Page:The Building News and Engineering Journal, Volume 22, 1872.djvu/287

 7 Apri 5, 1872. THE BUILDING NEWS. 269 THE BUILDING NEWS. — LONDON, FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 1872. THE PROXIMATE PRINCIPLES OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN.—III. 1 SUG the subject of window design, we will now consider the next step— namely, esthetic character or expression. As an organ of utility, a window, doubtless, should also be made one of expression and beauty. Let us see how this may be effected. Tn my last paper the essential or logical con- ditions of window design were considered under the several heads of form, position, and construction, and we arrived approximately at the principles which should determine the design in these particulars. That these naturally lead to the last step, or the esthetic expression of such a feature, it requires little argument to prove, nor do the limitations or conditions laid down in our previous investi- gation at all necessarily limit a free or artistic treatment of such a feature as some may suppose. On the contrary, it will be found a thoroughly rational basis of design, or one founded on an order of consequential ideas as indicated, and will generally be promotive of original thought and invention ; while, the trammels of precedent being disregarded, no restraint of a mere fictitious kind can impose itself upon the artist, who is thus left free to his notions of common ‘sense and the peculiar requirements of his work. It may be argued that such a system of design virtually excludes the teaching of experience, that it takes no account of the many beautiful examples of art which have been left to us upon which we can exercise our discrimination and selection, and that these examples, moreover, afford the means of dis- pensing with any process or method. Such an argument carries its own condemnation ; it would leaye us nothing upon which to perpetuate or develope the art; it would, in short, make the most successful copyist the best architect, instead of the best inventor or deviser. This is, indeed, our position just now. If we plan a building in accordance with common sense and our wants and com- forts (and this we are compelled to do, save in some cases where conventional types and pre- cedent still predominate, church building, to wit) we fit to it a Gothic, or Classic, or Italian exterior: we set it to a particular mould or type almost intuitively—it may be to a style borrowed from the far East, and developed thousands of years ago, long anterior to Christian civilisation; or it may be a style hundreds of years old, closer to home, but equally removed in many respects from our habits of life, and thought, and civilisation. We cannot do better according to some—perhaps not at present, but the onus probandi vests with those who deny that we may do better if we set to work about it in the proper and only rational way. T have chosen a window asa feature which, perhaps more than any other, forms a very important element in our architectural works, and which, to a certain extent, is essentially a modern requirement. The form which suggests itself as the most fitting for a light-admitting opening we have found to be an oblong parallelogram, and we have now to consider the most agreeable ex- pression that can be given to this form, and the construction indicated. By this term “expression,” I mean the outward utterance or ‘‘cast” to be given to the rational form. It is difficult to draw a line where the logical fitness of a thing ends and the esthetic power or expression commences. ‘The condi- tions of a simple light-aperture would be per- fectly satisfied by a simple perforation in a wall of the proportion noticed; hence our plain prosaic windows, as seen in workhouses, factories, and the like, are complete rational exponents, But the mind requires a more such a plain square opening can give; it re- quires a more discriminating utterance—in other words, the bare fact has to be clothed in a language of its own. Thus the form must be improved by agreeable proportion and outline, and by such other means and appli- ances as may aid in harmonising it with the other constructive necessities of the building, and at the same time give it a phonetic power to bespeak itself. But all these means or modes must be governed by some definite law, as much as our rational form was. ‘There must be cause and effect, precedence of fun- damental to the mere accessory or ornamental, the same as in a poem or in elocution, the construction of the words or the intelligible idea must not be lost sight of in the figura- tive—the imagery and personification in which the words are attired. Again, the fundamental, the logical design, is not perfect without its counterpart, the moral aptitude. Now, every design, every work of art, must appeal to reason through the finer perceptions, to have any impression at all; this is as true in the world of art as it is in the moral life. The language of reason if unaccompanied by kindness, fails in making an impression, be- cause it does not touch the heart. So the mere sensual and mental qualities of a work must be toned or measured ; must be regu- lated by some measure or proportion. Emer- son has said the love of beauty is mainly the love of measure or proportion. This apti- tude or esthetic power of form, then, I think, may be called the good manners or moral power of it. In this way art, or the artistic expression of a thing, is akin to that which makes fellowship or society agreeable, namely, a species of politeness which blends the crude, harsh, and cold fact and points of character with the morally~ pleasing or agreeable. In a