tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34589431202174739342024-03-28T09:36:31.914-07:00Century Bungalow An arts and crafts bungalow at the century markDavid Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-89287738366682589152023-12-29T09:00:00.000-08:002023-12-31T07:40:05.881-08:00Still Life, Close Up<p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>"The force of a photograph is that it keeps open to scrutiny instants which the normal flow of time immediately replaces."</i> </span></b></span><span><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Susan Sontag, On Photography</span></span></span></b></span><br /> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9sTXwv_bF3e7g2PtrK4eMrs49fVzGTMVznZEB9TY-pLGhSL5v8HD6iHUg5jnub5s_sNUaEAm-JbyPonDmCbdjo4kYdEAGk2wB2szi1ZphNSPRtdGN9GEZdoGluVS7ZN2p_fYwoh7mERCdVdB5My94S7N7FY0Got2HojHU7GSzqn6iC190aDLw6wHUXtg/s1600/Close%20Up%20one.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9sTXwv_bF3e7g2PtrK4eMrs49fVzGTMVznZEB9TY-pLGhSL5v8HD6iHUg5jnub5s_sNUaEAm-JbyPonDmCbdjo4kYdEAGk2wB2szi1ZphNSPRtdGN9GEZdoGluVS7ZN2p_fYwoh7mERCdVdB5My94S7N7FY0Got2HojHU7GSzqn6iC190aDLw6wHUXtg/w426-h640/Close%20Up%20one.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Watering can, sedum, pots: found still life</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Photography gives us the power to
isolate a scene from its context and by so doing, make it seem
self-sufficient: above, a watering can, some plants in pots, and nature
poking through and around. Instant still life composition, if you will.
This ability to isolate scenes reveals endless subject matter in
gardens, which while presenting as unified wholes comprise an array of scenic
elements. Any number of them in fact, as it's quite arbitrary where one begins and another ends. But the camera's shutter resolves any ambiguity with finality, peeling off a distinct slice of reality and
rendering it a self sufficient whole - a small world all on its own. And in
these digital times, compositions can simply be re-framed with the lens until a
pleasing amalgam of content and angle emerges. Now, why it is that one
collection of objects suits the eye while another does not remains a mystery,
a by-product of aesthetics, opportunity, and subjective intent. Also,
the technical frame of the camera lens - the rectangular boundaries
that can be set horizontally or vertically to bring objects closer or set
them further back - causes modes of viewing to appear that aren't necessarily
evident in the same way to the naked eye. As a recording device, cameras
create a facsimile of reality and in so doing, effect entirely new
possibilities.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeaDyuZWvh5Ngem2qGFBolIDLB_9gagW5Dn6E8wvErK-73hOXlKt4eunEusoQY1f0omdj_uljbo0HJuDAiFLoCJf5kkVwgT6PL0ncDOZnkbpo_eWi4ZODt8Latni_P6Ka0YUNDrI6alPLNavi985qVbJvtTTyUIIsMi3fZKfX3BEGETJbS1-WsPCKVQkk/s1280/Close%20Up%20two.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="1280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeaDyuZWvh5Ngem2qGFBolIDLB_9gagW5Dn6E8wvErK-73hOXlKt4eunEusoQY1f0omdj_uljbo0HJuDAiFLoCJf5kkVwgT6PL0ncDOZnkbpo_eWi4ZODt8Latni_P6Ka0YUNDrI6alPLNavi985qVbJvtTTyUIIsMi3fZKfX3BEGETJbS1-WsPCKVQkk/w640-h426/Close%20Up%20two.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cluster of waxy, unopened cones snapped off by a windstorm, from an Atlas Cedar</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Releasing the camera shutter
determines the take with finality, and the beauty revealed (if any
was sought) indeed lies in the eye of the beholder. I haven't reflected on
where this urge to assemble objects into still life compositions, or to
focus on patterns or details in scenery, actually comes from. But I seem always
to have inclined towards it myself (my godmother painted still lifes and close ups, and I was always intrigued by her art) and I
still enjoy searching for what appears to be a good cluster. These
almost invariably have some innocence, humbleness or even a certain naievete
about them, although marks of wear, indications of time's passage, and even signs of slow demise can for me model beauty in everyday things. I've also come to
realize that my eye doesn't distinguish still life from close up
photography very precisely, so these tend to shade into a continuum of
effects. In this post I'm sharing a few of my own takes as eye-bait and
to illustrate how even simple things - as often found together by chance as
intentionally grouped into an ensemble - can yield, if not outright beauty, then at least
compelling visual interest when focused upon and isolated. Of course, the
momentary passing light they're seen in matters too, structuring the
distinctive impression they leave - for in some sense, the
collection of objects or block of patterns actually <i>is</i> the light the picture shows it in.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2d_bxPVS1JXLli1MG48Mb-y7aTJUGrmZ2EMYZIB4M61BAeCn1FxMLrXAlvh9tT4WrtSBSFAVvIj5A7KMrJ3emXA1nbENf7C4NNXxmUTFmaUn0X-GgecfFCQ59nZQ79q45HZYa_HXfjHmmz8XfeayXq8Ol5gvEw9PfUkBIT8zzjNhBapliqHHyRbVF1U/s1600/Close%20Up%20three.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2d_bxPVS1JXLli1MG48Mb-y7aTJUGrmZ2EMYZIB4M61BAeCn1FxMLrXAlvh9tT4WrtSBSFAVvIj5A7KMrJ3emXA1nbENf7C4NNXxmUTFmaUn0X-GgecfFCQ59nZQ79q45HZYa_HXfjHmmz8XfeayXq8Ol5gvEw9PfUkBIT8zzjNhBapliqHHyRbVF1U/w640-h426/Close%20Up%20three.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Snail completing a long stretch across the gap between paving stones</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Sometimes you happen upon subject
matter by chance, as when I noticed the snail above patiently crossing a
deep gulf between paving stones. We only see these snails after a
soaking rain, while the ground is moist enough that they can move about without
dehydrating. This picture involves an element of chance insofar as it only
existed for a moment: here the snail is just completing a prodigious
stretch across the gap, drawing its shell back over an extended body in
completion of its forward movement. Chance timing, while a great
generator of pictures (this scene changed continuously, if in slow motion) is
one source of still life, but I also enjoy using certain favoured
objects as props in creating garden compositions. I deploy them
to catch or model particular effects, as with the watering can in the
opening shot in this post, or the weathered teak chairs below. They
reliably impart specific impressions of light at a particular moment while
displaying seasonal effects. The watering can confirms the nature of
the scene portrayed, suggests human engagement with plants and implies
something intimate about the garden itself. Back to that continuum of effects I
mentioned: the weathered chairs below could be considered more scenic
details than true still life.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFxaluwMI3MoTxdJMnD58Sus04J726hOAY8MQWXilRXzIEl4-GYCoXyLFg1gp7TUKX6SBM-_iBfc7JfN1a6VRRyPafX2N2Rr84FzxpPoigKZX1BaixHfTMWmNmGAwFMK8Si8At6FUXXj8b_Ee3kM1bwvUaeONIcDt88tejGD_RX6mCcZyPjm_3xJM5xw/s1600/Close%20Up%20four.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFxaluwMI3MoTxdJMnD58Sus04J726hOAY8MQWXilRXzIEl4-GYCoXyLFg1gp7TUKX6SBM-_iBfc7JfN1a6VRRyPafX2N2Rr84FzxpPoigKZX1BaixHfTMWmNmGAwFMK8Si8At6FUXXj8b_Ee3kM1bwvUaeONIcDt88tejGD_RX6mCcZyPjm_3xJM5xw/w426-h640/Close%20Up%20four.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Weathered chairs with emphatic shadow lines</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /> </span><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Quite apart from my reliable metal
watering can and the weathered teak chairs, regular garden plants themselves
furnish limitless opportunity to frame photos as still life. Perhaps
this practice bends or stretches the notion of still life even further,
but catching objects at the moment the shutter releases does guarantee
fusion into a relationship in the outcome. I instinctively search for clusters of objects combining elements of spontaneity and arrangement, so there is
somewhat of a found quality incorporated into the picture (by 'found', I
mean that some force other than conscious human intention helps
achieve the arrangement, such as time, weather, or the chance
placements of nature). The next shot illustrates this blend of
intention and discovery: the rocks are of my choosing, but the
blossoms are from a neighbour's wandering wisteria that has grown through the fence and
into the scene (with a little encouragement from the gardener). I find this recognition
game endlessly entertaining, with the added benefit of yielding pictures
that embody particular moments. There is, I know, if not an
artificiality, then at least an unreality to this, as all growing things are
actually in motion and at any point fall somewhere between being born
and if not outright dying, then dying back. But, so too are the fruits
and flowers that appear in painted still lifes, and even the vessel containing
them, captured in the painting's singular moment, likely winds up broken
at some point down the line.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIu69EQKaVkPzILol1G-IopcuqB8YmcoENA0txG1JkabLc1Mk9pgZrmpm7mz3kla0oS9Imu-mrNPUPF4Rsfuhb4X5LUWZZ8wLUVbkb5icGwsdlJyx8vAFO2J1mnKdGa3by9ibi5dZpBzzGMR7Phfuoe38rr0AvdgfFFL2-jXu-BgGIt5uGJVuNGJEx4c0/s3008/Still%20Life%20ten.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIu69EQKaVkPzILol1G-IopcuqB8YmcoENA0txG1JkabLc1Mk9pgZrmpm7mz3kla0oS9Imu-mrNPUPF4Rsfuhb4X5LUWZZ8wLUVbkb5icGwsdlJyx8vAFO2J1mnKdGa3by9ibi5dZpBzzGMR7Phfuoe38rr0AvdgfFFL2-jXu-BgGIt5uGJVuNGJEx4c0/w426-h640/Still%20Life%20ten.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Placed rock cluster with found wisteria blossoms</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">To me, flowers themselves are among the
most intriguing garden subjects for still life or close up compositions.
Individual flowerings typically result in a brief but spectacular show
of bloom, after which the plant's presence recedes to context. Below is a
shot of a bearded iris that isolates an intricate bloom with fetching falls against a background of indistinct green tinged with
yellow, amplifying the overall impression. I like using this technique
of selective focus to create a context that's more colour than form and
that has a sympathetic effect by placing the principal object in sharper
relief. This makes the background more effect than distinct setting.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk94H3gcFr-vLDKAouXuyD-oX3a2-Z4SW6rjXjoL_rxMkoGbWSg9eIag5_lurprr-O5mpUVWiPHo1eRKoJZTifiyh9RVVNMUKy_LWpnpntqTYT_9DuLnHwQTNrohDzJkzYkL8VSq_uosdT_iOBOaU2w1pVhwhbwGZlzYr21hFKmL6s6HwFenxsMt03NSI/s1600/Close%20up%20six.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk94H3gcFr-vLDKAouXuyD-oX3a2-Z4SW6rjXjoL_rxMkoGbWSg9eIag5_lurprr-O5mpUVWiPHo1eRKoJZTifiyh9RVVNMUKy_LWpnpntqTYT_9DuLnHwQTNrohDzJkzYkL8VSq_uosdT_iOBOaU2w1pVhwhbwGZlzYr21hFKmL6s6HwFenxsMt03NSI/w426-h640/Close%20up%20six.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">A single iris bloom makes a still-life composition</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Below is another frame, taken on a
different April day. Both the iris above and the tulip below are plants
that came with the garden, which occurred some thirty years ago this spring. I've
helped them continue to flourish here by periodically dividing and
replanting them in freshened soil, and they have responded by reliably
adding their simple beauty to spring's slow, captivating narrative.
I've come to realize through close observation that here on southern
Vancouver Island, with our temperate climate and slow, moist spring, spring-flowering plants often show early, middle, and late
iterations, a fact that can be marshalled by gardeners to prolong the
sequence of effects for daffodils, tulips, quince and lilacs, thus
extending their floral impact far longer. I was unaware of this
potential for floral differentiation while growing up in Ontario, where
spring tends to come all at once and things flower simultaneously rather than
in such distinct sequences. The tulip shown below is in the middle-to-late
part of tulip-time on this site, helping push the season into a fifth or
perhaps even a sixth week of species-flowering. In this photo, some purplish
hints in the indistinct background enhance the delicate pink of the
tulip flower. To botanize a bit, here we are playing around with varieties so as to
express species-effects.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGzG5lvmXuWzOAbrVoPDr7XqfKCBnmPiWsK7skCn-Du17J26PXYQXvECl81hbe_bvVOMkmBs5WsZbjCHLIjrc8leTiY-VkfBoUReDa5p1g1-BzJRq3Y5egGxm5zoZ_R1kFIdKl6TTulbR0u8-fMcXv7OlIyf8rZE_e3HiaKtCAfZ-4mBII-QoQIQsU20/s1600/Close%20up%20seven.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGzG5lvmXuWzOAbrVoPDr7XqfKCBnmPiWsK7skCn-Du17J26PXYQXvECl81hbe_bvVOMkmBs5WsZbjCHLIjrc8leTiY-VkfBoUReDa5p1g1-BzJRq3Y5egGxm5zoZ_R1kFIdKl6TTulbR0u8-fMcXv7OlIyf8rZE_e3HiaKtCAfZ-4mBII-QoQIQsU20/w640-h426/Close%20up%20seven.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Tulip flower thrown into relief against a distant background</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Another thing I enjoy exploring in
plants-as-subjects is the vast array of impressions transmitted over the
course of their flowering and finishing, from first appearance to
full-on flourishing and even, for certain plants, extending so far as their beauty in
running to seed. Below, an annual lunaria has set large seeds that are discernible within semi-translucent pods, shown while the plant is still
alive, yet not that long before it expires and begins bleaching to fall
grey. Lunaria, known commonly as 'honesty' in England, is also called
'money plant' in Asia, and 'silver dollars' in the USA. The latter two
names refer to its thin, dried seed pods having a somewhat coin-like
appearance. In 1884, Van Gogh painted a lovely still life of honesty's
bleached pods in a vase with other floral elements surrounding it, but
they are not made to resemble coins in his rendering. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8g7ByqXu5mWXj54P-XlN_8TkQAeMgeVFinjoVdJaof4umVoMiCz8x8c8mr5uzN2ot3iIZyNAeLZIvI1FthUpn5LuofmcfNo2RbJAjkugBCeCwV5FdWTxwVNoo9SDhzvkB87yT49Bf8uObFgJOM0tK-brAwf4ZywCZTwp1Kr_OMQe_drOJGJg0qRM8b_I/s1600/Close%20up%20eight.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8g7ByqXu5mWXj54P-XlN_8TkQAeMgeVFinjoVdJaof4umVoMiCz8x8c8mr5uzN2ot3iIZyNAeLZIvI1FthUpn5LuofmcfNo2RbJAjkugBCeCwV5FdWTxwVNoo9SDhzvkB87yT49Bf8uObFgJOM0tK-brAwf4ZywCZTwp1Kr_OMQe_drOJGJg0qRM8b_I/w640-h426/Close%20up%20eight.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Lunaria sets its seed in coin-shaped pods that turn grey when it dies</b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Camas lilies are native to our slender
peninsula on Southern Vancouver Island, a key landscape signifier in
spring's slow, spectacular flourish. The quintessential meadow flower,
camas thrust up dramatically under the native Garry oaks before leafing
out, seeming to appear from nowhere (as bulbs do) sometime between late
March and early April, initially strikingly blue-tinged as the blooms
appear, but running towards a purple effect as the petals burst open.
The shot below captures this briefly blue moment, just before the full floral
explosion. I am particularly fond of these dramatic local lilies,
reintroduced here to a garden contrived in a setting of mature oaks. Camas
under oaks are a vestige of the extensive coastal prairie once
maintained by controlled burning of underbrush by the Coast Salish
peoples, the original inhabitants of Victoria and its environs.
Ironically, it was their luxuriant spring flowering that caused British explorers to describe the first-nation-groomed coastal
prairie as "a perfect Eden", never troubling to understand the role of
human intention (or its utilitarian purpose, which was starch-yield) that caused the
'paradisial' effect.</span><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcg-NZ0lHHi7t2PAX39d9VV85LScMpnbecc6Q2isE6pybtlND2BYM1ZYVM4Ek_tJFAOsHfpleJuaxydhnJ0mHTw9sdOv1ZDKr2gFNXUlWRE33zVEeFAjNUHicTIA-Bpx-hqEXGgAB4lV8mQjQ7tAH4UhZEWQSdjscatnItn8Pc7L6qZYJu9WwbuUOWk4M/s1600/Close%20up%20nine.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcg-NZ0lHHi7t2PAX39d9VV85LScMpnbecc6Q2isE6pybtlND2BYM1ZYVM4Ek_tJFAOsHfpleJuaxydhnJ0mHTw9sdOv1ZDKr2gFNXUlWRE33zVEeFAjNUHicTIA-Bpx-hqEXGgAB4lV8mQjQ7tAH4UhZEWQSdjscatnItn8Pc7L6qZYJu9WwbuUOWk4M/w426-h640/Close%20up%20nine.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Camas flowers before the turn to purple</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Close up and still life both allow us to
observe a cluster of objects, or a pattern made striking by angle and
light, and catch them in a framed view with the camera. Each represents a
distinct moment in time, frozen by the frame. I obviously enjoy this
association of objects through the lens, which is something that can be
done equally well inside the house as out in the garden. The next
still life composition catches an interesting combination of shapes,
patterns and tones in filtered daylight, with the added complexity of
reflection in a small mirror. The gentle softness of indirect exterior light
gives this shot its mellow, peaceful quality.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jIXf62Oj_IuUCC0Y9VwGKcTgZCMXgOZLJRT8yCAhaeeO5LtBHJuJ7rjsXQeSorjgxxCVnewdYTNx33384AYYwPiI4wagKe9hVFPOf2c0Fr2CjZrmO_RFaE9APCUj6VJQrWUe_VRTKa8KmyvuBFCgyXgmk4oUC5_T9u1dUHUnKCrXPy6lQROrCgLMbI8/s1600/Close%20up%20ten.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jIXf62Oj_IuUCC0Y9VwGKcTgZCMXgOZLJRT8yCAhaeeO5LtBHJuJ7rjsXQeSorjgxxCVnewdYTNx33384AYYwPiI4wagKe9hVFPOf2c0Fr2CjZrmO_RFaE9APCUj6VJQrWUe_VRTKa8KmyvuBFCgyXgmk4oUC5_T9u1dUHUnKCrXPy6lQROrCgLMbI8/w640-h426/Close%20up%20ten.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Mellow light for a cluster of objects intensified by reflection in a mirror<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Our house-and-garden combination offers
many opportunities to frame scenes that capture elemental forces in changing lights. A decorated house with ample windows in every room admits light that suggests compositions based on clustered details. This capability exists because our eyes today are fully
adapted to seeing photographs of fragments of things - parts taken to
stand for the wholes they've been drawn from - that are still capable of invoking mood for the absent totality. We are able to enjoy even the
discontinuity effected by the lens and the framing of the
image, because our eyes are not affected by the arbitrary closure at the edges. We literally view subject matter
photographically when looking into a picture.</span><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4G8tRBNLlAMjnikjWq1UuMtwpaPM7G13ooB5zixLl-U0lnZBpU6bearOXoEg3EgX9F8U_c12tvvyCib1OkzK9PtG5WCeENky7fe2f9M52Pisuh7ATrVnQBKfub1p1vnukPs3GWZCO3wC85dsjriTRN_MtooLAYonqrSH4DmRp4bqzCFaDSCzCvx_HSj8/s1600/Close%20up%20eleven.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4G8tRBNLlAMjnikjWq1UuMtwpaPM7G13ooB5zixLl-U0lnZBpU6bearOXoEg3EgX9F8U_c12tvvyCib1OkzK9PtG5WCeENky7fe2f9M52Pisuh7ATrVnQBKfub1p1vnukPs3GWZCO3wC85dsjriTRN_MtooLAYonqrSH4DmRp4bqzCFaDSCzCvx_HSj8/w426-h640/Close%20up%20eleven.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Light and shadow effects as still-life</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Our house receives a great deal of
sunlight due to its placement on a hill combined with its many large windows facing east,
south and west. One effect is that the inside receives changing light
throughout the course of a day, modifying the mood in its interior
spaces. This allows the framing of many views of patterns and clusters
of objects, with scenery often glimpsed through windows as context (as above, looking west).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtPoaPn_Dqd339l5IzeEqkzQ9tLo4K9B5me6GUSHfFh8zotpWXbd9gzlc3qBHNGj2QM1iVxmiLyNloS4QHiN6pXcLqHijsc8gNZbYQUkLyHw43QEkDKugi0qv3_lvQHQedE0piJiuE1vdEwWGc3FLr7z22HHbbvX1frdqximzYcztTL92Xeck2v36rw0/s1600/Close%20up%20twelve.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtPoaPn_Dqd339l5IzeEqkzQ9tLo4K9B5me6GUSHfFh8zotpWXbd9gzlc3qBHNGj2QM1iVxmiLyNloS4QHiN6pXcLqHijsc8gNZbYQUkLyHw43QEkDKugi0qv3_lvQHQedE0piJiuE1vdEwWGc3FLr7z22HHbbvX1frdqximzYcztTL92Xeck2v36rw0/w640-h426/Close%20up%20twelve.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Recycled stained glass shed window, itself a still-life composition</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I find light admitted through window glass endlessly fascinating as a source of images, here a stained glass window backlit by light from the west. This window, one of a pair acquired by chance at auction many years before the shed took shape in my imagination, had a long life prior to landing in its current position as part of another building.</span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> I bought the pair of windows based on the fanciful idea that the rather art-deco flower theme would go well in a garden structure that I designed to be observed from the house. As I wasn't actively contemplating
building one at that moment, it turned out to be a great choice
when the idea finally came to fruition. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7L2OkrRsNA23XicrMgtpFH2FQO0UGEwiOZZNH8PKIuA0Hm3o1NbG7qCTkVzSBfltm1QPM5A1GoJDdRIVOrYLv-KRcVH2wbHmaUqYKw_HJMZgZ7UTKyt7nEXg64Es5_64rpkgTI0uKXPZSzTK1xhQZnvJb6wkiAaptAB4gGIRm_3nl2tHZsIomiZsS_I/s3008/Still%20Life%20twelve.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7L2OkrRsNA23XicrMgtpFH2FQO0UGEwiOZZNH8PKIuA0Hm3o1NbG7qCTkVzSBfltm1QPM5A1GoJDdRIVOrYLv-KRcVH2wbHmaUqYKw_HJMZgZ7UTKyt7nEXg64Es5_64rpkgTI0uKXPZSzTK1xhQZnvJb6wkiAaptAB4gGIRm_3nl2tHZsIomiZsS_I/w640-h426/Still%20Life%20twelve.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Cluster of chive flowers in a retrieved discarded aspirin bottle</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">One day I was taken by the simple beauty
of some chive flowers in an old aspirin bottle viewed in fading
afternoon light, against a backdrop of deco tile in our bathroom. The aspirin bottle was
retrieved from a midden in the yard, which served as a final resting
place for glass goods in the days before garbage pickup in this
locale. I unearthed it while turning over a garden bed. The combination
comprises a humble still life of found and grown objects, reflecting nature brought inside and placed in a piece of the inside world
that was retrieved from outside purely by chance, having been tossed there
some decades prior.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBkiMZnlAAQPNZlknVxUuES836-VDjAAAZvxvaRgoLCQvXu8UPMeMN57dUqEZYENzKDc28Mp-jaRi0c6YJROJXkNc9LV6QikI14CeCRvKVDtUF4kmjDzH_DJ8Dqcedw8D1k8ZyHtYtctA5l95TL209y2aDrUTHEFq0B5z5qp8ENJIi7kUtFRrBjlrqkg/s1600/Close%20up%20fourteen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBkiMZnlAAQPNZlknVxUuES836-VDjAAAZvxvaRgoLCQvXu8UPMeMN57dUqEZYENzKDc28Mp-jaRi0c6YJROJXkNc9LV6QikI14CeCRvKVDtUF4kmjDzH_DJ8Dqcedw8D1k8ZyHtYtctA5l95TL209y2aDrUTHEFq0B5z5qp8ENJIi7kUtFRrBjlrqkg/w640-h426/Close%20up%20fourteen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Montbretia's flowers bring a foretaste of autumn's fiery colour palette</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Many garden still lifes or close ups
convey a background sense of the season they represent - flowers flower
in a particular window in the unfolding garden season and imply their
place and time in the sequence of bloom. Even the quality of the light
itself can be seasonally revealing. The picture above is of Montbretia,
which here flowers in later summer and prefigures the fall colour shift.
However, seasonality can be made to play an even more explicit role in
defining the overall composition. Below is an example of snow's presence
truly defining a scene, in a rather sombre way here due to the dullness
of the light on that day. This lack of punch in the light actually
reinforces an abstract, monochrome quality, making the scene appear
almost black and white (b+w photography amplifies lines of force and
spatial presence in images) but for the hint of mustardy yellow on
the south face of the limbs and the terra cotta chimney intruding
below.</span><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWR0Q4UILMwDet1JwZHbYjA1XE_J1YpuZIMXtWl6nq3moEokeqnEdweYiP_L43RxxgbvGeAAsuRJEzwzR-l0V59UzOjx-6W4BtUI9wpq_KvAd8NaHtiF1XX15XL1pLtgUXcQgf7B7uWLTR8hNHD_uSFcwycOukDemRuHbZxVUJfLGbWd49sYwDfEcA74/s1600/Close%20up%20fifteen.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWR0Q4UILMwDet1JwZHbYjA1XE_J1YpuZIMXtWl6nq3moEokeqnEdweYiP_L43RxxgbvGeAAsuRJEzwzR-l0V59UzOjx-6W4BtUI9wpq_KvAd8NaHtiF1XX15XL1pLtgUXcQgf7B7uWLTR8hNHD_uSFcwycOukDemRuHbZxVUJfLGbWd49sYwDfEcA74/w426-h640/Close%20up%20fifteen.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Monochrome light, snow on oak limbs, chimney</b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><br /> </span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">Winter of course presents numerous opportunities for close ups, but snow remains difficult to convey with a camera. Most often it simply over-exposes the image, becoming indistinct and almost bland thereby. But unique conditions of light occasionally combine with unmodified snow effects to produce stellar results. In the following photo, the house's end gable defines the composition, the snow drifts softening its overall architectural effect considerably. The result conveys a sense of home as a cozy refuge.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPr4gv-5lpNuhQAsbwXXWrdkBdfwSieatkjHoCRNj5WyH4pvn98yaABFSTUtTgTuUfQ8ingS-fqZuE91mZRwoj80-Z1I_AygEutoyFd_UAQIil0JrmfCGavZZuEnq6f3989poRwEpm195bRsIQilf207Sk7mJyeDLvGd_NrpW1O2ACCMPvxbrRcvrzpI/s3008/Still%20Life%20possible%20one.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPr4gv-5lpNuhQAsbwXXWrdkBdfwSieatkjHoCRNj5WyH4pvn98yaABFSTUtTgTuUfQ8ingS-fqZuE91mZRwoj80-Z1I_AygEutoyFd_UAQIil0JrmfCGavZZuEnq6f3989poRwEpm195bRsIQilf207Sk7mJyeDLvGd_NrpW1O2ACCMPvxbrRcvrzpI/w640-h426/Still%20Life%20possible%20one.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Freshly fallen snow weighs down plants, softening the massive gable end</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Just as snow reliably conveys wintry
conditions, fallen leaves signify autumn's decisive impact on plants. As
the production of chlorophyll comes to an end triggered by the shortening days, foliage-green gives way
to underlying pigments that are masked during the growth phase. This picture to
me catches the warmth of fall coloration and the sculpting of the leaf
as it has dried out.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8RERCjIY5Hs4OoJ711xTGYJgEx0NrtzZDgrbQqaU2d5eDC_LYZ4q64FiaRiJH3apDcCyXZqi1l-xq-9Gm2kVCdXboJMPWdlqwzzl4HkwY17oIZZmjZ1TLBslMSQF-WONjByuCivsHSXXkv2yw95h3AiHQIdGG3jMHMQzfXPqLMOCThk6qC8vzeIPy0g/s1600/Close%20up%20sixteen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8RERCjIY5Hs4OoJ711xTGYJgEx0NrtzZDgrbQqaU2d5eDC_LYZ4q64FiaRiJH3apDcCyXZqi1l-xq-9Gm2kVCdXboJMPWdlqwzzl4HkwY17oIZZmjZ1TLBslMSQF-WONjByuCivsHSXXkv2yw95h3AiHQIdGG3jMHMQzfXPqLMOCThk6qC8vzeIPy0g/w640-h426/Close%20up%20sixteen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Nothing says 'autumn' like fallen leaves, here a big leaf maple</span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Freezing rain in winter can also lend
dramatic impact to the appearance of plants, giving even contextual
plantings renewed potential to serve as subjects for still life. Seeing
the physical world through a glazed coating is visually astounding,
rendering the
ordinary elements of everyday life freshly intriguing to observe. The
aftermath of freezing rain makes me want to go wandering in the
wonderland of special effects, seeking after visual interest and knowing that I won't be disappointed (despite heightened personal risk). The next shot is of a clump of ornamental grass inclined under the weight of a thick coating of ice, a structure within a solid that's totally on view.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVsShBVcDfvHmsAHnkpvDncX3t1H-oTFQQNwQdLmZRqe3Xn8vQ7xO6sCzeAEnv_cDyUlGZ5w9cSHYWCWpNTpgryT6lzvnK3oiYAV8IRTWk7c3QKeNyC5m0SeFojOGNy8ZxsSRFUxvD9PPJ0lsxfpJrVELzRfFYkAHJdAEWeyA0L3l8qb_MaU-SIG-12E/s1600/Close%20up%20seventeen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVsShBVcDfvHmsAHnkpvDncX3t1H-oTFQQNwQdLmZRqe3Xn8vQ7xO6sCzeAEnv_cDyUlGZ5w9cSHYWCWpNTpgryT6lzvnK3oiYAV8IRTWk7c3QKeNyC5m0SeFojOGNy8ZxsSRFUxvD9PPJ0lsxfpJrVELzRfFYkAHJdAEWeyA0L3l8qb_MaU-SIG-12E/w640-h426/Close%20up%20seventeen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Freezing rain imprisoning grass in a coating of translucent ice</span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The next shot, taken after the same ice storm, shows how universal the coating of frozen rain actually is, here emphasized by thin strands of page-wire fencing. Brilliant sunshine reflecting from the glassy coating
brings the ice right up to the eye, which notices the rolling quality
of the horizontal wire (traces of the spool it came from) more than it
otherwise would. I like the simplicity and relative peacefulness of this composition, which takes a moment to come into sharp focus.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhrO3yltLVfiLWUmwqtjV-OiskvZFJT21wwHg-Amt4wh4-_N-5_-zZH9el3sLjc4AOS07PRJcZxhNfr4Z2brMY-vT9RO7Rwj92aVf089GJrBkhkan9dEsxW-GrBHllDDENUl_sXFfK9ZbCuIitzHfhCXoywRb7R3Qc7eiDgJ5DOulmx9mr-lgC4q1xPw/s1600/Close%20up%20eighteen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhrO3yltLVfiLWUmwqtjV-OiskvZFJT21wwHg-Amt4wh4-_N-5_-zZH9el3sLjc4AOS07PRJcZxhNfr4Z2brMY-vT9RO7Rwj92aVf089GJrBkhkan9dEsxW-GrBHllDDENUl_sXFfK9ZbCuIitzHfhCXoywRb7R3Qc7eiDgJ5DOulmx9mr-lgC4q1xPw/w640-h426/Close%20up%20eighteen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Page-wire fencing coated with frozen rain emphasizing forms</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">One winter day I happened to be working in the back garden, collecting debris shaken loose from our oak trees during the latest windstorm. I was taken by the array of bits and pieces of lichen, mosses and fungi strewn across the lawn, sometimes appearing on a piece of oak branch and invoking the unique colour palette of these wet-season organisms. So I pulled an assortment of random bits together on a garden bench, and from that derived the following shot as a creative clustering of this aerial debris. The picture frame 'notices' it by capturing the concentrated grouping, something our eye wouldn't make appear in quite the same way without this act of isolation. I enjoy its odd shapes and colours immensely - the aquas especially!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalO6oCZ40GtZwci0314HWzbXXyHicg6-LXwTnf1hF40H6Q3oJw4gOqoRKQueF_CxqILB2TmaVAKbZlfvbicalz1_XKBCCGeG7DBJuLRCBxTY0kOy8Jos_qAPw1gGebqp1oi9D-c4TtvegyYUWD8leDcGhdbmuXs2YgVpj7DOCV_MGHGUu_pLlnhNttA8/s1600/Close%20up%20nineteen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalO6oCZ40GtZwci0314HWzbXXyHicg6-LXwTnf1hF40H6Q3oJw4gOqoRKQueF_CxqILB2TmaVAKbZlfvbicalz1_XKBCCGeG7DBJuLRCBxTY0kOy8Jos_qAPw1gGebqp1oi9D-c4TtvegyYUWD8leDcGhdbmuXs2YgVpj7DOCV_MGHGUu_pLlnhNttA8/w640-h426/Close%20up%20nineteen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Found-debris downed by a winter storm, fungus and lichen now assort</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Many garden plants interact uniquely
with their environment to create special effects. For example, seasoned
gardeners often notice the particular way that rain pools on a
foxglove's tubular flowers, forming distinct droplets as gravity
gradually draws the moisture towards ground. Something about the flower
seems almost to repel the water, forcing it to collect into droplets. You
can almost feel it moving downwards despite being frozen into a still
picture. These effects are transient, so if you're to catch them you
need to keep your camera ready to hand. I like to garden that way
myself, with the camera nearby. Then, if something suggests itself
to the eye, or the light suddenly turns transcendent, the means of
recording the passing effects are ready to hand. As often as not, that
will simply become a still life composition. Or, is it a close up?
