houses of the British colonies did not work well in the humid region, so the French immigrants used shotgun houses, which was common in the French settlement of Haiti.  Shotgun houses are homes that have rooms created one after the other to let the air roll through the house and make a comfortable breeze. This design was originally from West Africa. The rooming situation may not have been very private, but the cool air was worth it.

 
If one looks at the picture above one notices another peculiar aspect that makes the New Orleans area housing unique from most of the other areas in the state. The raised platform. New Orleans is below sea level which makes flooding a huge issue in the area. Raised houses are crucial. Since the aftermath of Katrina, people are raising their houses more than ever before. This is a major architectural change New Orleans is experiencing in the 21st century. The Architectural difference in New Orleans is just one of the many ways the city and state differentiate themselves from the rest of America.