Architecture: Building Fear 1313 (Haunted House Experiences)

[twinflower]

Architecture

 

How many of you have been to a Haunted House?  Was it fun?  Scary?   Lame?  Did you know that there is even a whole niche in the Archetectural profession for designers of Haunted Houses?  There is!

 

This month, Professor Torrie and Twinnie are going to give you the steps and ideas of how to make your own Backyard at Home Haunted House!  *grins*    Starting off though, we will be discussing a bit about how they came to be and why they are so popular!

 

This will require some craftiness, some scavaging and your imagination!  With those three things you will be amazed at what you can create!

 

Now…tell us about the Haunted Houses you’ve been too!

 

[Torrie]

Ohhhh! It gives me chills just thinking about it. lol

 

 

I love Haunted Houses. I think the best one that I have ever gone to was one in Chuckatuck, Va. It was an old broken down house that has since been closed but I remember mirror rooms, mazes, ghost and monsters. Afterwards there was always cocoa, hot dogs, and candy that you could buy, and don't forget the pumpkins.

 

WE went to one at the beach a few years back and for some reason someone forgot to close the door to one of the bathrooms. So there we were walking through this dark labyrinth with monsters jumping out and the such when we turn a corner and there was a pink bathroom. Kinda made it a little less scary.

 

Next weekend I am taking a trip to Busch Gardens to brave the 2 hour long lines to go through the Haunted Houses there. I will get back to you on details and hopefully pictures.

[Mirshann Uuranor]

Austin does the House of Torment every year, but I've never gone.

 

I think I would more enjoy being part of the haunted house cast rather than to go just go through one.  That would be fun. :D

[Jaydena]

I have been in haunted houses and in fact I used to work in one when I was a teenager. I would dress up as a witch and when people came around this corner I would jump out and give this blood curdling cackle. It was so much fun. Another part I did was I would climb out of the swap and scare people. It was a ton of fun to do that.

[Torrie]

History

 

A haunted house is defined as a house that is believed to be a center for supernatural occurrences or paranormal phenomena.[1] A haunted house may allegedly contain ghosts, poltergeists, or even malevolent entities such as demons.

 

Haunted houses are often seen as being inhabited by spirits of deceased who may have been former residents or were familiar with the property. Supernatural activity inside homes is said to be mainly associated with violent or tragic events in the building's past such as murder, accidental death, or suicide—sometimes in the recent or ancient past. Among many cultures and religions it is believed that the essence of a being such as the 'soul' continues to exist. Some philosophical and religious views argue that the 'spirits' of those who have died have not 'passed over' and are trapped inside the property where their memories and energy are strong.[citation needed] Entities which are said to 'haunt' homes are often believed to make noises, appear as apparitions, and shift or launch physical objects. This is sometimes manifested into 'poltergeist activity', poltergeist meaning 'noisy spirit'. Traditionally an exorcism is the method used to remove unwelcome spirits from the property.

 

Legends about haunted houses have long appeared in literature. Haunting is used as a plot device in gothic or horror fiction or, more lately, paranormal-based fiction. Roman-era authors Plautus, Pliny the Younger and Lucian wrote stories about haunted houses, as did the Arabian Nights (such as the tale of "Ali the Cairene and the Haunted House in Baghdad"),[2] and more modern authors from Henry James to Stephen King have featured them in their writings. Haunted castles and mansions are common in gothic literature such as Dracula.

 

The actual structure of a fictional haunted house can be anything from a decaying European feudal castle to a newly occupied suburban ranch-style house of fairly recent construction, although older buildings tend to be more commonly used. The widespread American image of the "haunted house" as a Victorian (particularly Second Empire) structure is said to have its origins in the Panic of 1893, which led to the foreclosure and abandonment of many then-new houses.[3]

 

Thanks Wiki!

[Torrie]

Now Haunted houses have been around for a long time. Back in the times of the Egyptians there were doors that opened by themselves and statues that moved and spoke on their own. In modern times we have discovered that these "Hauntings" were done with weights and counter weights but back then I can imagine that everyone was scared witless when a giant statue with the face of a dog turned and spoke to them.

 

The haunted house continued into more modern times with the lovers ride. During times when young people were looked down upon for physical touching, theses rides would allow them to hold onto each other out of fear (Among other reasons  ;))

 

Lets not forget the freak shows that came about in history also. These shows would travel the world in an effort to scare and shock the populous.

 

Now a days, all of the above attractions have been put together in what we call the Haunted House. As you walk, ride or run through a haunted house you are likely to see ghost and ghouls and vampires along with many other scary gory and just plain weird items that are meant to turn you white and maybe make you have to change your pants. lol

[Torrie]

Types

 

 

 

Haunted Houses can be anything from a backyard walk through to a corn maze to a real life Haunted house.

 

 

Some people enjoy Hayrides or even train rides.

 

Some will endure hours in a line to walk through a scary looking house.

 

What types of haunted house have you been in and what is your favorite?

[U4ea]

I went through one in Orlando just after High School that wasn't too bad. I'm not a big fan of Haunted Houses, though. At least, not of staged ones. I like real ones...

 

 

[Torrie]

Themes

 

The theme is the base for the Haunted House itself. It does not look good to have a swamp scene with dracula standing over the swamp thing. lol This is one of the first steps to making your haunted house.

One theme that all haunted houses have is to scare you! Sometime budgeting does not allow for a centralize theme and in that case you must be sure that the story line for the Haunted house flows nicely. Planning is the key.

 

Other themes can be vampires, monsters, dolls, a Torture House, witches. 

 

What are some of your favorite themes?