DOI issue:
Division I: Great Britain
DOI article:Quennell, Charles Henry Bourne: English domestic architexture
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.37422#0030
ENGLISH DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE
One may hazard the conjecture that Mr. Shaw and his brother
architects, constituting what may be called the Rational School, when
they started work some fifty years ago, determined in their own
minds that Palladian or Greek detail and design was out of place
when applied to house design in England, and it would appear that
they cast back in an endeavour to get hold of the proper English
tradition, and in so doing settled on the Elizabethan and Jacobean
periods.
That they did so must be a matter of congratulation for us. As
already noted, these houses had developed, so far as plan was con-
cerned, step by step out of the needs of the people, with the result
that as homes they were eminently habitable, and as regards their
exterior elevations they contained the inspiration of the most varied
types of form and use of materials.
The earlier houses which the Rational School produced were,
as might be expected, a little too literal in the way of reproduction,
but as clients and architects realised the possibilities of the modern
.style, and forgot the doctrines of Isaac Ware, a tradition was
established which has lasted down to our own time.
It is for us to decide, then, whether we are going on these
progressive lines, or whether the time has come to revert again to a
rechauffe of Villa Capra, with a dash of the Doric villa. One hopes
not, but there are ominous signs.
It may be of interest to define the spheres of influence of the
various parties to a building contract. Starting with the client, who
should most certainly possess knowledge of the subject, with a
definite idea as to his requirements ; and it cannot be too strongly
emphasised that the sympathetic client, with an appreciation of
what his architect is trying to do, is much more likely to obtain his
heart’s desire than the one who in cold-blooded fashion regards him
but as a policeman to look after the builder. One’s own fortunate
experience is, that if builders are treated properly they are, like the
majority of Englishmen, fair dealing ; and one of the drawbacks of
the competitive system has been this policeman attitude between
architect and builder.
The client then must be really interested in building and know
something of the subject ; so progression can be made to the archi-
tect ; he will hold the tradition that has been handed down to him
as a very goodly heritage, and one not lightly to be departed from.
Most certainly will he keep in mind the fact that the 20th century
has its own special needs and requirements, and he will wish his
buildings consequently to be living and readable.
New materials and methods of construction will be examined
One may hazard the conjecture that Mr. Shaw and his brother
architects, constituting what may be called the Rational School, when
they started work some fifty years ago, determined in their own
minds that Palladian or Greek detail and design was out of place
when applied to house design in England, and it would appear that
they cast back in an endeavour to get hold of the proper English
tradition, and in so doing settled on the Elizabethan and Jacobean
periods.
That they did so must be a matter of congratulation for us. As
already noted, these houses had developed, so far as plan was con-
cerned, step by step out of the needs of the people, with the result
that as homes they were eminently habitable, and as regards their
exterior elevations they contained the inspiration of the most varied
types of form and use of materials.
The earlier houses which the Rational School produced were,
as might be expected, a little too literal in the way of reproduction,
but as clients and architects realised the possibilities of the modern
.style, and forgot the doctrines of Isaac Ware, a tradition was
established which has lasted down to our own time.
It is for us to decide, then, whether we are going on these
progressive lines, or whether the time has come to revert again to a
rechauffe of Villa Capra, with a dash of the Doric villa. One hopes
not, but there are ominous signs.
It may be of interest to define the spheres of influence of the
various parties to a building contract. Starting with the client, who
should most certainly possess knowledge of the subject, with a
definite idea as to his requirements ; and it cannot be too strongly
emphasised that the sympathetic client, with an appreciation of
what his architect is trying to do, is much more likely to obtain his
heart’s desire than the one who in cold-blooded fashion regards him
but as a policeman to look after the builder. One’s own fortunate
experience is, that if builders are treated properly they are, like the
majority of Englishmen, fair dealing ; and one of the drawbacks of
the competitive system has been this policeman attitude between
architect and builder.
The client then must be really interested in building and know
something of the subject ; so progression can be made to the archi-
tect ; he will hold the tradition that has been handed down to him
as a very goodly heritage, and one not lightly to be departed from.
Most certainly will he keep in mind the fact that the 20th century
has its own special needs and requirements, and he will wish his
buildings consequently to be living and readable.
New materials and methods of construction will be examined