Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-11-22
PIAZZ1S,.
They Are Delightful lint si,cu,a n.
Bniit villa Jndxmcnt,

$50 =. sshoT norInetn lands, than Their
large covered piaz,as. These have been
developed in a. swer to ns distinct and
imperative national need as ever deter.
mined the genesis OF an architectural
feature. Our early colonial snoeators
did without pihzzas, for their hunts ~
living and their architectural schemes
were alike imported from ENGLAND and
Holland, and amid a strenuous peonla
occupied with sterner problems than nov
70 I've most agreeably, II was naturally
some time before that gradual moi,fioe.
uon or habits which is IN suitably brought
hbont ct last by new climatic Influences
could express itself In architectural Ian.
guage. No colonial house had snyth;na
that resembled piazza. II wa And ope
attached 10 such q house to-day, IL ia an
addition OF later date, as II tho case with
the we'll known Longtellow house in
Cambridge. -
But the Introduction of the classic
fashion In architecture meant the efeo.
ton OF porticos, and tho addition which
they made to comfort has never AGAIN
been dispensed. with. When olassic
forms were abandoned in favor OF what
has been dubbed our t'vernRculntn atvle
OF architecture little temples gave
way to plain, square, box like houses with
gabled roofs-tbe portieo vanished, but
Us place was taken by o modification Of
the yerands which had long been in uss
In all southern lands. We speak OF the
course OF things In our northern states.
et the south, where Spanish influence was
felt, Ferandas and balconies seem TO have
been used from the earliest times.
When We say "yefnaeular" style of
architecture, we mean one which has
been the unaffected outcome Of universal
needs and deBires, and, therefore, what.
ever its defects from an artistic point Of
view, must have q largo measure Of prac-
ticai fitness to recommend II. MANY fa,-
tors of such style must persevere, IL
progress in art 10 to mean more beauty
and more fitness, too and, In fact,
widely as we have departed from The
plain, box like house In recent years, our
BEST new country houses are, in many re.
Bpects, developed from them, AID most
notably 80 as regards the constant pren-
enoe OF the piazza Considerations Of
sentiment and art excuse and make good
Its absence 10 the owner OF an old
colonial house but when new house is
desired 1t Is q clearly recognized neoes.
sity, even though some colonial scheme
may be closely followed in other respects.
Only In very rare cases do We see piaszss
dispensed with by an owner Who cares more
for the odd pleasure of copying with
exactnees an inappropriate foreign model
than for building himself really com
Portable home.
Certainly, no really comfortable coun-
try home can exist In our land without a
piazza. Even ON our most northerly
borders the heat of our summer atrnos.
phere and the strength OF our sunshine
make exercise in the open air, to tho OK.
tent to which 1t is praoiiGed in Euplgnd,
for example, o sheer impossibility. Nor,
for Similar rehsouB, can we BIT with CON.
fort on the lawns of England or the un.
covered terraces OF France, or in the
Rrbors, placed at some distance from the
house, which are so characteristic Of
German villas. We must have q wide
and open yet covered space, ciossly con-
nected with our living rooms, where We
can pass our hours of rest aud many of
our hours of occupation, too. How
necessary 1t is We read In the fact that,
when we'll arranged, the piazza always
becomes the very focus Of domestic life
and social intercourse--ag central fea.
ture In summer as the parlor freside is in
winter.
But 1t Is hardly needful today to affirm
that an American country house without
q piazza is in every sense mistake and
a failure-that IL palpably lacks fitness,
and therefore must lack true beauty 10
the eyes Ct intelligent observers II fs
more neecful TO protest against the exoes
sive use of piazzas than to urge their
erection. When their yelue waa first
fully appreciated, 1t was believed that
they could not be too freely used. A
houHe of any Importance most freauently
had three II not all of its sides encireled
by them, and their breadth waa often az
excessive as their length. To-day reac-
ton has begun to set in, and most for
trnateiy. Piazzas on ell sides OF house
mean that all the rooms are darkened and
that direct sunshine can nowhere enter
the lower floor. The consideration Is
important even when n house is meant
merely for summer use aud ii 10 all i'm
portant when winter ss well as summer
comfort must be secured. Again, expert
ence will always show that with very eT.
tensive piazzas only certain portions are
COMMONLY used, and that other portions
might be removed and never missed.
And, finally. as one OF the moet difficult
Of current architectural problems is 80 10
treat the piazza that it will Seem an in.
tegral part of the house instead OF mere
attached shed, it will be understood that
the larger II Is the harder becomes the
task. II we look at our best recent
houses, we find thst the main piazza is
confined to one side, or, placed or q
corner, partly enc relies two sides and
there can be few cases in which more
than this Il needful
Bat for this to sufiss, the piazza must
not be considered aE a mere adjunct to
an interior which may be planned with
out regard to il. Success in its arrange.
rnent will depend upon choice OF ex
posure and outlook, but alSo upon the
way in which 1t is connected with tho in.
terror. II o piazza does not command
the best view, or has not sufficient light, |,
or, on the other hand, admits the sun too I
freely, 1t will be perpstupl evaporation /
20 it's owner while il lt is not easily &C. !
cessible from tho most commonly fire.
quented rooms, it will not fulfil its whole /
purpose. And, again, want of thought I
in placing it may needessly iui1re the 4
rooms, excluding light aud sun where 1
they are most TO be desired. In short,
the piazza must be considered from the
very outs.t as an integral portion Of the
house, and ct every step in the planning
q careful compromise must be made be
tween its claims and those OF the interior.
OF course no general rules for its arrange.
inent can be laid down. In some cases
there may be but one possible position in
which pisZzl can exist In others the
OF certain exposure or spar
ticulRrly charming point of view may be
OF determining weight while in others