Or maybe a detail? </span><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span>
</p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_O7RDFNpxHN5JBEXAfg5Jhg0-ShWEdLBE1Z2WUMDd7b00b5efu_IzuzxO63gTwTQCpH0HnJC55A6XyDQ8i49AFz7PHtJWQERYJY4-585i0qSv7KWdm6A7Hf4-uhubb3ukDbHPr3m9eD2Yp8evPPK5AonALFxZRaHGeO5j-Ot72vNUuKX4W68A9oGSOMg/s1600/Close%20up%20twenty.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_O7RDFNpxHN5JBEXAfg5Jhg0-ShWEdLBE1Z2WUMDd7b00b5efu_IzuzxO63gTwTQCpH0HnJC55A6XyDQ8i49AFz7PHtJWQERYJY4-585i0qSv7KWdm6A7Hf4-uhubb3ukDbHPr3m9eD2Yp8evPPK5AonALFxZRaHGeO5j-Ot72vNUuKX4W68A9oGSOMg/w426-h640/Close%20up%20twenty.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Raindrops clustering on foxglove flowers</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">My point is simply that even the
humblest of gardens, say an assortment of pots on a deck or a small terrace,
offers opportunities to render plants into such still life
compositions. Van Gogh did it memorably with many plants, including clusters of picked flowers
in a vase. These paintings, now famous, remained obscure in his lifetime
(as did most of his oeuvre), but must have given him
intense satisfaction. Look around your world and you'll see such opportunities
lying everywhere. Go ahead and compose. It's a way to preserve a
fragment of the flow of time for future contemplation. And it's
good fun.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkYLJAlm7kCUCK6X7anW8r9GSs7S7yXGksWRxEKYBXfqpJDKwbK9ynQuauKLnh-QTfZt1KH6bb9yTs1En0rjL-WrHEx8sPTq18wQRrA6IFJlbkPBzzx9FRcmP-AW4za6ePuIoc8Lk0dx5fbhDUYcTT9aO0g3szR1TYJ2QBpRhPzoW09LstHBSjjhXdrY/s1600/Inspired%20three.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkYLJAlm7kCUCK6X7anW8r9GSs7S7yXGksWRxEKYBXfqpJDKwbK9ynQuauKLnh-QTfZt1KH6bb9yTs1En0rjL-WrHEx8sPTq18wQRrA6IFJlbkPBzzx9FRcmP-AW4za6ePuIoc8Lk0dx5fbhDUYcTT9aO0g3szR1TYJ2QBpRhPzoW09LstHBSjjhXdrY/w426-h640/Inspired%20three.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Campanula (bell flowers) after a rain</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>Affectionately dedicated to my long-departed godmother, Molly Parbery, whose still life painting hung on my bedroom wall while growing up. <br /></b></i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b> <br /></b></i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b></b></i></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOnRBOAN-Oed_1T3K3UatqIW1Jhra7HVzXCwNhc_Ql_g8RK5lIVlWlMNs7AmqVkUMeOCkF2YbKBgWi_1aAtQ72aU67xGxVMFXU5_FH35QEKxa-w-OsymZ5UaNo05BPAQ-o8dOPB8XydId9o4uadq6nGtj1UUwUl6M-Q0k8kSYvXhtUIz3YdNzK-Q_GqEw/s3008/M.%20Parbery%20two.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOnRBOAN-Oed_1T3K3UatqIW1Jhra7HVzXCwNhc_Ql_g8RK5lIVlWlMNs7AmqVkUMeOCkF2YbKBgWi_1aAtQ72aU67xGxVMFXU5_FH35QEKxa-w-OsymZ5UaNo05BPAQ-o8dOPB8XydId9o4uadq6nGtj1UUwUl6M-Q0k8kSYvXhtUIz3YdNzK-Q_GqEw/w640-h426/M.%20Parbery%20two.JPG" width="640" /></a></b></i></span></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b><br /> </b></i></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b></b></i></span></span></p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b><br /> </b></i></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b> </b></i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b><span style="background-color: #f1c232;"></span> </b></i></span></span><br />
</p><p></p><p></p>David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-4442537585964466662023-11-30T07:44:00.000-08:002024-01-20T08:41:03.761-08:00Changing Impressions: Light in a Fall Garden<p> </p><p> </p><p><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><i><b>"Change
is a measure of time and, in the autumn, time seems speeded up. What
was is not and never again will be; what is is change."</b> </i></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>Edwin Way Teale</span></span></span></b></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">, </span><span style="font-size: large;">Circle Of The Seasons</span></b></span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKeD5wtmmnqZ3Lr-SQSpNvgQwXrVPtvhl2zN6Zt8hTPHf44yS6O1WMdBEuSU-d8MLRCcVtF8uWvo96baeeSqhmqZtZLH8x2UR7sI11OdESFsQyS8IrWgF6SccDa01Y7meYf2C4ydlIUYFlstlhawInAsvhN-RI8K_L8a3rAX3W-Nc6dryShHP9ZfMr59o/s1600/Day%20one.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKeD5wtmmnqZ3Lr-SQSpNvgQwXrVPtvhl2zN6Zt8hTPHf44yS6O1WMdBEuSU-d8MLRCcVtF8uWvo96baeeSqhmqZtZLH8x2UR7sI11OdESFsQyS8IrWgF6SccDa01Y7meYf2C4ydlIUYFlstlhawInAsvhN-RI8K_L8a3rAX3W-Nc6dryShHP9ZfMr59o/w640-h426/Day%20one.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Noon October light illuminates a panel of stained glass inside the garden shed</span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span><span style="font-size: small;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><b>We tend to think of our gardens as constants, as entities expressing a distinct character that persists from day to day.</b></i>
As gardeners, we work hard to create that sense of enduring character. But within the garden's confines, despite all our
efforts at ordering this space, change remains the norm. Change in a garden takes
many forms: growth and decay, additions and deletions, our deliberate
plans skewed by nature's hidden operations. But beyond these
elemental forces another agent of change is always at work, adding transient touches from moment to moment, varying the way objects appear
to our eye and the impressions they leave. Time of day, season of the
year and, above all, atmospheric conditions modify the light we see
things through, affecting how gardens look and feel at any given moment. The
sun's mobility, itself varying along a continually changing arc, modifies the
light-yield of day and season, lengthening or shortening the shadows cast or dispensing with them entirely when the sky is overcast.</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2FBHApVPIKvuLsuDgvOPRjN71rfR7LxOjR4UrYte1HE1LPG-BdSmH9p5GASzcnmPISNLu6xvyxPkgfvJygw07gjTozTJeXtLM1x4Ov-4OetIQ8MBmZlBUQVP11qRai6lQhx-uIkiBZHwZkvPXv3KTYnIhQGUYa_gff5i6oXE4J00aENVNah5WStBDk1I/s3008/Day%20twenty%20five.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2FBHApVPIKvuLsuDgvOPRjN71rfR7LxOjR4UrYte1HE1LPG-BdSmH9p5GASzcnmPISNLu6xvyxPkgfvJygw07gjTozTJeXtLM1x4Ov-4OetIQ8MBmZlBUQVP11qRai6lQhx-uIkiBZHwZkvPXv3KTYnIhQGUYa_gff5i6oXE4J00aENVNah5WStBDk1I/w640-h426/Day%20twenty%20five.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Light varies by day and season, constantly changing our impressions of nature</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /> </span><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">As gardeners who get to observe their
charges in so many different lights, we come to appreciate subtle
gradations that modify how the garden appears. Light structures mood
in the garden. The simple act of watching turns out to be an enjoyable
experience that can be cultivated, even as our hands are busy
with seasonal garden tasks. One looks forward to seeing how nature is going to reveal
itself each day, especially when the signs at daybreak appear promising.
As we grow into our gardens over the years, this practice of observing
effects grows on us, ultimately revealing itself as a practical way to live in the moment (as opposed to always living towards the
future, so not being in the present at all - which many now seem to do). What better
way to live in the moment than to observe its particular qualities as
manifested by our immediate surroundings? </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span>
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>"The garden is never fully under
human control. However one may strive after a finished perfect
'product', it must always be illusory – or at the best, ephemeral.
The garden resists reification, insists upon process. It is always
unfinished. A fixed result may be desirable, but it is always
elusive.</b></i>" The Garden As An Art, Mara Miller, 1993<br /></span></p>
<p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">One key to living in the moment is the
perception that things actually do appear differently in different
lights - and, that the way they appear affects their impact on us. Of
course, we have to be able to pause long enough to notice such things, remaining still long enough for an impression to register. If we can do this, then
certain conditions will command our attention, and at special moments
perhaps lead us to experience feelings of awe and delight. This way of approaching
light's effects mimics the turn taken by the school of painting known as Impressionism - recognizing
that it's the light of the moment that renders a scene memorable.
Viewed from this angle, daylight offers a living theatre for garden
viewing, one that can absolutely captivate the eye on special days.
Sometimes, when conditions are right, bearing witness to atmospheric
changes is like having a front row seat at a show nature is conducting for us.
On one such magical day in October 2016, I decided to try and capture a
succession of the light's changing effects throughout the course of the day.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6kl9qnjq4kfjkSvbjRyrccUTU7LVlPDwGBnuWvlpjttV82aYwMx7ngc9DK4-zzMYp5P-T9pF902mUPLojCLHUgQtbGRVOhey5f6cHCO3O_5Jkpjz5X4_6Eydv4rec5rgGzBTdJfHvX-KUE0uYiw00IFpMlkXl7plKmGePECHLEckzXOz1y3so7tA_s0/s3008/Day%20twenty%20seven.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6kl9qnjq4kfjkSvbjRyrccUTU7LVlPDwGBnuWvlpjttV82aYwMx7ngc9DK4-zzMYp5P-T9pF902mUPLojCLHUgQtbGRVOhey5f6cHCO3O_5Jkpjz5X4_6Eydv4rec5rgGzBTdJfHvX-KUE0uYiw00IFpMlkXl7plKmGePECHLEckzXOz1y3so7tA_s0/w426-h640/Day%20twenty%20seven.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Strawberry Tree (arbutus unedo) berries</b></span></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /> <br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><i>Changing impressions caused by evolving daylight are there to be enjoyed during all seasons, but fall is a very special time.</i></b>
Certainly not every day is evocative in the way this one would be (some days display an enervating sameness of effect that drains much of the magic, especially say in a dreary November). But other days,
and those not infrequently with October's mood swings,
generate absolutely memorable effects all day long. The
photos below are taken during the third week of October in Victoria, in
conditions that were ideal for this form of garden watching: the
observer available to the day, a variety of changing atmospheric effects on offer, the day
ultimately inducing a glow in everything light fell on. I happened to be working from home
that day, so could witness the developing moments. As a result, the
scene was always visible and immediately observable whenever
I looked up and out. I hope the photos and text capture some of the engaging
spectacle on display that magical day.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMquloRbpBlqvhTk8FrST8KCRqRlylcYXlwZiOPiALkmTAUyoYO5c6hq6uHU2khJmr9oWf9UYb69nVG8ityNydXddSqs2Jeiz-_EsI0bxibDN0DOG7oxQ8XcfSmRBb29KSZ7SaMr8jw3UtHeAzLu1pPZibJSSc0wnwzfqkrc-qxxM9LteczjIMWzP7Wzs/s1600/Day%20two.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMquloRbpBlqvhTk8FrST8KCRqRlylcYXlwZiOPiALkmTAUyoYO5c6hq6uHU2khJmr9oWf9UYb69nVG8ityNydXddSqs2Jeiz-_EsI0bxibDN0DOG7oxQ8XcfSmRBb29KSZ7SaMr8jw3UtHeAzLu1pPZibJSSc0wnwzfqkrc-qxxM9LteczjIMWzP7Wzs/w640-h426/Day%20two.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">A misty start after a long night<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> of</span> rain, the garden drenched and green</span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">The day dawned through a light mist,
after a night of sustained rainfall. The shot above catches the scene just before
nine o'clock in the morning. I'm working inside and looking out through the kitchen
windows now and then. One effect of mist is a general softening of things, as it
diffuses available light while rendering the air itself visible. I had a feeling
this mist would dissolve fairly quickly into open sunlight and was
intrigued to watch the transition play out. I decided to record these
early conditions, so I leaned out a kitchen window and brought the
garden up closer using a telephoto lens. The mist in the shot below,
while still thick enough to render the background details hazily, is
already being infiltrated by October's golden sunlight. </span><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4MWuMgq6uYjNJaQJol1RRgfPTb51FVxbfv8AtxM1sIT9PM1qOwq3uiPjQoX3aFdiwG_ip1rZ_u8bbqnnvkteBW_EqnAkhXJ-lQO49tCPb3vHx7omqgeNv83moCCvqHrNb01bgfd8x7woofQCHX5qkKa1UkIIbj8FQ0lpZcUsMujgEWSONvEPUzZhbIg/s1600/Day%20three.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4MWuMgq6uYjNJaQJol1RRgfPTb51FVxbfv8AtxM1sIT9PM1qOwq3uiPjQoX3aFdiwG_ip1rZ_u8bbqnnvkteBW_EqnAkhXJ-lQO49tCPb3vHx7omqgeNv83moCCvqHrNb01bgfd8x7woofQCHX5qkKa1UkIIbj8FQ0lpZcUsMujgEWSONvEPUzZhbIg/w640-h426/Day%20three.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Similar angle, sun now starting to<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> rise <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">above</span></span> the mist, fall colours flooding in</span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /> </span><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Morning mists occur periodically in fall
and winter in our marine climate, which sees the jet stream push clouds
and storms in off the Pacific Ocean and across our small peninsula. Mists and fogs are usually associated with an air mass that's
come to a standstill, which we experience essentially as a motionless
cloud perched above the land. This stillness and the shrouding
effect of mist adds an air of mystery to the surroundings (that
is, if one doesn't have to travel in it!). Apparently the physical phenomenon of
mist is caused by temperature differentials that trigger evaporation of moisture from
land (or sea) to air, concentrated and compressed by atmospheric inversion caused by
an air mass above holding it stationary. When this happens, especially during parts of the year when the sun's arc is lower in the
sky, solar energy has to penetrate the mist for longer before dissipating it. (In Vancouver's West End, fog combined with inversion
can persist for days on end, enclosing the visible world to the
point of claustrophobic unreality). The mists we see here sometimes
blanket broad areas of land, but at other times are limited to lower-lying
pockets or sequester over the
straits where they complicate navigation. To someone on land, settled in a
secure location, the presence of mist adds ethereal effect to landscape, especially as it gradually thins and daylight breaks
through. This was exactly the dynamic at work that day.</span><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span> "Retard the sun with gentle mist;</span></span><br /></span></span></i></b> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">Enchant the land with amethyst."</span></b> <span> </span></span></span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Robert Frost, 'October', 1915</b></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">At this point I was busy working and only occasionally glancing at the day's sights through the
windows. Light-wise however, things were moving along dynamically. As the sun rose
higher in the sky, the light turned more lustrous and golden, and with
it the fall palette of reds, yellows, oranges and browns began to make a stronger impression. Bright sunlight falling on a garden drenched with rain adds a kind
of pulsing resplendence to the scene, at points making it appear
paradisical. Our fall sunshine can be brilliant, but not
so intense as to quickly dry the landscape, which means Edenic
impressions of verdure and vibrant colour are prolonged. Through the
flow of moments the surroundings simply glow with radiant energy.
Check below how the fall colours are beginning to smoulder as the sun's
rays fully break through (there's only the faintest hint of
lingering mist in the distant background now).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3pdwSQeTwbIKup0Cb0cTV1C9riznzSRT4E4RfIx95fVFgtyc_mq8qvuKtyD6Tq6238tm03PENts2YkXTdBJf_5yTYMatqXaKy57O8zBo3c1QLGq4PuvaEesckB9oKzFOJy3sfX_Ca8ZEHKdAPR1ZfNkmiVG38bZsgtHqcoOh6HXhMJIddTBjhQIm66s/s1600/Day%20four.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3pdwSQeTwbIKup0Cb0cTV1C9riznzSRT4E4RfIx95fVFgtyc_mq8qvuKtyD6Tq6238tm03PENts2YkXTdBJf_5yTYMatqXaKy57O8zBo3c1QLGq4PuvaEesckB9oKzFOJy3sfX_Ca8ZEHKdAPR1ZfNkmiVG38bZsgtHqcoOh6HXhMJIddTBjhQIm66s/w640-h426/Day%20four.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Suddenly the mist dissipates, sunlight is dominant, and fall colours blaze</span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">The sun's appearance renders the world
into blocks of contrasting light and shade. Periodically I look up and
notice that the shade line running across the back garden is retreating
slowly eastward as the sun gradually rises further above the roof, bathing ever more of
the ground plane in intense fall light.</span><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-_esEjBBxi4NNiEXuNZm_x7QJ96tHDQJsUd46eONmd6brSUzLgdy_04AdOkd8Ktd3DjrxJJj2WMBMnn6GcxukMyN2cOyCAZnrxhRdSom2t5uMDIZ1R49yseh0A_ccNQYbDlVLgI4i0S4qWJ1U2_UP3ebbmxcNJbNM_qDrDMVDLYqBXrRdFyD5tdaQPI/s1600/Day%20five.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-_esEjBBxi4NNiEXuNZm_x7QJ96tHDQJsUd46eONmd6brSUzLgdy_04AdOkd8Ktd3DjrxJJj2WMBMnn6GcxukMyN2cOyCAZnrxhRdSom2t5uMDIZ1R49yseh0A_ccNQYbDlVLgI4i0S4qWJ1U2_UP3ebbmxcNJbNM_qDrDMVDLYqBXrRdFyD5tdaQPI/w640-h426/Day%20five.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rising in the southeast, the sun casts angled light on oaks, lilacs and shed front</span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">From my seat at an island counter, generously sized kitchen windows play the role of framing views that
appear astonishingly rich and vibrant. The thought occurs how fortunate we are to have such direct visual access to the garden from inside the building, and how rare and unusual this degree of wall-porosity actually
is in a world of houses designed to face inwards. Ample windows make walls seem semi-transparent, tipping the usual
distancing effect towards one of connection. I quietly thank the
building's designer for so creatively linking inside to outside,
affording me a pleasurable sense of immediacy without ever having to leave my seat.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span>
</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5B51N0Ylzj3yGD-34fvPaPTgOjRFM3K4efoZTdMQz5fSDILP7MlHxpXsd_3bmnPSws7rWMHZC3CDHgFSKr8fv6izuCMQxSqsHtBYQU9lWDol_vuevKGEzExmySbwT-BluC83HkRzLsU5cuEhCmL3MNC-uCDMMbrnlxGfgZCkxHGzgV-b3_KHb6hK2iQ8/s1600/Day%20six.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5B51N0Ylzj3yGD-34fvPaPTgOjRFM3K4efoZTdMQz5fSDILP7MlHxpXsd_3bmnPSws7rWMHZC3CDHgFSKr8fv6izuCMQxSqsHtBYQU9lWDol_vuevKGEzExmySbwT-BluC83HkRzLsU5cuEhCmL3MNC-uCDMMbrnlxGfgZCkxHGzgV-b3_KHb6hK2iQ8/w426-h640/Day%20six.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">View-framing window with scenic ensemble</span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br />
</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbAz4cWnysLO-nj9Mcj_ZvG9mCc08E5NVDCmjq7UC-n_b0tqkafCB8V8frE-yIAM2FyQ8-l4GKPyDdDV2dV9s6hNUTHeT-mcFRmEwdvPa4-yQ_bh6B2NPhMtutkb_TxENd-P2T-zgETs-fpTb07sYNtDES7NgsOm8Ct7ylGc_aVkEKy7eC4Su96lFFBw/s1600/Day%20seven.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbAz4cWnysLO-nj9Mcj_ZvG9mCc08E5NVDCmjq7UC-n_b0tqkafCB8V8frE-yIAM2FyQ8-l4GKPyDdDV2dV9s6hNUTHeT-mcFRmEwdvPa4-yQ_bh6B2NPhMtutkb_TxENd-P2T-zgETs-fpTb07sYNtDES7NgsOm8Ct7ylGc_aVkEKy7eC4Su96lFFBw/w640-h426/Day%20seven.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><b><span style="font-size: small;">Shade and<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> sha<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">d<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">ow effects <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">balance <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">the sun's progressive illumination of the scene</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Come time for morning break, I stop working to make
tea and then wander about to inspect the changing scenes framed through
other windows. I am intrigued enough to continue recording more of these
engaging impressions, rendered rather dreamily through the wavy lens of
old glass. It's towards eleven o'clock when the next photos are made.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwtfFDOSvCENBxWi5pwIOI4PG1xf7fs2LlDHnianzp0rHfTWJmUKNwbGdJX1MPXo2NpUzyAEI_RO_mDtcRC7CwdV8jUDtsrBkyGVnPQEiCG4QiPLgKgVhxHOu4l901bbigqkthKTMdhHIqWQB4z6y-GSx5-aImUWigo6Wvw_DvDqUbQhdPaG9rWg8_fdI/s1600/Day%20eight.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwtfFDOSvCENBxWi5pwIOI4PG1xf7fs2LlDHnianzp0rHfTWJmUKNwbGdJX1MPXo2NpUzyAEI_RO_mDtcRC7CwdV8jUDtsrBkyGVnPQEiCG4QiPLgKgVhxHOu4l901bbigqkthKTMdhHIqWQB4z6y-GSx5-aImUWigo6Wvw_DvDqUbQhdPaG9rWg8_fdI/w426-h640/Day%20eight.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Window scene looking south across a tangle of shrubs</span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijh5u7itSwJ_E1pBeFavvcxgQUjrx_ul2jt1AnKcSZ6vS3m6qsNHf0DNU3d5-SBgvV-7-IUWSBpxM9iZYgsGRmZZ-Ipj-nybsnQ6TudtGw5TRRjm9Ttf3s98qGCIfNU9Q7hwgZDwJIFY7oN4sUOHXBV2n4iwr8q7GduYZUGdLFu45iz2AKqeTYMnruEto/s1600/Day%20nine.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijh5u7itSwJ_E1pBeFavvcxgQUjrx_ul2jt1AnKcSZ6vS3m6qsNHf0DNU3d5-SBgvV-7-IUWSBpxM9iZYgsGRmZZ-Ipj-nybsnQ6TudtGw5TRRjm9Ttf3s98qGCIfNU9Q7hwgZDwJIFY7oN4sUOHXBV2n4iwr8q7GduYZUGdLFu45iz2AKqeTYMnruEto/w640-h426/Day%20nine.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mossy green limbs of Garry Oak, looking south-east through living room windows</span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><b> </b></i></span></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><b>After
another work bout, I decide to head outside for a breath of fresh air
and to sample the changing impressions from closer up. </b></i>The day registers as awe-inspiring autumn at its entrancing best: echoes
of summer's forceful energy are tinged by the faintest hint of winter's
approach in the sharpening plays of shadow and light.</span><span style="font-family: times;"> While the
front garden (down slope in front of the house) is now fully illuminated by high sun from the
south, the back garden still reveals broad areas locked in full shade.
The contrast between zones is stark, the oak trees and garden
furnishings casting intriguing, mobile shadow patterns into the sunny
parts of the scene. The fact the sun is much lower in the sky during fall equinox lengthens the shadows cast by objects. There are also fewer
hours of sunlight now, so the daily progression of changes is more
compressed and rapid, sensitizing us to its movement. That shortening
day, with its less intense solar energy, is what triggers leaves to
stop manufacturing chlorophyll, in turn prompting their gradual turn from lush
green towards the spectrum of fall colours. The sunlight however, while less
intense, remains brilliant, but not in the blinding, colour-fading way
of overhead summer sun. Look at the shadows cast by oak limbs on the bay
tree in the next photo, imparting a slightly fanciful quality to the
scene.</span></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL2al0m2szOpUi61_jUk_UsMEQkzpBWJqf7-PfnzdkKrmlLuRWqrm8nKHhlXQyMguohVwTSquiYozkSyolOXr575TbgjOTtqfcwzG8sj1_1eCIg3QvNz1Kscge1X9MWicJvxYq9byxW0ZljgRiDNmyo08JkzJ8Cz1nAAZUCk0KjVKR2XGtKDGWDAVFY7A/s1600/Day%20ten.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL2al0m2szOpUi61_jUk_UsMEQkzpBWJqf7-PfnzdkKrmlLuRWqrm8nKHhlXQyMguohVwTSquiYozkSyolOXr575TbgjOTtqfcwzG8sj1_1eCIg3QvNz1Kscge1X9MWicJvxYq9byxW0ZljgRiDNmyo08JkzJ8Cz1nAAZUCk0KjVKR2XGtKDGWDAVFY7A/w640-h426/Day%20ten.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Brilliant sunlight coupled with deep shade effects and sharp shadow lines</span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">High overhead, bathed in full sunlight, a
tableau of moss and lichen covers the oak limbs like a shaggy carpet.
This secretive world returns to visible life when fall rains swell its
array of inhabitants back to prominence. As I observe them now, glowing
in glorious sunlight after soaking rains, the thought occurs that as
gardeners we really should be cultivating this world of plants much more
consciously for their subtle seasonal effects. While they may be a
little lost in the colour-orgy of full-on autumn, by November their presence
will assert itself in welcome ways. I'm reminded again what that
canny garden-maker Francis Bacon counselled so long ago now (Of Gardens, 1625): <i><b>"there ought
to be gardens for all months in the year, in which, severally, things
of beauty may be in season"</b></i>. Here on our suddenly damp west coast,
mosses, lichen and their ilk should qualify for more attention in our
fall gardens, as they are both beautiful and coming into season as the leaves disappear.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7bKKbxcxUClFk9jZZVDDVqWaDIOOgGRJZtlIlLo9OKylNTEg21pwS370hPyRhCLyqDz8rjgJwBohpnS1FF8tS1D_AL0ePtDwlsvdDYT1K2PhKk2gs_z-qXC25NmzrDQbBR-zkEMIB9NrE8gziPqrLG6viZFVyhyphenhyphenh5T1N919bLzyV028YriLZnT4XDuw/s1600/Day%20eleven.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7bKKbxcxUClFk9jZZVDDVqWaDIOOgGRJZtlIlLo9OKylNTEg21pwS370hPyRhCLyqDz8rjgJwBohpnS1FF8tS1D_AL0ePtDwlsvdDYT1K2PhKk2gs_z-qXC25NmzrDQbBR-zkEMIB9NrE8gziPqrLG6viZFVyhyphenhyphenh5T1N919bLzyV028YriLZnT4XDuw/w640-h426/Day%20eleven.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">An intriguing domain of lichen and mosses that recedes to <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">a <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">trace</span></span> in summer</span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Come mid-day, I'm
briefly free to again observe the moment's changing impressions. The sun
is now more fully overhead, the direction of its light gradually
contracting the scene's shaded zones, shortening shadows and further
scrambling their effects. At this time of year though, given the
elevation of the house on a ridge on a hill, parts of the scene do remain
shaded through most of the day, emphatically so in the day's intense
sunlight. These effects, akin to painter's chiaroscuro, are
central to the magic and mystery of the season's changeable light.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNRbvmL3sx4JCoUqmVBzHiH4Zd0e4dsDDMKrblPFl3fKQwfi1enmgGZ9P8TGMELGvNVOy8g0mAn4c_Ee318nvjoLh-xwihujH3fTalPSyK87hVj2HImpjH1AxiZkLhAmsDvLBLF0wHR82TZJK2bPFMPnMDE-GopRVy3fLeMkDDgyeClTG0oM5eeKjNiw/s1600/Day%20twelve.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNRbvmL3sx4JCoUqmVBzHiH4Zd0e4dsDDMKrblPFl3fKQwfi1enmgGZ9P8TGMELGvNVOy8g0mAn4c_Ee318nvjoLh-xwihujH3fTalPSyK87hVj2HImpjH1AxiZkLhAmsDvLBLF0wHR82TZJK2bPFMPnMDE-GopRVy3fLeMkDDgyeClTG0oM5eeKjNiw/w426-h640/Day%20twelve.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lilac's yellowing leaves through diamond-paned glass<br /></span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44TGqGZpTjziAMTi1VPzW4F_B0BH8xhVl20nAo1bY1Zdb0u2p1blKRbSAGE7tZQPN9kvnodFzNOhSUwSrAt8jBcq3UdCtcfN_ScPSDBpVc-hXstW9L5-9urxLtMklKgcbnP43pT5MHLCPEVxqku8KybpH4W_JVZ0gE4of3o6k-LOZQhHWyqYL-2g6Vck/s1600/Day%20thirteen.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44TGqGZpTjziAMTi1VPzW4F_B0BH8xhVl20nAo1bY1Zdb0u2p1blKRbSAGE7tZQPN9kvnodFzNOhSUwSrAt8jBcq3UdCtcfN_ScPSDBpVc-hXstW9L5-9urxLtMklKgcbnP43pT5MHLCPEVxqku8KybpH4W_JVZ0gE4of3o6k-LOZQhHWyqYL-2g6Vck/w640-h426/Day%20thirteen.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Shadows contracting slowly, light intensifying elements of the <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">composition</span></span></span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdUjxA2WV2kXlC436HjqXpCPoUgIX9fuC0QXLr_R0dLRkzTKZywD5XcKwz-gzfWc5KjBC53Jr28QYGyRK12mFAD9ALqyXxCIaVU0OmS1l1gIOkiqrGk5ytxWeuzbyZ73_mSWLnsxudCBX8uLOjBotzyM2RTr6CrL_pzPgdvz9CfYS2aKBR8bW16oayCf8/s1600/Day%20fourteen.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdUjxA2WV2kXlC436HjqXpCPoUgIX9fuC0QXLr_R0dLRkzTKZywD5XcKwz-gzfWc5KjBC53Jr28QYGyRK12mFAD9ALqyXxCIaVU0OmS1l1gIOkiqrGk5ytxWeuzbyZ73_mSWLnsxudCBX8uLOjBotzyM2RTr6CrL_pzPgdvz9CfYS2aKBR8bW16oayCf8/w640-h426/Day%20fourteen.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Fruiting<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> cotoneasters displaying seasonal<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> red and orange colours</span></span></span></span><br /></span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The afternoon segment of the sun's daily
rotation brings subtle new effects in train. Moving into the southwest
now, it casts sharply angled light from a gradual change of direction.
