August, 1909 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
327 
The Rochester Cheap Cottage Competition 
The First and Second Prize Designs 
By Sarah Tompkins Smith 
COMPETITION 
recently conducted by 
' the Chamber of 
Commerce of Roch- 
petition has been the stress laid upon 
the sanitary aspects of the houses, and 
the solution of the problems involved 
In a sanitary way. 
estemm UNE Y.9- for 
Somewhat strangely, it may appear 
designs for cheap 
cottages has pro- 
duced results of deep general interest 
which are bound to attract wide atten- 
at first sight, the first prize in the first 
two classes was won by a young 
Rochester girl, Miss Esther M. Byers. 
As a matter of fact, this is not at all 
tion. The problem presented in this 
competition was one of the most difh- 
singular. Architects of standing are 
not given to the study of the problems 
cult known to architects. It is true it 
involved in this competition; like most 
men they have their living to make, 
did not call for grandiose design nor 
for splendid drawings; but it was con- 
cerned with one of the most practical 
and their studies and work are quite 
naturally concerned with more ambi- 
of all architectural problems, the 
tious structures. But Miss Byers is 
on the threshold of an architectural 
housing of people of very moderate 
means in an exceedingly economical 
manner that would be at once hygienic 
and sound, and if not beautiful in 
expression, as the phrase is generally 
understood in architecture, at least adequate and satisfying. 
It was a competition that attracted wide attention, more 
than a hundred competitors submitted their ideas to the 
committee of judgment. The constitution of this committee 
was itself of interest, since it was composed of an architect, 
a fire-marshal, a contractor, a lumberman and a manufac- 
turer. Obviously it was a practical committee of the most 
practical kind, a committee that was certain to take into 
consideration the actual practical conditions involved, and not 
be influenced by esthetic requirements, as is the popular 
notion anent architects. 
The problem was, in brief, the preparation of designs of 
houses of three 
— y ————— 
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Laer 
costs: first, not to 
$1,250, and, third, 
DINING ROOM 
NOtmELONme <aciele d 
$1,000. The type of 
structure thus pro- 
posed was, it may 
at once be seen, 
quite out of the or- 
dinary, since dwell- 
ings of any of these 
costs are very rare, 
and even when built 
seldom possess any 
exterior grace of 
finish, or any special 
development of sani- 
tary principles. The 
latter element is, in- 
deed, the most im- 
portant one to be 
considered in any 
dwelling - house, be 
its cost large or 
small; but not the 
least of the tri- 
umphs of this com- 
exceed $1,500; sec- 
ond, not to exceed 
10+3"x/4-6" 
4 
$1,500 design—Second prize 
First floor. 
$1,500 design—Second prize 
career that bids fair to be more than 
usually successful. She could give, as 
a busy architect could not, time to the 
profound study of this difficult prob- 
lem. Moreover, as a woman she could be depended upon 
to attack her work more from the domestic side of the case 
than a man whose acquaintance with the livability of a house 
must, in most cases, be more or less secondary. But, what- 
ever the reason, she is to be heartily congratulated on her 
success, for she has developed an interesting type of cheap 
house. 
In houses of the low cost demanded in this competition 
there is little room for difference save in dimensions. Each 
has its own bathroom and kitchen; and, after these most 
important apartments, the single question is of space that 
may be provided at the cost allowed. The first prize design 
shows four rooms on the first floor: living-room, dining-room, 
kitchen and a fourth room which may be used as a bedroom 
or library. In the design for the second prize there are two 
rooms on this floor, a living-room and kitchen. The dwell- 
ing for the $1,000-house has also two rooms, a kitchen and 
living-room; but here the hall is on one side of the house, 
while in the $1,250-house it occupies the center. In some of 
the prize designs the 
first floor contains a 
parlor, surely a most 
unnecessary room in 
dwellings of the cost 
of these. 
There is no waste 
space in any of these 
houses. The plan- 
ning is throughout 
sound and economi- 
cal. The designs and 
specifications show 
an admirable econ- 
omy of structure 
and a wise use of 
material. The re- 
sults are, in each 
case, pleasing and 
satisfactory, without 
pretense and emi- 
nently practical. 
CHAMBER. 
10'x (449" 
$1,500 design —Second prize 
Second floor. 
