270 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[Sept. 



must be admitted is taking a very pliilosoplilcal view of the matter, 

 but it is also biying the axe to the tree and cutting it down both root 

 and branches, since what is decoration itself for save effect, and effect 

 merely ? We grant that effect of the latter is more generally felt and 

 more easily appreciated than the other; yes, and so is costly furniture 

 than pictures and other works of art.* 



Still though piquant effects arising out of plan and section seldom 

 fail to make an impression even ui]on the ordinary spectator, the sys- 

 tem usually pursued would seem to be intended to avoid them, the 

 chief aim being to obtain as many and as spacious rooms as possible 

 out of a given area without any loss of space. Of course in moderate- 

 sized houses, where every square foot must be economized, beauty of 

 form and effect must give way to utility and convenience ; but where 

 there is sufficient space, such of it as is given up to the purpi.se of 

 producing effect, and of creating variety in the fi^rms of adjoining 

 rooms, is, most assuredly, not sacrificed, any more than is the usekss 

 space overhead which serves only to give proportionate luftiness to 

 spacious apartments. These remarks partake, we confess, too much 

 of prosing, because what they are intended to urge ought to be suffi- 

 cieutly evident of itself; whereas there is unfortunately too much 

 occasion for forcing them upon the consideration of arcliitects and their 

 employers. Unless some particular difficulty or accident happen to 

 suggest some peculiar and pro re naia treatment for part of a plan, 

 thtre is very rarely any sort of effect as regards /;/a«. Even accidents 

 are seldom turned to the account they might be, and supposing they 

 were always made the most of, an architect ought not to depend upon 

 mere chances of the kind, but where he has the opportunity of doing 

 so ought to study combinations that will tell, and to plan purposely/or 

 effect. Like other artists he ouglit to be able to foresee and prejudge 

 results, and he ouglit to be inspired by the ambition of putting some- 

 thing entirely of his own into his work. This we are sorry to say is 

 so far from being the case that one may turn over hundreds of plans 

 •without finding a single fresh idea in them, or a single point of any 

 value. Anything above the ordinary prose of everyday routine in 

 plan is quite a prize, and to be treasured up accordingly. An exam- 

 ple of the kind was lately given in this Journal, viz., ^lessrs. Williams 

 and Sowerby's new room, which, though exception may be taken to 

 other parts of the design, especially to the entablature of the order, 

 offers a valuable studv of ingenious plan and able contrivance. 



The " Glyptotheca" presents an arrangement of plan that is 

 altogether unique, and which for charm of effect far surpasses any thing 

 to be met with in any of our royal palaces, however short it may fall of 

 it, in regard to mere size, or splendour and suraptuousness. But we 

 mention the Colosseum now iaere\y en pasnant and because it happens 

 to come into our mind ; for we are not at present prepared to take 

 up that Gallery as a study in the manner which it deserves. Our first 

 subject shall be the 



Morning Room of the Conservative Club-House. 



In regard to which we nave taken the liberty of substituting a 



* We know of an instance where a little oversight in regard to the posit 

 caused prodigious vexation and annoyance: the room was a dining rooi 

 board was intended to be placad on the side opposite the tire-place, there 

 other situation for it, there being a large Venetian window at one end ai 

 at the other. All was pronounced quite satisfactory until the furniture 

 and then, oh sad discovery- !— then it was found out that the sideboard cc 

 directly facing the chtmney-piece, without making most awkwardly 

 doors on that side of the room where it was to st 

 angle of ttie room than the other. It i 

 m.irkeJ object requiring a central situat 

 picture fo-- instance, or such a piece of f 

 indeed sulficient reason for one of the do 

 uld have been placed 



d, one was two feet f 

 Id hare been just tl: 

 on that side of the 





ion of two doors 

 11, and the aide, 

 beinc in fact no 

 id folding doors 

 was brought in, 

 tuld not be fixed 

 test that of two 

 irther from the 

 with any other 

 large mirror or 

 fa. There was 

 but then either 



sorted to for securing perfect symmetry in that elevation of the room which was opposite the 