Come mid-afternoon, the shifting direction of light causes the garden
to appear quite differently. Specific combinations of elements within
it seem to beckon the eye at this point. For reasons I don't
comprehend, the pictures are now virtually composing themselves. Perhaps
this sort of light makes every possible scene into a picture? <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXOiTF3sJIem8Tr8jcSfhiNOdXE7gOWfkhkrKHFRfT33jiiGf8_DGhpGHeJM3epLqXw0D0A9p7LaFT4bVB6voxm84bc6_ZfhOyeofy4A65TaxjFbxghSi7K58wsly5lvuW7Zpc8WnAsf2DJvG_5jUthLE0AC8WLHHWS16DdPgbu7LQIlAvlnI1Liloio/s1600/Day%20fifteen.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXOiTF3sJIem8Tr8jcSfhiNOdXE7gOWfkhkrKHFRfT33jiiGf8_DGhpGHeJM3epLqXw0D0A9p7LaFT4bVB6voxm84bc6_ZfhOyeofy4A65TaxjFbxghSi7K58wsly5lvuW7Zpc8WnAsf2DJvG_5jUthLE0AC8WLHHWS16DdPgbu7LQIlAvlnI1Liloio/w426-h640/Day%20fifteen.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Scenes seem to suggest themselves to the eye now</span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br />
</p><p><br />
</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0HNzFf-f4ugJzq0-yYVJsmeFbbqRl88GSzAMJxq4vWIDmZQv2J3DTO3XULs8HTYMXIvFDVdZgKEuiQhF7oAv92VqC1S4Yx8Rrs_BAqfJq2sVkkZh-j18-t_gtW3w4BCJk-fn5jP2_7bKzthscT6xJKjVYOLDCKLP6k_ri8dvz3_HokTUSqgImbgmOHQ/s1600/Day%20sixteen.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0HNzFf-f4ugJzq0-yYVJsmeFbbqRl88GSzAMJxq4vWIDmZQv2J3DTO3XULs8HTYMXIvFDVdZgKEuiQhF7oAv92VqC1S4Yx8Rrs_BAqfJq2sVkkZh-j18-t_gtW3w4BCJk-fn5jP2_7bKzthscT6xJKjVYOLDCKLP6k_ri8dvz3_HokTUSqgImbgmOHQ/w640-h426/Day%20sixteen.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">The tiny pink flowers between oak and 'glacial erratic' are escaped cyclamen</span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br />
</p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">As the afternoon wears on, changing sun
angles continue to subtly modify scenic effects - I am shooting across
the direction of sunlight in the next photos, so trees and shrubs appear
back-lit by sunlight coming from the west, causing a glowing aura to appear along their limbs. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3NtMNj83VXjdbUW1vueWbOAWee0QKmzxvL_m_l5YBonxahlfwcgeG4gp9hRdcwmrH8ybFCidQVuDTWMF7aX58HWzG76e7bZkNzVmdJOATR89DkPiWY4lF9U4j8_2k2YDsGmHNKrpJxFMFq-X_6JFZHC0_Z1DRw3VBd1mWYU2kKNg65r-6KbLqwdsZgI8/s1600/Day%20eighteen.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3NtMNj83VXjdbUW1vueWbOAWee0QKmzxvL_m_l5YBonxahlfwcgeG4gp9hRdcwmrH8ybFCidQVuDTWMF7aX58HWzG76e7bZkNzVmdJOATR89DkPiWY4lF9U4j8_2k2YDsGmHNKrpJxFMFq-X_6JFZHC0_Z1DRw3VBd1mWYU2kKNg65r-6KbLqwdsZgI8/w640-h426/Day%20eighteen.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Strong shadow line along the curve of boxwood, golden aura edging tree limbs</span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span>
</p><p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJAyxoaKNhCBhF0Ek3ulUS_pIlobx-2F1EkK0hmVu659g-xw8wuPIwiHz5a2kBdEPMxXDit7kHnSkRereokLMNYGkkGDIw3sNhjJF5beXEw64TLXHNjHaxATufHyfwoLaeMXu4Bz9oD9i28PrbgJW-GzOb_kghOovAynPyDLOVA-8C2htc5IkxvIYV1c/s1600/Day%20nineteen.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJAyxoaKNhCBhF0Ek3ulUS_pIlobx-2F1EkK0hmVu659g-xw8wuPIwiHz5a2kBdEPMxXDit7kHnSkRereokLMNYGkkGDIw3sNhjJF5beXEw64TLXHNjHaxATufHyfwoLaeMXu4Bz9oD9i28PrbgJW-GzOb_kghOovAynPyDLOVA-8C2htc5IkxvIYV1c/w640-h426/Day%20nineteen.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sense of peaceful repose, fall colours still glowing in the later afternoon sun </span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The sun is now fully in the southwest
and descending rapidly towards the horizon, but its rays still just
clear the treed backdrop to reach deep into both front and back gardens.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXi7DnUQXFPLDgE8JWLf1h3nmWwrx-VOXQSQrNSVDi9K0KxQMm-OZtvcl9-6BwKZAKafnkfgYxLtQPyFnKqFt5387FVbVgTtfrYL_WwTTN9j1KZHjv3SqjMfZDPDimCipKP8PaRgqbtnjeJouN-q-EI3IsMsZRXO-SQGzBrKraz9aoxrrOJJK597aYQms/s3008/Day%20twenty%20six.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXi7DnUQXFPLDgE8JWLf1h3nmWwrx-VOXQSQrNSVDi9K0KxQMm-OZtvcl9-6BwKZAKafnkfgYxLtQPyFnKqFt5387FVbVgTtfrYL_WwTTN9j1KZHjv3SqjMfZDPDimCipKP8PaRgqbtnjeJouN-q-EI3IsMsZRXO-SQGzBrKraz9aoxrrOJJK597aYQms/w426-h640/Day%20twenty%20six.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Caramel leaves and mossy limbs through wavy glass</span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCW6rkddmXeuBSw0qWF1h9VH5P3ycstEGRkxpuPFvQg5q5zIA_9ycyOnkhtqeR4qfgFKYimDD9OFpAB9_mm-dBP16qn1IPYcugnaWURH3D2Jt9CKXnwVU_N_2L__1GuA4273ebxNpFA-D5w2h3kc1EFbzdMqSlAmvfdlknCaFlhN_RQpKqEgHjKfqxEQ/s1600/Day%20twenty%20one.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCW6rkddmXeuBSw0qWF1h9VH5P3ycstEGRkxpuPFvQg5q5zIA_9ycyOnkhtqeR4qfgFKYimDD9OFpAB9_mm-dBP16qn1IPYcugnaWURH3D2Jt9CKXnwVU_N_2L__1GuA4273ebxNpFA-D5w2h3kc1EFbzdMqSlAmvfdlknCaFlhN_RQpKqEgHjKfqxEQ/w640-h426/Day%20twenty%20one.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lichen and moss backlit in later afternoon light from the southwest</span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">From time to time throughout the day
I've also noticed the earth's fall scent rising from recently moistened ground. This earthy redolence is
perhaps amplified by our mucking about in flower beds at this time of
year, digging out dwindling plants, mixing in fresh compost, and
replanting grounds with renewed hope of good results next year. This distinctive scent is also conditioned by the exotic
smell of caramel-toned oak leaves brought down by the night's
rainfall, some now dried sufficiently to scrunch again under foot.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFE29hQy2_-Pxa5Fyh2yqmZ3fW1Flk3Gl1o85aURaEvxKMVcMgu1-HSzPJxGnGJP-VssAtep7Lsc5x-n8n6j0MsDYXHggFr6p5LJEQdhh264F5Ksw2aaN6aCZBXecZ_X2J_B3sD9tJgnivjyv1tjDUXaF64wJYzZCnjTZeNo5LDTWz61p-sW-KjmdvL7A/s1600/Day%20twenty%20two.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFE29hQy2_-Pxa5Fyh2yqmZ3fW1Flk3Gl1o85aURaEvxKMVcMgu1-HSzPJxGnGJP-VssAtep7Lsc5x-n8n6j0MsDYXHggFr6p5LJEQdhh264F5Ksw2aaN6aCZBXecZ_X2J_B3sD9tJgnivjyv1tjDUXaF64wJYzZCnjTZeNo5LDTWz61p-sW-KjmdvL7A/w426-h640/Day%20twenty%20two.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Neighbours' maple smoulders next to box and bay</span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span> </span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>Near the end of the day's direct overhead
light, the remaining rays have the effect of liquid gold on the house. Now about to
slip behind the tall fir trees of Marigold Park lying to the west and so become diffuse before the
long twilight, the sun splashes a final play of this golden light across the south
wall of the house.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZhTIG6zOvROVBp3kFXZloDDGg1SsoR23RBQl7BI7Rrrp9Hqh7PG-ucW_zAY8hATpyZZJF8tBN-xhitan01L-T9MSeQrnOFzqvZUTbh9LJYSiIR8TMDUxAwjANlShABa372GW1cOch-QzjcBenL6arO_zpX4qwlDjdWQgotdL_MUQn2p3mhm6sN6akNRo/s3008/Day%20twenty%20four.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZhTIG6zOvROVBp3kFXZloDDGg1SsoR23RBQl7BI7Rrrp9Hqh7PG-ucW_zAY8hATpyZZJF8tBN-xhitan01L-T9MSeQrnOFzqvZUTbh9LJYSiIR8TMDUxAwjANlShABa372GW1cOch-QzjcBenL6arO_zpX4qwlDjdWQgotdL_MUQn2p3mhm6sN6akNRo/w640-h426/Day%20twenty%20four.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Last beams of golden light splash against the building as the sun descends westwards</span></span></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
</p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">This magical fall day would conclude with a long period of more indirect light effects, which also commanded my attention but which, at my skill level at least, are less susceptible to rendering effectively as photos.
So, echoing the abrupt way the sun disappears at day's end in
fall, my photo-essay draws to a close here too. My eyes were obviously beguiled by
the day's effects, an experience I was open to despite being occupied
by working from home. It afforded me the opportunity to see and record
the garden light show as I observed it throughout the course of the
day. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><span><b><i>"Our vision these days is attuned to the virtual rather than the visible, to images rather than appearances, and to representations rather than phenomena."</i></b> </span></span><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Robert Pogue Harrison, On the Lost Art of Seeing, in Gardens: An Essay On The Human Condition</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">.</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></b>
</p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
</p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Making oneself available to being
engaged by such effects is apparently becoming harder for people today
(many now are indifferent to their actual physical surroundings,
other than as contexts for the immediacy of selfies). There is a clear preference for the
distractions of the virtual world over the actual physical world's changeful appearances. I gather I'm rather old-fashioned in this regard, if
anything trying to sharpen my sense of direct engagement with season and
landscape from minute to minute. But I should acknowledge my own
sleight of hand in this mode of presentation, as I am in fact using
images (hence employing a tool of the virtuality I just lamented)
<i><b>to try and convey the potential of being present in person to precisely such effects</b></i>.
I leave it to you to judge whether that worked or not - my intention
was only to share my home garden in a way that reflects the day's unique effects and
encourages further observing. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Books For Looks:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><i>Circle of The Seasons - The Journal of a Naturalist's Year</i>, Edwin Way Teale, 1953.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><i>Of Gardens</i>, Francis Bacon, 1625.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><i>Gardens - An Essay on the Human Condition</i>, Robert Pogue Harrison, 2008.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><i>The Garden As An Art, </i>Mara Miller, 1993. </span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span>
</p><p></p>David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-30346528879353266982023-11-18T16:00:00.000-08:002023-12-24T16:16:21.790-08:00Return of the moist-garden<p> </p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <b><i>"Winter is not the death of the life cycle, but its crucible.”</i></b>
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times<i> </i>by Katherine May
</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjXEXO8TUBaDXe0jATg_EC3T5nIb8auZBtijjgv7i2nP7J4MtibP2ysrvHa2_tes99J2lC4u8TDWrc6evcf7jiThkdooiitc3tzGh-D_kIvAxD0tvLZffrX9_zjh_n1cxh2diuerQsp8Eum7yoLysaT1F7XYoEYHj6fRwvtWKTadTORGrG60eFQsXmRs/s1600/Moist%20one.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjXEXO8TUBaDXe0jATg_EC3T5nIb8auZBtijjgv7i2nP7J4MtibP2ysrvHa2_tes99J2lC4u8TDWrc6evcf7jiThkdooiitc3tzGh-D_kIvAxD0tvLZffrX9_zjh_n1cxh2diuerQsp8Eum7yoLysaT1F7XYoEYHj6fRwvtWKTadTORGrG60eFQsXmRs/w640-h426/Moist%20one.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">Fall's dramatic changes prefigure the garden's next iteration</b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p> </p><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">In many places in the Northern Hemisphere, November is an
inhospitable month that signals the beginning of winter’s icy grip. Here in temperate coastal Victoria, November marks the end of one garden year and
the beginning of another, forcing complex transitions on both garden and
gardener. The mood itself can be a little sombre, as November is often the debut of our wet
winter, typically bringing stretches of showery overcast skies punctuated by periodic downpours. By
week three back in 2009, it had already dropped more than twice the average November rainfall,
and still it came down! The run of rainy-grey days can feel psychologically confining,
signalling the season of ‘affective disorder’ in which mood serves as a drag on initiative. Driven by shortening days and less intense light, gloom
eats further into the meagre quantity of fading daylight hours. Feelings of
hopelessness can take root if this weather continues without breaks. Some lucky ones take this as a cue to decamp for sunnier climes. In the event that no
such reprieve is possible, consolations simply must be actively sought out.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj93EiPAORUJYw_shz_5mMtc-dzutT5nTzvtQ_N7VBy7a7hVJKso3jziEpm0d66EkPefY61-xtwCL32deIOz1nAe0yz1c7e4QByu-lquDvmsTZ-tuhpmcLhJr2dCkYoge5BwffKEmnuBeP4-Jp3WmGJuq-bU1EzOwguMkf-xBwcs99lUZc_IxqX7UneMhc/s3008/Moist%20alt%20eleven.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj93EiPAORUJYw_shz_5mMtc-dzutT5nTzvtQ_N7VBy7a7hVJKso3jziEpm0d66EkPefY61-xtwCL32deIOz1nAe0yz1c7e4QByu-lquDvmsTZ-tuhpmcLhJr2dCkYoge5BwffKEmnuBeP4-Jp3WmGJuq-bU1EzOwguMkf-xBwcs99lUZc_IxqX7UneMhc/w640-h426/Moist%20alt%20eleven.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Monochrome light, typical of our November, has its own unique beauty</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </span></span></div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">A fire burning gamely in the grate is far and away
the best counter to any signs of cabin fever, but there are also a few consoling aspects
to the rains themselves. One is the welcome sound they make at night: a soft drumming
on the roof, metal downspouts gurgling audibly with runoff. Such sounds cause
sleep to come more readily, driving it deeper and making it last longer for those
fortunate enough to be sheltered in dry houses. Cloudy skies also darken the night hours, holding our circadian rhythms at bay better and for longer. After the short nights and early starts of
summer, whose habitual sleep deprivation carries on into early fall, sleep is now more sustained and
restorative. In longer stretches of wet weather the urge to hibernate and slow the pace
of life also affords a certain pleasure – if we allow ourselves to give in to it! And
while November can be really wet, even its dampest iterations offer some sunny breaks. And at such moments, when the sun suddenly appears and moss on the oaks glows in response, one is immediately reminded that
seasonal chores await attention, and also finds that the energy for tackling them often returns. Sunlight has that sort of effect on gardeners.</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hiROP0P9FMxZJviNow6k9UfOCVs4bkI3eDzC6aiJX7j6FWKXzTT9985QoX_q6vx3qHyJ-qVD4GTqTfqzJWm8xYeIbPTa1O38fkttqB46_MNduMkbTpEqqbULWmegAXXStiMuTY0TIvVC_NpbdYdgR_z-M6nljYC3-1AmTkD9OTEN66oKMJTypwoe5Hw/s1600/Moist%20two.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hiROP0P9FMxZJviNow6k9UfOCVs4bkI3eDzC6aiJX7j6FWKXzTT9985QoX_q6vx3qHyJ-qVD4GTqTfqzJWm8xYeIbPTa1O38fkttqB46_MNduMkbTpEqqbULWmegAXXStiMuTY0TIvVC_NpbdYdgR_z-M6nljYC3-1AmTkD9OTEN66oKMJTypwoe5Hw/w640-h426/Moist%20two.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Subtle November light draws out pastel tints in cool, moist landscape</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiscZA53zXH1nn9ypFuSkC3ZtSIFUkTyjXtQHbRPop15PRlVgqNs4uDCRvwa1ARuonPcPU9AR_wbQ8p9M4GuMkhpF7ODhVYI5W6OsDxBr4SWDQiwa2O08KsW4N14dN0DJQ6S1g8SRpqEGpjrkOvCF3hP9HRYwUEHjrgC3G9_WYKhpKYLlit3PdbCyyb4xU/s1600/Moist%20twenty%20six.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiscZA53zXH1nn9ypFuSkC3ZtSIFUkTyjXtQHbRPop15PRlVgqNs4uDCRvwa1ARuonPcPU9AR_wbQ8p9M4GuMkhpF7ODhVYI5W6OsDxBr4SWDQiwa2O08KsW4N14dN0DJQ6S1g8SRpqEGpjrkOvCF3hP9HRYwUEHjrgC3G9_WYKhpKYLlit3PdbCyyb4xU/w640-h426/Moist%20twenty%20six.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Even the wettest of Novembers hosts some sunny stretches</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Rainfall from November through February delivers the bulk of Victoria’s
annual water supply, stored in the Sooke Lake reservoir as run-off from the surrounding
hills. However, feeling put upon by grey skies and the amount of rain still to come, gardeners are not unduly concerned about water storage at this point in the year. We’ll be more grateful
when suddenly we need the water for plants wilting from drought, as happens rapidly
once our climate swings over to dryness. For the moist coastal paradise we inhabit for part of the year rests
on an ongoing climate paradox: the illusion of persistent verdure in winter is cast rudely aside when spring turns dry and green surroundings fade suddenly to buff. Drought takes hold quickly,
sometimes as early as late March, then stretches far into autumn before rain falls again and the land greens up once more. Landscape veers from lush spring plain to baked summer prairie in what
seems a mere blink. Grasses retreat deep into their roots and only reappear once fall rains entice them back, often far into October (or nowadays even later).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4CypI4107_nm1f7S_ZpfRlgzSS0oaTlBFn7krIP9xVNq6bUF2bSQIct7_bgESaf29VVmvAyaqfQwIDwZJQnPNzX55zOzL0mUjmGc6wQaY3V6Q7IkhAOKCOLeZ9eNhp2w09iBzr3LIBBprzT1CMZP9-NORZ7CY7vjvHYH0mHMQxVNFqFfLr6FDYkV_3I/s1600/Moist%20three.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4CypI4107_nm1f7S_ZpfRlgzSS0oaTlBFn7krIP9xVNq6bUF2bSQIct7_bgESaf29VVmvAyaqfQwIDwZJQnPNzX55zOzL0mUjmGc6wQaY3V6Q7IkhAOKCOLeZ9eNhp2w09iBzr3LIBBprzT1CMZP9-NORZ7CY7vjvHYH0mHMQxVNFqFfLr6FDYkV_3I/w640-h426/Moist%20three.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dry landscape palette: wheatstraw and caramel backed by arborial greens</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">A wet-dry climate triggers abrupt
changes in the landscape, requiring gardeners to be adaptable. Fall rains typically intensify throughout November and continue on into
December, often our wettest month. Experientially though, November
often feels wetter than December, as it tends to be less punctuated by
stretches of open sky (2013 turned out to be an anomaly, a November that was more like a
December). Grey, dreary November weather can send even seasoned residents
packing, in search of sunnier days nearer the equator to offset the blahs induced by
contracting daylight hours. Yet despite November's overall greyness, the return of
greenery to lawns along with the lush mosses and striking lichen that suddenly adorn the oaks are stunning whenever the sun appears. The realm of plants glistening moistly in brilliant sunlight forms a captivating spectacle.
And we do get some sunny breaks even in November, due to our fortunate
location on the periphery of the Olympic rain shadow. Coupled
with a marine climate that moderates winter's effects and keeps us free of snow most years, we see many more such sunny stretches here than either Vancouver or Seattle.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span>
</p><p><br />
</p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHFvz5qHYGGREMGe3BTDlTuUr0tHKhK9GphPG-fJcC2qtapADLoTkBDmkBj3mgHpIhoUNuozCUWctIu98f60K9gHnkuBmXCQsNgMxNsDJkv4cwFNCRm9k-NXCMrlgYkR6cL_7GudXU7_Y6nqhX0fnppYRNL-BueLKj8UubsFLXBYyxYt7u7w2gCSnYFsk/s1600/Moist%20four.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHFvz5qHYGGREMGe3BTDlTuUr0tHKhK9GphPG-fJcC2qtapADLoTkBDmkBj3mgHpIhoUNuozCUWctIu98f60K9gHnkuBmXCQsNgMxNsDJkv4cwFNCRm9k-NXCMrlgYkR6cL_7GudXU7_Y6nqhX0fnppYRNL-BueLKj8UubsFLXBYyxYt7u7w2gCSnYFsk/w640-h426/Moist%20four.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sunny November breaks dramatize the mustardy dust lichen on mortared seams</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Come wet, grey November our climate more
resembles that of England, easily misleading us into thinking the English garden is an appropriate design inspiration. This is a powerful illusion, one that's comforting
psychologically, but an ecological misfit over the long dry
season yet to
come. Not surprisingly, many gardeners do strive to model local gardens on rhododendrons,
azaleas, hydrangeas, hostas and other plants needing year-round
moisture in order to really thrive. But this choice is often to the detriment of plants (and the dismay
of
garden admirers) come June, when green has exited the landscape with jarring finality
and moisture-loving foliage
flags and yellows</span><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span>.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZuKgwwukt8BTk68583etcilqheVgMik5_uaTAy8tM1HF5Kb4VgVFP5tuS26lwZ8IOJfrZqKkGCOZaP9-zw5dwO8rp7NPcxLFdrhgWv_Rgod6GqjXgWhs1zbS3S94PYm9Tu99GbdprZOE0HxhiHWzbP3bNRhnBUCa-trHNuZXmiRTUUIsC-74tjZ7wEW0/s1600/Moist%20five.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZuKgwwukt8BTk68583etcilqheVgMik5_uaTAy8tM1HF5Kb4VgVFP5tuS26lwZ8IOJfrZqKkGCOZaP9-zw5dwO8rp7NPcxLFdrhgWv_Rgod6GqjXgWhs1zbS3S94PYm9Tu99GbdprZOE0HxhiHWzbP3bNRhnBUCa-trHNuZXmiRTUUIsC-74tjZ7wEW0/w640-h426/Moist%20five.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Winter colour from hips clustered on ruddy stems of native Nootka Rose</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">But not so the native, drought-adapted trees like oaks, firs,
big-leaf maples and the exotic arbutus, nor their natural understory of
snowberry, Oregon grape, Indian plum, Nootka Rose and ocean spray, forming
pleasing thickets wherever we allow them space. Some gardeners do succeed in
making facsimiles of English garden borders work tolerably well hereabouts, abetted by sufficient
moisture and mulch to keep their preferred plants from burning out. But this is a running
challenge that takes tremendous investments of time and resources to meet (one that is getting worse by the year in the era of climate change). If I’ve learned anything
from decades of gardening in Victoria, it’s to fight neither site nor climate by preferring exotic
plants. I will always hanker after hydrangeas, but in this climate and on our
site, the juice just isn’t worth the squeeze.</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASDZVWlSz95mfkkcga8tDkfnlQ-j7o-XMAh8JYavdGnya3h4ynb67kbWLl2mMD-tdYdOB9YZEkSmQag8PzzmvVZLYWmZCNqEA3w-hfFg7DseTuLfUKGo_dubiRCl_mvHE9uS6QFJh_H7uSk1ycDU8j3sPunvcs2ttnzY-oFJleDa0iCPBIvZgi5f_QSw/s1600/Moist%20six.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASDZVWlSz95mfkkcga8tDkfnlQ-j7o-XMAh8JYavdGnya3h4ynb67kbWLl2mMD-tdYdOB9YZEkSmQag8PzzmvVZLYWmZCNqEA3w-hfFg7DseTuLfUKGo_dubiRCl_mvHE9uS6QFJh_H7uSk1ycDU8j3sPunvcs2ttnzY-oFJleDa0iCPBIvZgi5f_QSw/w426-h640/Moist%20six.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cotoneaster berries add warmth to autumn colours</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Still, for five-to-seven months a year, depending upon seasonal
variations, we do seem to be kith-and-kin of moist-England and so its
traditional landscape park can seem a fitting Ur-garden. This illusion
intensifies during our long, moist coastal spring, which thanks to warm marine air comes
early, develops exquisitely slowly, and in many years enables us to enjoy clear
separation of the early, middle, and late varieties of many types of plants
(among my favorites: quince, iris, lilac and peony, along with simple versions of all
the spring bulbs). This slow-release spring affords exceptional flowering complexity
across our entire regional plant palette. Places that jump right into full-on spring from
the throes of frigid winter, like my native Ontario, never witness our slowly unfolding
panorama of spring blooms.</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2qotC6TxlVRKMnfRS_gGCUr72nmx3eoXwvaD_tUF7PNJ65xIi0vTR3H81HWSG7b5tT1Q7Ra5pyyUbBz2U3lMLl8kaZwWRdxRXo1s_Km7C-PTbx6l5cGiaCeegmx8ZdjYyDkG5JLiVia0XKyvWnlooyneLLPEMAp8SK1KwFFs0QFDiSaL7GTU0K6GbE1A/s1600/Moist%20seven.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2qotC6TxlVRKMnfRS_gGCUr72nmx3eoXwvaD_tUF7PNJ65xIi0vTR3H81HWSG7b5tT1Q7Ra5pyyUbBz2U3lMLl8kaZwWRdxRXo1s_Km7C-PTbx6l5cGiaCeegmx8ZdjYyDkG5JLiVia0XKyvWnlooyneLLPEMAp8SK1KwFFs0QFDiSaL7GTU0K6GbE1A/w640-h480/Moist%20seven.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Daffodils flower early, so are subject to weather reversals, but revive quickly</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvlF_CSraEhAEahp2hUZa-5_GSx4tQnRuhGge1wFcE8fUWW_puY3_GcnXeSiXc27INIlyfLVpgWLCKYgGdHDZHZTR9xVVElKHJGP-u9ZcRc-gh_hFBsNqWfVSCZWsX_fOGDNNVwulrRRQJ2X3oeMedKC4ZkyPHRR_eIPHqDz0HlDTMCiRREATofwi5TVo/s1600/Moist%20eight.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvlF_CSraEhAEahp2hUZa-5_GSx4tQnRuhGge1wFcE8fUWW_puY3_GcnXeSiXc27INIlyfLVpgWLCKYgGdHDZHZTR9xVVElKHJGP-u9ZcRc-gh_hFBsNqWfVSCZWsX_fOGDNNVwulrRRQJ2X3oeMedKC4ZkyPHRR_eIPHqDz0HlDTMCiRREATofwi5TVo/w640-h426/Moist%20eight.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Daffodils, bergenia and quince provide early flowering incidents</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">And how England-like it is when the bulb
clans launch their succession
of cameo appearances, starting with aconites, snowdrops and crocuses, then inching into daffodils
and jonquils, before heading
over-the-top in the full colour-riot of tulips. Until the end of April in some years, and
occasionally even as late as early-to-mid June, we inhabit oak parklands carpeted in
meadow
flowers like camas that can be edged with magnificent shrubbery borders. And then ‘poof’, the grasses begin to
die back,
buff and caramel tones appear, and suddenly we’re as bone-dry as southern California. This
plunge,
cold-turkey, into near-desert conditions is not for the faint of heart - it can only be countered by designs that rely more on drought-tolerant
plantings coupled with drip-irrigation systems. There can be as many as six or seven - and certainly not less than
three-and-a-half - months of these parched conditions, during which many plants need
regular watering just to survive. On sites with thin, spare soils like ours,
stunting is a possibility that stalks the garden. In such conditions it
pays to minimize the
number of plants needing their hands held from day-to-day. Finally, after the
long months
of dessication and frantic watering, fresh rains effect a gradual return to
greenery,
culminating in these very November downpours just now weighing so
heavily on my
mood.</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5a5koiT0Lvv_t9krbmTiwCdAEzCCH313qDh9fRgcjZw26BJixaJve6oyBNVJJXMCIE_xGSCBQl-B9lViVO0OO7gw4Y4FdsGLKeSdZt07RFEsU6PzW_WVJ-9-PKA-DmK5GPS9aSP9RJF34Wt521jJ2qdncG1zgVyWMD42bF-OClFFiKpcf8sEHE3DyUJU/s1600/Moist%20nine.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5a5koiT0Lvv_t9krbmTiwCdAEzCCH313qDh9fRgcjZw26BJixaJve6oyBNVJJXMCIE_xGSCBQl-B9lViVO0OO7gw4Y4FdsGLKeSdZt07RFEsU6PzW_WVJ-9-PKA-DmK5GPS9aSP9RJF34Wt521jJ2qdncG1zgVyWMD42bF-OClFFiKpcf8sEHE3DyUJU/w426-h640/Moist%20nine.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dry landscape: beautiful, but not for gardening</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">November – hardly the most promising month for getting
outside – also sees the bulk of our annual leaf-fall on the west coast. By end
of week one in 2010, the Garry Oaks had already shed two-thirds of their leaves.
By the end of week three, after major wind storms, they were all pretty much
down. Individual specimens
of sweet gum, big-leaf maple, and trembling aspen may hold their colourful displays a while longer, but by the last week of November, most leaves are down and carpeting
lawns and beds, or piling up in wind-driven drifts in corners and crevices. The year 2013 saw a bumper crop of deciduous leaves, courtesy of a long moist spring – a boon in the garden as leaves are the principal ingredient of fall
compost, which is easily made ready in time for dressing spring beds. But these same
leaves can seem a bane when weather and lack of inclination interfere with clearing them from the scene. And every five to seven years, in what's called a mast year, the oaks drop an unusually heavy crop of acorns, necessitating separate collection and complicating the job of assembling leaves for composting (especially if the compost is a cool one, as acorns germinate readily in cool heaps).</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYxQK7jedkgDkgoyOccj_PkvgEAQbki4tUU-QpJD7nzdGtXbRtRL_OoHHH8q1U1sbEPqLT1EDYFOTobOBELIPCaQN70npif-X6gslUH_WLw_-pkZquJya_6nocromBEShlcbin6iSVqg22vApCeIX9aX5-kc9UdIZw5oD_9GFnBEt8ExfIPLSPyYpiPc/s1600/Moist%20ten.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYxQK7jedkgDkgoyOccj_PkvgEAQbki4tUU-QpJD7nzdGtXbRtRL_OoHHH8q1U1sbEPqLT1EDYFOTobOBELIPCaQN70npif-X6gslUH_WLw_-pkZquJya_6nocromBEShlcbin6iSVqg22vApCeIX9aX5-kc9UdIZw5oD_9GFnBEt8ExfIPLSPyYpiPc/w640-h426/Moist%20ten.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">After many November rainstorms, nearly all the oak leaves are down</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">When I moved back to Victoria 35 years ago, the accepted wisdom here was
that there was no alternative but to burn the oak leaves. Accordingly, most back yards came equipped with a metal burn barrel. Fall typically gave
rise to prolonged periods of largely ineffectual burning – ‘smouldering’ may be more exact - reaching a crescendo in November and December. Back then, people
spent days on end stuffing paltry quantities of leaves into barrel burners, only
to release copious clouds of dense blue-grey smoke. It was widely believed that oak leaves were hard to decompose (they aren't), so burning was held to be the only effective way to dispose of them - a truth belied by the slow, choking results but clung-to firmly nonetheless. Wet leaves simply
don’t burn well, full stop. In those days, many November weekends were ruined by
ambient air too smoky to work outside in. Paradoxically, and perversely, the
few sunny breaks in an often-gloomy month were eclipsed by plumes of thick smoke. Today such
fires are wisely banned in suburban Saanich, there’s greater knowledge of how to effectively compost oak leaves (they break down in three months if properly handled) and our
enlightened municipality now offers free curbside collection of piled leaves to
anyone disinclined to work them on site. I myself rarely have spare leaves for pick up, but the program is a godsend for many residents. To
me it’s more satisfying to return them as finished compost to waiting beds in
early spring, and remarkably easy once you acquire the knack.</span></span></p><p><br />
</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdIIN5tIMAuIgcgTZZ4OH8Cb_VnbQaevvBP7AyFPQN27pI0M2vhAr7NUyZfmRkT7w-gp8OdHrZbl2Q8GSxkjiGth0jjC_9MMvzbLUmz3v-VCnJDkkmM6rOSEeH3V7nJ0-ljZC8Rvh55JLRStB-G9tuLVXr9vbTFQHG2x-HBqQ-_nVbcuMeMbZ6lxvyVLI/s1600/Moist%20eleven.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdIIN5tIMAuIgcgTZZ4OH8Cb_VnbQaevvBP7AyFPQN27pI0M2vhAr7NUyZfmRkT7w-gp8OdHrZbl2Q8GSxkjiGth0jjC_9MMvzbLUmz3v-VCnJDkkmM6rOSEeH3V7nJ0-ljZC8Rvh55JLRStB-G9tuLVXr9vbTFQHG2x-HBqQ-_nVbcuMeMbZ6lxvyVLI/w640-h426/Moist%20eleven.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Saanich crew using a vacuum hose to collect leaves raked to the curb </span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Recently, on a November day with weather fronts scrimmaging determinedly back
and forth above, I felt frustrated by the gloomy persistence of showery
overcast. Then just near the point of despair, the clouds parted, the sun appeared, and the
idea of raking leaves moved from abstract burden to immediate boon. Working outside, exposed
to benign weather, on a productive task at a congenial pace, to me offers consummate enjoyment of gardening. Of course, nothing compares with an
outcome that advances the overall composition, but workaday gardeners tend to see
their creations more while carrying out specific tasks than as the leisured observers of completed wholes appealed to by coffee-table garden books.
