Other formats

    Adobe Portable Document Format file (facsimile images)   TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Design Review: Volume 2, Issue 3 (October-November 1949)

Further Thoughts — on environment shaping — — on prison as a punishment — — on the need for impressing the neighbours — — and particularly on the interior of the — Demonstration House

page 52

Further Thoughts
on environment shaping —
on prison as a punishment
on the need for impressing the neighbours
and particularly on the interior of the
Demonstration House

Every man has, to a degree, a natural urge to organise his environment to suit himself. There is no doubt that a great deal of energy during his lifetime is directed to this end; and, moreover, the process of making money (which, when made, gives the widest scope for the satisfaction of this urge) is certainly one of our most popular pastimes.

It seems fundamental then, that man should try to influence his surroundings, and, in fact, much of the joy of life derives from this attempt. To deprive a man of this influence on his environment by, say, placing him in a prison cell, is to punish him. But the prison cell will do more than punish him. Such is the power of environment that the dullness and utter insensibility of his surroundings will eventually warp his whole outlook. Thus the matter doesn't end with man's urge to arrange his surroundings to his own will. Once shaped, his environment begins, in turn, to shape him.

It is in the arrangement of his dwelling that the average man finds his greatest opportunity for exercising this personal influence on his surroundings. When he calls in an architect to arrange it for him he places on him a great responsibility. But through the organisation of walls, roofs, and the spaces they enclose the designer may be able to suggest a particular way of life. If he can form a broad and spacious conception of the good life and represent this succesfully in solid building materials he can open up to his client new and exciting avenues for living. To attempt this for the consideration of the public was one of the principal aims of the Architectural Centre in building the Demonstration House.

In every well-designed house there is complete unity between the inside and the outside. The design of the interior cannot be divorced from the overall conception of the dwelling—it is simply a more intimate expression of the particular approach to living envisaged. Historically this has always been so, but varying emphasis has been placed on the exterior and interior from time to time. Today the emphasis is placed on meeting the needs (both practical and aesthetic) of the occupants rather than making these needs subservient to the demands of a preconceived exterior. Fewer people nowadays seem to feel the need to impress their neighbours with a pompous and overburdened facade, and the contemporary architect plans from the inside to the outside. This, of course, makes it all the more important that he should investigate fully the basic living requirements of the occupants.

While the designers in this case were able to form a reasonably clear picture of the way of life for which they were planning, it was difficult to decide questions of interior detail, as the taste and temperament of the future occupants (which could only be assumed) had also to be considered. Therefore the interiors had to be somewhat non-committal and yet avoid the impersonal atmosphere of page 53 the hotel suite; they had to provide an unobtrusive background which would allow full scope for individual expression of taste when the family took up residence.

And so the aim generally throughout the house has been to use plain materials and fabrics with simple wall treatments, and to rely for interest on the natural grain of woodwork and contrast in form and texture of materials rather than in applied decoration and floral patterns.

Making the best use of the limited floor space available is a pressing problem today, and in this house built-in furniture has been used as much as possible. This frees the space within the rooms, but a great deal of attention must be paid to its convenient arrangement at the outset, or the flexibility obtainable with movable units is lost. It is not possible to change one's mind and rearrange the furniture if it is built-in, but space-saving considerations will generally outweigh this disadvantage. What movable furniture there is in the house has been designed to be as light as possible to heighten the effect of space in the rooms. This also has practical advantages—think of the daily effort involved in moving the usual heavy chesterfield suite in order to sweep underneath.

Several family activities will take place in the living-room—dining, reading, writing, listening to the radio, talking and entertaining friends. The furniture has had to be planned and disposed to meet all these requirements without “cluttering up” the room and making it appear over-crowded. The low fitting along one wall houses the writing desk, fireplace and fuel bins, radiogram and record storage, and magazine cupboard, while a divan to seat three is built in at one end. The fire-place, incidentally, is covered by a flush-fitting fire-screen during the summer months to fill that dreary gaping hole which usually becomes a receptacle for waste paper and cigarette ends.

living room

living room

The dining table is placed at the other end of the living-room and can be moved under the hatch from the kitchen so that places can be laid and dishes removed without leaving the kitchen.

Lightness has been achieved without sacrifice of comfort in the easy chairs by the use of strong but light plywood and foam rubber upholstery. The design is straightforward for ease in construction and there is no heavy stain to obscure the natural beauties of the wood.

General illumination is provided in this room by two recessed fittings in the ceiling, and there are additional light fittings for special uses, e.g., over the desk for writing, and a movable standard lamp for reading or sewing.

The floor treatment in the living-room is simple, and richness is obtained by contrast in texture between a plain wall-to-wall covering and loose rugs. Similarly the woven fabric of the curtains contrasts pleasantly with the smooth wall and ceiling surfaces.

An interesting feature in the kitchen is a built-in breakfast table where the family can have light meals. Asphalt tiles have been used on the floor of this room, the bathroom, hall and playroom-utility room, to provide a smooth, durable and attractive-looking finish. They also have the advantage of not being cold to the touch—a quality usually associated with a tiled floor.

The decorative possibilities of pine timber with its delicate grain and dark knots have long been appreciated in Scandinavia and America, but in this country it has not yet been extensively used as an internal wall lining. It is appropriate, therefore, that it should have been used throughout the hall and playroom-utility room of this exhibition house.

A saving of space is effected in the children's bedroom by the use of built-in bunks. These are arranged one above the other in a recess, giving a shipboard feeling which should appeal to the young mind. Allowance has been made for the mattress to slide outwards while the bed is being made, so that the tucking-in difficulties which usually occur with bunks are avoided.

A light fitting is placed above each bunk and recessed in the wall to avoid accidents. This room will have to serve as a study for the children as well, and the built-in dressing table can be used as a desk. Bookshelves and a separate wardrobe for each child are also built-in. A heavy curtain instead or A door separates this room from the passage so that the space can be opened wide to the court on sunny days.

The smaller single bedroom has been planned with built in bed, bookshelves and dressing-table for an older child. Space is at a premium here but the compact lavout of the furniture allows full advantage to be taken of the area that is available.

page 54

The main bedroom, which must also serve as a dressing-room, has ample wardrobe space for hanging clothes. Sliding trays in the wardrobes provide storage for smaller items of clothing. The top of the dressing-table is hinged over a tray designed to contain scent bottles, cosmetic jars, and the usual oddments.

The double bed is built low on simple lines. Here again interest is provided by the natural grain of the wood. The room is lit by wall bracket lamps on flexible couplings.

Throughout all the rooms in the house there has been a conscious attempt to obtain a good standard of design for each article and fitting down to the smallest door handle. In several cases a suitable pattern has not been available ready-made, and a new one has been designed and fabricated. This is not merely an attempt at novelty as such, but derives from the unfortunate fact that many manufactured articles available in the country today are by no means as good-looking or as suited to their functions as they might be. It is hoped that the exhibition of this house and its contents will make some contribution towards a keener appreciation by the public of good design, so that the demand for the well-designed article will become universal.

The Demonstration House.” 24 pp. illustrated. Articles on the purpose, history, design, interior and construction.

The Architectural Centre, P.O. Box 1628, Wellington C.I One Shilling