New-York tribune., 1922-10-01
By l.. Porter Moore

&
President Home Otcncrs' Service
Institute, Inc.
awarded first group prize in the re-
#cent National Architects "Small House
RCompetition," featured in model form
sat the 1922 New York "Onw Your Home
Exposition,' selected by the National
Lumber Manufacturers Association as
zone of the best Colonial frame house
sdeslgns planned in recent years and
Favored by the New York Lumber Trade
Association. Tribune Plan No. 8 was
unanimously selected by the Building
Splans Committee.
Requests of Tribune readers for the
Aconstruction of a fve-room frame
house in the series of small houses
heing built under tie supervision of
the Home Owners Service Institute.
economy of its construction. space con-
scrvation, room arrangement and con-
veniences, architectural merit and the
fact that it was designed by we'll
known New York architect-John Floyd
fewell-all were taken into consid-
Grafton in it's selection.
Proper Orientation Is Essential
Following the purchase of the build
ing site at Larchmont Gardens before
actual construction was begun by the
Empire Homebuilding Association and
building contract signed, two vitality
Important factors were determined
Proper orientation on the lot.
2-Required alterations in design to
permit of special installations.
Unless these two elements are con
Sldered before a contract is signed
changes may have to be made later and
the owner will pay for them, nine
chances out of ten, as extras"
Orientation is defined by Webster as
construction with reference to the
east" Henry Atterbury Smith, archi-
tectural adviser on the Tribune Build
ing Plans Committee, visited the site.
In locating the house on the lot local
E building code requirements as to dis
tance required between the sidewalk
and the house, direction of prevailing
4 winds, location of trees, sunlight and
shadow and the like all were consid-
E cred, as we'll as its adaptability. to the
topography of the land
It was found necessary to change
two floor plans, the basement and first
floor. The alterations in drawings cost
only $40.
House No. at Larchmont Gardens
faces eat on Harmon Drive. 1t was
necessar yto "rient" it thus in order
to have the entrance from that side
and permit of the living porch facing
south in Weaver Street and the dining
porch, or sun room, OH to the back
yard and north.
This Reccssitated locating the warm
air heating furnace on the opposite
side of the cellar stairs from that orig
nally specified by the architect Mr.
Yewell was called into consultation
and approved the alterations in plans.,
g The furnace had to be changed in
order to place the cold air intake near
the furnace, thus providing fresh air
from the north and east, direction of
the prevailing winds.
AS the decision also had been made
to locate an electrically equipped laun-
dry in the basement, with clothes wash
er and ringer, ironer and mangler cleo
trieally driven, cxcavating the entire
1cellar had been specified. Plans were
altered accordingly, as illustrated. The
laundry tubs were located beneath an
area opening and window for better
lighting. Two extra areas and windows
were necessary to light the storeroom
These basement alterations added
,63S cubic feet to the contents of the
house. 18th 225 square feet more of
cement moor, addltlonal concrete ma
sonry walls and az cubic yards OF extra
excavation.
1t was done to make House No. 6
more adaptable for use as the official
demonstration home for New York's
observance of Better Homes Week in
America"
Minor Change on First Floor
Only one alteration was made in the
first floor plan, as indicated placine.
the laundry tubs in the basement per-
mitted of the utilization OF that space
for the installation of Murphy Ina
Dor bed. This provides in the the
living room extra emergency guest ac-
commodations and really increases the
sleeping quarters by one room.