Scheefstanden

Scheefstanden refers to a Dutch term that translates to "oblique viewpoint" or " asymmetrical design", but is more specifically used to describe a unique architectural style of the Scheef da Costa house seen in colonial Dutch New York and New Jersey.

The Scheefstanden houses originated in the 17th century when Dutch settlers, many of whom were experienced shipwrights and carpenters, adapted their ship-building expertise to fitting frameworks over old timber frames, which were often modified to produce space. These modifications included widening the existing timber frame walls to its present width and overlapping the new wood to build vertical lines, creating stronger panels.

In the specific towns of Gravesend, Brooklyn, and nearby communities such as Coney Island and Atlantic Havens, this style was most prevalent. Research carried out by Dr.Jerome E. Edwards in 1926 identified 34 colonial boarded cottage homes which he claimed belonged to Dutch settlers.

It appears the style may have developed due to limited resources available in the colonies. However, in Gravesend, New York, Scheef da Costa, the original Spanish colonel and his Portuguese translator, did build the Scheef da Costa house with a central column holding upwards. Ultimately it appears the Scheef da Costa house design style spread due to collaborations between Dutch, Portuguese, and Spanish people.