No matter, because we finally get to be out in it, making it, refining it, enjoying the
creative act of tweaking the garden's next iteration.</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtM2AS2ROL6X1W-lHufPcG5cKK3b7PHhlS89WbPD1F1F5vO3EQ7JEMu2eUxtBh3CTG6L-2h91Kz3zCo9udbwJLSp0u2-gy8FBjoj93lHW3PtoJ7g8oF-Zr2F2ultZajIgIUDjF_OJB_L5cxK1tO2owlRz71ekSFkjWWN2YY02QoQeR6gAmVZ41ACR6sLs/s1600/Moist%20twelve.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtM2AS2ROL6X1W-lHufPcG5cKK3b7PHhlS89WbPD1F1F5vO3EQ7JEMu2eUxtBh3CTG6L-2h91Kz3zCo9udbwJLSp0u2-gy8FBjoj93lHW3PtoJ7g8oF-Zr2F2ultZajIgIUDjF_OJB_L5cxK1tO2owlRz71ekSFkjWWN2YY02QoQeR6gAmVZ41ACR6sLs/w640-h426/Moist%20twelve.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Raking is a prelude to more-thorough tidying that emphasizes structure</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgGL9wh-vh1Nbmh1nz4cFJx6ir32VsjJG1hL_hZSlJR-IR3-KwghG5k3WDyHC4-ifvLDPYn4shZbiFjF6qFPIFr8lVtA-sJhac74SCw3Ya5-M1lntn85SXdp3KFYdbOJpQan2wD2mUB3eTD7KoTiwTlAKNTFWZZiTpw_CZYX5YvSiU7Jp89ggOjK_Qjs/s1600/Moist%20thirteen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgGL9wh-vh1Nbmh1nz4cFJx6ir32VsjJG1hL_hZSlJR-IR3-KwghG5k3WDyHC4-ifvLDPYn4shZbiFjF6qFPIFr8lVtA-sJhac74SCw3Ya5-M1lntn85SXdp3KFYdbOJpQan2wD2mUB3eTD7KoTiwTlAKNTFWZZiTpw_CZYX5YvSiU7Jp89ggOjK_Qjs/w640-h426/Moist%20thirteen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Form gradually re-emerges, the garden's bones appearing in sharper relief</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">By this point in the garden year the ground is often too sodden for
many activities, the soil simply too damp to be worked. Bulb
planting and division for next
spring’s early show have ideally been done long before it gets this wet. I
say
‘ideally’ because I rarely get to these activities in a timely manner, so often find myself waiting for clear stretches that drain soils enough to allow planting (which
hardly optimizes results). Raking leaves on wet lawns is far more
feasible as an activity, so
long as one has water-proof boots ready to hand. Duck boots with warm
felt
inserts are highly prized by local gardeners, as they enable winter work.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS7v7KQ428_j8L3y5aMG4GgiRpZ9gVMMipmFUhH8d_qBt93lKvY8w2IjaQ6XIi_iKmmS_FpPyndxfsyPpsSi_O-HVxWXOTr6M-NMkMI82EYlHbqGk8H6KercTJVlecIVylsL3LVdJecaJq1C2EQkFvtf1VhhIeuDGS6w_HeBHnySarVEr_4XOODgQjWfA/s1600/Moist%20fourteen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS7v7KQ428_j8L3y5aMG4GgiRpZ9gVMMipmFUhH8d_qBt93lKvY8w2IjaQ6XIi_iKmmS_FpPyndxfsyPpsSi_O-HVxWXOTr6M-NMkMI82EYlHbqGk8H6KercTJVlecIVylsL3LVdJecaJq1C2EQkFvtf1VhhIeuDGS6w_HeBHnySarVEr_4XOODgQjWfA/w640-h426/Moist%20fourteen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mosses that recede to rinds in summer bulk up suddenly in wetter weather</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br />The return of the rains and the lessening of sun intensities revives another plant realm that should be
made welcome in our gardens (if not so much on our roofs and in our lawns): a complex
ecology of mosses, lichen and kindred plants that adds texture and subtle coloration
to rock outcrops and tree limbs. Contracted to mere rind by the long summer
drought, moss is in fact a sponge that bulks up quickly with rainfall and adds a unique
aerial dimension to the returning greenery.</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rPLk-870MjQqw4Np6rBNYVj8PpXCvXB0CT8rFU3pP61CHr5lZAlPDdIpgv2DSizsymDX5bJ3Cyphg_w_Q2x9kp66Yb3ZmRe9MQib2WRGH9gpFOAzX2x2xxy5kGJYZ3_y8Yd97FakTqXWYn7Z1L8ZCvnZJVtbS5yQmlMUKgrZzz7ugl5yk2lGFoFxcLM/s1600/Moist%20fifteen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rPLk-870MjQqw4Np6rBNYVj8PpXCvXB0CT8rFU3pP61CHr5lZAlPDdIpgv2DSizsymDX5bJ3Cyphg_w_Q2x9kp66Yb3ZmRe9MQib2WRGH9gpFOAzX2x2xxy5kGJYZ3_y8Yd97FakTqXWYn7Z1L8ZCvnZJVtbS5yQmlMUKgrZzz7ugl5yk2lGFoFxcLM/w426-h640/Moist%20fifteen.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">A complex ecology of unique life-forms</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Moss serves as green backdrop
for the emergence of many mushrooms and lichen, coating tree trunks and limbs in
its glowing aura whenever sun follows rain. Powder or dust lichen appear as spattered flecks
on oak trunks and spread themselves extensively on rock outcrops and stone walls, </span><span style="font-family: times;">preferring spots that offer sun and damp in vertical planes.</span><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3E_qnLvJt8DIwTNEEaY-dh_EeIMOdP0l4xivuFe4QqDM_9bD_U_ynsII9XOvaWNtvip9qSMQCxedcoEnV11yTBwloS51Nii7VTUOU-j62GaeW7AtiNEBsX2v_ByjfvhgzrNDEohsX3qsiS53HbZZwQPrG1u0p4xCERbY3eZJdZNKOaeEjlY8tZgiPONw/s1600/Moist%20alt%20twenty-three.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3E_qnLvJt8DIwTNEEaY-dh_EeIMOdP0l4xivuFe4QqDM_9bD_U_ynsII9XOvaWNtvip9qSMQCxedcoEnV11yTBwloS51Nii7VTUOU-j62GaeW7AtiNEBsX2v_ByjfvhgzrNDEohsX3qsiS53HbZZwQPrG1u0p4xCERbY3eZJdZNKOaeEjlY8tZgiPONw/w426-h640/Moist%20alt%20twenty-three.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tufts of moss flecked with lipstick lichen tubes</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">These
subtle plants add depth and dimension to the return of fall colours: aquas,
greeny-blues,
mustard yellows, burnt orange and off-whites among them. They comprise a mysterious
world
involving complex and poorly understood dependencies with algaes
and
molds, one I don't comprehend but whose presence adds extensive elegance to the winter garden. If we offer
them suitable habitat, </span><span style="font-family: times;">such as
exposed rocks and Garry oaks, they will gradually occupy it as naturally as they do our wilder
spaces.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliEtjHgm9uNuriVW1LS-rJROVNYXJMlehkeRALiFiRDbnwuVvNq8H2KtiHxnNvA52FwzEhar1I0qKnNNmrN_NuDhJHRmoclCghlw5oWX1xCH20W0ZzssCoKPxPDRl4_z0L1rfeK4zFSn3M0rN6xtJ5Ocy3d9vcejdmSxAmthQHI-vvXWj-cVp3FcFVWI/s1600/Moist%20seventeen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliEtjHgm9uNuriVW1LS-rJROVNYXJMlehkeRALiFiRDbnwuVvNq8H2KtiHxnNvA52FwzEhar1I0qKnNNmrN_NuDhJHRmoclCghlw5oWX1xCH20W0ZzssCoKPxPDRl4_z0L1rfeK4zFSn3M0rN6xtJ5Ocy3d9vcejdmSxAmthQHI-vvXWj-cVp3FcFVWI/w640-h426/Moist%20seventeen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Colonies of mosses and crepe-like lichen adorn moist rocks</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_LSMQZhsDkO-_OuL1XmJXAHptbwRTKuR09X0yd9Ont1AU-veJmz37ci3-Ng8raoX3lXarEnCHqxW-eFF_JVP6MHNnjdIS8FS8GiiyRvn7Um8tq3ru2lpBzqfraTRwDw3y7bhv6sEHnERd0fAWxjuivSfQabR9IsHXoMLb1NcX3qjTTtfbxuTRSVFWtQ/s3008/Moist%20alt%20six.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_LSMQZhsDkO-_OuL1XmJXAHptbwRTKuR09X0yd9Ont1AU-veJmz37ci3-Ng8raoX3lXarEnCHqxW-eFF_JVP6MHNnjdIS8FS8GiiyRvn7Um8tq3ru2lpBzqfraTRwDw3y7bhv6sEHnERd0fAWxjuivSfQabR9IsHXoMLb1NcX3qjTTtfbxuTRSVFWtQ/w640-h426/Moist%20alt%20six.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><b>Spreading mass of lichen appears to incorporate multiple organisms</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></span><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I’ve been known to select a rock with an embryonic lichen
colony on it to impart a sense of belonging and long-habitation to a new
garden wall. There are many such lichen to choose from, with over 1300 species identified in here in B.C.,
classed into orders by their form: dust, crust, scale, leaf, club, shrub and
hair. Lichen proliferate widely in wilderness areas but have difficulty
surviving full-on urban conditions. Suburban gardens hosting rocky outcrops and native
species comprise more amenable milieu. Because these plants contribute
subtly to overall effects, they don’t jump out with showy display but rather require discerning attention in order to appear to the eye. For me, noticing fungi,
lichen and mosses is an active part of the return of looking in fall –
part of being able to see the garden anew and so imagine fresh possibilities. Because these organisms emerge just as our deciduous
trees lose their annual growth and head into winter dormancy, they
embody a sense of fresh possibility and signal that nature's annual cycle is
starting once again.</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixnbkdowvtXHg1K_HMUsJ3r3aTxUdMxRjj2ZdLa6-C_bz0zUWlAMpjOVwX3ABGqYga4JqTIXXuIwwXhnAxZ3pplLpQLb0V2YpJUnDQuB8rqvs5GYBtBwXE8EhYQ6qzQnvRoPtSx647pjPt5ZWVlJsFvMnFCcE9hCnlSnpA0fXvGCZp6KXWOh-f8y08OEo/s1600/Moist%20eighteen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixnbkdowvtXHg1K_HMUsJ3r3aTxUdMxRjj2ZdLa6-C_bz0zUWlAMpjOVwX3ABGqYga4JqTIXXuIwwXhnAxZ3pplLpQLb0V2YpJUnDQuB8rqvs5GYBtBwXE8EhYQ6qzQnvRoPtSx647pjPt5ZWVlJsFvMnFCcE9hCnlSnpA0fXvGCZp6KXWOh-f8y08OEo/w640-h426/Moist%20eighteen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">A strange world of life-forms that are extensive yet not erect or showy</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span> </span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>Tidying and ordering the garden scene – however fleeting the
effect in stormy November when ensuing weather buffets and rearranges things regularly – nonetheless brings fresh clarity to our arrangements. One begins to see the
garden more clearly, as if it were somehow newly inspirited, and from here it's easier to visualize how it might be reorganized to appear come spring. For it is against this clarifying background
that spring’s changes pencil themselves gradually into the landscape. The garden’s bones – its paths, walls, steps
and the plants used architecturally to shape spaces and provide form in winter – come into sharper relief
with the operations of tidying and pruning, the entire undertaking unified by the returning greenery. Garden objects
made to recede by blankets of leaves and fall litter suddenly rise to the eye
as context is restored. Feelings of repose and fitness slowly return.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5cuzcFQEmBqP2m3WeHgZ6Wol2GLMYUXchXulcU-7YX-u7-9jFkvf-LbJOdUrcN0KuzyHK9_NLKt_1Smzar2XRLsxf7pgrpomOGvY9Si2mdj-LfgVDP49foicspIqg94qyhOD2EGsQ0cayDIJ4sf6V-Xfna2xXXbebvzlLOWhIyl0_0A1n9drqVm4Cc80/s1600/Moist%20nineteen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5cuzcFQEmBqP2m3WeHgZ6Wol2GLMYUXchXulcU-7YX-u7-9jFkvf-LbJOdUrcN0KuzyHK9_NLKt_1Smzar2XRLsxf7pgrpomOGvY9Si2mdj-LfgVDP49foicspIqg94qyhOD2EGsQ0cayDIJ4sf6V-Xfna2xXXbebvzlLOWhIyl0_0A1n9drqVm4Cc80/w640-h426/Moist%20nineteen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Raking and pruning re-establish and clarify the garden's structure</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span style="font-family: times;"></span><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Pruning is another activity awaiting periodic breaks in the rain, a time when secateurs, loppers, hand saws and ladders make their appearance. Some
of summer’s luxuriance usually still needs paring back – shrubs like santolina, rosemary, spirea and others benefit from pruning to shape, gaining in
longevity and svelteness whatever is lost in bulk. Boxwood also responds positively to a tightening
of its now more-blowsy form, while spent blooms need removing and perennials should be cut back to
the soil. All of the berrying plants, here especially the many types of cotoneaster and pyracantha adorning the site, benefit from pruning after the birds have stripped them clean. All this clipping and pruning helps solidify the garden's underlying structure,
which is buried from early spring on by waves of quickening growth and floral exuberance. Once greater simplicity reigns, the eyes are readied to appreciate colour again against a wash of differentiated greens.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXiWNR2QDB61gDZ2M9Tasabbm2m7IseSoHYz-bQhZ_81QWNXZyqhQtQ5RQZPpNDLjJkPNYpciWEmPgx6tBedPVmstj6GVcWvE0Y4pfKLgdc642raBU54sQCErppwg0Z6SqaXQcda8WtXk5nmHr9FfvuRB9SwPqKwoZhoiAlFFSEWG3BJj_j3jZyxX67V0/s3008/Moist%20alt%20nineteen.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXiWNR2QDB61gDZ2M9Tasabbm2m7IseSoHYz-bQhZ_81QWNXZyqhQtQ5RQZPpNDLjJkPNYpciWEmPgx6tBedPVmstj6GVcWvE0Y4pfKLgdc642raBU54sQCErppwg0Z6SqaXQcda8WtXk5nmHr9FfvuRB9SwPqKwoZhoiAlFFSEWG3BJj_j3jZyxX67V0/w640-h426/Moist%20alt%20nineteen.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Maple leaves strewn here and there by November storms</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Raking leaves stands as one of my favourite ways of
working in the fall garden. With deciduous trees it really cannot be avoided
anyway, so we may as well learn to enjoy it. Raking lends itself to rhythmic
movement, the rake's tines sending swaths of leaves fluidly into lines and
piles. A good metal rake is indispensable if one is actually going to get lost in the
exercise. I often see people struggling awkwardly with the rigid
plastic rakes so common nowadays. No wonder they’d rather avoid the activity - fighting the tool you're using is never fun! Rigid plastic isn’t springy enough for the task at hand,
transforming it into something more to be endured than enjoyed. If you have a plastic rake,
ditch it right now and go find yourself a classic metal-headed, wood-handled
rake (one with springs attached to a spreader bar, so the rake has some dynamism when you send
the leaves towards your growing pile). Choose a width that fits the spaces you’ll be
working in; too wide and you won’t find it convenient to use. A small
hand rake is also useful for clearing beds and crevices, and for loading leaves into bins for transport once they've been raked up. You’ll be amazed what
a difference quality makes - how much more control over the action you develop,
how much more gets done in a given amount of time. With developing skills, your metal rake
will soon be your passport to a workspace known as
‘flow’. Flow indicates a state of mind where skills, purpose and ambient
conditions all thrive together, allowing outcomes to be achieved while enjoyment is taken. This space is susceptible to cultivation, just
like the garden itself. In time you’ll find yourself immersed in the
activity, body and rake working as one, dancing the leaves along into lines and heaps.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9QFs7PVtndi_NoxSf7IPcneCaUZZUS7nlHODxbNiKUOuvAQYby2yZh6NezEzmWOTUtdzWoIQHPOKTOqrSURupbBZAvZEKvh3oNEZwThJBP0i-iUpLMHigpldTLljFoZMWeOHuJupTtZfF6HjVtFNcrx1-my5WWSeqbb-E0rqn8GQkQaiwCBJ1WyCBFtQ/s1600/Moist%20twenty-two.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9QFs7PVtndi_NoxSf7IPcneCaUZZUS7nlHODxbNiKUOuvAQYby2yZh6NezEzmWOTUtdzWoIQHPOKTOqrSURupbBZAvZEKvh3oNEZwThJBP0i-iUpLMHigpldTLljFoZMWeOHuJupTtZfF6HjVtFNcrx1-my5WWSeqbb-E0rqn8GQkQaiwCBJ1WyCBFtQ/w640-h426/Moist%20twenty-two.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Leaves provide us with the raw material for compost-making</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The ultimate reward of raking is the stock of raw material accumulated
for fresh compost making. In periods of clear weather, I moisten the
caramel-coloured oak leaves with a hose, coat them lightly with dampened soil and
blend in any suitable clippings from our fall tidying of beds and shrubberies. The moistened soil scuffs the leaves, opening their surface to invasion by the micro-organisms that ultimately break them down.
This labour of compost-making is among the most satisfying and enjoyable known to gardeners – easy to accomplish, yet not for rushing through. In November, it’s a matter of
aligning free time with breaks in the weather so compost can comfortably
be worked up. If it doesn't get done in November, there's always December. Taking it slowly and methodically, establishing a rhythm involving
sequential acts of watering, mixing and piling, is the ideal way to make a compost heap.</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZCEG3p3Trdp3MO3-m5Nh9gTis4YvTpwW7TkUJx1PzgvpvD_0IgymN-o0yLfASg_sz1gqbU6pLo7WH7JR590Ci3FJSIDqhMvpqM3PThfzNaFn9SI51rpXFL0J9jNwv91eAA33w1vXxTYaMzvASwXy3kMguRTqiMu2h3GAjGY4B0kuoJYxCSuc_ErAXUjA/s3008/Moist%20alt%20four.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZCEG3p3Trdp3MO3-m5Nh9gTis4YvTpwW7TkUJx1PzgvpvD_0IgymN-o0yLfASg_sz1gqbU6pLo7WH7JR590Ci3FJSIDqhMvpqM3PThfzNaFn9SI51rpXFL0J9jNwv91eAA33w1vXxTYaMzvASwXy3kMguRTqiMu2h3GAjGY4B0kuoJYxCSuc_ErAXUjA/w640-h426/Moist%20alt%20four.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Garden shed, afternoon light, emerging compost heap by fence</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Composting uses natural agents to break down organic
matter like leaves. Because we don't have enough nitrogen-rich material to create a hot
compost in fall (the best way of killing weed seeds and breaking down coarse material) I build one that works with the cooler forces of decomposition.
I endeavour to keep seeds out of it entirely (a moving target that) and not to inadvertently introduce
plant roots that could re-establish themselves in a cool heap (for example, chunks of snowberry root). My goal is to furnish
a tempting hotel for worms and the many micro-organisms that will, over the ensuing
months, consume every scrap of green kitchen and garden waste we can mix
into the leaves. Forget about buying compost starters, as they’re unnecessary. It’s a
matter of getting a workable ratio of green (nitrogenous) and brown (carboniferous) materials, then combining the mix with garden soil and sufficient moisture to get the heap going. You bias your pile via its composition towards either being hot or cool; this is a choice based on the feedstock you have on hand, one with implications for what consumes the edibles on offer.
Available nitrogen is decisive; if you have little, you are perforce running a cold heap. Once made up, your pile largely takes care of itself with periodic forking over. You can
make quite workable compost heaps with only soil and carboniferous materials,
with the green element added as kitchen scraps and garden clippings become available.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn120FYHls1GrUHshuswOIoX-0wLBeOQjV370ci6_3SbZccjBCNLB6P_6IFAnzIC25nzomEz7N8h5cqG-2DynY_2AtY-Ekn3SnuQdBEK8DBVu06OjkU0Jl1cbaLuJaYtO8KyEauJ35ybV4i5Wel2cMwtFuQcpQOHFKjZ19dYIjIek9l-OX6brR2ivwAtM/s1600/Moist%20twenty-three.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn120FYHls1GrUHshuswOIoX-0wLBeOQjV370ci6_3SbZccjBCNLB6P_6IFAnzIC25nzomEz7N8h5cqG-2DynY_2AtY-Ekn3SnuQdBEK8DBVu06OjkU0Jl1cbaLuJaYtO8KyEauJ35ybV4i5Wel2cMwtFuQcpQOHFKjZ19dYIjIek9l-OX6brR2ivwAtM/w426-h640/Moist%20twenty-three.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">Mossy oaks tinged with frost, bathed in sun</b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">We rely on our compost heap to recycle
everything from the kitchen that’s
not fat, meat, or a dessert leftover. Worms absolutely love coffee grounds, by the way, and will go out of their way to birth their young on them. The only trick in compost making is to establish the pile
with a
good balance of materials and sufficient moisture to make a virtuous cycle. Then
it’s
ready to take as much green material as you care to throw into it, with
only occasional
forking-over for aeration and to keep the materials mixed. I feel that whether you do or don’t create a formal bin to
contain the compost is a site- and person-specific choice. You can keep it as
simple as building a pile directly on the ground, which is the method we use (this gives worms direct access to it).
You may need to cover it with something in order to protect the nutrients against
being flushed by rain, but be careful that your cover doesn't tempt rodents to set up shop
in the heap (I tried this once, and that's exactly what happened)! When it comes
time to fork it over (a natural accelerant) a heap on the ground
is far and away the most
convenient structure to deal with. Box and drum structures make it more
awkward to mix and aerate, especially if you are dealing with any quantity of leaves. A pile that's accessible from all sides is
most
efficient, and can easily be remixed simply by forking it along a couple of
feet. </span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79waLeScrzzCgf43QcwzkVctAKG0sVz4VjPp3Smo1aF6ESb0S8kaIAQw4m7YdUV0Tt29AEF4J3F0IfqEcjEvWuRn_IUCF83amozzjellKHk6HufEUJXJlKwLbkPcBnx8lWSPdr6LmRjhETGUmpsXylsEs0cQ7NDlU1H1cDgqezEp1rmhFn5VyH7OQbMY/s1600/Moist%20twenty%20five.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79waLeScrzzCgf43QcwzkVctAKG0sVz4VjPp3Smo1aF6ESb0S8kaIAQw4m7YdUV0Tt29AEF4J3F0IfqEcjEvWuRn_IUCF83amozzjellKHk6HufEUJXJlKwLbkPcBnx8lWSPdr6LmRjhETGUmpsXylsEs0cQ7NDlU1H1cDgqezEp1rmhFn5VyH7OQbMY/w640-h426/Moist%20twenty%20five.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fissured oak bark and lichen on rock add feelings of age to the garden</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">I spend more time on raking and tidying in November than I do using this material to make up compost heaps. Raking along, I often find myself contemplating the
challenges and opportunities of the winter months, which mostly lie ahead. Hardest of all is adapting to shortening days (winter solstice isn't until December 21st) along with the greater incidence of grey, wet conditions. And yet, to say ‘grey’ is
to sentence November to a kind of dreary monotony that belies the beauty revealed at certain points. Grey light can indeed be cheerless and cold,
but it can also convey monochrome subtleties to a discerning eye. It’s visually refreshing after summer’s busy colour competition to see nature through a more
chaste lens. Then rather unexpectedly sunshine reappears, and the monochrome setting gives way to greenery set off by glistening fall berries, glowing mosses, and saturated
barks.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK3PYapdugVdljagBe0-sHp3FN6h85r0lV5kDFRb4FYps86otTpzko6ZaTfBLSh9sppX_WZXKxzBItc44hMejrukLQVxD0ltp9Ug5Btc8ARR0aSsdan69hJrW25GyBg_tf7zC_wje20QHe1IhhaAMjFHnr3l5ymMxnmK5xuj_GwVXu_Dol46mA4kl3Xb4/s3008/Moist%20alt%20thirteen.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK3PYapdugVdljagBe0-sHp3FN6h85r0lV5kDFRb4FYps86otTpzko6ZaTfBLSh9sppX_WZXKxzBItc44hMejrukLQVxD0ltp9Ug5Btc8ARR0aSsdan69hJrW25GyBg_tf7zC_wje20QHe1IhhaAMjFHnr3l5ymMxnmK5xuj_GwVXu_Dol46mA4kl3Xb4/w426-h640/Moist%20alt%20thirteen.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Monochrome November light and clouds</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW07vjcq70SHNRCgVXrGDDz80fjkHfJMpSZIVu_UmC2JNphI5NnkM-ETFAaRwXnWGis1AFL1U4-DHY3wtmYGSRAnpTg8pfKbBmH6HvnTyn80Y7tWTOLDsBGPM4laJeibI5jz2-oUrJp3r6PeFe-IF3xSxUe0AivY2sKxp6OVE9hQzKaUibkzS_FHOAZ48/s3008/Moist%20alt%20sixteen.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW07vjcq70SHNRCgVXrGDDz80fjkHfJMpSZIVu_UmC2JNphI5NnkM-ETFAaRwXnWGis1AFL1U4-DHY3wtmYGSRAnpTg8pfKbBmH6HvnTyn80Y7tWTOLDsBGPM4laJeibI5jz2-oUrJp3r6PeFe-IF3xSxUe0AivY2sKxp6OVE9hQzKaUibkzS_FHOAZ48/w640-h426/Moist%20alt%20sixteen.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Red and yellow pyracantha berries glow in warmer November light</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Cotoneaster and pyracantha both produce scads of berries in these parts, colouring up as fall cools into early winter. But many other plants also berry or form hips, from roses and ornamental crabs to
hawthorns, holly and some viburnums. The berry crop, though restrained when compared to the luxuriance of summer flowers,
nonetheless echoes its theme of abundance. Deep reds, oranges, and yellows predominate,
but delightful cranberry, coral and burgundy tones also show against the glistening
greens.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1-NcoKLjffuURvydf8Hrbu1Hsv1s1B6zWOJX5AAy6tDKoJiZTYqb_bRv7-utC6YXL17-6bFopT-5xs8yd_qiLAxk4W_ngkUAc_LziejQVgELHGM3y0eHOaIzuF3_zqK5AiL-cYBBPmsR8znNNKVcqaQghakB0uTZg7ocKaM4J_jUdwFI9ZSmUVGXBoA/s3008/Moist%20alt%20two.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1-NcoKLjffuURvydf8Hrbu1Hsv1s1B6zWOJX5AAy6tDKoJiZTYqb_bRv7-utC6YXL17-6bFopT-5xs8yd_qiLAxk4W_ngkUAc_LziejQVgELHGM3y0eHOaIzuF3_zqK5AiL-cYBBPmsR8znNNKVcqaQghakB0uTZg7ocKaM4J_jUdwFI9ZSmUVGXBoA/w640-h426/Moist%20alt%20two.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cotoneaster franchetii's salmony-red berries glow in November light</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The season of moist weather comprises a subtle, somewhat melancholic, and strangely
beautiful time on the west coast, a period that can prompt reflection on life’s glories and mysteries, its short duration, its potential for renewal. Autumn gives way gradually to winter's shorter days, while the period over Christmas often seems to bring snowy weather. But by mid-January, the rains return, temperatures resume their gradual rise, and nature is again in dynamic balance awaiting immanent change. Returning robins devour the last of the berry crop in late January and early February, stripping shrubs of these temporary tokens of the cycle of growth and decay. In the garden, life readies itself to surge anew as climate moderates and the ground remains moist. Conscious of all these factors, gardeners are reminded of the possibility of
planning
garden events to occur across four distinct seasons.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWNZ8La-t8Xt5JvRYcZJRu4VmrY1ccyqgkYajHbQlJsDsEHV9K1Zke6AHuy4Uhb5Z1OUDfVNqkfsfUh2Gn0NVkL8oBzFECYDrCSyCAe_O-qjWsKeUIG38zMPY29i3Ws17CPpbkBCtyXvLJtPaRBublKUvXXqxsKLfulif0IfekBUCHf1yG-lzRj47ywXU/s3008/Moist%20alt%20fourteen.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWNZ8La-t8Xt5JvRYcZJRu4VmrY1ccyqgkYajHbQlJsDsEHV9K1Zke6AHuy4Uhb5Z1OUDfVNqkfsfUh2Gn0NVkL8oBzFECYDrCSyCAe_O-qjWsKeUIG38zMPY29i3Ws17CPpbkBCtyXvLJtPaRBublKUvXXqxsKLfulif0IfekBUCHf1yG-lzRj47ywXU/w640-h426/Moist%20alt%20fourteen.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">November light isn't only monochrome, but also sometimes glowing and burnished</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdclcl2-P1y9TC_bw6EvF1rzWbSU8gZsq_7T7_fW4-5OBKhrSppr6EUXRHz-3c1X0XgOK8uAAk70GlXyot9FQ0Iff65cMgY2m8-fKjc1I69aQHF81EpXk_EPJc_dp4hdsAq0AwI8o8WQUcVLvl6dddGIodF2v5rm74TLoK2fcooFubSyU4Y0jPsj0fhi4/s1600/Moist%20twenty%20eight.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdclcl2-P1y9TC_bw6EvF1rzWbSU8gZsq_7T7_fW4-5OBKhrSppr6EUXRHz-3c1X0XgOK8uAAk70GlXyot9FQ0Iff65cMgY2m8-fKjc1I69aQHF81EpXk_EPJc_dp4hdsAq0AwI8o8WQUcVLvl6dddGIodF2v5rm74TLoK2fcooFubSyU4Y0jPsj0fhi4/w640-h426/Moist%20twenty%20eight.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Subtle colour harmony among rocks, leaves and berries after a recent rain</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Moisture's return ultimately restores a balance and simplicity that’s entirely satisfying to contemplate. After relentless chasing of new growth
in spring's quickening progression, and the ensuing retreat from summer's heat, fall offers a welcome
restoration of repose in the garden. Repose can be described as a
placid, serene, and peaceful feeling that's highly esteemed by gardeners. It’s
the opposite of things that are loud, showy, bright, metallic, and harsh. Feelings of
repose are amplified most when garden choices feel as if they belong where placed,
a condition where harmony of relationship exists among all elements of the composition. In November and December, with such feelings of repose on the rise, it is possible to think again about garden design, to reflect on the
experiences of the past year, and to tentatively draw new conclusions: what themes to
emphasize more strongly, which plants to replace, what structures to create and effects to amplify next
year. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTG3RGrVAJGsp9bChmBDtqoJ0unwMdNFkMXWuz444zUIp8D_jqf03k9qC3IPfVe7cEU8a4nw7IIOQ6YWkLIVH17JjAATTgZySVlNpHYgOOKzKv3WlF7Wfdab4cOLiN72BprUJs-Y9FvZZVe5gUihTriVEp3gCkZRR-waqYd1Vu-Rkc_HgqIbMdS1LaBEk/s3008/Moist%20alt%20eighteen.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTG3RGrVAJGsp9bChmBDtqoJ0unwMdNFkMXWuz444zUIp8D_jqf03k9qC3IPfVe7cEU8a4nw7IIOQ6YWkLIVH17JjAATTgZySVlNpHYgOOKzKv3WlF7Wfdab4cOLiN72BprUJs-Y9FvZZVe5gUihTriVEp3gCkZRR-waqYd1Vu-Rkc_HgqIbMdS1LaBEk/w640-h426/Moist%20alt%20eighteen.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">One moist-garden activity is taking cuttings for rooting, here curry plant</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The rub is simply that
many of the changes one might like to effect can’t be made until soils drain
sufficiently for easy working. Yet fall’s slackening rhythm does predispose the
mind to muse about garden possibilities, an integral part of
creative engagement in designing and maintaining one. Finally there’s no longer any rush
to complete a backlog of outdoor tasks. How fine it is, if infrequent in harried
lives, to curl up on a couch with a blazing fire and allow a garden text to loft the
mind into imagining what could be come next year. Briefly the would-be creative-gardener
trumps the slave to routine garden tasks, and suddenly the possibilities can be imagined anew. Some
part of gardening involves dreaming about what might be; fall turning
wintry sees the return of the desire to conjure more definite ideas of the garden's trajectory, to aspire to shape one’s own garden in novel ways.</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgynXTqdHqOHyDug-cqi4Z_H1SJzlu4f870fUXbeEAf6wd6NuPiNjv50mcOZur-BZQHetZZ7USMg0OlfIMFPlkAOFqjfi1FM52aVD9W86OwEMyxCGY3SDygtkuVzw8Ln7peZ3t4rtmx42z11jFsYd3-oOha6HycknFpt_3JD7edMmxbl5F1nBI6HbusxA8/s1600/Moist%20twenty-nine.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgynXTqdHqOHyDug-cqi4Z_H1SJzlu4f870fUXbeEAf6wd6NuPiNjv50mcOZur-BZQHetZZ7USMg0OlfIMFPlkAOFqjfi1FM52aVD9W86OwEMyxCGY3SDygtkuVzw8Ln7peZ3t4rtmx42z11jFsYd3-oOha6HycknFpt_3JD7edMmxbl5F1nBI6HbusxA8/w426-h640/Moist%20twenty-nine.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Even monochrome November light has its beauty</span></span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Fall thus portends the return of reading as further stimulus
to imagining next year’s garden. I find such reading nearly impossible in summer's heat – particularly as garden labour reduces
itself to the obsessive watering of living specimens, dead-heading of plants, and the removal of
spent materials. Come moist-fall the survival imperative reigning over
the garden in summer's drought can be forgotten, a most welcome evolution. Come moist-fall, green spreads
its tentacles through the landscape once again. And with refreshed greenery comes new imagining,
conditioned by the current year’s experience and leavened by the exotica captured in books. I’ve been enjoying browsing several new garden books this
fall, but perhaps I’ll leave that side of it for later. Meantime, I’m waiting for another weather opening in order to pick the oak leaves out of my fish-bone cotoneasters, so they don't become
habitat for webworms next spring! And after that, the compost heap awaits further attention. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Sure hope it doesn’t rain!</span></span></div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span><span style="font-family: times;"> <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><b>2023 Postscript </b></i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><b>This article was written first in 2009, then rewritten in 2013. Published originally in </b></i><b>The Seasoned Gardener</b><i><b>, it's now been rewritten for this site in fall 2023. In the meantime, many things have changed climate-wise in Victoria and across the province. We still have a wet/dry climate in these parts, but the drought has been extending its season, intensifying its dessicating effect on landscape here and across southern BC. This has had grim outcomes for some communities (as in Lytton, BC where after recording a record temperature of 49.6 degrees celsius, the entire town burned down on June 30, 2021). Yet despite unprecedented heat and drought, that autumn also brought downpours so intense as to be described as 'atmospheric rivers' in Southern BC, flooding Sumas Prairie and washing out bridges, dykes and whole highways. Here in the Capital Region, rainfall that October was 121% of the monthly average since 1914, while November rains were 216% of the monthly average; so much rain fell that Sooke Lake Reservoir was already full by November 28th! Yet the following year, this rain-pattern reversed and the summer drought continued far into fall: November rains were 42% of the average, December's 47%, January's 40%, February's 81%. Our reservoir eventually filled up, but only in March (four months later than the previous year). So the era of climate change sees the number of months of severe drought extending, while the intensity of periodic downpours grows in some years, but is absent in others. This year (2023) brought very dry conditions both locally and across all of BC, making for the worst and most expensive wildfire season on record and confirming again that we're facing a climate crisis of gargantuan proportions. In fact, BC experienced its four most severe wildfire seasons ever over the past seven years, in 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2023. But 2023 outdid them all - as of September 10, some 22,560 square kilometres had burned, dwarfing the prior record of 13,543 square kilometres set in 2018. You can grasp the significance of this from the fact that between 1919 and 2016, only three wildfire seasons ever saw more than 5,000 kilometres burn. The intensity of these fires is increasing as well, making them much harder to fight on the ground. We don't yet understand the full implication of this, but we can see the effects of our drying climate across the regional landscape: cedars (a tree that likes its feet wet) are dying back en masse, while boxwood (a common garden shrub that used to able to survive droughts of three or four months quite handily) are showing signs of stress in the sustained dryness. Where it all goes over time is an open question: I merely point to the obvious signs that our way of life is modifying climate dramatically, while asking whether we shouldn't be modifying our way of life to align it better with nature?</b></i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><b> </b></i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><b></b></i></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBlnBIbrC52_oPIMMdYmh9yswDpmWMW_GAcbXPEqkzcXDi1kDht2ESTWzwAAH4qouvIi-dKVbStJ7WZx3oGuKllZppwkm-QjD_emyYqMxDNFo8m7s2aPKIq858-GsQyK1QmQKWYGo9ZDUsCeHAYx7qGe04x23wutelekwSAa390WtY9KHBbmFdHwVfmc/s3008/Dying%20boxwood%202.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBlnBIbrC52_oPIMMdYmh9yswDpmWMW_GAcbXPEqkzcXDi1kDht2ESTWzwAAH4qouvIi-dKVbStJ7WZx3oGuKllZppwkm-QjD_emyYqMxDNFo8m7s2aPKIq858-GsQyK1QmQKWYGo9ZDUsCeHAYx7qGe04x23wutelekwSAa390WtY9KHBbmFdHwVfmc/w640-h426/Dying%20boxwood%202.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Boxwood with southern exposure, near the Gorge, browning out</i></span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgeQr-EDeFVLycIvdPhoFebIBrouKIGcMqPr93armWUYhLcEmn7LAxSr_5lTXK_zwYmGf_rHcPGUjr0Yz9w9xXCYa9bWxsQ1PsAg0y03m5RmD6zgMNzVeDdpRXu5zNgT-14n-LvY7MetsHvH21DZQfNSyD9lMLCdEVA5lXB4My85wHCqD-pzkPv9j3kM/s3008/Dying%20boxwood.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgeQr-EDeFVLycIvdPhoFebIBrouKIGcMqPr93armWUYhLcEmn7LAxSr_5lTXK_zwYmGf_rHcPGUjr0Yz9w9xXCYa9bWxsQ1PsAg0y03m5RmD6zgMNzVeDdpRXu5zNgT-14n-LvY7MetsHvH21DZQfNSyD9lMLCdEVA5lXB4My85wHCqD-pzkPv9j3kM/w426-h640/Dying%20boxwood.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Boxwood with open exposure, browning out</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></i></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><b></b></i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><b><i>When this article was first written in 2009, I had been gardening at Grange Road for some 21 years. To that point, the pattern of a wet/dry climate that reliably turned moist by November (at the latest) held consistent. What varied from year to year was the point at which the ground fully dried out, which changed from the second or third week of April to much later in the spring. Every so often, perhaps every four to five years, May would get ample rainfall and the ground wouldn't fully dry out until into June. There were other variables subject to annual change as well, like the amount of rain falling from June through September. It might be anywhere from a little to a fair amount. But typically, the earth would not become fully saturated again until November's rains, making this month the hinge for the swing from dryness to wetness. In the ensuing period, climate change has varied things further, extending the months of drought to five, six or even seven, while reducing the amount of rainfall delivered in the summer months and hastening the advent of dryness and the need for full-on watering. We have even seen the earth go dry as early as late March, and we've now seen dry fall extend through October and reach far into November.</i></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><b><i> </i></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><b><i></i></b></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpUmzFehXvIyJyIq7YZImWgqUvWESbawe-nIZc-psxw5-RE_KAAQz-0uo6AiWyi3sWYI-leozBUZ-Y6NIIGcy97dGJb-rP9EnywiysHtphFmVjd0Qi02oJw32GdSYHfPMtBJOHw8p4Nw09glee59N3Dt0ey1XdPCAzzUYXM9-7FgOtgV9-YVZSu_XaT0/s1800/Peonies%20one.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpUmzFehXvIyJyIq7YZImWgqUvWESbawe-nIZc-psxw5-RE_KAAQz-0uo6AiWyi3sWYI-leozBUZ-Y6NIIGcy97dGJb-rP9EnywiysHtphFmVjd0Qi02oJw32GdSYHfPMtBJOHw8p4Nw09glee59N3Dt0ey1XdPCAzzUYXM9-7FgOtgV9-YVZSu_XaT0/w640-h426/Peonies%20one.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Peonies to the left, flourishing in spring conditions in the nineties</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><b><i><br /> <br /></i></b></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><b><i>Early in the nineties, I brought peonies (photo above) and irises from Ferncliff Gardens in the Fraser Valley to the garden on Grange Road. There was then sufficient annual moisture from rainfall to garden such exotics back then, and initially they flourished. But by the early 2000s the peonies especially were beginning to stunt from increasing drought, even with loads of hand watering. Today there are still a few sparse leaves of those original peony plantings, but they no longer flower (peonies don't respond well to thin soils, ongoing drought, and scorching sun). A few of the irises still flower, but they aren't entirely happy either. Irises that were part of the garden before my time, and which bloomed reliably for over three decades, have in the last three years mostly stopped flowering too. This is the new climate reality for our gardens, which suggests we are going to have to fundamentally change our approach to design, plantings and watering.</i></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><b><i>Drought has become severe enough that this October BC Hydro warned the public to expect more power outages due to falling trees. "Trees weakened by drought and associated disease can be more susceptible to wind...As storm season ramps up, a substantial number of dead and damaged trees and branches are expected to fall, contributing to power outages." Falling trees in adverse weather are the single biggest cause of power loss in British Columbia.<br /></i></b></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span>
</p>David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-6202858229179785862023-09-18T13:37:00.002-07:002023-09-22T18:18:54.834-07:00Parting Shots<p> <span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p></p><p><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6td2I4s0jlWZYsYtOTj3UXCnJfYIDfcPhWYtkjZUanS3IkdOWqGq5JorAuOJyyAXQvU4TyOS4MPzu6zxlEjBZmU9YJcLgcfcJhvfvDcuXG6XKM4W5PFO3t8cCzLR6mwn0PIIcYqz1mtXokmTB2zAM2ej-4JDvp68Ny483hWyovtz2TCqhI3KFuVIEhnQ/s3008/Sold%20one.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6td2I4s0jlWZYsYtOTj3UXCnJfYIDfcPhWYtkjZUanS3IkdOWqGq5JorAuOJyyAXQvU4TyOS4MPzu6zxlEjBZmU9YJcLgcfcJhvfvDcuXG6XKM4W5PFO3t8cCzLR6mwn0PIIcYqz1mtXokmTB2zAM2ej-4JDvp68Ny483hWyovtz2TCqhI3KFuVIEhnQ/w640-h426/Sold%20one.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hard to believe now, but it was all over by the first week of June</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">It was pretty much inevitable, given our situation: age gets to us all in time, presenting novel issues that make work that once was easy suddenly arduous to complete. The process of aging is all about this effect: what one once took for granted, or at least found not hard to do, becomes more and more difficult. Some of us look farther down that particular road and see it complicating life to the point where it becomes something entirely different from what it once was. I'm one of the lucky ones who, while not yet at the point of being unable to do the work, can foresee a time when that eventuality comes about. So that was one factor in our decision to sell.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXRnuDTZsBhAxuSrcjrn3Ca9pH2aT6U8l1iJ9uqvL9CKC0SFIBN_ksTEK-utskzitdlGH767i9IoNlvEyGJis8j57bH0JXjEcj3Wx3oYUOqjpBISeFxS0Lu90SjUwUhInWjicezjR5JksTqdsmJZiaQWT51rxg-0WnYlQtha654urwetIrd_LFgxXKdOc/s3008/Grange%20reno%20plus%20063.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXRnuDTZsBhAxuSrcjrn3Ca9pH2aT6U8l1iJ9uqvL9CKC0SFIBN_ksTEK-utskzitdlGH767i9IoNlvEyGJis8j57bH0JXjEcj3Wx3oYUOqjpBISeFxS0Lu90SjUwUhInWjicezjR5JksTqdsmJZiaQWT51rxg-0WnYlQtha654urwetIrd_LFgxXKdOc/w640-h426/Grange%20reno%20plus%20063.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Maintenance holidays eventually end: here Vern Krahn restores barge boards</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">There's also the financial reality of inhabiting a heritage structure: they require ongoing investment in order to remain fully viable. There are always services needing upgrading, issues around sourcing things like compatible storm windows that keep the house warmer in winter, ongoing appropriate rehabilitation of degrading wooden components (see picture above) and replacement of those bits that are now wearing out, like the cedar shingle roof (maybe eight years left, if the right things are done to prolong its life). None of this is simple, all of it requires discretionary money to purchase skills, and in retirement, money comes to be in short supply for many. There is also management of the processes that renew the building (the individual contractor doesn't actually do this, or at least you don't really want him to be the one who is doing this, so you yourself need to serve as the general contractor on the job - which is demanding work that entails understanding the job fully). Also, at our place, there were long-deferred plans to develop an unfinished storage attic using a staircase with a landing and a west-facing dormer, which would enable us to access perhaps 900 square feet of added living space, including a much-needed second washroom off a master bedroom. We had been evolving plans to realize this dream when our life suddenly got complicated with the inheritance of a Pender Island property that similarly needed major investment. We couldn't afford to do both projects, so we chose to reinvest in restoring the Pender property. We don't regret that, but it turned out to be consequential.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-8uqHZIemA51--1i_zmwkVeqTNMR-KKzJBDjOzJxIxsQHhn2mc9OhoTdt_exnX190cvrOHaXorVB55tl94FPfVchK6-thSfEtWHKPCN0BE8CY5Xo8YKAtCKQpL1FOr8CqfBJEzBiJb0eoPq-BevNqthLopVlx5DOgNeXn9qQCs33Lvszxeoo7GdzENA/s1794/Round%20one%20roofing.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1204" data-original-width="1794" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-8uqHZIemA51--1i_zmwkVeqTNMR-KKzJBDjOzJxIxsQHhn2mc9OhoTdt_exnX190cvrOHaXorVB55tl94FPfVchK6-thSfEtWHKPCN0BE8CY5Xo8YKAtCKQpL1FOr8CqfBJEzBiJb0eoPq-BevNqthLopVlx5DOgNeXn9qQCs33Lvszxeoo7GdzENA/w640-h430/Round%20one%20roofing.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Re-roofing the house with perfection cedar shingles in 1998</span></span></b> <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">These two realities (a lot of work needing doing, plus insufficient funds to bring it all off) eventually converged in retirement, making sale and a move more or less inevitable. We saw it coming a couple of years back, yet wanted to keep going for the time being so we could enjoy the place we had put so much of ourselves into. This post covers the things we managed to tackle over the last couple of years, prior to actually putting the house up for sale - things that, in retrospect, we are proud to have seen done on behalf of a most deserving house.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvj9Z4XOkoR3OWNISKPPesYtwaeQYOxreYfVaUsjp0oKLGIM9OKIJk40bsPShyLfnVMt1x82_nVSGBlonOnBQkCfWyYPb51eXWlxUoGqjixZVu_0BP2nEhQGEBvEtCvX4CuQ2YRVN3aGM9fjvat76Zhg1nhorwsSGEIRnVAZ2ACD0c-YHOP9MnA98yps/s3008/gutters%20renewed%20front.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvj9Z4XOkoR3OWNISKPPesYtwaeQYOxreYfVaUsjp0oKLGIM9OKIJk40bsPShyLfnVMt1x82_nVSGBlonOnBQkCfWyYPb51eXWlxUoGqjixZVu_0BP2nEhQGEBvEtCvX4CuQ2YRVN3aGM9fjvat76Zhg1nhorwsSGEIRnVAZ2ACD0c-YHOP9MnA98yps/w426-h640/gutters%20renewed%20front.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Facade renewed in time for the centennial</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">A
recurring theme these days is just how much actually needs doing on an older house, a dynamic that has intensified as I've aged (perhaps the reality is that the aging process magnifies this effect). You simply have to stay with it in order to remain contemporary: no maintenance
holiday lasts forever, and many such holidays inevitably come to a close on your watch, especially if you've dwelt there for a while. It
was thus not surprising when one of the very first things I had initiated on
assuming my tenancy here - replacement of the wooden gutters on the rear of
the house, including restoring the missing downspouts - now obviously
needed further attention. </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">The gutters were replaced back in 1989, a year after I bought the place. </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> I managed to source old growth cedar
guttering to replace the original ones (milled to an authentic profile by Vintage
Woodworks) but I naively employed a carpenter who, while technically qualified,
wasn't seasoned at working with wooden gutters.
