Origin: Based on the architect Andrea Palladio (Italy, 16th century); fashionable in Britain in the 18th century
The Palladian style follows the 16th-century Italian architect Andrea Palladio, known for his villas in the Veneto and his architectural treatise. He applied the Roman classical language with calculation: symmetry, proportions based on simple ratios, columned porticos with pediments and an arched window in the centre of the façade. In the 18th century the style became fashionable in Britain, influencing many great houses.
In Vietnam, Palladian suits villas with a wide frontage and garden; a townhouse can echo it with a small columned porch, a pediment over the front door and symmetrical windows. With humidity and heavy rain, a columned porch serves as useful shelter from sun and rain; use waterproof paint, honed stone for steps and check exterior mouldings regularly.
