Plans with a Porte
Cochere
 A
porte-cochere (French porte-cochère, literally "coach door",
also called a carriage porch) is the architectural term for
a porch or portico-like structure at a main or secondary
entrance to a building, through which it is possible for a
horse and carriage or motor vehicle to pass, in order for
the occupants to alight under cover, protected from the
weather.
The porte-cochere was a feature of many late 18th and
19th-century mansions and public buildings. Well-known
examples are at Buckingham Palace in London and the White
House in Washington D.C. Today a porte-cochère is often
constructed at the entrance to public buildings such as
churches, hotels, health facilities, homes, and schools
where people are delivered by other drivers. Porte-cochères
should not be confused with carports in which vehicles are
parked; at a porte-cochère the vehicle merely passes
through, stopping only for a passenger to get out.
Porte-cocheres are becoming more and more popular with
single family homes. A sense of privacy is added to the home
that protects family’s belongings from the street. Many
Porte-cocheres have iron gates that block intruders from
entering the motor court of the house. The Porte Cochere can
be the separation between a garage and the house or a casita
and the house. Many house plans can be integrated to feature
a Porte Cochere.
Back to:
Country House Plans and Home Designs
Home Web Directory
|