August, 1906 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



85 



Some Modern Concrete Country Houses 



By Francis Durando Nichols 



XF. of the most important subjects among 

 the building trades of the present day, and 

 one which has aroused a pronounced in- 

 terest in laymen as well as architects, is 

 the building of reinforced concrete houses. 

 The advent of concrete in house-building 

 is a matter of some moment to all classes. The chief mat- 

 ter of concern, however, is whether the concrete house is 

 practicable; a glance at the houses illustrated herewith in 

 this series should convince the skeptical as to that point. 

 The concrete house has made its appearance, and it has 

 undoubtedly come to stay. As an economical method of 

 building it is a remarkable success. 



The advantages of concrete over frame structures are 

 many. In the first place concrete is absolutely fireproof; 

 in the second place it effects an economy in heating, because 

 it retains warmth much better than does a frame structure; 

 and in the third place the cost of repairs is materially les- 

 sened, because concrete, if properly mixed and applied, is 

 practically indestructible. This form of construction pos- 

 sesses many possibilities for cheap, sanitary and fireproof 

 houses, such as modern requirements demand. 



A discussion of the possibilities of reinforced concrete 

 construction may best be illustrated by a series of views 

 showing what has already been done in this direction. 



Reinforced concrete, or concrete steel construction, is a 

 combination of concrete and steel in structures where each 

 material is relied upon to take special strains. Concrete 

 is very strong under compressive stresses, but can not take 

 stresses of more than small amount safely. Here steel 

 plays its part. Each material supplements the other in 

 making the structure strong. The combination may be 



I — A Broad Doorway with Windows on Either Side, and a Balcony 

 Inclosed with an Iron Railing 



2 — The Reinforced Concrete House of Alexander Smith Cochrane, Esq., at East View, New York, Showing the Walls, 



the Terrace and Finished Columns to the Piazza 



