1841. J 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



H3 



altering the building itself, and breaking up the original plan. On 

 this account therefore it is highly important that the design should be 

 carefully considered and strictly scrutinized in order to ascertain 

 ■whether besides being satisfactory as regards convenience, and the 

 required accomuiodation, it also provides a good deal of architectural 

 effect throughout the various parts of it. Undoubtedly the present 

 system has its conveniences : it spares a great deal of trouble— that is, 

 of study and thought to the architect; but then it also cuts off the 

 opportunity of displaying talent and invention upon a class of subjects, 

 where, if allowed to be exercised, they would have free scope. 



One obvious source of variety in plan, is to break the sameness of 

 the quadrangular forms of rooms, by some kind of alcove or deep re- 

 cess, constituting a distinct compartment, and further conveying the 

 idea of extension, so much space being apparently added to what would 

 else be the limits of the room, even although it should in fact be pur- 

 posely taken from it in making the plan. Independently of all other 

 effect such parts are almost sure to produce a good deal of pictorial 

 expression in the ensemble of an apartment, by the effect of light and 

 shade attending^ them. They may also be made to contribute very 

 much to the air of habitableness and comfort; as many articles of 

 furniture, or for mere ornament, may be arranged within such embayed 

 compartments without at all crowding up or interfering w ith the rest 

 of a room. Cabinets, stands for bijouterie, book-cases, ottomans, 

 flower-stands, and other things of that kind, may there be tastefully 

 disposed, so as to be at hand, and so as to form a striking and pleasing 

 group of objects, and produce a certain degree of contrast ;is it w'ere : 

 not that contrast is indispensable, or indeed, in every ease, adviseable. 

 How far it is so, or the contrary, must depend upon the circumstances 

 of the individual design, which cannot be prejudged according to any 

 general rules, or directions. 



Much may be made of an alcove or deeply embayed recess in a 

 room, let the style of architecture adopted be what it may; and in any 

 application of the Gothic something of the kind becomes requisite, in 

 order to give character, particularly in a mere four-sided room, with- 

 out either bav-wiiidow or any breaks in the walls;* In a room of the 

 kind already built, or where the plan itself will not admit of a recess 

 being formed, without interfering with some other room, or else occa- 

 sioning some other difficulty, the appearance at least may be obtained 

 by sinking a shallow arch-headed compartment on one of the sides, 

 and decorating it with paneUing and tracery filled in witli pieces of 

 mirror, so as to resemble an open-work screen. There is another 

 point as regards Alcoves and Recesses, not yet mentioned, but which 

 deserves to be considered, although it is one that does not admit of 

 any positive instructions respecting it being laid down. We mean 

 the relative size of the alcove in comparison with that of the room it- 

 self, and also the size of the opening which unites them. Indepen- 

 dently of every thing else, here alone almost endless diversity may 

 take place. Much also will depend upon the situation of such a re- 

 cess, and whether there be only a single one, or more in the same 

 apartment. 



For want of positive examples, much of what we have hitherto said, 

 may have been thought vague and obscure, and so far — if not other- 

 wise — unsatisfactory. We now proceed, therefore, to give, as one of 

 cur Episodes, a plan for a Dining Room, having a rather spacious siile- 

 board-alcove, communicating with which is a staircase exclusively for 

 the attendants, and for serving up dinner ;— the convenience of which 

 is so obvious, that it is unnecessary to point it out. 



* In such case the only thing that can bo done is to produce as much 

 effect as possible by means of the tittings-ap and Jurniture, into which tli 

 spirit of the style must be care'ully infused : or if not it is better to get ri 



at once of every indication of the style in such a room, concealing the upiier 

 part ot the windows, as much as possible by draperies, should there be arched 

 compartments of any kind in the heads of those apertures. 



