June, 1906 
horses and a carriage room of large dimensions with con- 
crete carriage wash and harness room complete. In the 
basement are placed stalls for the other cattle on the place, 
and storage space for farm implements and other necessary 
things. ‘To the right of the barn is the ice-house, and this 
together with the barn forms one side of a quadrangle, while 
The Stable Before the Alteration 
the pergola and water tower form a second, and the house a 
third. The fourth side of the quadrangle is left for the en- 
trance and for further development. 
Here, then, is a very considerable transformation, a trans- 
formation that, perhaps, has completely absorbed the 
original, but a group of buildings of de- 
cided interest, and an interest that has been 
heightened by the fact that they represent a 
studied and deliberate transformation and 
are not an original group built directly 
from the ground. Neither house nor barn 
gives now any evidence of their appearance 
having at any time been other than now. 
This was one of the first ends sought in this 
rebuilding, and an wholly legitimate end, 
and here obtained by thoroughly legitimate 
means. But there is a special note of inter- 
est attached to this house because it has been 
transformed, rebuilt and redesigned. It is 
immaterial whether this has been done on 
the small scale or not, the more important 
fact being that it has been well done and ad- 
mirably carried out. 
The rebuilding of an old house is one of 
the most difficult problems for an architect to undertake. Even 
the best of old houses are so completely out of touch with 
modern ideas and thought in building that it is generally a 
matter of the utmost difficulty for the modern architect to 
place himself, mentally, in the position of the original de- 
AMERUGAN SOMES AND GARDENS 
signer. Difficult as this is, it is the surest and safest thing to 
do in most instances, and, as a rule, the architect who most 
closely follows the lines laid down by the original builder will 
obtain the best success. 
In the present case the situation was somewhat different. 
The house was not so old as to be termed ‘“‘ancient’”’; it was 
not so old as to call for com- 
plete destruction; it was not 
of a type of architecture suf- 
ficiently interesting to war- 
rant an entire retention. [he 
practical 
volved in its general excel- 
problem was _ in- 
lence, in the soundness of its 
material, in its possibilities 
for adaptation to more mod- 
crn needs. 
And this adaptation was 
The 
house hardly admitted of 
halfway efforts. The re- 
building required to be done 
on a considerable scale or 
not at all. Hence as an 
architectural problem this 
house stood in a class by it- 
It required, however, 
skill of a very high order to 
so adapt it to newer uses 
that a proper economical use could be made of the old build- 
ing. As much as possible of the old structure must be used, 
and such additions as were made to it must be so designed 
that a harmonious united result could be obtained. Messrs. 
Price and McLanahan had, therefore, a matter of some dif- 
bound to be complete. 
self. 
The Stable After the Transformation 
ficulty to contend with, yet their solution of their problem 
contains no inconsistencies. “hey have produced a newer 
dwelling of real and true interest in itself, added to which 
the fact that it is an old house made over is also an in- 
teresting circumstance, but one ct quite subordinate merit. 
