Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-04
H0USE-BUILDING.
SUGGESTIONS As TO HOW OUR HOMES
SHOULD BE CONSTRUCTED.
Views of an Architect and OF Contractor
How Richmond May re Made More
Beautifui than Ever.
RICHMOND. Va. April 90, 1890.

~ the past.
GRFAT AND SNAIL.
This should not be confined 20 those who |
build the most expensive residences, for |
while such houses rs have been erected by |
Me5srs Pace. WhitlOck. Harris, aud Ginter |
oeautify the city. the effect Is manly cou-
fined TO the immediate neighbOrnoOd. and |
the benefit 10 the city would be more gen.
orally dihused had the amount spent IN
the four houses mentioned and the time
and study spent in designing them been
divided among the forty new residences
that have been erected within the same
period in different parts Of the city.
DUTIES OF cTTIzENsEP.
Every one who builds has certain
amount Of responsibility resting on him rs
d good citizen to do what he can Go beau
titv his neighburhoOd, and which Is not
met merely by improving his property by
building four walls intended only % aHord
protection 90 more OF the increasing pOpu-
lation.
wAsHINGToNs RESIDENCES.
Washington earned its reputation for
beautiful and varied domestic architecture
before the advent of the millionaires who
have recently built their palaces there,
and the conditions that combined 10 pro-
duce this result were similar TO what now
prevail here IN Richmond.
Our profession were called upon 10
satisfy clients of cultivated tastes. whose
ideas were not hampered by what thew nod
been accustomed 10 see oniy n their ma
,ive cities. but who had travelled the world
over with their eyes open, and who with
generally limited means required bOuses
planned 10 suit their individual wants, re-
gardless of what their surrounding neigh-'
bors mad done.
MONOrONT AVOIDED.
Bv the woll-studied and iudiciOus use Of
inexpensive materials at hand ilresome
monotOny and repetition of stereotyped
forms was avoided. and q varied style OF
architecture was impressed upon the new
portions of that city until 10 now ranks as
one of the handsome cities of the country.
What has been accomplished there can be
secured here. aud trust that with the
growth OF the city there viii he more fire.
uuent departures from the tOO-pTeytlent
style of square fronts, with windows placed
vertically over each other. "a stock-pat'ern
wood or iron porch across the entire house.
and horizontal skyllnes Of wOOden-bracket
cOrniccs, end that an occasional tower or
bay projection, IN 0riel or gable will be a.
lowed to break he m0notOny that prevails
IN some sections.
DON'r oyTBDO IT.
These strong features should, however, be
used with Judgment. for the too frequent
use of Thorn is sure 10 produce An opposite
and equally unpleasant result. Tor | have
in mind one row of thirteen houses, each
one OF which has either q square or OctagO-
mel bav-window running up through four
stories. and whose strong vertical limos
mako n stranger Oh entering the street
feel assured that the locality must natural
lv be named relcgraph-pole Terrace. A
turn of q corner INTO another street where
the houses differ each from the other, and
every family seems 20 have It's own indi-
vdual home instead of being occupants OF
"a tenement row. the VARIETY makes the
naichborhoOd attractive and On atmoS-
phere of hOmolise rest and enjoyment pre-
yais I'm pleasant contrast with that pro-
duccd fog thc -piring and sllted ascht aci-
are OF tho houses Of the adjoining neigh
borhOod.
DIFFERENT COIORs II eTONF.
The use Of new and different coiors in
both brick aud homework, and depart
IRE especially IN the former from what
Joachim Miller has styled, The eternal
red IF modern American brick architect
ure." will aid materially IN securing the
pleasing variety and contrasts go much To
be desired.
4
most prominent manufacturers IN the
country Of terra-cOtta and Ornamental
hrick-work informs me that whereas ten
years ago % per cent. of their work was
produced in red, that now the proportion
had been almost entirely reversed, and
that 80 per cent. of their work Ia row
made in modern cOlots, such ~ gray. dtab,
buff, and POmpIian.
PROGRESS.
The world moves. Rev. Mr. Jasper 10 the
cOntrary Notwithstanding. though some
portions o. its population adapt thom-
selves 10 modern ideas and new require
ments more slowly than others, and he
lievc that the time has about arrived when
better designs will be required Tor the IN
ture houses 90 be built in Richmond and
when variety in form and treatment end
contrasts ~ color Will be sought after, and
the result so attained viii De 10 secure tor
our city a picturesque beauty that | Do not
believe can bo secured for II IN any other
wa.
During the past season ] designed and
supervised the erection Of fpnr houses on
Fifth street near Franklin for Mr.. >. H..
Uares and n which | endcavOred to carry
out some OF the ideas and suggestions
made in this communication as 10 variety
in form and treatment.
BULDRG REGULATIONS.
There is another subject chat should
DE giad on some other occasion 20 cali NJ
tention o. through your columns-the
necessity for strictcr building ana sanitary
plumbing regulations. ia which natter
/ have found. to my surprise, almost no
laws or requirements governing them, aud
on which important questions our city
seems to be behind other portions OF the
country; but forbcar t. encroach further
on the space you have allowed me.
Yours truly, G.. II. READ, Jr.
The Conventional HOUSE.
RrcmuosD, VA, April 3, 1880.
To he Editor Of ne Dispatch:
Intercourse with the world. travel, and
iucation show their effect upon our peo-
ple IN no other manner so forcioly as 10 the
art OF house-buiidIng.
Not many years ago conventional mouse
was built. Equally 1t WAS square and con
etrucfnl a. ft were. TO suit the large chin