In fact, I'm almost certain this was his first undertaking on an
arts-and-crafts house, and while he didn't do a terrible job, he did miss some
obvious things, like replacing the fascia boards on the south-west
section, which were starting to have issues as rot from the existing spent gutters had reached back into them. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSGOhT0v38d4S2RGdjf0DU0g_l1hNd3Bb6dBSkE7vqHvYAMnCNlMNY5oK2fDFdbeQ8PdD9bmCpfHe-X8zmc-u7ZOBZwwixhIWsk6E4IoHbkd3iDN-E95AZhajnAdawcatzfToDQCGNVyUkUBQu-rSjVtWr4fXFfPUfWw381hqlWEUC2me49krv2agQwE/s3008/April%20showers%20103.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSGOhT0v38d4S2RGdjf0DU0g_l1hNd3Bb6dBSkE7vqHvYAMnCNlMNY5oK2fDFdbeQ8PdD9bmCpfHe-X8zmc-u7ZOBZwwixhIWsk6E4IoHbkd3iDN-E95AZhajnAdawcatzfToDQCGNVyUkUBQu-rSjVtWr4fXFfPUfWw381hqlWEUC2me49krv2agQwE/w640-h426/April%20showers%20103.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Scene of the crime: restored wooden gutters en route to premature demise<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Instead of informing me they needed replacing, this carpenter found just enough viable wood to
attach the new gutters to. He also didn't know to use pitch (or a copper-based preservative, inset photo at right) to condition
the new gutters, which dramatically increases their longevity. As a result, the
replacements were already rotting out thirty-three years after
installation (the original pitch-treated cedar had lasted nearly
seventy-five years)!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjlMtANg5XbnHU-l_TKEX7hXlvL1-5TO7Cju1DkyZKn-taHRc41VzC7a1fmEPnDXLa18wFojImeZ5_VVN19obOk590g6DekjxJ71FR5W15cP1DewBaOtHVr77C24E23DPaTNrdByG33VN0OxN7wimxKZsP7JzH3yNqM5W07yCAU6pJ_jmP95q2EUFyxUU/s3008/gutter%20done.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjlMtANg5XbnHU-l_TKEX7hXlvL1-5TO7Cju1DkyZKn-taHRc41VzC7a1fmEPnDXLa18wFojImeZ5_VVN19obOk590g6DekjxJ71FR5W15cP1DewBaOtHVr77C24E23DPaTNrdByG33VN0OxN7wimxKZsP7JzH3yNqM5W07yCAU6pJ_jmP95q2EUFyxUU/w266-h400/gutter%20done.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">And by then the fascia had only deteriorated even further. So there were now decisions to be made and, pivoting from
the purity of my initial choice to stay with wood (wiser with hindsight) I had metal
gutters in a compatible profile installed, with larger (and thus fewer)
downspouts needed. There were numerous advantages to going this route: the metal
gutters are wider than the wooden ones, making it easier to clean out the
build-up of oak leaves and debris in fall (especially given the roof's drip ledge, which makes it difficult to extricate leaves from wooden gutters). Plus, larger
downspouts don't block as readily as the narrow ones, which plugged every year with the onset of fall rains, with predictable consequences. So these are big advantages
in drainage and I am very pleased with the results.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXakl4_oVYsecVrsz4A_lgRzcp8-rB_JKwl2uVo-kERQFUsmowsqV8FTZJItcDS2o1DGZD8x9FyE5L0kQzNWwDcabZITmGwgTirF4ABdPKsYjvd0F1gelLuosIZdgM5zzrXvupm4aXxQo8xyKotCTZ1Hq5jUxc2sK06-wO6aNz-6yHczS3xO352Q1D9w/s3008/gutters%20one.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXakl4_oVYsecVrsz4A_lgRzcp8-rB_JKwl2uVo-kERQFUsmowsqV8FTZJItcDS2o1DGZD8x9FyE5L0kQzNWwDcabZITmGwgTirF4ABdPKsYjvd0F1gelLuosIZdgM5zzrXvupm4aXxQo8xyKotCTZ1Hq5jUxc2sK06-wO6aNz-6yHczS3xO352Q1D9w/w426-h640/gutters%20one.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Metal gutters, fascia and downspouts placed </span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">I think it would be fair to say that it got much more difficult to get anything done to heritage standards with the advent of the pandemic: costs rose dramatically while booking times became markedly longer as pandemic conditions combined negatively with the ongoing process of skilled artisans retiring or passing away. These dynamics complicated everything to do with renewal, including something as small and seemingly straightforward as re-cording a double-hung sash window. This is a job that periodically needs doing in a house with double-hung windows, sooner rather than later if the occupants have painted over the sash cords at some point (rendering them brittle and hastening their demise). The previous time I needed sash-cord replacement done, the masterful Vern Krahn was still available for small jobs like that - yet even someone so knowledgeable needed a couple of hours (it's very finicky work) to re-cord a double-hung window. It takes a certain finesse not to damage the window frame. But alas, Vern was no longer available, so I resorted to the market and tried booking several heritage carpenters who were on the municipal heritage list, but ultimately it was just too small a job to gain their attention. Then, out of nowhere, along came Brook Baxter, a highly skilled carpenter who had done fantastic work for us rebuilding the place on Pender Island. Brook had time for an add-on project on the weekend, and was intrigued by the job, as he'd never done it before. I couldn't believe our good fortune!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKoR9CzvHZ6_xKWBqL7DegxTzYZuMp1cVwud9r_PSYe5vYX0ImbDMqfRhbnTPpjXzyGpiTtSfWtbp9OHlp2ErCUWZEJUptskJ0aTGp0xTHk2YG3fj3r4H_JyXZAcsUVRRJxBhN3OdG6sq-7oK1LLVa3qMqt6NDHskhXk-1W2PUSXXavMUvHrJUcCfp9G0/s3008/Brook%20one.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKoR9CzvHZ6_xKWBqL7DegxTzYZuMp1cVwud9r_PSYe5vYX0ImbDMqfRhbnTPpjXzyGpiTtSfWtbp9OHlp2ErCUWZEJUptskJ0aTGp0xTHk2YG3fj3r4H_JyXZAcsUVRRJxBhN3OdG6sq-7oK1LLVa3qMqt6NDHskhXk-1W2PUSXXavMUvHrJUcCfp9G0/w640-h426/Brook%20one.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Brook was game to explore something entirely new</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">We began the process by doing some research, which means seeking advice from people with greater knowledge, in this instance Brigitte Clark of the Victoria Heritage Foundation. I wanted to use authentic components for the job but found that nearly everything came with some amount of polyester in it - which is as inauthentic as it gets in a heritage building! I asked Brigitte about sourcing genuine sash cord - 100% cotton woven with a special braid - and she knew where to get it! Thanks to the folks at Acklands-Grainger on Government Street, I secured a supply of genuine cotton sash cord, at a reasonable price.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgox7-E1QZxiA9wi6BfizwQfChwlwaYueS1xuxjtsC8BKHgrRl61nZAHWitgTXKi77WsXGYRIB9V6w8NHDCy3iVNfuJXjjq6QLBc2oMPlo38f08lHGwZn_Qs6_voqC6SPC4sYV4F5A7IuzulfL53QbfyqPir3fe9Ikw8DayDFsOEz5POjxC2PXT0M8bRT0/s3008/Braided%20sash%20cord.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgox7-E1QZxiA9wi6BfizwQfChwlwaYueS1xuxjtsC8BKHgrRl61nZAHWitgTXKi77WsXGYRIB9V6w8NHDCy3iVNfuJXjjq6QLBc2oMPlo38f08lHGwZn_Qs6_voqC6SPC4sYV4F5A7IuzulfL53QbfyqPir3fe9Ikw8DayDFsOEz5POjxC2PXT0M8bRT0/w640-h426/Braided%20sash%20cord.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The real article: 100% cotton braided sash cord, polished</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Brigitte's contributions to the window project continued with the sharing of a couple of pamphlets on the value of retaining heritage windows, plus one dealing directly with sash window-cord replacement. I also watched several You Tube videos on restringing cords, to develop a clearer idea of the steps involved in doing it right. It's a bit complicated, as there are heavy counter weights within the window frame that enable easy movement of the sash up and down (in a double hung window, there are two counter weights inside the frame on both sides, allowing both sashes to operate easily). Brook is a quick study, and very curious about the nature of wood construction, so he was quick to figure out how to go about tackling this project. Initially it involved finding a couple of removable panels giving access to the weights.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkoOGbnMt3WS7NQ14hJ9HWc0zd-cKyi68ah9e_9v_EV66RUIltGYUeI2bdt9JVp2mG9muxUsTJHp_i4aEaTtpra-hq-hOQ4904wKr4LGJXIuLINHhWPOR22yClayQ6b01jIhkMlv72p0EaNAmtDyBPPdAI6mja1uadLf8ldpYCJBHZXQF1FlqlhkbM6M/s3008/Double%20hung%20one.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkoOGbnMt3WS7NQ14hJ9HWc0zd-cKyi68ah9e_9v_EV66RUIltGYUeI2bdt9JVp2mG9muxUsTJHp_i4aEaTtpra-hq-hOQ4904wKr4LGJXIuLINHhWPOR22yClayQ6b01jIhkMlv72p0EaNAmtDyBPPdAI6mja1uadLf8ldpYCJBHZXQF1FlqlhkbM6M/w426-h640/Double%20hung%20one.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Counter-weighted sash windows vent well</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">The counter weights are surprisingly heavy, and they operate in constrained spaces, side by side. But with genuine sash cord, they work well and will last long - if the installer knows what they're doing. Getting the weights out is a real chore, but Brook was totally inventive at this work.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLB7ypHuBj0zRP9PZ5TnopCEOJiPZNbbFk1exSpM7rXrRwLv4EP4hZeJMnYFXWITKpmN0HarVfNkNnGgC_zBrgI9rh_jfNUDJhjY9aMMhuTfNxRCMGbaxg35U-_Kepbkj9IBYXse05p06vsRohX_ORK3q6dcBEagk2f0L_m_Rq2XFK9sTJvyM4TDdarA/s3008/Brook%20four.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLB7ypHuBj0zRP9PZ5TnopCEOJiPZNbbFk1exSpM7rXrRwLv4EP4hZeJMnYFXWITKpmN0HarVfNkNnGgC_zBrgI9rh_jfNUDJhjY9aMMhuTfNxRCMGbaxg35U-_Kepbkj9IBYXse05p06vsRohX_ORK3q6dcBEagk2f0L_m_Rq2XFK9sTJvyM4TDdarA/w640-h426/Brook%20four.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Counter weights, rotted cord, tools and parts used to get there</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Restringing the cords is where the real skill comes in. Even the knot used to attach the cord to the counter weight is complicated - not just any knot, but the precise one that knowledgeable carpenters use, firm and durable. Brook, who is a skilled fisherman, knew his knots from boating, so this piece came natural!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicPOJaVc9cvy2t-DYn20Yw_rKJSPcBEUxFfwe2SctLTnXPMAbP9qKqe-nFmkU6fyfF8tJUpc7E_AvanPbJ5q1Q-PeeID_ayAIyOF6PZb9fsj_Gfg67KZTudvQOJHqsDeslXL-0TVaMMF3RP06enu4EwY3tvnPS7xN9RDJ6MIu8D3m-HC2ZRH6prqnjwuU/s3008/Brook%20three.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicPOJaVc9cvy2t-DYn20Yw_rKJSPcBEUxFfwe2SctLTnXPMAbP9qKqe-nFmkU6fyfF8tJUpc7E_AvanPbJ5q1Q-PeeID_ayAIyOF6PZb9fsj_Gfg67KZTudvQOJHqsDeslXL-0TVaMMF3RP06enu4EwY3tvnPS7xN9RDJ6MIu8D3m-HC2ZRH6prqnjwuU/w640-h426/Brook%20three.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Finesse with knots is integral to successful re-cording</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'll resist getting into the minutiae, but there's a lot of knowledge that goes into restringing the cords on double-hung sash windows. I'm all admiration for Brook's willingness and ability to learn on the fly, which powered this job to completion.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TZEXBI4EdUvj7u_W5v3v8hCR2luyNcWe_sh7cQapqWWV-BTgJNCGqu15Nh_I9lt3nZsjB-CLIcNLJg0M8kL9AwG9Nc5LvwJqQMs4srs2L58jgTHcjbK13ltoGwujx_Isds67oiZTuX9dHbrgfPlZYufQOgjd1-OR4IUmnyHS2T_bpNjyH6mLW_KtC1U/s3008/Brook%20two.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TZEXBI4EdUvj7u_W5v3v8hCR2luyNcWe_sh7cQapqWWV-BTgJNCGqu15Nh_I9lt3nZsjB-CLIcNLJg0M8kL9AwG9Nc5LvwJqQMs4srs2L58jgTHcjbK13ltoGwujx_Isds67oiZTuX9dHbrgfPlZYufQOgjd1-OR4IUmnyHS2T_bpNjyH6mLW_KtC1U/w426-h640/Brook%20two.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Thing of beauty: cord restrung, right knot</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">I can't say enough about Brook's skill and panache in bringing the job off, and to a very high standard indeed! I thought enough of his stellar work to make him an extra special brunch, but honestly, I am in awe of his craft skills in carrying the job out.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0lbk5-3KAhcBKCH00MVYIxnc2jQCp7chddiravRpPOcEDdQMnh1g4ELdlYTk00R4MLZhlhMVYkWzvbl4v0EEaQ8saKTtbsLHWNykHg72le9FKbD8H2qlEkdSImlaYIwSVkqOnp34_nnsnrjJIOyA0EG3vfuW92FcdGaS4GDmwQ9QM9lHFXvFZ2mfoaq0/s3008/Brook%20six.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0lbk5-3KAhcBKCH00MVYIxnc2jQCp7chddiravRpPOcEDdQMnh1g4ELdlYTk00R4MLZhlhMVYkWzvbl4v0EEaQ8saKTtbsLHWNykHg72le9FKbD8H2qlEkdSImlaYIwSVkqOnp34_nnsnrjJIOyA0EG3vfuW92FcdGaS4GDmwQ9QM9lHFXvFZ2mfoaq0/w426-h640/Brook%20six.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Finishing up: master craftsman at work</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Brook's work on the sash-cord replacement inspired me to tackle some more tasks myself. A redecorating project for the room ensued after the window was restrung and the cupboard retooled for better storage (also Brook's handiwork). The decorating project went on through late winter into spring, with a rhythm of its own. I did about two or three hours a day on it, which kept the job inching forward over time.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyV6lceUYG6IhFXrKyufLzfd6OUCuybkKNQMGq4LZpz5tCDDT0EmjziT9dLSWYbAtmCNv_M-lWRguvcDJUCPitT3fjdLesAVdzCGbwmwhdpxmS5AShGC8xcbnty2nnhusiJAXoqj00e-CGUzIvbGNnHdl1mup2UK2pkMzyPl8O2QHFLXZSO3OK_CrGNRw/s3008/Redec%20one.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyV6lceUYG6IhFXrKyufLzfd6OUCuybkKNQMGq4LZpz5tCDDT0EmjziT9dLSWYbAtmCNv_M-lWRguvcDJUCPitT3fjdLesAVdzCGbwmwhdpxmS5AShGC8xcbnty2nnhusiJAXoqj00e-CGUzIvbGNnHdl1mup2UK2pkMzyPl8O2QHFLXZSO3OK_CrGNRw/w640-h426/Redec%20one.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Redecorating is ninety percent prep and ten percent painting</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Later that year, in November, I had an unexpected and meaningful connection with the family of the building's first occupants. I had become Facebook friends with Kim Barth Kembel some years back. Now she and her daughter-in-law Shansi Zhang proposed visiting us at Grange Road late in 2022, on their way up-island. Kim is one of Joy Savage's daughters. Joy, who was Hubert and Alys's daughter, married Alfred Barth, both of whom I was fortunate enough to be in contact with over the years. Joy and Alfred were kind enough to share copies of the 1933 and 1951 floor plans of the house, drawn by architect Hubert Savage, which among other things put to rest the notion that he may not have designed his own home. These floor plans have been a huge aid in developing an understanding of the building (I am resolved to make sure the Saanich Archives has copies for their records). It was absolutely special to meet Kim after knowing her long-distance for years - she recalled a summer vacation here on Grange, in the company of her mother while Alys was still alive. It was an entirely memorable experience for Susan and me. I was thrilled to be able to point out to her Joy's signature, just discernible on the concrete art-deco steps at the back of the house.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-k0mn87cOtWo0PNdy44GAg_FHfT_CR2QF5Td0syAfVZdMgPPeEn4zIA0bAHCNOqIxW9E0iG6sGrIdUo3lwHrrUgj7BogRAfcKcYeYIyNhj1-zTnOLXt2xZBEoeNo_knExZmsUfi-JMHhw5EkROu5UVH8GNHrpNBzYZUZ9Q8Km9G8QV8cW-6y-v5tnEg/s640/IMG_5597(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-k0mn87cOtWo0PNdy44GAg_FHfT_CR2QF5Td0syAfVZdMgPPeEn4zIA0bAHCNOqIxW9E0iG6sGrIdUo3lwHrrUgj7BogRAfcKcYeYIyNhj1-zTnOLXt2xZBEoeNo_knExZmsUfi-JMHhw5EkROu5UVH8GNHrpNBzYZUZ9Q8Km9G8QV8cW-6y-v5tnEg/w480-h640/IMG_5597(1).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">With Kim Barth Kembel at Grange Road</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-7m39bOOsYttLrmUbrT2uLO3YJ7oTyTC0-8NT5jZmB9M-u0l5icJqhhDuDOuQR1M_WyLuipqqzqlmCd0rJWYF18YQdioLWodgE0PrSlG58pwlz7exgYTIrm-WF0Y2hElyX6SA-0adJqiCN2qBs4-kRQModtr8yEZXhTS69JZ3nctJymZxfOFDnc-u4-o/s3008/Joy%20one.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-7m39bOOsYttLrmUbrT2uLO3YJ7oTyTC0-8NT5jZmB9M-u0l5icJqhhDuDOuQR1M_WyLuipqqzqlmCd0rJWYF18YQdioLWodgE0PrSlG58pwlz7exgYTIrm-WF0Y2hElyX6SA-0adJqiCN2qBs4-kRQModtr8yEZXhTS69JZ3nctJymZxfOFDnc-u4-o/w640-h426/Joy%20one.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"Joy, 12-5-30": the date the steps were cast, with Joy present</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">I was earnestly trying to mobilize myself to keep on getting things done, even as it became harder with pandemic restrictions, supply-chain constraints, and most craft attention now focused on new construction. One consequence was that there were much longer booking times for everything. This was certainly the case with refinishing the claw-foot tub in our sole bathroom. It badly needed redoing, as its synthetic finish was really worn and there were multiple chips too. The booking time for the Bathtub Doctor (the outfit that does the best job) was over six months, which meant it wouldn't be finished until March 2023. The six months prior to the booking were tough ones all in. My sister passed away in winter 2023, an event that was emotionally preoccupying. As it happened, The Bathtub Doctor was scheduled to recondition the tub the same week we were away at my sister's funeral. Talk about quirks of fate! Fortunately, our son Bryn was quite able to manage the job in our absence. The Bathtub Doctor did an excellent job too, which helped me to feel a bit more optimistic about getting things moved ahead around the house.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKzYGzIevS84OpKOpFSU75oKlV2UcUsuKZKDzz7xVYY_A2SgTXY0_9MPdkCGrP8KkvdOfYECNDdlvyxF5nVD0KZwC1IdvPPNs9h5pyiaU2z5OPLW5simJ78wN-L58qvLa-xPE3_oyAmGCq6JREXGJRuqlrT3GhnPtt5kvm2LAYtOSmCsRkHeElAhNeyxc/s3008/tub%20one.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKzYGzIevS84OpKOpFSU75oKlV2UcUsuKZKDzz7xVYY_A2SgTXY0_9MPdkCGrP8KkvdOfYECNDdlvyxF5nVD0KZwC1IdvPPNs9h5pyiaU2z5OPLW5simJ78wN-L58qvLa-xPE3_oyAmGCq6JREXGJRuqlrT3GhnPtt5kvm2LAYtOSmCsRkHeElAhNeyxc/w426-h640/tub%20one.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Refinished tub in afternoon light</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">A really important job that I absolutely wanted to see done before putting the house on the market was having the shed reroofed. The shed was designed as an eye-catcher that would be seen from the kitchen. I was concerned about the condition of its roof, as it sits under oak trees and accumulates a lot of debris. I'd been chatting with Jared Brokop, who runs Brokop Roofing, about whether we were at the point of needing a new cedar roof installed. Initially he thought not, due to the super-tight spacing of the shingles on the original roof. Upon close inspection, however, he determined that the shingles were becoming spongy (so no longer shedding water effectively) and that a replacement roof was definitely needed. This conversation happened during the winter, when roofing activity typically pauses. But we agreed Jared would tee the work up as soon as there was open weather in early spring. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYF3T0dow3znWRCvsxv5rdCIQryINO4e7og-8CzQUoITcIQMxtjYrDYjAVBbTV1pd6oEYpbeLfSmJhkWcVt_CqadWcGUq-hUcXUzch-SlUZFZr3JbmOrxU7YNEhWsAOaKOoPgJbo5Xlb84oyQyiQjoclMbTTMdHPAGA0Yr6OQ4U-KHhZho2biUBU3Csws/s3008/Brokop%20one.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYF3T0dow3znWRCvsxv5rdCIQryINO4e7og-8CzQUoITcIQMxtjYrDYjAVBbTV1pd6oEYpbeLfSmJhkWcVt_CqadWcGUq-hUcXUzch-SlUZFZr3JbmOrxU7YNEhWsAOaKOoPgJbo5Xlb84oyQyiQjoclMbTTMdHPAGA0Yr6OQ4U-KHhZho2biUBU3Csws/w640-h426/Brokop%20one.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Early in April 2023, a three-person crew got to work on the shed</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Suddenly in early April, the job was on. A three-person team arrived on a Saturday and began stripping the old roof off, then replacing it with number one 'perfection' sawn cedar shingles. This type of roofing is now a very expensive proposition, so we were fortunate the roof was as small as it is.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOi99DI60vb5Hjyjh4uUCjNgBStTm0aR-YWDGdGmVnw0AFs6MAEMuPksqXB9AyMyYYlIUzt_H1yXAVjj3VQiefKDcuavjbO_pi9lPHoNe5R65_LENboiSGfTWq8oBeKnTDhPwJektrI07Eilyk9Jx2FZdjnr6bIFF3UrW--jw_ufWvzoZUxkFIPMlQaGY/s3008/Brokop%20two.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOi99DI60vb5Hjyjh4uUCjNgBStTm0aR-YWDGdGmVnw0AFs6MAEMuPksqXB9AyMyYYlIUzt_H1yXAVjj3VQiefKDcuavjbO_pi9lPHoNe5R65_LENboiSGfTWq8oBeKnTDhPwJektrI07Eilyk9Jx2FZdjnr6bIFF3UrW--jw_ufWvzoZUxkFIPMlQaGY/w640-h426/Brokop%20two.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Three people working meant the job proceeded rapidly</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">I was very excited watching this work unfold, which it did very rapidly, basically over the course of one weekend. The new roof had an impressive impact on the eye-catching shed as seen from inside the house. I'm used to this building's overall effect, but I'd forgotten just what a strong impression a brand new cedar roof makes!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dKDb-gqp-6nODFvUvbbHVKD52bW24UVJrLRqufrGpQMza9pR-NVcz69SjjmzNHIFBF87c-LJd33xFTIEK1eApJQVJMgY9zg6joYFc98uL-0X1kd8IglqwyKTLrjbeGq_qKrRuRsEj6COSeGWpwg79-vj-PveWYtUIAaZT2tcTfzoJ9gB8wGaZcafK-k/s3008/Brokop%20four.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dKDb-gqp-6nODFvUvbbHVKD52bW24UVJrLRqufrGpQMza9pR-NVcz69SjjmzNHIFBF87c-LJd33xFTIEK1eApJQVJMgY9zg6joYFc98uL-0X1kd8IglqwyKTLrjbeGq_qKrRuRsEj6COSeGWpwg79-vj-PveWYtUIAaZT2tcTfzoJ9gB8wGaZcafK-k/w640-h426/Brokop%20four.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The weather cooperated fully in the short window needed</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">It takes incredible skill to do cedar shingling to a high standard, but Jared and his team have such skills in spades. A lot of finesse went into the job. And, because they were well-organized in the way they went about it, the mess was pretty much controlled and removed as part of the process.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbS0gADPHfzMOows1-Ycovgouw7VSzitTCwP5V8Jn53DV524jInqQ0_s0eOoLzV-kG9rlrBE07g0K0nRpT6t4Grb3M9Ge6IAHalT5r9BHuifOZdJgUr4n6rXLrz7uqOZEqSIh54O1aq1VTTwnNrWxb6adEuqog8YbXZmuF1khNpc-H8ntyYTW8x84zfOg/s3008/Brokop%20three.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbS0gADPHfzMOows1-Ycovgouw7VSzitTCwP5V8Jn53DV524jInqQ0_s0eOoLzV-kG9rlrBE07g0K0nRpT6t4Grb3M9Ge6IAHalT5r9BHuifOZdJgUr4n6rXLrz7uqOZEqSIh54O1aq1VTTwnNrWxb6adEuqog8YbXZmuF1khNpc-H8ntyYTW8x84zfOg/w640-h426/Brokop%20three.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">They almost finished the job over the course of a weekend</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">As it turned out, Jared had to come back to finish up the ridge cap the following week. It wasn't long after they were done that the balmy spring weather headed south and it started hailing. Welcome to the world, new roof!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52pMJKvIPOfCD3ovPAIGDi_esqv6HS8vvKVp-OroXJMDG598MYC9EDMosc1SBm3jMqASUxZunOmaIvCD-PbLMp9I8JrcSX4IRBUPGPMxlrddXfu9DBfSWHvOIX7iQWDwDAmTWHuUz2HLRbvbKCgOTAWwS_Iag3n5Sd9Vvj6ki7asWXJuXsDdGHHGuwAM/s3008/Brokop%20five.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52pMJKvIPOfCD3ovPAIGDi_esqv6HS8vvKVp-OroXJMDG598MYC9EDMosc1SBm3jMqASUxZunOmaIvCD-PbLMp9I8JrcSX4IRBUPGPMxlrddXfu9DBfSWHvOIX7iQWDwDAmTWHuUz2HLRbvbKCgOTAWwS_Iag3n5Sd9Vvj6ki7asWXJuXsDdGHHGuwAM/w426-h640/Brokop%20five.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Roofs take a beating, twelve months a year</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">It was a busy spring for us, as we were now cruising towards putting the place up for sale. This leant a sense of urgency to getting things done: for example, for a long time I'd wanted to replace a the two wall sconces I had installed in the living room 25 years earlier - bona fide period-ware, they just didn't go with the rest of the decor. They also didn't make for the indirect or shielded (therefore interesting) light that fits so well in an arts-and-crafts house. This is a cardinal sin in an important space like the living room! It happened that for the project on Pender, we used an oriental-style lantern to good effect. We just happened to have a couple of wall sconces left over from that project. These iridescent lamps were installed in early May of 2023, and we are very pleased with the light they give off.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRUQSs4_yRnuPn4VGj1DlxPYTAj-BUlQkhLuU6igJwU7Y83YQIbOEyGWdsatThYZqmri_dDzmCL_zcZsnFl7EojLIrxQyZYRXdO-XZnK94ggOUr4y8wjMLQOmgcKDbcUJZjJhJ6RtsIDvaSFt186f3UxkFfLCsoD6i4ThnCcIAxI80_sl0S6lznnSVLw/s3008/Lamp%20one.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRUQSs4_yRnuPn4VGj1DlxPYTAj-BUlQkhLuU6igJwU7Y83YQIbOEyGWdsatThYZqmri_dDzmCL_zcZsnFl7EojLIrxQyZYRXdO-XZnK94ggOUr4y8wjMLQOmgcKDbcUJZjJhJ6RtsIDvaSFt186f3UxkFfLCsoD6i4ThnCcIAxI80_sl0S6lznnSVLw/w640-h426/Lamp%20one.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Of all the things I wanted to see done before I left Grange Road, repairs to some damaged panels on the Lawson Wood frieze were at the very top of the list. Somehow, almost magically, the super-talented Simone Vogel-Horridge managed to squeeze this work into her busy schedule. The frieze is one of the things that convinced me to purchase the Savage bungalow 35 years ago. As entrancing as its effects are, there were nevertheless several damaged areas (whether by exposure to daylight, chemicals leaching from a previous wallpaper behind it, or from outright human error) and they needed attention. This is not work for amateurs. It takes immense skill and vast knowledge to undertake repairs to historic wallpaper. Simone has these skills, but the challenge was getting her attention for a relatively small job. We managed to slip this one in just under the wire!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7Sx2PGx3mKrbfC4gRajAKzuqZaap6694Vew0pk2uOz2qNdGYli7NEL0AdMaMmQ0tq9_fi3LEv_ri_kBukqGFsHQAloqeCK1Z_tj3ftCHLgHq1yX9ZME7zeK4JMWdd5Gj1usQoaWCqnqTZBvT47tjVTKodK71IcJFBw8nE7B3P3TF162wVZTA6I6nq7k/s3008/Wallpaper%20two.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7Sx2PGx3mKrbfC4gRajAKzuqZaap6694Vew0pk2uOz2qNdGYli7NEL0AdMaMmQ0tq9_fi3LEv_ri_kBukqGFsHQAloqeCK1Z_tj3ftCHLgHq1yX9ZME7zeK4JMWdd5Gj1usQoaWCqnqTZBvT47tjVTKodK71IcJFBw8nE7B3P3TF162wVZTA6I6nq7k/w640-h426/Wallpaper%20two.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Simone exploring colour matches in preparation for repair</span></span></b> <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">It had always irked me that the signed frieze in the
living room had deteriorated at a number of points. Stuart Stark recommended Simone
as someone who could work magic in a situation like this, and he was right. It took a long
time, and a good deal of patience, to get Simone's attention on this project,
