DESIGN FOR AN OCTAGON HOUSE. 



517 



Fig. 114.— Chambers. 



It offers less resistance to the wind, and 

 therefore has far greater strength. The 

 flooring timbers have short and solid bear- 

 ing, are very firm, and by their arrange- 

 ment contribute to the strength of the house; 

 and the partitions, in foregoing plan, are so 

 placed that it will be nearly impossible for 

 the floors to sag, so as to cause cracks in 

 the ceilings. 



The chimneys and ventilating flues, car- 

 ried up. and the rain water carried- down, 

 from the roof, in the corners of the house, 

 are, particularly if the house is built of bricks, 

 comparatively inexpensive, add much to the 

 strength of the edifice, and occupy space 

 which does not injure the appearance, dis- 

 turb the convenience, nor lessen the size of 

 any apartment. 



An octagonal house looks equally well 

 from every point of view. Most other styles 

 are disfigured by buildings attached to the 

 principal structure for kitchens and offi- 

 ces. 



Ventilation is very completely effected, — 

 in summer, through the doors and win- 

 dows, which open direct passages for air 

 through the house across the hall ; and in 



winter, the furnace, with little expense, 

 provides every apartment with a full sup- 

 ply of warmth, by registers opening from 

 air pipes, concealed in the partitions of the 

 central hall. 



Octagonal shaped rooms are much easier 



ighted by night or day than square, or oblong 



square ones, and are well adapted to give 



a favorable light for paintings or engravings. 



For a beach house (on the sea-side,) a 

 piazza extending all round, of one or two 

 stories in height, could be made; and if 

 the central hall were lighted and ventilated 

 from the roof, a very perfect ventilation and 

 pleasing internal effect would be given to 

 the hall. 



The same plan, of 25 to 30 feet sides, 



5 V =; 



Fig. 115. — Intermediate Story. 



instead of 20 feet, would be still more com- 

 modious, and could be modified to suit the 

 fancy or wants of the owner's family. 

 An observatory, much less in diameter, 



Fig. 116. 



would be less expensive, and by some may 

 be thought to look better; but the large 

 one shown on the plan for billiards, dan- 



