Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/211

 1868.J Descriptions. 175 built separately, after the very plain and unpretending style of the generality of our present houses. Of course, to carry out this principle, it is requisite, that property owners be brought to see and to understand how, by combination, and by systemizing their operations, they can economize ; and, with the amount so saved individually, can erect structures, which, in place of being, as too often now, only ej^e-sores, utterly unworthy of our age, will tend to beautify and embellish our streets. It has been truly said, that the grand secret of the improvement of mankind, and of human society in particular, is union and co-operation. To be sure, all we can do is to show, that the applica- tion of this co-operative principle to the particular case we have in view, would be productive of immense advantage to our art ; and must leave the matter to work its own improvement, which can only really arise, when we become thoroughly alive to the benefits result- ing, from the general adoption of our suggestions. From the Elevation it will be seen, that the intention is, to construct six houses, in connection ; each house, eigh- teen feet front and three stories high, being surmounted by a French roof, making a fourth story. The sky-line is thereby agreeably and effectively di- versified by the different heights and breaks of the roof. The long facade, or face line of the front, is but slightly varied, no projec- tion being more than twelve inches be- yond the receding sections, thus divid- ing the block into compartments, afford- ing opportunities for slight but tasteful decorations, and obtaining what are the great desiderata in architecture, breadth of light and depth of shadow. Each house has a bay-window in the front, together with a porch to the front door, projecting about the same distance- The form and features of these bay- windows may be different in each, by being made square, circular, or octag- onal; and, b}- these means, an effect of pleasing variety will be obtained, consid- erably to improve the external appear- ance of the block. The windows, also, are intended to have their heads slightly curved on the outside, but finished square within. The intention is to exhibit the conception of such a block as can be erected at a very moderate cost, and one that would be within the reach, while still meeting the wants, of the major class of the business men of ordinaiy means. We have given the ground-plans of the first, second, and third stories, a glance at which will clearly indicate all the accommodation allowed, amply sufficient for the comfort and convenience of from six to eight persons, whose domiciles could be thus erected at a very moderate cost. Beginning with the principal floor: —. A is the parlor, 12 X 28 feet, with a front bay-window. B, the main hall, containing the stairway to the upper portion of the house, with a vestibule on the front. C, the butler's pantry. D, the dining-room, 12 X 16 feet. E, the kitchen, 12x14 feet. F, the private staircase to the upper stories. On the second floor, see Fig. 2, the sitting-room, Gr, is over the kitchen, E, and dining-room D ; and is equal in size to both, making it a fine, spacious apartment. Leading out from this room, we enter a passage, from which are doors leading to a bath-room and water- closet. Further on are two communi- cating chambers, H, H, each 12 x 14 feet, with closets, and a smaller chamber, I, immediately over the vestibule and main hall. J is the bath-room, and K the water-closet. On the third story, we have, in front, two chambers, N, N, and a smaller one, 0, of exactly the same dimensions and in the same positions as those in the second story. Above the bath-room, we have a store room, M; and, immedi- ately behind, two servants' chambers, L, L. In all, there are eight lodging rooms.