American architecture looks markedly different from its European heritage. As a general rule, American architecture is more focused on practicality and less on the visual aspect of it. This owes to its roots in being a colony of Britain (and to a lesser extent France and Spain), where it was less wealthy than the mother country but also had more space to work with. I was wondering if there was ever any likelihood that US architecture could look more like its European roots, which is an interesting thought. Consider that in South America, in countries like Argentina and Brazil, you can definitely see a much more direct line to Europe in how the cities look.
Notably, there are some places in the US that look straight out of Europe. Such as Leavenworth, Washington (modeled after Bavaria, Germany), Solvang, California (the Danish capital of America), New Orleans, Louisiana (which definitely echoes its French roots), Vail, Colorado (modeled after Zermatt, Switzerland), Tarpon Springs, Florida (which looks like the Eastern Mediterranean, as it has the largest Greek community in America), and Pella, Iowa (which is heavily influenced by Dutch culture).
However, by and large these types of places are the exceptions, which makes them so notable. Is there any way for more European style cities in the United States to happen at large?
One idea that comes to mind is if Hotel Attraction had been made. It was a proposed building for New York City, by famed Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, in the early 1900s. If it had been made, it would've been the center of NYC's culture (predating the Empire State Building) and influenced the architecture of the rest of New York, and subsequently other cities as they developed such as Philadelphia, Boston, Newark, Cleveland, Chicago etc., which often took after The Big Apple. But it was turned down for being too futuristic looking, which admittedly makes a lot of sense.
Any other ideas?
Notably, there are some places in the US that look straight out of Europe. Such as Leavenworth, Washington (modeled after Bavaria, Germany), Solvang, California (the Danish capital of America), New Orleans, Louisiana (which definitely echoes its French roots), Vail, Colorado (modeled after Zermatt, Switzerland), Tarpon Springs, Florida (which looks like the Eastern Mediterranean, as it has the largest Greek community in America), and Pella, Iowa (which is heavily influenced by Dutch culture).
However, by and large these types of places are the exceptions, which makes them so notable. Is there any way for more European style cities in the United States to happen at large?
One idea that comes to mind is if Hotel Attraction had been made. It was a proposed building for New York City, by famed Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, in the early 1900s. If it had been made, it would've been the center of NYC's culture (predating the Empire State Building) and influenced the architecture of the rest of New York, and subsequently other cities as they developed such as Philadelphia, Boston, Newark, Cleveland, Chicago etc., which often took after The Big Apple. But it was turned down for being too futuristic looking, which admittedly makes a lot of sense.
Any other ideas?