window, for example, we have to blend or unite the simple aperture for the intromission of light with the other parts of a structure so that neither should suffer or interfere in the least with the other. We want to invite, not to repel, the benifi- cent element of light. Large apertures are, therefore, more significant and expressive than small ones. Large windows, like large eyes, seem naturally to betoken openness, cheerfulness, and hospitality of character. Further, the ethereal nature of light would seem to favour curvilinear to rectilinear- shaped openings ; besides, the former would be more agreeable than straight lines. On this account elliptical apertures, or better still, a parabolic curvature, the window sill being straight, may be employed, but these forms have the disadvantage of expense and difficulty of fitting the sashes and frames. This reason and the constructive facilities afforded by right-lined and square apertures outweigh the esthetic reasons that may be adduced in such forms. Again, light is diffusive, and as the best section of jamb or reveal for the in- tromission of light as well as for outlook is that with splayed or bevelled edges, so also is it the most expressive of purpose and most agreeable to the sense. So far, then, the dic- tates of reason and good taste seem to concur. /isthetically, we have (1st) proportion and outline in their relation to use, form, and con- struction, (2nd) the accessory or adjunc- tive office of ornament or that mode of render- ing the material by which the expression of the feature may be fully attained for the end in view. Here, again, we get the abstract and special ideas combined or rendered into the material language of art. We may here inquire what this accessory effect may con- sist in as regards window design. ‘This may be classified in the following sort of order :— 1. Protection from the weather or sun, in the shape of hoods, pedimental coverings, labels, canopies, &c.; 2. Adjunct for outlook and convenience, as sills, baleonies, &c.; 3. Em- phasis or ornament to relieve wall surfaces and harmonise with other features. ‘Those who doubt the value of this last kind of art stance of the human eye, of what inestimable value it is, with what consummate skill this natural lens is set, and yet, withal, with what expression and beauty in the human counten- ance. In the contracting membrane and its aperture we have the influx of light wonder- fully modified and regulated ; and, again, ex- ternally, protection afforded by the closing eyelids—the perfection of shuttering. But this is not all; the eye is situated in a natural cavity or orbit of the brain to protect it from harm, which also gives depth and expression to the countenance. Here we may learn to recess our window openings in thick walls. But further, the eye has its brow and eyelashes, and here we learn to emphasize and express our windows by pediments, hoods, or label mouldings. What more expressive fenestration can be imagined! Windows are the eyes of build- ings, and the general architectural character depends more on them than on any other feature. One other essential point to be noticed is the connection or combination of windows in a composition, and their relation to other features. I think we have to thank our French neighbours for affording us a lesson in fenestration, especially the connection of windows vertically ; but inmy next I will allude to this more particularly, and illustrate what I have here said in reference to this all- important question of lighting and windows. Goo G: ed EXPERIMENTS ON MORTAR, COMMON & SELENITIC. A SERIES of experiments has been made by Mr. David Kirkaldy to ascertain the adhesive power of mortar made with lime prepared according to the process patented by Major General Scott, C.B., as compared with mortar prepared in the ordinary manner: Also to ascertain the comparative powers of resistance of the two kinds of mortar to crush- ing and tearing forces. A few months since a number of experi- ments were made by Mr. A. W. Colling, clerk of the works at the new Law Courts. ‘These consisted of bedding pairs of bricks with com- mon and with patent selenitic mortar. The common mortar specimens had proportions of 3 and 4 of sand to 1 of lime, and the patent mortar specimens had proportions of 5 and 6 of sand to 1 of lime. ‘The best results obtained from the common mortar were resistance up to 137lb. of pulling force, with samples with 3 and 4 of sand to 1 of lime respectively. The selenitic mortar, with 5 of sand to 1 of lime, held together up to 354Ib., and with 6 of sand to 1 lime to 228lb. The specimens were tested four weeks after the mortar was mixed and the bricks bedded. The specimens tested by Mr. Kirkaldy were prepared on his premises, and the tests ap- plied eight weeks after their preparation. The first series of experiments in the report refer to crushing stress. ‘The lime used in all the experiments was Lee’s Burham. The pro- portions of lime to sand in the three series of tests were the same throughout, for com- mon mortar 1 of lime to 2, 3, and 4 of sand respectively ; and for the selenitic mortar proportions of 1 of lime to 4, 5, and 6 of sand. The following are a few of the results of the tests for thrusting stress :— COMMON MORTAR GAUGED. Highest Lowest Mean of stress. stress. 4 tests. Ib. Ib. Ib. 1to3of sand... 1288 1063 1168 ie ie 991 858 971 ea 808 713 776 PATENT SELENITIC MORTAR GAUGED. Dene hess 2906 2482 2630 fyal soe. 2487 2341 2405 TerGs es 1812 1559 1637 PATENT SELENITIC MORTAR PRESSED. Lino: 5806 5442 5573 hae Se 4804 4692 4742 TsGtae 4636... 4309 4493
 * polite or elegant expression of purpose than
 * may be reminded of the very analogous in-