It will be evident at first sight that we do not offer this as one of 

 the simplest arrangements of the kind, because it may in some respect 

 be termed rather complex, and is, besides, very remarkable — some 

 will, doubtless, say exceedingly capricious — for the form given to the 

 ends of the room, those elevations being not only curved, but convex 

 in plan. Should it be asked of us why we have chosen to bring for- 

 ward so very unusual a circumstance, such question ought to suggest 

 its own answer. Whether such novelty in the plan be judicious, — 

 whether concave instead of convex ends would not be greatly better, 

 is w hat the reader must determine for himself. But as it was our in- 

 tention to give an instance of an alcove curved convexly towards the 

 room, it is pretty evident that by making it otherwise than it is, we 

 should have defeated our purpose. 



Of the effect attending such pecidiarity in the design, most of oar 

 readers, we presume, will have no difficulty — in judging from the plan, 

 — that is as far as plan alone is concerneti, independently of the mode 

 in which it may be filled up. We ourselves are persuaded the effect 

 would be pleasing, as well as strikingly novel. Owing to its colonnade 

 being curved convexly, both that and the Alcove, A, itself, are brought 

 forward more conspicuously. The opposite end of the room is similar 

 in its gener.d elevation, except that the middle iutercolumn is tilled up 

 by a pier containing the fire-place, whereby the space E, or entrance 

 alcove, serves as a kind of lobby (though not an enclosed one) to the 

 room, and the chimney pier as a screen before the door, facing which 

 last, there might be a blank door filled with a mirror, so as to give the 

 effect of greater space on first entering. lu this case the Dining-room 

 is supposed to connnunicate immediately with the vestibule, conse- 

 quently some kind of screen, (where one can be obtained, that shall 

 rather aid than at all prejudice the architecture of the apartment) is 

 desirable. But should the Dining-room be preceded bv an Ante-room, 

 it then becomes a question whether it would not be adviseable to alter 

 that part of the plan, placing the chimney-piece opposite the window, 

 and making the colonnade at E precisely similar to that at A. Owing to 

 their bowing out towards the room, those colonnades or end elevations, 

 certainly abridge it in some degree, yet not at all more than the plan 

 will very well bear. While the space itself is in some measure reduced, 

 the appearance of spaciousness is kept up. It is true such loss of space 

 as is here occasioned at the angles of the room, can very seldom be 

 afibrded ; but then, neither do we recommend a plan of the kind where 

 it woidd be quite out of character with the rest of the house. 



With respect to the alcove A, we have little to remaidi, except that 

 the doors are so placed that when opened by the servants nothing can 

 be seen of the staircase S. Should the sideboard s be insufficient, 

 there might also be lesser ones in the two recesses n ii, which if not 

 required for that purpose, might have candelabra placed in them. 

 Without at all altering the lower part or floor plan, an entirely diffe- 

 rent idea might be adopted for the upper portion at about the height 

 of seven or eight feet, breaking through the wall above the sideboard s, 

 so as to admit a view into the circular space over S, which would then be- 

 come a small rotunda or upper recess, seen beyond the other. In such 

 case there would of course be a ceiling between it and the staircase 

 beneath. This recess would be domed, and have an eye or skylight, 

 which should be filled with warm-tinted glass, so as to diffuse a sunny 

 glow both over that upper recess and the alcove itself, and thereby 

 greatly enhance the effect of the wdiole of that compartment as seen 

 through the columns. The same effect might be preserved of an even- 

 ing (before which a dining-room, if reserved exclusively for the pur- 

 pose of one, is seldom used) by lighting it with gas on the outside of 

 the skylight. We will further suppose this recess to be occupied by 

 a statue (a mere cast) placed in the centre, and elevated upon a pedes- 

 tal of such height that the wdiole of the figure would be visible from 

 the middle of the room, if not nearer. An elevated recess of this de- 

 scription, might be made to answer the purpose of a music gallery, 

 when one is required. We need not enter into further explanation or 

 remark, as we have said enough to show what variations this plan 

 admits of, accordingly as the section raised upon it is treated. 



By no means do we pretend to say that the above Episode can be 

 introduced into every or any plan; most certainly not. It seems best 

 adapted for the rear of a house, in continuation of the grouml floor; 

 and supposing it so situated, and to have no other room above it, the 

 apartment could be lighted by a lantern : that however must depend 

 upon circumstances of locality, and whether sufficient light cou.!d be 

 obtained from aside window according to the plan. 



( To be continued. J 



W 2 



