g2 Report S.A.A. Advancement of Science. 



of the verandah, we can, with due respect to the power of the af tei • 

 noon sun, place our houses pretty well as we like, depending, of 

 course, on the site and its prospect. Indeed, I think, one of the 

 best arguments we have in favour of this view, is that the conditions 

 of light and heat in this part of the world have not naturally and 

 of themselves dictated any sort of rule or custom in this respect. On 

 the contrary, we see all over our residential suburbs, that the dwell- 

 ings face, or have their public rooms facing every point of the com- 

 pass, the main influence being prospect or view. 



There are, of course, some points which have to be considered 

 in this case, and one of them is that under our conditions of climate, 

 one of the most frequently used portions of the house is the verandah, 

 and it is advisable, especially if this exist on one side only, as it 

 often does, that it should not face the rainy or windy quarter. This, 

 however, is often difficult to arrange, as frequently a dwelling may 

 have to face that quarter for the sake of the outlook, and the pro- 

 prietor may not be able or willing to afford a second, or side 

 verandah. If, however, it be possible to approach the house from a dif- 

 ferent direction from that of the main prospect, there is no reason why 

 the public rooms and the solitary verandah should be in what is 

 commonly called the front of the house, and face the road or 

 approach, or why they should not face any direction the proprietor 

 may wish. We are apt to lavish all the so-called decorative work 

 we can afford, upon what is usually termed the front of our dwell- 

 ings, and to let the back take care of itself. But if there be a 

 garden of even reasonable dimensions at the back, a frequent resort 

 of the owner, what then ? Surely this side of the house is peculiarly 

 his own, and whatever he may give to the public on the street side, 

 surely the side which is entirely his own should have its special 

 attractions, and be a pleasure to look upon, enhancing those of the 

 garden. If you are in the garden, the house becomes your middle 

 distance. If, on the other hand, you are within the house, in its porch, 

 or on its \erandah, the latter becomes your foreground, when looking 

 at the garden, and should be treated accordingly. I often think, 

 that in small cottages, especially where in nine cases out of ten, the 

 owner never thinks of any other course than to present his most 

 elaborate front and his one verandah to the public, that side might 

 be devoted merely to the necessities of public entrance, and the 

 principal rooms and the verandah made to face sideways, if the 

 prospect is there, or to the back, if there be no prospect, but a 

 garden. Why should the garden be invariably given to the public, 

 and a back yard only to the owner ? 



The question of the adaptation of the building to its home 

 environment and the .surrounding landscape, is by itself a very large 

 subject to traverse, and one as to which we have not in this country 

 many examples of an inspiring nature. In general, the various 

 districts of a country have their own special types of architecture, 

 the outcome of their special conditions, and suitable, with the 

 requisite modifications, to both rich and poor. The frowning 