but once she was seized of it, things really flowed.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWgBbKVFTA66vIFNsQUgJl13gbBJvTy3VwdZP15uyDJzeL7cZT15w90muQKdncn8lXCkSSl7qIutsRxEKrVm5zhXxuAhpHs3Rb1AcTbnaCtfrQqXBNDRLwFic8StCSv2RsaNbVfkj1uRaYE_20wJJm21PX_v5cNgS8yQ4lP--78L-SIdu5wfDTC5kuYM/s3008/Wallpaper%20one.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWgBbKVFTA66vIFNsQUgJl13gbBJvTy3VwdZP15uyDJzeL7cZT15w90muQKdncn8lXCkSSl7qIutsRxEKrVm5zhXxuAhpHs3Rb1AcTbnaCtfrQqXBNDRLwFic8StCSv2RsaNbVfkj1uRaYE_20wJJm21PX_v5cNgS8yQ4lP--78L-SIdu5wfDTC5kuYM/w640-h426/Wallpaper%20one.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The serious business of identifying accurate colour matches</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">If memory serves, Simone and her assistant Will visited us in early December 2022, to undertake a detailed assessment of what repair of the frieze would involve. It would be some months before they returned to complete the work, but they needed to produce entire replacement panels that would blend with the original artwork. Luckily, I had acquired two Lawson Wood prints in the same frieze pattern (in entirely different dominant colours) that served as a template of how he rendered his clouds - Simone copied this detail with absolute veracity, as it was key to two of the missing linking spaces.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZTEwIER03lbUWoLoSw4jbN9vg19soesScRvHbl_9LPm-_KwD-tDGODe9KSV6jPGWjl3sDYANWytdzDmF10VwMSgj2xc1Y2VBSLrl-h0uA1O_vfCA8XJwT8Sl5eaD0vhXfJnuW36ToxHo3yOnW_9xZ5qHhSE3jt1w8kHw6k-QwLr-Xh16ZRsVUNStiE0/s3008/Paper%20one.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZTEwIER03lbUWoLoSw4jbN9vg19soesScRvHbl_9LPm-_KwD-tDGODe9KSV6jPGWjl3sDYANWytdzDmF10VwMSgj2xc1Y2VBSLrl-h0uA1O_vfCA8XJwT8Sl5eaD0vhXfJnuW36ToxHo3yOnW_9xZ5qHhSE3jt1w8kHw6k-QwLr-Xh16ZRsVUNStiE0/w640-h426/Paper%20one.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Will preparing to position a replacement panel, for colour comparison</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Simone was hard at work adapting the base colours so they blended better with the rest of the frieze, which had been discoloured with smoke from tobacco and the fireplace over many years. Her way of dealing with this was brilliant: she literally adapted her base colours to mimic the effect the smoke had had on the original frieze.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-o8SpNRYeraukwm5G8Ytb7CO06kE57argcLnVVjAw4NmMWyXsXkqp_3RjQ3gzFZAiOkLZXkfJe21VQxxolFKqW9LTlLIjOAfwHCCCEBrp85E-ZL3xIHDrItjzfmvstAjYKMyyTVz51V8unpwLPme1clOynbgRXLK4N3dQcu15U4_BQCG_lcpgo7Ptf2I/s3008/Paper%20two.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-o8SpNRYeraukwm5G8Ytb7CO06kE57argcLnVVjAw4NmMWyXsXkqp_3RjQ3gzFZAiOkLZXkfJe21VQxxolFKqW9LTlLIjOAfwHCCCEBrp85E-ZL3xIHDrItjzfmvstAjYKMyyTVz51V8unpwLPme1clOynbgRXLK4N3dQcu15U4_BQCG_lcpgo7Ptf2I/w426-h640/Paper%20two.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Simone conditioning a replacement panel</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">To say I was excited by this development would be rank understatement - it was a form of magic being worked in the interests of original art that I valued immensely.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihuCDRJDMOzYv1KGVppB_-9CvENCDPxkEfmf2idEvenN-aqDEgiBIdXaKNYmj9lpHZj4kLTpifOItCKpy_EEOibXkqKVbg2CESI3umnahEbnhN8wQNr7kDZXuNt9B4Jh5xg7IbvttRPyp-W6-Mk-0zTX5px7UKgkkWQBOFtMSdV-xGMuwhbl3CYXfINC4/s3008/Paper%20four.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihuCDRJDMOzYv1KGVppB_-9CvENCDPxkEfmf2idEvenN-aqDEgiBIdXaKNYmj9lpHZj4kLTpifOItCKpy_EEOibXkqKVbg2CESI3umnahEbnhN8wQNr7kDZXuNt9B4Jh5xg7IbvttRPyp-W6-Mk-0zTX5px7UKgkkWQBOFtMSdV-xGMuwhbl3CYXfINC4/w640-h426/Paper%20four.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">New panel prior to being conditioned to mimic smoke effects</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">I was more than pleased with the results of this long-delayed process. We had already concluded the sale of the house prior to the rehabilitation work being done, so it was doubly magic for me. Here I was, through Simone's agency, getting to make a final contribution to the uniqueness of the Savage bungalow, while being on the way out the door. This was entirely special, and a fitting consummation of the relationship I had enjoyed with this spellbinding building over thirty-five years. The only thing I regret about the experience I've had here is having to actually bring it to an end. But in life, perhaps it doesn't get any better than that.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbO2VmoX_9UdbmY6pafiCpaBaqGrSxI7l8_SDht4MYQRUVbVDr_HVCRB0vyhOTYEfMlj8idEB1VpSRH-T8lD46xPUBFPkphW4C9wIYafG5pTSzfBoUkdDHsg-QM64wVlTk4Jk5miVTQNS8vyLYfavhaXQ14N-xPSOPEUJVCRELlD2OyX7wLeBK7C1_gZg/s3008/Paper%20five.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbO2VmoX_9UdbmY6pafiCpaBaqGrSxI7l8_SDht4MYQRUVbVDr_HVCRB0vyhOTYEfMlj8idEB1VpSRH-T8lD46xPUBFPkphW4C9wIYafG5pTSzfBoUkdDHsg-QM64wVlTk4Jk5miVTQNS8vyLYfavhaXQ14N-xPSOPEUJVCRELlD2OyX7wLeBK7C1_gZg/w426-h640/Paper%20five.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Conditioning the clouds to mimic smoke effects</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisiGy5mCWIBNQ3aA0Cw8J_lPjzd1TUCx7m_lLMxGUan4zOXeUDEkg19fUtalIVvWfwAmGZcv7Kjl1sGPHU5ktGZuRunVXYBFX4mbu8nrIiFt1eHNxOX6FpJSFUNmWibGt6YZaVBnMtInyTWmcyQaad5nzd3e1Q_g4pTTMIuM6z-XZ-EJuKFzyxHmQBuig/s3008/friezing.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisiGy5mCWIBNQ3aA0Cw8J_lPjzd1TUCx7m_lLMxGUan4zOXeUDEkg19fUtalIVvWfwAmGZcv7Kjl1sGPHU5ktGZuRunVXYBFX4mbu8nrIiFt1eHNxOX6FpJSFUNmWibGt6YZaVBnMtInyTWmcyQaad5nzd3e1Q_g4pTTMIuM6z-XZ-EJuKFzyxHmQBuig/w640-h426/friezing.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Panel conditioned to better mimic the effect of tobacco smoke</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">I have been most fortunate in my time here to work with so many skilled individuals, without whom the Savage bungalow would not have been restored as remarkably as it has been. I want to share this with them now, as it's been an honour to have the opportunity of working with them all. Thank you all so much, from the bottom of my heart!<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><br />David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-3291127811635964192023-09-17T19:22:00.000-07:002023-09-17T19:22:45.469-07:00Connecting With Stone<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zredDswnnH599kFKkRr0eLU70Et-3jwVMWammCMMu1Yg-sjfu7cJr9PlH9vFn7BMRo7Cozj0cxNSNSV3A8njOKfNIDnp9IfSpzecLjtKM3EMiTKZ9weCjzm186tfpbDzRJk1jf4A5h9K8PJl8t9LngfY9nhNKcjHtwiRwQxOGO5u07jOH4R6CQTB6Gk/s1600/Connect%20one.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zredDswnnH599kFKkRr0eLU70Et-3jwVMWammCMMu1Yg-sjfu7cJr9PlH9vFn7BMRo7Cozj0cxNSNSV3A8njOKfNIDnp9IfSpzecLjtKM3EMiTKZ9weCjzm186tfpbDzRJk1jf4A5h9K8PJl8t9LngfY9nhNKcjHtwiRwQxOGO5u07jOH4R6CQTB6Gk/w640-h426/Connect%20one.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A rough stone base links this 1913 bungalow to its rocky upland site</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>When I said ‘yes’ to buying an old house
built on a stone
foundation, I had no idea of the new headaches I was agreeing to as a
result. We tend to see things made of stone as permanent (part of
their charm) whereas materials like wood we more easily accept need
periodic maintenance. But stone needs attention too, only over much
longer intervals if it's been well done originally. And
as many do with houses, I went for the whole enchilada without closely
examining all the
parts, then gradually awoke to the realities of the work needed in order to
stabilize and repair the building. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><p>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>
</span><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>As I settled into my new home, I began
noticing among other things that its sturdy stone base in fact sported several breaches. It turns out that seventy-five
years of exposure to weather with minimal maintenance
will do that to a foundation held together by mortar. The materials
comprising it were ordinary, mostly collected on site, and randomly
set without conscious patterning or coursing. A lot of
different shapes and sizes of stone had gone into that foundation, with a
crazy-quilt of seams as a result. Here and there enlarging cracks offered
openings to the shallow crawl space behind them. Earth shifting,
courtesy of forces like tree root expansion or earthquake tremors, plus
the effects of freeze-thaw cycles, can crack and degrade
even sturdy walls over time. In some spots the base of the wall was
actually coming unstuck and starting to dilapidate.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-dmsXQYeLQW8ZWYwICXKj36njpuYCLuXXwbWEpBpHNk4Z-kyTvyjhAWoXFDUxUVlHR3ECgEdNAph-Ru86NI97JEmoX7uk1gTuHiLgsgGw7sZHEK-zbvFOj3KVF0hAZb4iey8b9mv91iIyOwYgHGFY_ciVWovVvMIj6zJCpDpGpK-ue31HK1LAY75GBo/s1600/Connect%20two.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-dmsXQYeLQW8ZWYwICXKj36njpuYCLuXXwbWEpBpHNk4Z-kyTvyjhAWoXFDUxUVlHR3ECgEdNAph-Ru86NI97JEmoX7uk1gTuHiLgsgGw7sZHEK-zbvFOj3KVF0hAZb4iey8b9mv91iIyOwYgHGFY_ciVWovVvMIj6zJCpDpGpK-ue31HK1LAY75GBo/w640-h426/Connect%20two.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As roots grow and expand, they raise the soil and easily crack rock walls</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxBIM687-8ZV2x2R0bpQjWNAmfOuonula6LisjvONzUNBmBGc8l22sfSaKu-mv_jSK-Kr-8N4XZW97y1NDhFvvt5eRbFbZZg9uiPwcHQdrqh76MbpCOos1TFOXSC8wjo6Har3ZEvVN80O4DDOfQz9Eup6SQb3ISVKqI3l9ItXS_MDVHGm4w4wKMJySTQ/s1600/Connect%20three.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxBIM687-8ZV2x2R0bpQjWNAmfOuonula6LisjvONzUNBmBGc8l22sfSaKu-mv_jSK-Kr-8N4XZW97y1NDhFvvt5eRbFbZZg9uiPwcHQdrqh76MbpCOos1TFOXSC8wjo6Har3ZEvVN80O4DDOfQz9Eup6SQb3ISVKqI3l9ItXS_MDVHGm4w4wKMJySTQ/w640-h426/Connect%20three.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A section of wall broken by expanding roots, needing attention</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span><span> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>I also began
noticing signs of slapdash fix-ups, careless work that had simply
smeared mortar across the face of the stone. These sloppy repairs (what
the English call 'bodges') leapt to the eye like carbuncles. So of course
my first thought as a naieve homeowner was to involve someone more skilled
(‘call the plumber!’) to address the problem.</span></span>
</p><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>
</span><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>But back then I didn’t know anything
about stone
masonry, so I talked a bricklayer I’d hired to fix some spalling chimney bricks
into patching an area on the south wall. I simply assumed the skills
required were one and the same. He was a bit disinclined, a cue I should
have taken, but then agreed. Once his patching was done, I completely
got his hesitation. In contrast to the neat bands of mortar he placed
so precisely between
the courses of the bricks, his approach to stone involved smearing
mortar
across the joints. I’m unsure why irregularity of form should cause that
response in a
bricklayer, but the results were unfortunate for the look of the
foundation. Later, I spent a few hours chipping away the worst of
the smeared cement, to make the joints recede in emphasis and restore something like
the original look.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm38lvtaV6UbE8yI8iLBsCYoIkQQNy8_ar7j91UVYmTVXHGRqkOveZHoh_4ZHiy_7mANBsKsQEJAxFiZ7uL7zDaGNBuvPiNNRguuUBp9938suWzOmA0Gj_u7MIVAv41aRI1743W50zk2inDXzXMT4CG2zO7tXX2djshrF-mqwynnh6u4D0YoX5wHndL0Y/s1600/Connect%20four.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm38lvtaV6UbE8yI8iLBsCYoIkQQNy8_ar7j91UVYmTVXHGRqkOveZHoh_4ZHiy_7mANBsKsQEJAxFiZ7uL7zDaGNBuvPiNNRguuUBp9938suWzOmA0Gj_u7MIVAv41aRI1743W50zk2inDXzXMT4CG2zO7tXX2djshrF-mqwynnh6u4D0YoX5wHndL0Y/w640-h426/Connect%20four.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mortar smeared across the seams obscures the look of a stone wall</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZrbGt4wiUQDpIIm6TTEm5-AJzMbqxJk0GIN5KJJgt7jvBArghF6pFfwjvXadSE9WntqFEFpY2ZdU4IUKB6rxY4zIjVcdawBGXHcwnANlDspmgWpDIh8a7lLHAPGjp9Hntr9sQ4lARAs_r1fu5jRN6PCY8YFOfXw0fd-VqTb94xBP8YKfT1bwqcQCPqhc/s1600/Connect%20five.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZrbGt4wiUQDpIIm6TTEm5-AJzMbqxJk0GIN5KJJgt7jvBArghF6pFfwjvXadSE9WntqFEFpY2ZdU4IUKB6rxY4zIjVcdawBGXHcwnANlDspmgWpDIh8a7lLHAPGjp9Hntr9sQ4lARAs_r1fu5jRN6PCY8YFOfXw0fd-VqTb94xBP8YKfT1bwqcQCPqhc/w640-h426/Connect%20five.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A section of rubble stone foundation wall whose base has been rebuilt</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;">While watching the bricklayer go at this
work, I realized how
ungainly his attempts to get the mortar into these wandering seams
actually
were. Using a pointed mason’s trowel for the carry and a smaller one to
push
mortar into the seams simply didn’t cut it. A pointed trowel may be a great
tool for
dressing a brick before placing it, but for infilling irregular seams in
a
rubble stone wall it clearly wasn’t working. The outcome argued against
continuing down this path. The
thought dawned that I myself needed to learn how this type of work
should be done, so I could avoid further damage to the look of the building. I don’t know why
I opted to get personally involved rather than just finding a skilled
stone mason,
yet it was but a small step from there to working directly with
stone. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqT5r5xrUCbpVjCMWSIX8skU9XrFd8SphCCrBACgvAoEZ3VeiofPlzPvh4W3R0CbIPZflTHiDGm8DhS7P7HIrjAAtRhArtmMqIZgciMw_VrQEsKWkmVijfphuBXc49V7dck7RiMfTrfAp8RJNLHj6IHEUdQEaAWa6ePbyDkQSASf_zzTbdWh9SOPGyrGE/s1600/Connect%20six.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqT5r5xrUCbpVjCMWSIX8skU9XrFd8SphCCrBACgvAoEZ3VeiofPlzPvh4W3R0CbIPZflTHiDGm8DhS7P7HIrjAAtRhArtmMqIZgciMw_VrQEsKWkmVijfphuBXc49V7dck7RiMfTrfAp8RJNLHj6IHEUdQEaAWa6ePbyDkQSASf_zzTbdWh9SOPGyrGE/w426-h640/Connect%20six.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ongoing repair: buttress needing attention</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>A stone base under a house creates a
distinctive impression, gluing the building firmly to its site in a
particular way. If the rock used is taken from the site itself and the
building sits on bedrock, the house feels at-one with the
landscape. But let that look become marred by walls entombed in
concrete and the stone is thereby demoted to an indistinct element in a matrix,
causing the original
aesthetic to recede. Taken far enough, it disappears entirely. You may
as well have a
full concrete foundation as have rocks masked by mortar. I thought it
important not to go any further down that path.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCupu-am9AAvhAy_jQb88L-WO_ec22vBTyLMZ_y2c9ulXEzhJz5inOr19MsrNGx4Yuf9zvvLfcTuUWI8dhrwc_6GGmh_JerH0tKA43i5c3GHCOSsIzxqgUb78BXNx-ze5QYYeGQRdD6CbMYw26nF8ZKtffA0dk0XPXF-D2lma2XJHBuPgme8ctQYuoLUA/s1600/Connect%20seven.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCupu-am9AAvhAy_jQb88L-WO_ec22vBTyLMZ_y2c9ulXEzhJz5inOr19MsrNGx4Yuf9zvvLfcTuUWI8dhrwc_6GGmh_JerH0tKA43i5c3GHCOSsIzxqgUb78BXNx-ze5QYYeGQRdD6CbMYw26nF8ZKtffA0dk0XPXF-D2lma2XJHBuPgme8ctQYuoLUA/w426-h640/Connect%20seven.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Seams slathered in mortar for a messy outcome</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>So that's when I naievely began
what is now twenty-five years of working with stone and mortar to repair
and make things. I wasn't inclined to DIY by nature, had no skill at all when I
began, but was intrigued by the
medium and resolved about its importance in maintaining the heritage
asset. And I was a gardener, so had some limited experience making loose rockery
walls to retain beds, with an inclination to pile rocks together as a
result. I decided to begin by tackling the
most visible breach first, upping the ante considerably. It appeared at
the centre
of a low wall between two tall battered piers supporting the house’s
most prominent feature – an elegant entry verandah that one walks by on
route to
the front door. It appeared that a few weaker chunks of rock had popped
apart, causing
a crack to appear. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgjbK4ayWAVfNQz-EK07sI9vrBwLEI1TPvIoqoxwbPtCVLrVwNJgKXlARV-Ozwr-FlT-uGs7VTHXlZERtg-hO9MSOfVptBtNuZf7iHunes2CYKj-qoKNjfujBTqDJ4ULQuLdWMVdC3KWjBat9ZB5yzGq7SWuCXVeSEBPNV0trOQ5JXCSAdhZhI-fIyp0/s1600/Connect%20eight.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgjbK4ayWAVfNQz-EK07sI9vrBwLEI1TPvIoqoxwbPtCVLrVwNJgKXlARV-Ozwr-FlT-uGs7VTHXlZERtg-hO9MSOfVptBtNuZf7iHunes2CYKj-qoKNjfujBTqDJ4ULQuLdWMVdC3KWjBat9ZB5yzGq7SWuCXVeSEBPNV0trOQ5JXCSAdhZhI-fIyp0/w640-h426/Connect%20eight.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My first job site: a serious breach in the low wall between the piers</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I hadn’t a clue how to go about making a
repair, so I began by
observing some of the masonry work in progress around the region, which
was mostly of the low stone wall type. Here in Victoria rock is always
breaking through the landscape, dotting it with outcrops and
larger hills not fully covered with vegetation. Bedrock breaking through
the landscape defines dramatic contours, and loose rock on the surface
seems to prompt a lot of boundary marking with stone walls. And because
this material is local and often not much worked before using, the
results often feel natural and fit for their surroundings.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTNLBMdnZF77eIkGAZk7KKKZ1X3LMbVXjnPcfqz1p0J-CYZB43zSeiFzaFGiwhtEJtyDGc9pvGPNiZnDbZr0A1PMM2BSsDIlEXLDqxsxo7JlKh_bCgt7kARNOZzWfFIJ5VwdRtewYLuTqee2m-HPuoT7UNDUDFmMcR2K8p61OHisf3PC-0jK6udvQg3s/s1600/Connect%20nine.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTNLBMdnZF77eIkGAZk7KKKZ1X3LMbVXjnPcfqz1p0J-CYZB43zSeiFzaFGiwhtEJtyDGc9pvGPNiZnDbZr0A1PMM2BSsDIlEXLDqxsxo7JlKh_bCgt7kARNOZzWfFIJ5VwdRtewYLuTqee2m-HPuoT7UNDUDFmMcR2K8p61OHisf3PC-0jK6udvQg3s/w640-h426/Connect%20nine.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A small knob of glaciated bedrock protruding through the ground</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhuOxpdQN41YxhkOKynC7OXLn4IoJMufA1ZPtspcncJUSniy-hnCu5Bx8QWn-MLiTJP4AbM2lO2iIwJmSBbKgXX3hAS91XWweDFHsks--R_hSl55v47S0QAQ_D8pZkdP-gSKgdyOef8_806SecIIOPLLd8HqY4HlpZOj9nPXmP51lJ0iJ_fQB1F1h3Gc/s1600/Connect%20ten.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhuOxpdQN41YxhkOKynC7OXLn4IoJMufA1ZPtspcncJUSniy-hnCu5Bx8QWn-MLiTJP4AbM2lO2iIwJmSBbKgXX3hAS91XWweDFHsks--R_hSl55v47S0QAQ_D8pZkdP-gSKgdyOef8_806SecIIOPLLd8HqY4HlpZOj9nPXmP51lJ0iJ_fQB1F1h3Gc/w640-h426/Connect%20ten.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Rocky outcrops define a landscape with oaks, firs and arbutus groves</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBb6ihYzYppxBgnamsirl8BX8VDyucGbZRFD-3kS8WbijDvchHtIgXY6gQbzOi2VnRRbry3KQq-bR5TniBdbxp4bAbXLIlzaij6ji8Q5xwF7tFkc7bnE9O1deJ-ADDx0AlGIDkVurWA4CVJRkC_-n53MZEL6_8xBzPWHseEcyPrBpXVlL6Mac9FWsDqaM/s1600/Connect%20eleven.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBb6ihYzYppxBgnamsirl8BX8VDyucGbZRFD-3kS8WbijDvchHtIgXY6gQbzOi2VnRRbry3KQq-bR5TniBdbxp4bAbXLIlzaij6ji8Q5xwF7tFkc7bnE9O1deJ-ADDx0AlGIDkVurWA4CVJRkC_-n53MZEL6_8xBzPWHseEcyPrBpXVlL6Mac9FWsDqaM/w640-h426/Connect%20eleven.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Regional character: rock outcrops, Garry Oaks, boundary walls</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>The operations I
observed and the masons I chatted with all used mortar made from
scratch, combining
sand, cement and water in mechanical mixers to produce large batches at a
time. My
first problem was that none of this apparatus would fit in at my site,
which had
no place to store and mix sand and cement that would not have been an
eyesore
and in the way. Nor were industrial quantities of mortar actually needed
for the
relatively small and picky repair work I’d be attempting. How to access
mortar in small quantities was an initial obstacle to getting started.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRyGjBawqd7IfYRCjzRJF7r7eCJtDfvmNcvGy7WtbIXC4n73HFzfh0WSV6yx11vIjjQZ8Tn5a2wHrkkVahdMbSCSFmBeAZgn3LT4X2xGui41mLHl5-mMQIH5iofvSQubnvlCd8ZBeo2pOUf25xQHRSlIX48qoBU5TZQyYv2Vl7XBAVycLnnvfxQMbnno/s1600/Connect%20twelve.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRyGjBawqd7IfYRCjzRJF7r7eCJtDfvmNcvGy7WtbIXC4n73HFzfh0WSV6yx11vIjjQZ8Tn5a2wHrkkVahdMbSCSFmBeAZgn3LT4X2xGui41mLHl5-mMQIH5iofvSQubnvlCd8ZBeo2pOUf25xQHRSlIX48qoBU5TZQyYv2Vl7XBAVycLnnvfxQMbnno/w426-h640/Connect%20twelve.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Bodged work stands out, doesn't last</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>Things stalled there for a while, until
the puzzle of making mortar solved itself with the discovery that it
came pre-mixed in 25-kilo bags – not exactly a blinding insight, but
until you know
of the possibility, it doesn't exist. I learned about it purely by chance, in a
buddy’s back
garden, when he enthusiastically shared his rather exuberant approach to
building a low retaining
wall. I watched fascinated as he whipped up a small batch of bagged mortar in a
plastic
pail (‘just add water and stir’), then proceeded to use another one of
those pointed
trowels to rather awkwardly place it. It was a eureka-moment - here was a
way to make mortar that was manageable for repairs.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>
</span><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>If sourcing mortar is essential, it’s
also necessary to
have tools suited to the work of mixing it up and placing it without
undue mess. There things stayed
murky a while longer. To repair an existing wall, you need a way of
transferring small quantities of mortar to niches of varying size. This
is
quite picky work. And moist mortar is prone to sliding on metal, a bit
unpredictably. And you need to place it with enough precision, in
awkward spaces and at odd angles, to avoid marring the face of your stones.
Otherwise, you risk the look of entombment, which is pointless and
inartistic. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZViCc_cHM2zljUND11b1G0GxkK2haF3IJa93RlJuOg26kODbFgtZKu0myxXD52gfgmgR70Wi2thrDkCKK5YxalDJM6fkIKIulNfYScJLzdRCPhT4suAyRiMXCFadp0Dls7R0YPU9vzqtfKYNja2ydef2MGCZ8IyIABe09jFAGuykUfYyIJtg0bR3upE/s1600/Connect%20thirteen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZViCc_cHM2zljUND11b1G0GxkK2haF3IJa93RlJuOg26kODbFgtZKu0myxXD52gfgmgR70Wi2thrDkCKK5YxalDJM6fkIKIulNfYScJLzdRCPhT4suAyRiMXCFadp0Dls7R0YPU9vzqtfKYNja2ydef2MGCZ8IyIABe09jFAGuykUfYyIJtg0bR3upE/w640-h426/Connect%20thirteen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Successive bodges mar this stone wall, which even drains aren't saving</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBEtLHVILVHeLA59r7TyOIS9yOGIcyIc2jP1s5vN4KrBegLDxzRc1J0NHZUDIgHQErwRr-wqHaGXZ7udHfag0p15Zgt1t65-KWSrOCav0djI9OI5I7WJrxbIehwqcBjs-lYklwhWSQLmKpN1tqWouy3r834iojcapgObnRI2bzaKJbSTBtdQ4kP8aFAI4/s1600/Connect%20fourteen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBEtLHVILVHeLA59r7TyOIS9yOGIcyIc2jP1s5vN4KrBegLDxzRc1J0NHZUDIgHQErwRr-wqHaGXZ7udHfag0p15Zgt1t65-KWSrOCav0djI9OI5I7WJrxbIehwqcBjs-lYklwhWSQLmKpN1tqWouy3r834iojcapgObnRI2bzaKJbSTBtdQ4kP8aFAI4/w640-h426/Connect%20fourteen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Stone retreating behind mortar, now imprisoned in concrete</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span>
<span>As I began preparing the breach for
repair, I anxiously watched the opening enlarge beyond the apparent
problem and the scale of the job increase in tandem. I'd improvised a
partial solution
to the transfer problem by selecting a compact drywall knife in
preference to a
trowel. Initially I chose it just to mix up the mortar in a pail – its
continuing
utility evolved naturally from there. A compact blade offers a
horizontal platform
from which small quantities of mortar can be eased into seams<b>. </b> I am still using Quebec-made Richard knives to this day,
both for repair and for new construction.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7DmBgfi5k1drt4VtiHnFPMmzcjY8WlxnMkfKUUP_Ys2IWj0ESOH8W9ddKqzfVyaiQ8x-Je9nm4yphs1tONEIWOuk_j_4SFWWvNEjDkDAoOekNX6g88FND1FWY7MaohAGGgJrZ6XmTm5HtTRQxSkqAsy0aIFeHRgf4kUcBho15i__jGiO3Epfg5d0Dff0/s1600/Connect%20fifteen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7DmBgfi5k1drt4VtiHnFPMmzcjY8WlxnMkfKUUP_Ys2IWj0ESOH8W9ddKqzfVyaiQ8x-Je9nm4yphs1tONEIWOuk_j_4SFWWvNEjDkDAoOekNX6g88FND1FWY7MaohAGGgJrZ6XmTm5HtTRQxSkqAsy0aIFeHRgf4kUcBho15i__jGiO3Epfg5d0Dff0/w640-h426/Connect%20fifteen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Impractical mason's trowel above, useful Richard knife below</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> <br /></span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>Yet another tool was needed in order to
transfer the mortar from the
knife to the seam and to work it into place. One day, watching a city
worker setting
stones in a piece of sidewalk art, I noticed he was
using a table knife to fill and dress the openings. He allowed that he’d
‘borrowed’
it many years back from his wife, but hadn't ever returned it. He used
its narrow blade deftly to work the outside of the seam, so the mortar
stayed within the lines and even had a bit of a finished look to
it. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>
</span><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>Intrigued, I borrowed an older knife
from my own kitchen, a strong
but thin steel blade with a bit of ‘give’ to it. The combination of
firmness
and give enables a surface tension that’s useful in working mortar into
crevices. It mimics the design of a mason’s pointing tool, which has a
similar
spring or tension to it. I soon realized I would need to get mortar into
spaces too tight for the width of the knife's blade, so I
also acquired several of the pointing tools used by masons (I'm still
mystified why the
mason I originally hired opted not to use pointing tools to push mortar into the seams!).</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNmekM_6QaNR8FZsrEpIGi5nUwEeVQ6wL3QxY8cSLvUUp9-WeCtmcbP7c0mzMOrJ5wB8s6KJTt5qN90N5U4vL6NrPENmZSESNCr5Tk7bNXcVWRjhA6MGXL1UMAdRum7jXAmddB3zrDCtsfi9ixJZUJUfyHte8dDzBFFjC5u2SD4lLSPcs-EN7J2VBOkA/s1600/Connect%20sixteen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNmekM_6QaNR8FZsrEpIGi5nUwEeVQ6wL3QxY8cSLvUUp9-WeCtmcbP7c0mzMOrJ5wB8s6KJTt5qN90N5U4vL6NrPENmZSESNCr5Tk7bNXcVWRjhA6MGXL1UMAdRum7jXAmddB3zrDCtsfi9ixJZUJUfyHte8dDzBFFjC5u2SD4lLSPcs-EN7J2VBOkA/w640-h426/Connect%20sixteen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Basic tools: kitchen knife (right), Richard knife, four tuck pointers</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>While I was still stymied by the
challenge
of making mortar, I bravely allowed myself to start the job by removing
the defective
pieces. This phase of repair typically establishes the real scope of a
project, as loose
material behind the breach comes to light. Here it revealed the presence
of a
brick pier, obviously meant to support the verandah floor in the
vertical plane
but now tilting alarmingly due to brick disintegrating where it
contacted wet ground. Evidently it was the movement of the pier that had
caused the wall to crack and come apart. This new problem caused me
some anxiety about proceeding at my skill level, but I decided it was
better to know about it and attempt a repair than to
neglect it and soon cause a bigger problem. I was also realizing I'd
have to replace some
rocks that had actually broken apart, and that compatible materials
needed to be found.</span><span><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWkeg9Tez5CAVe1bPA5hi_TEBGoR6vzvUh3iSOos68PdeCqqszDBUoX3x8gPWhkOK7NaZr0nP4zZGWnSre61u8agP1cjcOWKxzkQr3gEpoIA3M2Nb96YHJxpvjoZSEv1_tHlRcHSQyu3EovFKFsYL2X_R4r9q2GKk8-DXKNldZJ82Qls0MwYg8YxxtwA/s1200/SKMBT_C36023080109260_0002.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWkeg9Tez5CAVe1bPA5hi_TEBGoR6vzvUh3iSOos68PdeCqqszDBUoX3x8gPWhkOK7NaZr0nP4zZGWnSre61u8agP1cjcOWKxzkQr3gEpoIA3M2Nb96YHJxpvjoZSEv1_tHlRcHSQyu3EovFKFsYL2X_R4r9q2GKk8-DXKNldZJ82Qls0MwYg8YxxtwA/w426-h640/SKMBT_C36023080109260_0002.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Securing the brick pier before fixing the wall</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Getting to the point of mortaring
anything took a very long
time, but a logic for placement emerged once I located some suitable
stone
and dry-fitted it as best I could. A skilled stone mason would be able
to visualize an outcome
without needing to mock it up, but as a beginner I needed to see in
advance as
best I could. The trick lies in finding material that mates well with
what is already in place, so the patch doesn't call attention to
itself. Here the challenge was to fill up the opening as much as
possible with a single piece while maintaining a vertical alignment
consistent with the rest of the wall. And then to place it and seal it
as though it had always been there, leaving no blatant traces of repair.