somewhat altered plan for the actual one, in order to render more evi- 

 dent than by merely explaining our idea in words, what we conceive 

 would have been a decided and very material improvement, one that 

 would have given striking character and effect, and increased im- 

 portance to that further compartment of the room in which the bay- 

 window is placed, without at all disturbing any other part than the 

 side facing the bay. As it is now built, architectural character is kept 

 up on that side merely by two pilasters answering to those on tlie 

 other sides of that tli vision of the room. Hence there is nothing whatever 

 sti iking in plan, — no other than the ordinary effect of a spacious bay 

 on one side, without a corresponding recess of any kind on the oppo- 

 site one, or any architectural feature at all that might serve to keep 

 up some sort of balance. Even a sham folding-door opposite the bay 

 would, in our opinion, have been better than nothing, — a very allow- 

 able expedient, because it would have done away with the blankness 

 which is now ?o disagreeable; an ornamental doorway would have 

 produced a central feature on that wall, and by the door frame being en- 

 tirely filled in with looking-glass, the room might have been reflected 

 in such a manner as to produce a striking vista from the bay, to 

 another bay seen in the distance, and the effect would have been all 

 the more piquant, because after the early part of the day, the sun 

 strikes upon the houses on the opposite side of the street. For our 

 part we sliould greatly prefer a single large mirror facing the bay, to 

 there being as at present one over the chimney piece at each end of 

 the room; because in the first place the room Is so long in itself (92 ft. by 

 2()i feet) as not to require any appearance of increased extent in that 

 direction; and in the next, there is too much repetition of the effect 

 — to say the truth rather a hackneyed one — attending mirrors placed 

 opposite to each other, for we here find them so disposed both in the 

 upper and the lower hall, or Staircase Saloon, and also again in the 

 Drawing-rooms. 



Supposing nothing further could have been done, the expedient just 

 pointed out would have both produced effect and given an air of com- 

 pleteness to that compartment of the room by [iroviding a feature ou 

 what is now a blank side of it. But it was possible — or rather, very 

 easy to accomplish a great deal more, there being nothing to hinder 

 the forming a recess there, corresponding with the window-bay, as 

 there was only to build it out a few feet into what is a back court, 

 with no other windows towards it than those of a back staircase and 

 water closets. Accordingly we have so represented the plan in our 

 altered version of it. By this management somethirg is gained as 

 to mere space, not that that is any advantage worth mentioning, there 

 being already quite as much actual space as need be. It is more to 

 the purpose to say that symmetry of plan would be established, and 

 not only symmetry but some novelty of arrangement also; — that in 

 other respects there would be considerable effect where now there is 

 none, and tliat effect would also be of an unusual kind; — and lastly, 

 that the improvement would not be confined to that further or south 

 compartment of the room, but extend itself to the rest. As regards 

 the general plan there would be contrast, since that end division of it 

 would be a distinct one placed transversely to the other with an ex- 

 pansion of from 2Gft. Gin. to 4Ufeet, that is, the main division of the 

 room would be G5 X 26-G', the other 2G'G' X 40, whereas at present 

 it is only enlarged on one side by the additional space of the bay, 

 which, whatever, may therefore be gained in regard to mere con- 

 venience, is by no means a particular architectural beauty, the result 

 being an unlucky loisided look. In addition to that of plan consider- 

 able effect might have been obtained by increased light, because as 

 there would be nothing above on the upper floor, a recess on the west 

 side might be covered by the portion of a dome, rising higher than 

 the general ceiling, and might have either coffers or long panels ra- 

 diating to its centre, filled in with coloured glass, eitlier of uniform 

 tint a la Soane, or of different coh-urs and of ornamental pattern. 

 Coloured or even colourless light thrown down in that manner would 

 give more than usual vivacity to a part of the room which now looks 

 natonly blank, but somewhat sullen also. A large mirror set within 

 a doorway ornamented with columns like the door from the Hall, and 

 liavng its reveals panelled (that is with half panels whuse reflection 

 in the mirror woidd produce whole ones), would produce the ert'ect 

 which we have already pointed out. Or else a very different one 

 might be obtained by having three mirrors — a wide and two narrower 

 ones, so disposed as to corres,jond in every respect witli the openings 

 of the opposite window (the mirrors being of course planes tliougti 

 fixed into a curved wall). The mirrors being at different angles would 

 repeat objects in different directions, and perfect correspondence of 

 design with tlie windows might be kept up by similar draperies and 



fire-place. In mere ordinary houses such bungling as was here shown may be put up 

 with, but where there has been no restriction as to cost, it becomes quite intolerable, — u 

 delormity for wliich the most splendid furniture cannot alone. 



