CHAPTER VII 



A keen appreciation of the possibilities of land, irregular either in contour or in 

 outline, will frequently enable one to select and to purchase at low cost lots which 

 may be made into far more interesting homes than can comparatively flat lots 

 which are usually considered more valuable. If one has seen interesting examples 

 of houses and yards, cleverly planned to fit lots of peculiar shapes, or perhaps 

 recalls hillside situations turned to interesting account, he may be more alive to 

 the opportunities afforded by these unusual conditions. As a rule, lots of odd 

 shapes, remnants of land in a block, land below the level of the street, or very 

 high above it, or plots in any other way irregular, are thought thereby to be 

 depreciated in value and difficult or more costly to develop. Consequently they 

 are hard to sell, and therefore are usually less expensive. 



Ordinarily the houses and the yards on such sites are cheap and unattractive, 

 or, at best, but awkward adaptations of plans to contour conditions. This may 

 be due to the economy necessary in their construction or to a want of appre- 

 ciation of the possibilities of artistic development which the land affords. 

 As unattractive rather than clever developments are more common to these ir- 

 regular lots, the opinion consequently prevails that they are undesirable. Those 

 whose experience has shown them the error of this opinion may be able to take 

 good advantage of their better understanding. In looking about, one may find 

 lots in well-built-up and desirable localities, which have apparently been rejected 

 on account of their irregularity. However, in addition to some understanding 

 of the planning of small homes on flat ground, in more complicated situations 

 one must still be able to adhere to the fundamental principles governing planning. 

 A very close examination of the conditions existing on any lot will be necessary, in 

 order to make certain that it does have some possibilities. A flat lot offers more 

 alternatives for the convenient arrangement of a home. Irregularity in the out- 

 line of a lot may appear to afford either too much or too little space in the places 

 where it is most needed. When there is a marked difference of level in a plot, the 

 general allotment of space becomes complicated. Planning for the areas which, 

 by reason of their use, are closely related to the house and desirably of a similar 

 elevation, requires a careful selection of the site for the house, and frequently, 

 also, clever planning of the house itself is necessary in order to adapt it to a perhaps 

 unusual situation. An amateur in landscape architecture, by reason of his in- 

 terest in, and appreciation of, these picturesque examples of small homes, most 

 likely the result of broader experience and of keen observation, may perhaps 

 recognize the possibilities of a lot or of a piece of land, and, further, be correct 

 in his estimate of its value. But it is not likely that he alone will be able to plan 

 it to the best advantage. 



To make the best plans for small and irregular lots, considerably more skill 

 and experience is required than to plan larger properties which are uncompli- 

 cated by either want of sufficient space or irregular topography. Experience and 

 skill, however, should enable one to use more of the topographical conditions as 

 they exist and to fit a plan to them with less expensive grading and construction; 

 and it should also enable him to turn to good use and to picturesque effect many 



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