skeuomorphs in architecture

Anne Marie is right! Architecture and construction is very skeuomorphic:

  • vinyl or aluminum siding that looks like wood clapboard (not to mention the imprinted wood-grain texture on same)
  • asphalt shingles colored or textured to appear like wood shakes or slate
  • tin ceilings imprinted to appear as plaster
  • wood ceiling beams that are applied for appearance and not structural
  • veneer brick wall panels, pre-fabricated and lifted into place on a tall building
  • linoleum imprinted to look like ceramic tile, or brick, or wood flooring
  • plastic laminate counter tops designed to look like granite
  • exterior window shutters applied fixed to the walls, too small to cover the window even if they could move

It is interesting (and I think true) that residential construction seems to be more skeuomorphic than large-scale commercial construction, i.e., skeuomorphs are used to maintain a traditional, conservative appearances.