Page:An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture.djvu/793

 PRINCIPLES FOR DESIGNING VILLAS. 7^^9 the offices ; not only that a free communication may take place between the kitchen and the garden, without interfering with either the entrance front or the lawn front ; but that the stable dung may be taken to the garden, from the stSbles, by the shortest and most private route. In general, it is desirable to have the kitchen-garden close to the stable offices, so as to make some use of the walls of the latter for training fruit trees, and to shorten all the lines of communication for servants, as also the walk to the garden fi-om the lawn front. MTierever it is practicable, the farm should adjoin the kitchen-garden, and, as it were, follow in the train of offices and useful appendages. In this view of the general arrangement of a villa and its offices, it appears that all the latter should be placed on one side of the dwelling-house, so as to leave the three other sides free. Wherever three sides of the dwelling-house are not free to be disposed of as the combined judgment of the landscape-gardener and Architect may direct, either the case must be anomalous, or some gross fault must have been committed. We would strongly recommend this to be kept in view, both by Architects and their employers, as a leading principle in determining the position of the offices relative to that of the house. 1647. Hie Approach Road. The whole train of offices and usefid dependencies being disposed of, the subject nest in importance is the direction of the road by which the dwelling-house is to be approached. Though this, like every other part of the subject, is necessarily treated of separately in a book, it must be considered together with all the other parts, and more especially the offices, in practice. The side of the house on which the offices are placed must, as has been already observed, in a great measure be deter- mined by the direction in which the approach road advances to the house ; so that tliese two parts are so intimately connected, that the one cannot be considered without the other. In the modern or natural style of disposing of the grounds about a house, the approach road almost always advances towards it in such a manner as to show two fronts at the same time. This is one principle ; and, as we have already laid it do^^Ti as another, that the offices must always be on that side by which the principal approach advances, it follows, that the first -iew of the house will generally show the dwelling as the principal mass, and the offices as subordinate and cooperating parts of the whole. When- ever the first part of the dwelling, therefore, which comes into view, is the offices, there must be something defective in their position, in the direction of the road, or in the disposition of the trees and scenery by which the house and offices are united with the grounds. In the ancient or geometrical style of laying out grounds, the approach road or avenue ad- vances directly in front of the house ; and here, also, the dwelUng-house is the mass which ought first to meet the eye. The offices, in this case, are generally concealed from the view ; either altogether, or till the spectator has arrived almost at the entrance front. The great object, in the ancient style, is, to present a full geometrical view of one front ; that of the modem style, to show two fronts at once, or what is called by Architects an angular view. The beauties aimed at by the ancient style, whether with respect to the house or the grounds, were, to present regular, symmetrical, architectural views ; the end aimed at in the modern style is, to present views which are irregular, picturesque, and natural. The direction of the approach road from the public road, till it advances nearly to the entrance front, may be considered as more legitimately within the province of the landscape-gardener than within that of the Architect ; yet, still, the general principle by which it is directed ought to be alike known to both. In the ancient style, the grand object is, to obtain a straight line ; because such a line is more archi- tectural, and displayed, in a rude age, more decidedly a character of art and design. In the modern style, a winding line is preferred, as being more easy and natural, and, by displaying a greater variety of scenerj', evincing a more refined taste. The ancient style of approach is displayed to greatest advantage over an even surface ; the modern style, over a surface which is irregular. In the ancient style, when the two extreme points were once deter- mined on, nothing could be easier than to lay out the road between them. In the modem style, when the two extreme points are determined on ; that is, the point of departure from the public road, and that of arrival at the entrance front of the mansion ; the laying out of the road between them calls into exercise a considerable degree of taste and judgment. As it is essential to this style that the line of road should be more or less curvDinear, the artist is required duly to consider what ought to be the extent of these curves, and how far they ought to deviate from a straight line. If lie should be guided entirely by the surface ; that, if very irregular, may induce him to trace a line too circuitous ; and if even, to adopt a line without ease or grace. It may be laid down as a principle, that no winding approach can be beautiful wheie there is not an obvious reason for each of the windings. It may also be admitted as another principle, that, when the surface is very irregular, and the road changes its direction with every little obstruction, it will cease to have the character of a work of refined art. A third principle here occurs, to correct the tendency to error in either of the extreme cases of a verj' hilly or a very flat surface. This principle is, that the road, in every case, should be 4t