Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-27
New England Farmhouse
Forms Dominant Part
in Building Group.
,s-.
EARLIER TOWN. HOUSES
FRAMED BY GARDENS
Suburban Residences of To-
day Elbowed by Bungalow
or French Chateau.
BY CLARENCE s. STEIN.

The charm of the simple early Amer
lean house was as much in its setting
Of green foliage as in It's simple design
and delicate detail. The New England
farmhouse formed the dominant note
in group of less important buildings.
It's simple lines and stark wilderness
were softened by masses and shadows
of trees. Even the earlier town houses
were spaced far enough apart so that
each stood out as q separate picture,
framed by gardens, stables and fences
designed to harmonic with it, There
was space enough between houses so
that they could be viewed singly.
Not so the; suburban or small town
houses of today. Of necessity they are
placed so close together that 1t is i'm
possible to see ones own house as
separate entity. The inharn1onious
houses OF ones neighbors are forever
breaking into the picture. The archi-
tectS perspective sketch was different
The little white house stood alone in a
setting OF green just like the old Colo
NAL mansion. In real life 1t Is elbowed
on one side by mission bungalow, all
blushing pink. on the other side by a
stately French chateau and in the back
ground group Of pseudo English cot
tages. We can no longer make our own
environment.
stake In NeighbOrs' Houses.
If we desire the advantages Of a mod
ern communicated roads, sewers
water, electricity, gas, police and fire
protection, convenient stores and rail-
road or bus facilities-we must pay the
price and be content with small plot
OF ground. This means accepting our
neighbors' houses as a permanent part
OF the view from our windows. 1t
means that the surroundings in which
our home is framed play more impor-
tant part in its appearance than does
the design OF the exterior house itself.
Above everything else, it means that we
have stake in our neighbors' houses
The surest way to obtain harmony in
a group of houses is to design and build
them as a single project. Architec-
turally, the houses become the units of
design rather than minor details. Each
house can be placed so as to obtain the
utmost advantage of its lot both as to
privacy and outlook. Individual build
ings can be composed not only to form
interesting group design, but also to &C.
centuate the individuality of each.
There is no reason why that individ-
uality need be sacrificed because there
Is harmonious grouping and enough
harmony OF style or treatment to pre-
vent dissonance,
The individual who feels he must ad-
vertise his personality in emphatic color
or discordant design and detail does not
belong in closely knit communities such
as most Of us live in today. That does
not mean that individuality need be
sacrificed because one has close neigh
bors. but merely that one does not need
to beat drum in quiet suburb to ex-
press ones independence. Nor need one
choose glaring color nor an inharmo-
NOUS architecture to let the world know
he has personality. That personality
can much better be expressed in the
minor details Or in the upkeep of the
mouse and above all In its interior. The
inside OF a mans home is his own to
Go with as he will. The exterior belongs
not only to him but In part to his neigh
bors as well. a&
Cites European Villages sz
The little villages Of Europe charm
us because in spite of the variety in
the design Of the houses, there is har-
mony and unity. This has grown
naturally out Of similarity OF cultural