Studio: international art (37.1906)

The Rothschild Artizans Dwellings in Paris

examined the effect of the winds
chiefly prevalent upon the tri-
angular site with which the
competitors had to deal, and
arranged his huildings so as to
allow every part to be ventilated
by any wind, while being pro-
tected from those of the west
and north. Following the cur-
rents of draught created by the
wind either directly or by cir-
culation, M. Rey arrived at the

^ 11 k^'^i- " - conclusion that the inner court-

^ *" yard, where the air is never

kothschii.i) ARTizANs' dwellings, augustin rey, architect renewed, is the most favourable

Paris : perspective view of a block ground for the development of

tuberculosis and other bacterial

M, Augustin Rey, whose plans were thereupon diseases. The first step, therefore, was radically
adopted. We will proceed to study M. Rey's vast to abolish these inner courtyards, and to replace
project as closely as possible; but before entering them by real squares with wide openings on
into detail let me say at once that we have here to the public highways, so that the air should
before us an important contribution to modern circulate freely everywhere amongst the trees—
architecture, a real revolution which must pro- for the creation of these open spaces is inseparably
foundly influence feeling in general as regards associated with the planting of trees, those great
the comfort and hygiene of the block-dwelling. purifiers of the air, and we find plantations of
" Everyone will appreciate," said one important wide-spreading trees indicated throughout the plan,
journal of architecture at the time of the competi- both in the courtyards and on the street-frontages,
tion, " the architectural knowledge, the balance Here, then, the principle of air and light is plainly
of judgment, the entirely logical reasoning, and laid down.

also the subtle ingenuity which have guided him We must now turn to the details of lighting in
in the elaboration of his work." our perfectly aired and ventilated buildings—light

M. Rey has approached
his taskwithawell-founded

knowledge of the matter T ' i'T i

in hand. He has carefully fej : Oil: ^ I j IQO '■ El

studied all that has been
done in this line by other
countries, he has kept
himself abreast of all the
scientific discoveries bear-
ing upon hygiene, and
thus equipped he has
brought forward the plan
now presented to the
readers of Thp; Studio.

The first questions to
engage the attention of
the architect in his general
disposition of the property
were those of lighting and fc*^^^^^^.; •''/£■■ •i^^^^*^

ventilation—fundamental STPErfrT ^iKi-A^ STREET

considerations affecting J \^ '!' :- ; '

the general healthiness of rothschild artizans' dwellings: plan augustin rev, architect

the dwelling. M. Rey of flats w ,th longitudinal staircase

i 16