It complicated matters that in this location the bedrock dipped
somewhat.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB9xRXM8JBm4KICQBh06HSWbR2dyMvov-ZXGOWi2tRm5HAFr8Hb09rfhKzhKlh8TOYCwRPUKMUmxb7qt0nhFmEMWXhwpTwQrxdWZ-bAIQsg_Clm_81XVWHbGK0hsivYjtept7JuupWKaeg2TW0L3HWBUCdkGM4Hm5n9bKgWWQcV6TYVUhunPXiZb-RETQ/s1600/Connect%20seventeen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1600" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB9xRXM8JBm4KICQBh06HSWbR2dyMvov-ZXGOWi2tRm5HAFr8Hb09rfhKzhKlh8TOYCwRPUKMUmxb7qt0nhFmEMWXhwpTwQrxdWZ-bAIQsg_Clm_81XVWHbGK0hsivYjtept7JuupWKaeg2TW0L3HWBUCdkGM4Hm5n9bKgWWQcV6TYVUhunPXiZb-RETQ/w640-h430/Connect%20seventeen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Candidate replacement stone being positioned for fit</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>There was a lot of loose rock lying
about the place, but
nothing that felt right for the opening I was dealing with. So I began
scouring
highway cuts and old excavations looking for local materials, which back
then could
more readily be found. Finding useable material is part of every job,
and
compatibility is always an issue when working on an existing structure
and striving for seamless repair. Nothing
shouts 'bodge' like stark contrasts in materials – unless it’s sloppily
applied
mortar. My first structure was well-weathered at seventy-five years of
age, made of local stone of various colours and textures – the opposite
of ‘green’
stone of uniform colour. Mating new and old was a challenge that had to
be met with careful selection. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxIP83DpYBKvNrfIk2pJJZqIjR9QnmMxmg2Jiw3NbO7U3c81Siz0Owox65mxOM-1_v9m-2uqgt6JnZfVoNgRYLkuzYYSo-PWu9_Sh8BULFMfUg0l2LqFV2bz8kYT9uPiS5j3z4LlaVUqgASIQpO-yDMVd4Jf8QI8dGP1uXlH-BxizI0AsFQ8E8Vyxjmk/s1600/Connect%20eighteen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxIP83DpYBKvNrfIk2pJJZqIjR9QnmMxmg2Jiw3NbO7U3c81Siz0Owox65mxOM-1_v9m-2uqgt6JnZfVoNgRYLkuzYYSo-PWu9_Sh8BULFMfUg0l2LqFV2bz8kYT9uPiS5j3z4LlaVUqgASIQpO-yDMVd4Jf8QI8dGP1uXlH-BxizI0AsFQ8E8Vyxjmk/w640-h426/Connect%20eighteen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Many years later the repair doesn't stand out unduly</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh8Vtk_GzHWcxNampPsYOOEazmvq8L6TPKTHGwxNB5hYOyyMBawHGYKA5DUkBq9AVum_J9AFbXCVB62IvBISi_sPgLGki_qZURoKJ83_je5_LAEr9OGZ3H6pUijQHp51XFzvijUfLs8yycWL4yBqw-anG5myOS7Gw2CRYwKpKxe8OzH8NUwuuVS57r5E4/s1600/Connect%20nineteen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh8Vtk_GzHWcxNampPsYOOEazmvq8L6TPKTHGwxNB5hYOyyMBawHGYKA5DUkBq9AVum_J9AFbXCVB62IvBISi_sPgLGki_qZURoKJ83_je5_LAEr9OGZ3H6pUijQHp51XFzvijUfLs8yycWL4yBqw-anG5myOS7Gw2CRYwKpKxe8OzH8NUwuuVS57r5E4/w640-h426/Connect%20nineteen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Replacement stone is broadly compatible with the original rocks</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><span> </span><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>Eventually I found what I thought was a
suitable piece for
the biggest opening, then assembled a supporting cast of smaller pieces
to fill gaps to neighbouring stones as well as other crannies in the
wall. It took a painfully long
time to complete this small project, a result of proceeding slowly with
awkward hands learning to slide mortar carefully into place (a moving
target
that) and then smooth it to a uniform face. A comparable
awkwardness might be the one a boy experiences when first trying to
guide a razor over the contours of the face. The kitchen knife however
quickly proved invaluable, and in time a
rudimentary process for transferring mortar also evolved. The trick was
keeping it where wanted despite gravity-fueled tendencies to travel
where it wasn't. I kept a wet sponge and toothbrush handy for cleaning
sloppage from the stones. Vertical seams
are bedeviling, even to this day. A special tool for vertical placement
is an obvious gap in the repairer's tool bag.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTz8u4emGEmU4Pxb3C9lPSuD8U2TlA1nL1bW0CQ32XTI785EMwInzNDrK7dyZxlBnS15sYx62dpOzCL3Nme6KCbjW8J_7GwwccW8CRFCS43ttMiSqHJ4XksYtEUFqs5ndpd5WNtRNso5OAhmUhWJ_g3tLlqtgW3LtFws0wMNQkzKKTkrIzH7IlZ1nFEU/s1600/Pier%20repair%20one.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTz8u4emGEmU4Pxb3C9lPSuD8U2TlA1nL1bW0CQ32XTI785EMwInzNDrK7dyZxlBnS15sYx62dpOzCL3Nme6KCbjW8J_7GwwccW8CRFCS43ttMiSqHJ4XksYtEUFqs5ndpd5WNtRNso5OAhmUhWJ_g3tLlqtgW3LtFws0wMNQkzKKTkrIzH7IlZ1nFEU/w426-h640/Pier%20repair%20one.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Massive stone pier also needing base repair</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>When finally completed, this first
project gave me a sense of satisfaction far beyond the modest scope of
the work. I felt I’d opened a door to the world of stone building and
won some knowledge through the execution of the work, despite offending
many
rules I was then totally unaware of. And while my hands would be busy
with
restorative projects indefinitely, completing just one prompted me to
wonder what
it would be like to make something from scratch. That experience actually lay
close to hand: while passing many an hour staring at my repair's slow
progress, I'd also noticed that the
massive uprights supporting the verandah roof were beginning to come
unglued at the
base. While one of these could be repaired as was, my
intuitive feeling was that the other needed a foot, or plinth, added to
truly secure it. It appeared that there was a brick support at the heart
of the stone pier, and that as with the wall, the bricks were spalling
where the base sat on moist rock.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>
</span><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>Looking back on it, this was a very big
leap for a newbie.
The implications were potentially large, because I was about to modify
an original design that was substantially intact. Indeed, aesthetically
and from a distance, it wasn't at all evident that anything needed to be
done. But looked at closely and carefully, it was obvious that it did
or else risk the integrity of the original column down the road. And I knew I
wasn't capable of rebuilding that pier to its current standard. So I
decided I would proceed by laying out the design for a base completely
before placing any stone permanently –
and only go ahead when I was satisfied it would be aesthetically
compatible. This was a brave step along the
problem-finding/problem-solving continuum.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnXjW-UQYPI-RaW8XiOxvyZzw_vtsnStj_jikcGxoG2_Jr2jplVek01S2xkNa7pjeAiYZFowwxoKsqDqRfzkO28dJUd3tymEkk8smOmXf6aAiRFC2nYi8VEshLP7QArjdTBBo-OivfP-l60LwIISvBcc9zq0UxGSjf0pguWnXK2UO2YJKLSbxoDdAXmX4/s1600/Connect%20twenty.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnXjW-UQYPI-RaW8XiOxvyZzw_vtsnStj_jikcGxoG2_Jr2jplVek01S2xkNa7pjeAiYZFowwxoKsqDqRfzkO28dJUd3tymEkk8smOmXf6aAiRFC2nYi8VEshLP7QArjdTBBo-OivfP-l60LwIISvBcc9zq0UxGSjf0pguWnXK2UO2YJKLSbxoDdAXmX4/w426-h640/Connect%20twenty.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Making the plinth to feel it was always there</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>This second job led to more searching
for appropriate
materials that fit the existing composition. It was only a minor amount
of new construction, but visually it had
to be right and so it too advanced at a glacial pace. As compatibility
was imperative, I studied the shape of the existing construction and the
way the rocks had been put together for a subtly rustic effect.
Eventually, by endless playing around, I got what I thought was a
goodish look, meaning one that
didn't stand out as incongruous or arbitrary. And with my evolving
skill in
placing mortar, the job moved slowly but steadily forward in execution
(new construction is far easier than repair for managing the mortar).
When I look back on this small yet prominent project,
I’m amazed I tackled it with so little experience. In effect, this
repair is
what launched me on the path of new building with stone. Looking at it
twenty five years on, I take satisfaction from the fact that the eye
doesn't notice anything amiss, that what was an original artistic
ensemble before my hand was on it, remains one after.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1_pTByzOmiS3IlfSB71Idj-ngHGc3OzWCXEzQGTl1pq6drcORFT3ruBABmUJ24byguSxFVp5qYCyxlfxL0LjLFlgMJuz4CVDRxZZE3pfieYJ1ivHwYPu14xbirnGv30XrCUtEoOg4Ull5Tip9OTV5CnjDZG_b7VmH8sO3Eq38q9QSBEb3w6bfQPXLvo/s1600/Connect%20twenty-one.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1_pTByzOmiS3IlfSB71Idj-ngHGc3OzWCXEzQGTl1pq6drcORFT3ruBABmUJ24byguSxFVp5qYCyxlfxL0LjLFlgMJuz4CVDRxZZE3pfieYJ1ivHwYPu14xbirnGv30XrCUtEoOg4Ull5Tip9OTV5CnjDZG_b7VmH8sO3Eq38q9QSBEb3w6bfQPXLvo/w640-h426/Connect%20twenty-one.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Weathering elements like powder lichen help the plinth blend in</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>Down the line there were many such
repairs (and still are) plus
a whole lot of stacked garden walls between me and the next bit of
new mortared construction. But my choice to tackle repair myself had
launched me on a path that continues to elaborate itself 25 years on. I
haven't become a stone mason by any means, and it's certainly too late to
acquire true journeyman's skills in any systematic way, but my skills
have developed in the ways needed to do the jobs of repair and addition
required in my own milieu. And using those skills has become an
increasingly expressive act that continues to hold my imagination. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><i><b>Dedication</b>: this piece is
affectionately dedicated to my too-early-departed friend <b>Dennis McGann</b>, a
hugely talented designer, communicator, and artist <br />who, among many
important things, inadvertently turned me on to bagged mortar. Dennis
respected and cultivated craft in all his doings and equality in all his
dealings with people. He was a fine person who is sorely missed.</i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><i> </i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><i> </i></span><span> </span><span></span><span> <br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixH0BKdokRBgONC5H5Z37z0l83MdiwKwh3j4-PNlWW3sOwAGVw2HpNzG_nEiYY1u9rFx0XdcIndjHJ6b_XpbqIqGESUeETMXuX1KXNZbnETC8jsXRdE0Dbf1nsykvfWPk_JyIuGPNTIX308EE1V-AIknNvmOZq_CLGVp8CDxrOqHGBTUsnO2Iny6oHcwk/s400/Connect%20twenty-two.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixH0BKdokRBgONC5H5Z37z0l83MdiwKwh3j4-PNlWW3sOwAGVw2HpNzG_nEiYY1u9rFx0XdcIndjHJ6b_XpbqIqGESUeETMXuX1KXNZbnETC8jsXRdE0Dbf1nsykvfWPk_JyIuGPNTIX308EE1V-AIknNvmOZq_CLGVp8CDxrOqHGBTUsnO2Iny6oHcwk/s320/Connect%20twenty-two.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></div><p></p>David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-44063259458349981462023-09-08T17:50:00.001-07:002024-03-13T16:05:53.038-07:00First Impressions<p>
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>"The good building is not one that
hurts the landscape, but one which makes the landscape more beautiful
than it was before the building was built." Frank Lloyd Wright<br /></i></span></b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_54y7wI0P7CucMrFfhcTyWP7d84cvJCRLt6UBoTKPe4aVAM9UXw_QYLWhy6_Jr4o6fP1M-s2vpz8KrwdKxJj3P8ziVRwwJP3jx5PIl9iRgjQ08DSYqal1HT_dvTsjkWFLlPAJr-XtOcVJbkeQRohtDZePUVD3Jz5F3tgt-l3bnGk7dxBBJcXlv8fLK-M/s4200/artbox965.tif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="4200" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_54y7wI0P7CucMrFfhcTyWP7d84cvJCRLt6UBoTKPe4aVAM9UXw_QYLWhy6_Jr4o6fP1M-s2vpz8KrwdKxJj3P8ziVRwwJP3jx5PIl9iRgjQ08DSYqal1HT_dvTsjkWFLlPAJr-XtOcVJbkeQRohtDZePUVD3Jz5F3tgt-l3bnGk7dxBBJcXlv8fLK-M/w640-h426/artbox965.tif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">March 1988, a week after purchasing the Hubert Savage bungalow </span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">My initial feeling on seeing the house for the first time was relief. A glance up from road-level showed an
intact front exterior - no obvious signs of dilapidation, no unsympathetic expansions. Just an elegant verandah with tall stone piers,
perched high on folds of rock, beckoning me to take a closer look.
Emboldened, I set off to join a gaggle of prospective buyers busy
poring over what the ad in Real Estate Victoria called a '1920
character residence.' </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eUJi5Sd6kDvDH7p1rKKlyuB88YjHuJUmaTGfpK9aEckiprVqv_zIygomQoUYMHUOzCOoAdho03zVvig0luprfJF_VKYIw7DJYYiL34_k6Dg3k4W6msr7PIzUbh4tg4c4lytcuYjgbTcyGqDKdfzuQ5GxUfuLciXn9IrYdcdFD7mIvx9c9KUq5X7QGew/s4200/artbox964.tif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="4200" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eUJi5Sd6kDvDH7p1rKKlyuB88YjHuJUmaTGfpK9aEckiprVqv_zIygomQoUYMHUOzCOoAdho03zVvig0luprfJF_VKYIw7DJYYiL34_k6Dg3k4W6msr7PIzUbh4tg4c4lytcuYjgbTcyGqDKdfzuQ5GxUfuLciXn9IrYdcdFD7mIvx9c9KUq5X7QGew/w640-h426/artbox964.tif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A house ensconced in landscape, rooted with stone to its site</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Four weeks of viewing character
homes in Victoria had dampened my optimism about finding one that both spoke to me and was rescuable with paint and imagination. Many
of the places I'd been through had hosted years of hard living, often with long-neglected
maintenance and, frequently, any number of jarring updatings. There were typically
issues to do with services that hadn't been upgraded either. Problems in
adapting older character homes to new needs often resulted in ungainly
additions that clashed with original building lines. Awkwardness in the result seemed a frequent fate of these structures (inset photo, below right). Thoughts like<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKXI4_BOm4BA543q-NIq6P-RL-ce68xmiLKJZe7bTkSg5bXd7d9IvGkfvQSlT2gGAvym2p4DFTb0cimNdzGyctKF21VS4Wlh1mKrhgppAX90Ix6tgMAVA3n_60oB_q4oj-V99iePMepefSRxDNvqnyaqbin4cJWp7pKelmwbKNnTUYay7XzTRzTAQ59Y/s3008/Artifact%20one.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKXI4_BOm4BA543q-NIq6P-RL-ce68xmiLKJZe7bTkSg5bXd7d9IvGkfvQSlT2gGAvym2p4DFTb0cimNdzGyctKF21VS4Wlh1mKrhgppAX90Ix6tgMAVA3n_60oB_q4oj-V99iePMepefSRxDNvqnyaqbin4cJWp7pKelmwbKNnTUYay7XzTRzTAQ59Y/w400-h266/Artifact%20one.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">these closed in as I made my way up the rising front path, past smooth folds of
exposed bedrock, towards a flight of
stone steps set comfortably into the land's contour, before finally reaching that elegant
verandah. I thought it was quite special to travel the entire length of
the facade before gaining the front door!</span><p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">It was then mid-March 1988, still
sodden here on the island, though not raining that Friday afternoon. I
was there attending the premiere showing of what had apparently been architect Hubert Savage's lifetime
home. I hadn't heard of him, but was intrigued to see an architect's handiwork applied to his personal circumstance.
Scanning the considerable natural realm lying between the verandah and the road below, I noted clumps of yellow daffodils poking through carpets of moss and
early spring growth. The house was set well
back from the road on rising ground. A modest parking pad – sufficient for one
vehicle only – had been inserted into the landscape, with no sign of a
garage.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5qG4CWC0dfeEwEc2zPMRRKCQp0T1R0VY2ZF9988U7vUHmHCaJCgA_XIYpjuKT1kTFc90w7zotP-dqvgsMJWzsOYysGx2laY2G-6xkvQ_exyJOOd81ADjmI7sPzjsy3q7-dVee8cZBdI_HB_mZcmab9Do2W59B1X6WxE1jt3OqzWg_me9WCe2Rufeh1U/s4200/artbox971.tif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="4200" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5qG4CWC0dfeEwEc2zPMRRKCQp0T1R0VY2ZF9988U7vUHmHCaJCgA_XIYpjuKT1kTFc90w7zotP-dqvgsMJWzsOYysGx2laY2G-6xkvQ_exyJOOd81ADjmI7sPzjsy3q7-dVee8cZBdI_HB_mZcmab9Do2W59B1X6WxE1jt3OqzWg_me9WCe2Rufeh1U/w640-h426/artbox971.tif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A few months on, truck on the parking pad, drought now in charge </span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I crossed the threshold through an open front
door featuring a brass lion's-head knocker on a painted plywood panel (clearly not original) and entered a small foyer with a clothes closet. There was an original wall sconce with two small bulbs, period wallpaper, and elaborate fir wainscotting and plate rails stained matte black (I couldn't quite believe that no one had painted the room white!). Once inside, impressions came in steady succession, sparked by a remarkable complexity of decor. In the kitchen directly ahead, the realtor was offering to guide tours for prospective buyers. To avoid having to share reactions in a group, I ducked left into the living room, and found myself
alone. I preferred to stay aloof anyway, so I could form my own impression
of existing conditions.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVORZxBb5tQNbeaUPTykymAM8FtP4nwOSrtLL0VTaG1uBVdHogLZz9L0QMwPGkMldReXNRXEErkE3vlAP7R-OhibQcD6j9jmJ_b04fCsWmFnHw3rKqAFWwHdgjEmI8puFq-8mrcz6EvqaWqnB4cXLGhdiiSAxBtpwv3vjLcMB_lyL8xH1g1X09PZ5t6Y/s3008/foyer.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVORZxBb5tQNbeaUPTykymAM8FtP4nwOSrtLL0VTaG1uBVdHogLZz9L0QMwPGkMldReXNRXEErkE3vlAP7R-OhibQcD6j9jmJ_b04fCsWmFnHw3rKqAFWwHdgjEmI8puFq-8mrcz6EvqaWqnB4cXLGhdiiSAxBtpwv3vjLcMB_lyL8xH1g1X09PZ5t6Y/w426-h640/foyer.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Foyer with stained wood, original wall sconce</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The living room immediately made a lasting impression. Spacious for a modest house, exuberantly detailed,
evidently still mostly original: fir flooring, beamed ceilings, more stained wood panelling and plate rails, a trio of intact windows in a projecting bay, fixed panes of
leaded glass in an unusual honeycomb pattern, a large fireplace with
shelving surrounding it a-symmetrically - there was far more here than the eye could readily absorb. Overall the ensemble felt convincing, as though these features all belonged together. Overwhelmed by the sheer abundance of details, my eyes finally came to rest on a colourful printed frieze band, running along the walls just beneath the ceiling, depicting pastoral scenes from earlier
times. I had never seen anything like it anywhere else: the look of original art
imparted a magical quality to the entire room, rendering it utterly atmospheric. <br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Uxj7FnVxSJKeJkUIbK3Jmq0Di3o53zofXUTVUjgcga4aLTuKIX_2nYO2EBUgDQJCKb-BVqsB7IlFei9uYFS5V6U3w3AkBt-fqKfSqqNvw3v0YCohYrahMLNaYOl959PS2ndfeAgC0seVqx6a5fhdX6f-IwQroxyTtVwsE9Unp9wXAV6HsAXXQc2UFhw/s3008/1%20impression%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Uxj7FnVxSJKeJkUIbK3Jmq0Di3o53zofXUTVUjgcga4aLTuKIX_2nYO2EBUgDQJCKb-BVqsB7IlFei9uYFS5V6U3w3AkBt-fqKfSqqNvw3v0YCohYrahMLNaYOl959PS2ndfeAgC0seVqx6a5fhdX6f-IwQroxyTtVwsE9Unp9wXAV6HsAXXQc2UFhw/w640-h426/1%20impression%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A frieze by Lawson Wood added much atmosphere to the living room</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrWHuwTJSbVajqbRzBoNO0eMmOyo2x0bqa2TSlq89EddTC-clS36Q7P52D9NJ2xr7Q7uafGhSS9_YBDW6xT1ZqOr1PBNA06YBtgl32EwQ-sobDR7ef5Ry1lVRVm3q0gOIL3cNhmd5ysffUyWA5XG6kkGMRymGsFXpUWBcEVpXfgiZ4TZehXha-LVSbhc/s3008/A-symmetry.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrWHuwTJSbVajqbRzBoNO0eMmOyo2x0bqa2TSlq89EddTC-clS36Q7P52D9NJ2xr7Q7uafGhSS9_YBDW6xT1ZqOr1PBNA06YBtgl32EwQ-sobDR7ef5Ry1lVRVm3q0gOIL3cNhmd5ysffUyWA5XG6kkGMRymGsFXpUWBcEVpXfgiZ4TZehXha-LVSbhc/w640-h426/A-symmetry.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A-symmetric shelves, beamed ceilings, plate rails, matte stained wood</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">From here I wandered into the dining room,
which I also had to myself. Someone had evidently been
painting over the darkened wood in a rich cream colour, as there was a ladder and paint tray with brushes. Although not as generously scaled as the living room, it continued the elaborate decor: another large fireplace, more wainscotting and
ceiling beams, a pair of original wall-mounted light fixtures, incised
shelving, plus a built-in window-seat with
leaded glass casements that actually opened. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4TphDoTZo_-w5Nf28Glv7X8IU7idbhMh5yL6lPXsMLzvJRTMMPpzjbUWl4edfNymACqUYZswMLfik7hNohtvsJ1HZthWCbMMjQsGWObVTHiO1KWPWfCf3y7RGZ_6tSpBDsnwduSUfUrv0eDMTgDZ949R2mi1aiQDkmN-hgBZBrw02NljA-_a3zYsQk8/s3008/Extra%20one.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4TphDoTZo_-w5Nf28Glv7X8IU7idbhMh5yL6lPXsMLzvJRTMMPpzjbUWl4edfNymACqUYZswMLfik7hNohtvsJ1HZthWCbMMjQsGWObVTHiO1KWPWfCf3y7RGZ_6tSpBDsnwduSUfUrv0eDMTgDZ949R2mi1aiQDkmN-hgBZBrw02NljA-_a3zYsQk8/w400-h266/Extra%20one.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Original dining room wall sconce</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1UvBSx90VYC6YM7LXsPHf9F3nJ3QBrlpSkKY0bz8tIGE2DCrV-rXM171mtPAwRiEno-Dqm2o5VtqDdo-iy68B5BwcbrA1lYZBLafG8JydtK6aowqQu07GaC2LxK9N6oCm7tWurWZZGsHEuR_wvKtAEpwG7yYAJDOJNd3IVklSePRUnmu83_ILYu-394g/s3008/Extra%20three.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1UvBSx90VYC6YM7LXsPHf9F3nJ3QBrlpSkKY0bz8tIGE2DCrV-rXM171mtPAwRiEno-Dqm2o5VtqDdo-iy68B5BwcbrA1lYZBLafG8JydtK6aowqQu07GaC2LxK9N6oCm7tWurWZZGsHEuR_wvKtAEpwG7yYAJDOJNd3IVklSePRUnmu83_ILYu-394g/w266-h400/Extra%20three.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Incised shelving, high wainscot</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEExknIMjhlSjZRXE2CWZ-Xh2NesF1SvDoTcZphyW0ARlS_2SIwAdMvUKR_8xanXEfepht885fMCMQIK1mR-8JUx0rsPjg5ReuC8vulggekS1LO5oePQcL_VPiQn32eneC5FrKZAZC1PzgQGu0HSteTZwCmKqp_FXdUR5TTVV92Kr8XRAll7p0fjWnGqs/s3008/Casements%20DR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEExknIMjhlSjZRXE2CWZ-Xh2NesF1SvDoTcZphyW0ARlS_2SIwAdMvUKR_8xanXEfepht885fMCMQIK1mR-8JUx0rsPjg5ReuC8vulggekS1LO5oePQcL_VPiQn32eneC5FrKZAZC1PzgQGu0HSteTZwCmKqp_FXdUR5TTVV92Kr8XRAll7p0fjWnGqs/w266-h400/Casements%20DR.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Leaded glass casements</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">All this variety was subtly combined in a room of modest proportions, the overall unity marred only by a
mock-crystal chandelier that someone believed necessary to complete the scene. I felt a ripple of excitement at how intact the original decor was so far, all the while steeling myself for the excesses of renovatory zeal that almost certainly lay ahead.</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpy5s1J2D7PMpb3ZZ8aFqXs8RJ4i-pTDZ6-SwldcB3XvUbOH4X0STMUkOpbG9O7oQxhGbW3KtxAS2C6TdoHAGHsURbdonLBTt3VfauZ7t7IaQA9t0J7d9KNu4vbZSWHcX0miXKufMreeGEV4Kd7jidg-iZt32cuOD0IlwBBm8vDcZ6IMapcsatrsdgUI/s4200/artbox966.tif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="4200" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpy5s1J2D7PMpb3ZZ8aFqXs8RJ4i-pTDZ6-SwldcB3XvUbOH4X0STMUkOpbG9O7oQxhGbW3KtxAS2C6TdoHAGHsURbdonLBTt3VfauZ7t7IaQA9t0J7d9KNu4vbZSWHcX0miXKufMreeGEV4Kd7jidg-iZt32cuOD0IlwBBm8vDcZ6IMapcsatrsdgUI/w640-h426/artbox966.tif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Leaded glass in fixed panes and casements, set into roofed bays</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Next in the sequence of rooms came the kitchen, where I encountered a number of other prospective buyers. It
seemed open and roomy, with three large west-facing windows. A striking room structurally, it ultimately disappointed due to some unimaginative renovations imposed on it: a tier of bulky cupboards occupied the end wall, with a counter of
cupboards opposite it faced with+ unfinished wood (placed vertically, for a modern touch) and a faded brown counter top. There were also avocado green and harvest-gold appliances (fad colours from the<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehzd276jM817ZFpf7rZL2GxQvBQxrXhNMd4Br0AwuUgsOiE2bP3ujKmjtTUrC-eCu2gLY1fAtHRcWNeu6HM07YXcxZCVOceBgxS55af8GfVgeP9yjD0jCrBrKdk6-9Qmq8w2R5CdnhJVm_S_sk1qupNeStHJzB1UvueyxVpeSSK-iPradE8iCZE3hCbE/s700/Harvest%20Gold%20stove.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehzd276jM817ZFpf7rZL2GxQvBQxrXhNMd4Br0AwuUgsOiE2bP3ujKmjtTUrC-eCu2gLY1fAtHRcWNeu6HM07YXcxZCVOceBgxS55af8GfVgeP9yjD0jCrBrKdk6-9Qmq8w2R5CdnhJVm_S_sk1qupNeStHJzB1UvueyxVpeSSK-iPradE8iCZE3hCbE/w320-h320/Harvest%20Gold%20stove.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">70s that didn't age well - inset, right) detracting from the appeal of what was otherwise a spacious country
kitchen. The overall shape of the room was intact, as were its patterned ceilings, windows, recessed shelves and much original trim. Afternoon
light streamed in through the windows, diminishing the tasteless modern decor to insignificance. I noted that the windows looked directly into a sheltered garden with mature oaks, centring the
building. </span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5YhAspWuJRuk6jOUDFOHrVn2F-RPn4W_a2Fp6FhKLWXlym4Uf0cnlXRSUKEcCxX07HqoHNeBvh_V0TEuVsfAw6-N-p1K5TDmLGIovYc13MSidgT4LVOrMiz-SvlRoA6gvFL7kPlK7fG0H_8A70XEvmrdBjM-rWNnFb8UjKn2OMRGAh0WCpn8n1dLh6I/s3008/Inset%20shelves.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5YhAspWuJRuk6jOUDFOHrVn2F-RPn4W_a2Fp6FhKLWXlym4Uf0cnlXRSUKEcCxX07HqoHNeBvh_V0TEuVsfAw6-N-p1K5TDmLGIovYc13MSidgT4LVOrMiz-SvlRoA6gvFL7kPlK7fG0H_8A70XEvmrdBjM-rWNnFb8UjKn2OMRGAh0WCpn8n1dLh6I/w426-h640/Inset%20shelves.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Inset shelving with a Tudor arch, kitchen</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">My thoughts were interrupted by a couple excitedly imagining how easily the windows I'd just been admiring
could be torn out to accommodate a sliding glass door that would open onto a deck. Apparently they hadn't noticed that
the kitchen sits virtually at ground level, nor that
there was an elaborate patterned patio just beyond the existing glazed rear door. I kept my thoughts to myself, moving on to other parts of the house.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2zb1hrKn1TgkZi891TApsOvtPYKBkNLspxVtBUCj_NDnSTrNxpvzz3X7bWiW1eTepgJ9cA0CVAskNjyx-t8AuKYwVcIJhiFuPIP9xrcK-TwCwEUMGmAwOYTFqD1D73UJttuSlJsTjW8crUKaWUjR1uDf4iEg218n0Ka-wtBxFrCF-NJiqyhxoJuMJYI/s3008/Patio%20at%20rear.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2zb1hrKn1TgkZi891TApsOvtPYKBkNLspxVtBUCj_NDnSTrNxpvzz3X7bWiW1eTepgJ9cA0CVAskNjyx-t8AuKYwVcIJhiFuPIP9xrcK-TwCwEUMGmAwOYTFqD1D73UJttuSlJsTjW8crUKaWUjR1uDf4iEg218n0Ka-wtBxFrCF-NJiqyhxoJuMJYI/w426-h640/Patio%20at%20rear.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The elaborate patio pattern from the kitchen</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Venturing into a
diminutive central hallway, perhaps 50 square feet in all, I counted seven distinct doorways opening off it! Three of these accessed bedrooms, one the washroom, another the attic, one facilitated movement to and from the kitchen, while the final one turned out to be a shallow cupboard with shelves the depth of the wall. The central corridor was outfitted in grey shag
wall-to-wall carpet - clearly the worse for wear - that continued into
the bedrooms.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWuEK0UpQC3-jzVtf7I9fLXcMXi9ko1-KsMq6B-CBGUdddtTBtyJPMR54-NZysUHs2s1bZY-COu8FmiKQz4ryzTdKW-NnlwM-XIFCwqah6rdMJhzWWEli4_MZ7OSQ1y5qHgnZxxdyvZksId-gOUK8BhGacLh3PsSI8Ben4eHklH-ndypfhDV7jyNWgiLw/s3008/Seven%20doors.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWuEK0UpQC3-jzVtf7I9fLXcMXi9ko1-KsMq6B-CBGUdddtTBtyJPMR54-NZysUHs2s1bZY-COu8FmiKQz4ryzTdKW-NnlwM-XIFCwqah6rdMJhzWWEli4_MZ7OSQ1y5qHgnZxxdyvZksId-gOUK8BhGacLh3PsSI8Ben4eHklH-ndypfhDV7jyNWgiLw/w426-h640/Seven%20doors.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Tiny central corridor with seven door openings</span> </b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">At the end of this hallway lay the master
bedroom. It sported a twin of the trio of windows and leaded glass I had noted in the living room,
also set in a projecting bay. I tried the pair of sash windows to see if they still worked, which they did. The windows overlooked mature oak trees fringed by blue sky – a real forest, it seemed. Obscuring the top of these windows was a heavy wooden valence<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvABJkWWmY2eplnmQX5KMbXjLdWH2wWMllvMqeH9wnXiABlhaLEq-v7gu6_01X8wpQ-dJSZOusi3LRpeZ5yf4CU34lasETIUT5O6enZ-Zvue7lCQvXtWRMHPFmj202h_zWcKcOY0phYPlM-5svee4153LpewkPWxDji2pnsPBrPM9T0qy3l7q6TgctTjc/s3008/Main%20BR%20windows.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvABJkWWmY2eplnmQX5KMbXjLdWH2wWMllvMqeH9wnXiABlhaLEq-v7gu6_01X8wpQ-dJSZOusi3LRpeZ5yf4CU34lasETIUT5O6enZ-Zvue7lCQvXtWRMHPFmj202h_zWcKcOY0phYPlM-5svee4153LpewkPWxDji2pnsPBrPM9T0qy3l7q6TgctTjc/w400-h266/Main%20BR%20windows.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">with a pull cord, intended to hold the curtains used to drape the windows (I longed to see it gone so the full beauty of those substantial window frames could be revealed).</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> The master bedroom faced east, so would receive morning light during the winter months. In the far distance I could just
make out the tip of what turned out to be Christmas Hill. The room's overall decor felt in need of a refresh, but here </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">it was truly a matter of paint and elbow grease. The walls were papered in a
large floral pattern (hydrangeas and an unknown flower) that was likeable. Finding myself alone once more, I discretely lifted a loose
corner of the wall-to-wall carpet to confirm the presence of intact fir flooring
beneath.</span><p></p><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcmOOxlRmM9j9Ir_RPVLm_7897La63CUfMZuleOJouGNGBaNEzzOc3Lm3KmVfYvlyuUryl81t3IaR5HH_M8gScgWqfNHqdEBalZoJHy4fMIB2OVnSDWgw4Uezf0qTMbLCLd15-H--dlg9ah8EW6MKzl3CCxQoW03W3yiQPMsAJapjHSmvghPCKEY_33M/s3008/diamond-paned.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcmOOxlRmM9j9Ir_RPVLm_7897La63CUfMZuleOJouGNGBaNEzzOc3Lm3KmVfYvlyuUryl81t3IaR5HH_M8gScgWqfNHqdEBalZoJHy4fMIB2OVnSDWgw4Uezf0qTMbLCLd15-H--dlg9ah8EW6MKzl3CCxQoW03W3yiQPMsAJapjHSmvghPCKEY_33M/w266-h400/diamond-paned.JPG" width="266" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Just off this bedroom, through a framed opening, lay a curious little room that turned out to be an elaborate
walk-in closet, replete with him-and-her built-in cedar cupboards with a dresser between.
The room was painted a discordant blue, but still I found it charming! A step up from bedroom level (a novel idea) it came well-appointed with small diamond-paned leaded-glass casements that actually opened (inset photo, right). This room also connected through to another bedroom on the west side, </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">entered via a second framed doorway. Something about the design
of the walk-in closet suggested it may have been a later addition to the original house; its presence
certainly reinforced the cottage-like feeling of the bedrooms. </span></p><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The adjoining bedroom, less
generous than the main, was nonetheless still a decent size. Similarly intact, it
sloped diagonally towards the far corner. Clearly something had caused the building to settle that way. Initial feelings of alarm at potential structural flaws subsided as I realized that there were no visible
cracks in the floor, walls or ceiling. Whatever had caused the subsidence obviously happened long ago, and things had not deteriorated further. Abstractly, the floor's lack of level recalled the charm of antique
Tudor buildings that have wandered structurally but remain sound after centuries of use. I resumed thinking positively about the room, focusing on its assets.
Among these were windows on two walls, one a generously proportioned sash window facing west with great views to oaks, another of diamond-paned leaded glass capping a
pretty incised shelf. Once again, I was impressed by the ensemble of features. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibUUu762H3Q5xQyMFXGSiqV8w7-8CIIiyedQkvJzp7nZBRJE-rmzItoXoTfU4gmtYfJjhakV1bPY4uOzKyr74MHTZf8EhQBgTacoynKJ0grTbIVVMZ-hdzzKeyQcUCVTlhIZKpoCemi4-qrVNb-w3sF8xoC9u-8tLYaqXcbCChGS98jSvGUIZiVMOZ4H8/s3008/Diamoned-paned%20two.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibUUu762H3Q5xQyMFXGSiqV8w7-8CIIiyedQkvJzp7nZBRJE-rmzItoXoTfU4gmtYfJjhakV1bPY4uOzKyr74MHTZf8EhQBgTacoynKJ0grTbIVVMZ-hdzzKeyQcUCVTlhIZKpoCemi4-qrVNb-w3sF8xoC9u-8tLYaqXcbCChGS98jSvGUIZiVMOZ4H8/w426-h640/Diamoned-paned%20two.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fixed-pane leaded glass caps an incised shelf</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">From here I re-entered the central
hallway, briefly poking my head through the open door to the attic, an unfinished space accessed via a steep staircase. I could hear people going over it with the realtor, so I opted to move on to the bathroom, which had just been vacated by other buyers. I checked any rising enthusiasm in anticipation of this room possibly being a scene of considerable error and excess. This turned out to be wise, as the updating couldn't have been more nightmarish. A small
room, perhaps five by ten (standard for its era) the entire setup said do-it-yourself, with fixtures, fittings and overall decor from some budget home centre. It was lamentably bad: nondescript vinyl roll-tile flooring,
straight-backed prairie-motel-type shower tub with no shower (unfathomable), cultured
marble vanity (concrete, surfaced with glossy plastic) fibreboard cupboards under, unpainted cork-board ceiling tiles, plus a toilet too small to be
comfortable for anyone with real legs. The piece de resistance, however, was a vaguely art-nouveau-style
wallpaper featuring a repeating image of a woman lounging dreamily while smoking, which was vinyl-coated. This made for a truly hideous jumble. "Oh my!" said a deeply
shocked woman's voice from somewhere behind me, catching sight of the wallpaper.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOOrHVfUagZRa5gH3gHPoeR6K1znKwCE1JuPA8RneuU-aFjiQRLD55FeSXaAuT-k9PcKAJr28Q-M3QFQPYXJs0E9PWeA1lS1fjyJjWgZD9FG2q7LyOdXbVDBb3gBCtQsZBzC6lsBlCm2864caHjw9xGAvrq_YJ5O03FV5Tfm0EM2leQSuGTQPkbqiB9I/s1098/Job_Mucha_BnF.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1098" data-original-width="846" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOOrHVfUagZRa5gH3gHPoeR6K1znKwCE1JuPA8RneuU-aFjiQRLD55FeSXaAuT-k9PcKAJr28Q-M3QFQPYXJs0E9PWeA1lS1fjyJjWgZD9FG2q7LyOdXbVDBb3gBCtQsZBzC6lsBlCm2864caHjw9xGAvrq_YJ5O03FV5Tfm0EM2leQSuGTQPkbqiB9I/w494-h640/Job_Mucha_BnF.webp" width="494" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Knock-off wallpaper after a Mucha original, for effect</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Editing out the chaos of these compounding errors, I looked for some positives. One was the original full-size, west-facing window, trim boards intact, sitting mid-wall over the motel-shower-tub with no shower. Admitting oodles of natural light, it connected to a meadow scene featuring mature oaks fringed with tall firs. I had caught a version of this scene through the window in the second bedroom, and prior to that, through the kitchen windows. This brought home the realization that on the west side, the house was ensconced in a natural meadow in a mature woodland. You could
just make out another dwelling beyond the perimeter, but it was set low enough in the
landscape that the eyes were naturally drawn to the fenced edge. I
couldn't help thinking that in spite of all the manifest errors in this bathroom, the tub
(were it not straight-backed) was actually well-placed to capture views for a bather.<br /></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8F5OLT_v8HxIB1GaDzhyoTXw1VXEn0oogj7kK0ikENcQoS3Z-cKjaAA_HlMMyYpFjOnzPqZqUdgeEqrpe8nGVLQe1x_h9pZJ4kJKVGp1FDnTXrc3mo7e0OEyYB88HnXv92KQx-VvnUeo-Yz-uO8-YK3fl8pUSw4gGxozYWAqhMigUQSCVcdpBOQk1N4/s3008/Extra%20seven.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8F5OLT_v8HxIB1GaDzhyoTXw1VXEn0oogj7kK0ikENcQoS3Z-cKjaAA_HlMMyYpFjOnzPqZqUdgeEqrpe8nGVLQe1x_h9pZJ4kJKVGp1FDnTXrc3mo7e0OEyYB88HnXv92KQx-VvnUeo-Yz-uO8-YK3fl8pUSw4gGxozYWAqhMigUQSCVcdpBOQk1N4/w640-h426/Extra%20seven.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The neighbouring house built on the original grass tennis court</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"The house you see through the
window is built on what used to be a grass tennis court here, before the
land was subdivided." The voice was that of the realtor,
who had edged into the bog in a quest to be helpful. "The land behind
that house is part of Marigold Park, so it will never be developed."
I thought she seemed genuine enough but as I
wanted to be alone with my thoughts, I didn't respond to her prompts.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihAFirMLj4Usp0WVLFdtgKXum52jiBjTgEZRDc2SrBegTBhybFwA1Mjgs7jfzcoBnXw10625yISP1xrPwavMfemUIG9_UJS5wghiMwoOzbvFX5pizbgsEd6yfKElUgsFJCgbiKMkAtKehj76g8m_ZR_nyQCxetGaSwGyvUI48hWZsQ7j8y6E951zugVkE/s3008/Extra%20five.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihAFirMLj4Usp0WVLFdtgKXum52jiBjTgEZRDc2SrBegTBhybFwA1Mjgs7jfzcoBnXw10625yISP1xrPwavMfemUIG9_UJS5wghiMwoOzbvFX5pizbgsEd6yfKElUgsFJCgbiKMkAtKehj76g8m_ZR_nyQCxetGaSwGyvUI48hWZsQ7j8y6E951zugVkE/w640-h426/Extra%20five.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The third bedroom, which has two large windows and two doors</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Across from the bog a third bedroom
awaited inspection. Basically a generous square in shape, with a couple of
ample windows facing the verandah, the room was light and airy with interesting scenic views. There was some hideous wallpaper in a forgettable pattern covering the walls, again vinyl-coated. A second doorway opened off this bedroom into the entry vestibule, which caused me to realize that every room in the house (except
for the bog) came with more than one doorway. As a result, there was none of the boxy feeling so common when smallish rooms have only one door. Also, every room, again apart from the bathroom, had
multiple windows, often on different walls, usually with real views. The light inside the house was
thus exceptional, reinforcing my confidence that real creativity had been exercised in its design.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LIxGSZEA5MmojvargWzyK-xW3gb_BKBs2UoOVLkjh4aI96ICORMzaPTnvZzVO4_huAKh1GDj5OsIbXefMSOu3UxzZjBbublZge9-F1-6pEzFDiWVUeEHb0THRNTK8RuLpGzoRHeeOavtlrdqF4Wfbup6z7FCAPLMhpXZnQsPFxmwpJV83YhGnubD1L4/s3008/Extra%20six.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LIxGSZEA5MmojvargWzyK-xW3gb_BKBs2UoOVLkjh4aI96ICORMzaPTnvZzVO4_huAKh1GDj5OsIbXefMSOu3UxzZjBbublZge9-F1-6pEzFDiWVUeEHb0THRNTK8RuLpGzoRHeeOavtlrdqF4Wfbup6z7FCAPLMhpXZnQsPFxmwpJV83YhGnubD1L4/w426-h640/Extra%20six.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Great light, good views through many windows</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I wanted to be sure I saw every part of the house, as by this point I was seriously intrigued. I made my way to a long corridor-type room just off the kitchen, tucked in under a lifted extension of the main roof line. It wasn't immediately obvious how it was originally intended to function, but it connected a north-facing glazed door accessing the back
garden to a utility area at the south-west end of the house. It came with a barrel-vaulted
ceiling (the likes of which I had never seen anywhere) in order to fit it under the roof
extension. This meant it was a foot or so lower than the other rooms, which appeared to be about eight feet or so high. My eyes came to rest on a bulky washer and dryer set - basically the oversized cubes associated with modern capacious basements - occupying the corridor room's length and width substantially. In order to creep these behemoths closer to the electrical panel (I surmised) someone had deconstructed what had once been a wall containing the
utility closet. This change had not been well conceived and there had been little effort to tidy up the damage afterwards. Scattered bits were simply left dangling, excavated channels remained open. Overall the room's setup seemed unclear, suggesting a need for serious re-imagining: from a trio of cheap aluminum storm windows facing the back garden, to the badly worn
floor tile calling out for replacement, to the ripped out utility-closet wall with the dangling bits, to the bare
sub-floor exposed in the utility area (abandoned plumbing holes open to the crawlspace, a recipe for rodents) – the entire thing seemed to have been treated as an afterthought. I wasn't sure what to make of the room,
but a few of its elements – like its gracefully curved ceiling, the light pouring in from the garden, and the unusual glazed back door – had a distinct
charm despite the current disorganized state of affairs. Like the house itself, the room radiated possibility. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8fnzu-7PyAlGqonOEtQz5f0KcMNgU6vQldy1mtCu_ijzshexbhl-_6JoFje0lftHaJKmWb3qHlqI56liI5dPccbYn9ByMA79XhdRsG6WixaRFcxbDhj6IiKxbdazphZlHCIVIWCGZZz8WEn-zGU8SBRX_Mhr_VZXKfpkArH-lF_bTWrYeorQIFcJYRM/s1600/Restoring%20the%20utility%20closet.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8fnzu-7PyAlGqonOEtQz5f0KcMNgU6vQldy1mtCu_ijzshexbhl-_6JoFje0lftHaJKmWb3qHlqI56liI5dPccbYn9ByMA79XhdRsG6WixaRFcxbDhj6IiKxbdazphZlHCIVIWCGZZz8WEn-zGU8SBRX_Mhr_VZXKfpkArH-lF_bTWrYeorQIFcJYRM/w640-h480/Restoring%20the%20utility%20closet.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Eighteen years on we had the utility closet restored by Vern Krahn</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Next, I wandered out through the rear
door to have a closer look at the building from outside. The exterior paint was old and
faded, though still fairly intact. I didn't love the blue and white combination but felt I could live with it for the time being. There were some missing downspouts, and a section
of ancient wood guttering was detaching from its fascia. An ugly cat door had
been crudely skived into the wall beside the back door. The crawlspace opening lacked a door and it seemed too small to admit a person my size.</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> The roof was
evidently ancient too, thick with roofed-over layers of asphalt shingle. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCOlApKLMbk3vM7a04Vph32YSalY9komCM5PyjWUHkIXmjTjNVEs9dBvQArFJZSQgXzN26C0DxNpRK-J7YhQOewpELPIiyBeG2EYK7WJ_ml3GikxOr3lO3ArGnC1ZELLXBOpTieF_4OKDLwONtVKLGYTRZnG2U__dNhLku0FCgc8zk3Q2hKdizyT7jTfc/s4200/artbox975.tif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="4200" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCOlApKLMbk3vM7a04Vph32YSalY9komCM5PyjWUHkIXmjTjNVEs9dBvQArFJZSQgXzN26C0DxNpRK-J7YhQOewpELPIiyBeG2EYK7WJ_ml3GikxOr3lO3ArGnC1ZELLXBOpTieF_4OKDLwONtVKLGYTRZnG2U__dNhLku0FCgc8zk3Q2hKdizyT7jTfc/w640-h426/artbox975.tif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Overgrown foundation plants, ample windows, original terracing</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">In addition, there was a dilapidated shed that had been plunked down in the rear garden, with a crazily tilted seat. </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Many things obviously needed some immediate attention, but as I toted up the pluses and minuses, I was somehow not put off by the building's current condition. My overall impression remained
strongly positive. There were many assets on offer, beginning with the floor plan's distinctive originality. This was decidedly not a one-size-fits-all sort of house, more a one-of-a-kind house that was actually unique. Evidently it had fallen on hard times lately, so there was a lot of
deferred maintenance to be faced right away. But the structure itself was evidently well-made, with really good bones and a certain design-quirkiness that I responded
strongly to. I could feel its potential for renewed greatness. In
short, I was optimistic enough about the possibilities that I minimized
the challenges involved in getting there.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF9KJF5esApQE0y176Yl6c_CYwE32KPzevZYf-FOXpd3C8XRNGcb45MI2GvWa859bOXm0Lv7_sglEA_8JBbOHbiZnYkG2bihW14oVL6w5RbrC-b26yQqwxkCaDccV122ge0VhrbIj4t5TClmrFCbYthgvvrEy_8YlzdBYSYiS4NEhbUuvOUCIR2ipWdHU/s4200/artbox970.tif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="4200" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF9KJF5esApQE0y176Yl6c_CYwE32KPzevZYf-FOXpd3C8XRNGcb45MI2GvWa859bOXm0Lv7_sglEA_8JBbOHbiZnYkG2bihW14oVL6w5RbrC-b26yQqwxkCaDccV122ge0VhrbIj4t5TClmrFCbYthgvvrEy_8YlzdBYSYiS4NEhbUuvOUCIR2ipWdHU/w640-h426/artbox970.tif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Dilapidated shed, missing downspouts, rampant ivy, cat door</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Back inside, I waited for the realtor
to be done with the now-thinning crowd, returning for another look at the
living room with the magical frieze. By this point I was certain of wanting to own the characterful Savage house. So once the realtor was free, I took her aside and asked to meet somewhere for the purposes of making an offer. She suggested a
nearby restaurant, The Brass Duck, then at Tillicum Mall. Over coffee, I said I
was prepared to offer the full asking price, subject to inspection by a
qualified building consultant (I also stipulated that the current owner stop all repainting of the dark-stained woodwork, in case their plan included redoing the living room - which it did). Financing wasn't going to be an issue, as I had a
job and some savings, so was confident of qualifying for a mortgage.
The realtor wrote up the offer, which was accepted later that evening.
Seasoned building inspector Patrick Cutts (by then no spring chicken himself) crawled around under the
building a few days later and his report declared the basic structure sound. It noted
the subsidence I'd seen in the second bedroom, attributing it to a large fir root whose
parent tree had been removed long ago. He found no other substantive issues, apart from a
leaking hot water tank that needed replacement. Once I removed the
condition of inspection, the sale completed. In March 1988, I
bought a heritage house designed by a local architect for his
own family's use. I couldn't have been more pleased!</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMusnTTHF99ypWd0_xP1e-XYMkQ0a6HU9YeeLEXpglf-6_WYnVhppGCN5GgBuV1bvC93redKRYYcTWvOVwu3UwZSdtucDxFJJuXGGm6-YYbkj4dvcTDsEJlFDY0jk4NTL9OJBpQ1vlQVM-pqG8vTTBo15mFfh7Mn6f2bPMonej4U3fUi0gsq7ie5xoDc/s4200/artbox974.tif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="4200" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMusnTTHF99ypWd0_xP1e-XYMkQ0a6HU9YeeLEXpglf-6_WYnVhppGCN5GgBuV1bvC93redKRYYcTWvOVwu3UwZSdtucDxFJJuXGGm6-YYbkj4dvcTDsEJlFDY0jk4NTL9OJBpQ1vlQVM-pqG8vTTBo15mFfh7Mn6f2bPMonej4U3fUi0gsq7ie5xoDc/w640-h426/artbox974.tif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Post-purchase: ramshackle shed, barrel burner, ivy, happy new owner</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Before visiting Grange Road I had toured a few other heritage homes, typically emerging dissatisfied with the
existing state of affairs: buildings were rarely oriented to optimize light
and often came with insufficient windows. Typically there were few genuine views available through those windows. Buildings also tended to be placed on
smallish lots, gable ends facing the road, in order to maximize the property yield for developers.
Inside, remodelling exercises frequently came at the expense of original
character, rendering the house less period-specific, more generic, and less
unique. Many houses were dark inside, a combination of too few windows and
the use of dark wood trim. In others the woodwork had been painted (often
white) in an effort to lighten things up. Most houses did not have even
the beginnings of a garden environment. Often they were sited on lots
lacking intrinsic character (not that you couldn't have done
something with them, rather that it would all need to be invented). Happily,
none of these structural limitations applied to the house at 3862 Grange Road –
in fact, the situation there was exactly the reverse. My inner gardener was as
intrigued by an environment I knew intuitively I would never
exhaust as my inner designer was by the building's manifest
architectural complexity. The lot came with natural contour and mature trees, and it hadn't been
mauled by development, so had unique potential for gardening. The
building was (to my eye at least) spectacular, resonant with light
and views, possessed of genuine aesthetic character. I felt there was unlimited scope for renewal
and further development here, and I became convinced while looking it
over that I should try to secure it. Yes there had been mistakes, some of them quite serious. But no, I wasn't put off, as setting them right
was simply the price of admission.</span></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Postscript, September 2023</i></b></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i> </i></b></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>"Yet impermanence makes house calls wherever we happen to be sitting...it urges us to take nothing for granted, and savour what we can, while we can." Pico Iyer, G&M, August 26th, 2023<br /></i></b></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I drafted the notes above shortly after purchasing the Savage bungalow in March 1988. I had an inkling my initial reactions to the place were somehow significant, though I didn't really know why at the time. The notes I made sat in a folder from then until quite recently,<b><i> </i></b>when<b><i> </i></b>I chanced upon them and realized they offered a fresh perspective on the house. They were a bit incomplete as written, but captured the way the choice to purchase unfolded - so I decided to touch them up and am reproducing them now as part of <b>Century Bungalow</b>. <b><i> </i></b></span><br /></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">It so happens that thirty five and a half years after purchasing the Savage bungalow on Grange Road, I
find myself having recently sold this gem of a house to other people.
Hopefully they will be as discerning and respectful in their handling of it as Susan and I have tried to be! We are now
frantically downsizing our household for an imminent move, preparing to
inhabit a condo-townhouse that comes without garden responsibilities.
And that's just as well, because I'm getting to an age where the will
may still want to tackle the long list of chores, but the body is starting to have serious
doubts. I think that all of us reach this point sooner or later in life. However, I remain
deeply grateful for the entire experience of living in and managing this
significant piece of local heritage. Above all, for the opportunity it gave me to build a compatible garden around it, on a site with unlimited potential. I was lucky to see</span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg3nhgqwntsbk4vuakEMprOqVA9xO7DntwUcdm3GN-n_Af9EakYO0lKUQBfSGl4XWLhd_HL_sy_B0Ufondo1a9-6GZpMav5VzGz_7sPn9vXNDC18CjOzPiMYbWp3yWAH-4kjcvxEj_ZStBN_Dn8UhLlpbXnBlrv2UXE-OrA6ie4sBr0fcV9QfEk4iWhWU/s4200/artbox972.tif" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="4200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg3nhgqwntsbk4vuakEMprOqVA9xO7DntwUcdm3GN-n_Af9EakYO0lKUQBfSGl4XWLhd_HL_sy_B0Ufondo1a9-6GZpMav5VzGz_7sPn9vXNDC18CjOzPiMYbWp3yWAH-4kjcvxEj_ZStBN_Dn8UhLlpbXnBlrv2UXE-OrA6ie4sBr0fcV9QfEk4iWhWU/w400-h266/artbox972.tif" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Making a new garden, year one</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;">this garden evolve through many
phases of growth and development, marking parallel changes in my own thinking and values. An
aspiring gardener couldn't have hoped for a better, more complex
opportunity. I am deeply grateful too for the broad range of experiences
Grange Road afforded me – from restoring and renewing a remarkable heritage
asset (with the help of some highly skilled craftsmen) to fully remaking that poor benighted bathroom, to designing
a unique garden shed to be an eye-catcher from the house, to restoring the botched corridor room to its full potential, to learning how to work with stone and to make steps, paths and even a garden patio. You have always been entirely
special (as I said at the time of my first visit in 1988, <i>one of a kind</i>) 3862 Grange Road - and I will
always remain enamoured of you. Thank you so much!<br /></span><p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p>David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-5873494801850336162023-08-16T20:10:00.001-07:002023-09-09T12:07:06.446-07:00The Devil Is In The Details<p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> <br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxJANv1KAXBoZfNYE2YxPg6RL3ly9z2Q5Xoy8m5CodIBM5hlOcaXF1mooejapi6Llr67tIcmkAWkf-Mnalh69qf2ZYnHhURTJeJg9VdHWyCO35RzGnF98KN91IohVhhF6TQqJY71ECUCXaiVTCV7DdPljUfLyaBE10PsQZc0tJs1QLT4bOxLukbZy/s3008/possible%20feature.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxJANv1KAXBoZfNYE2YxPg6RL3ly9z2Q5Xoy8m5CodIBM5hlOcaXF1mooejapi6Llr67tIcmkAWkf-Mnalh69qf2ZYnHhURTJeJg9VdHWyCO35RzGnF98KN91IohVhhF6TQqJY71ECUCXaiVTCV7DdPljUfLyaBE10PsQZc0tJs1QLT4bOxLukbZy/w640-h426/possible%20feature.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Once curtained, now with mini-blinds, this room attempts to balance old and new</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b></b></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /> </b></span><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The goal of restoring a heritage house </b><b>to good order presents challenges to the homeowner, especially one resolved</b> <b>to remain true to the building's original spirit. </b>There will always be some need to accommodate change.<b> </b>The question is where we draw the line, so that the updated bits feel like they fit into, or at least don't flatly contradict, the original program. For unless we are prepared to inhabit a museum (where the original look simply doesn't ever change) a house has to evolve to accommodate new living patterns, changing tastes and ongoing technological innovation. For example, in the photo above mini-blinds now stand in for the fabric curtains the room started out with back in 1913. This new arrangement better modulates the superabundant morning light that would have overwhelmed those flimsy curtains. However, the iron rod the curtains hung from is still there, an unobtrusive token of the way things used to be. The photo also depicts light falling across a modern stereo speaker, and further to the right the edge of a television screen can be discerned. Both speakers and television mark changing use of the room: the television sits in the place once occupied by a built-in radio cabinet (shown on both the 1933 and 1951 floor plans, but gone when I arrived). The built-in radio was itself an evolution from whatever had originally occupied the alcove, as radio wasn't widespread until the 1930s.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFu9oQo9e_qXhQh1NMVHC-rkHgpAisnf78Rc3xaJ0wlXTUB_QhoKwzarc37rGaMDG43WUIUps51Kg6oSJXd5PeXqsiQtVSzElwkLl5xaL91b6-NGAGXNkZCNaPb9AnmCuubOlw7kPKNo5EPzk9sBrNnfm2HQ7yqctSxeRrqqKpF09Eg8kYMCsj698Km0/s1600/poss%20feature%2011.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFu9oQo9e_qXhQh1NMVHC-rkHgpAisnf78Rc3xaJ0wlXTUB_QhoKwzarc37rGaMDG43WUIUps51Kg6oSJXd5PeXqsiQtVSzElwkLl5xaL91b6-NGAGXNkZCNaPb9AnmCuubOlw7kPKNo5EPzk9sBrNnfm2HQ7yqctSxeRrqqKpF09Eg8kYMCsj698Km0/w426-h640/poss%20feature%2011.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Once a cooling cupboard, now much-modified for storage</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Another example of how arrangements change over time: before the advent of standalone refrigerators (or even the ice-box era that preceded them) there was a time when a simple-yet-effective device, known as a cooling cupboard, offered a way to keep food from spoiling (see photo above). Today the original built-in cooling cupboard in our house remains intact, in modified form, but now used for storage rather than cooling. As originally designed, the cooling cupboard was of uniform width from floor to ceiling, with a door opening towards the south wall of the house. There were also two screened vents located in the wall adjacent the back door to enable the airflow that caused the cooling (courtesy of the stack effect, which exploited hot air's tendency to rise). Today the base of the cupboard reflects the original width of the cooler while the upper tier has dramatically shrunk, which allowed access to the base via a lid. Since our renovation of this room, the lid has been fixed in place and four new matching doors open towards the kitchen. The space the original cooling cupboard door opened into is now occupied by a built-in seat, marking a sea change in design of the room. <i>The process of adapting rooms to changing times and uses without fully displacing the original program involves seeking a balance of old and new</i> <i>ingredients</i>. Each room in the house raises unique issues for the person who gets to do the choosing. How far one goes in restoring a feature, or in adapting it creatively to new ends, is a judgment that you, the current homeowner, get to make. Far too many people, however, opt for casual updating to contemporary standards, which frequently show as cheap and nasty incongruities. This rarely works in character houses and never in those with any real pedigree.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0u3j3F0Ml5z0w4dntKR65E1m1f3HyvlGjtQYAmxkAKDMSEOUiWTiZVOo9SBbnaLPjpDfb3WiLFGoWZ8zQBr7sugV-RTpi-cgQSbcuapyHsw5wg_2n_Wecd1I_4kyBrxs4K8SmbO-6R6BiKuN7S4CpWF14XFrMAIt_cLi__oP3Xvr6TThvRXGk4UiSMtQ/s833/California%20cooling%20cupboard.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="833" data-original-width="564" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0u3j3F0Ml5z0w4dntKR65E1m1f3HyvlGjtQYAmxkAKDMSEOUiWTiZVOo9SBbnaLPjpDfb3WiLFGoWZ8zQBr7sugV-RTpi-cgQSbcuapyHsw5wg_2n_Wecd1I_4kyBrxs4K8SmbO-6R6BiKuN7S4CpWF14XFrMAIt_cLi__oP3Xvr6TThvRXGk4UiSMtQ/w434-h640/California%20cooling%20cupboard.jpg" width="434" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">How a cooling cupboard is intended to function</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguccPitBo7y_RmfrbS0nfecIB7VUXAXi-BBVfXVSm_jWN-BBxXLrWO6k96JkJlWXab0mKIiSpYTe11n0OQxmafWiQdeR2qF66Ig7asZpz5DFtm3c7a34wPyETJMjviqEHPZkqN1fyFdM6QkaKv280h3932d6Zph85WzjFX4f-vWbRqlIr1c1dBy9Zx/s3008/knob%20two.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguccPitBo7y_RmfrbS0nfecIB7VUXAXi-BBVfXVSm_jWN-BBxXLrWO6k96JkJlWXab0mKIiSpYTe11n0OQxmafWiQdeR2qF66Ig7asZpz5DFtm3c7a34wPyETJMjviqEHPZkqN1fyFdM6QkaKv280h3932d6Zph85WzjFX4f-vWbRqlIr1c1dBy9Zx/w266-h400/knob%20two.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">All objects in daily use wear down to some degree over time, even if they have been well made and designed to last. As, for example, most of the doorknobs and escutcheon plates in our bungalow (photo at left): still gamely working 110 years on, but showing a degree of surface wear, or patina as it's sometimes called. There is one knob, however, located on the inside of a cupboard where it gets little use and no exposure to light, that offers a glimpse of how these knobs may have looked while still new (photo, right below).</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KGzy5YFbW8Weig8FqCVLfErb589Wrv_T0cmXqd4Y3QCWaXQILXG69unpY5KmTGiFCS3IzlD_p-g0NvDQOaivQ8WAQkV_YZbKEzWA6XuKufBQmD7GlqP-HRgeFz6FtFYHvS2uAXvAk269JObcymmqIrhIg4dOu4IwZMBzf-G8lIepb-XJfKaKic4LA2Y/s3008/knob%20one.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KGzy5YFbW8Weig8FqCVLfErb589Wrv_T0cmXqd4Y3QCWaXQILXG69unpY5KmTGiFCS3IzlD_p-g0NvDQOaivQ8WAQkV_YZbKEzWA6XuKufBQmD7GlqP-HRgeFz6FtFYHvS2uAXvAk269JObcymmqIrhIg4dOu4IwZMBzf-G8lIepb-XJfKaKic4LA2Y/w266-h400/knob%20one.JPG" width="266" /></a></div> It's often easier (and certainly cheaper and far less involving) to fully
replace things that are wearing down rather than to renew and restore what has been subjected to continual use in daily life. Yet
I feel that restoration is truly worth all the extra time, trouble and cost if it contributes materially to an authentic period
look that is central to the meaning of your house. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
This essay chronicles my efforts to strike a balance in an important room in our heritage bungalow in Saanich. Designed by Victoria architect Hubert Savage for himself and wife Alys, this
small-but-artistic home's rather complex personality is defined by its strikingly original living room. Virtually a square, it is certainly the most highly featured (and largest) room in a modest 1500+ square feet. With abundant windows on its east- and south-facing walls, and furnished with built-in features like coffered ceilings, wooden wainscots, plate rails, bookshelves and even a signed art-frieze, this room is obviously intended to make a lasting impression. Yet for all its fancy features, it revolves around a brick fireplace and central tiled hearth - a program typical of bungalows back in their era. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18O-EC50Ka6phIK2klLey9Hc932dDS3byajJe4BVQyGXpE97_r8u-gKUphdb5MEBOwuodRkt0slH_zS74qpqD2B8QTDlKTlqR5uE6WY_f8je_1JLq836bEFbT3BwT2Cx9u1A2tX7NKmGCSD86MjQwzzGRSiHHdABpj5JOle879zBTfNhluU9ElOBVnhM/s3008/poss%20feature%2012.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18O-EC50Ka6phIK2klLey9Hc932dDS3byajJe4BVQyGXpE97_r8u-gKUphdb5MEBOwuodRkt0slH_zS74qpqD2B8QTDlKTlqR5uE6WY_f8je_1JLq836bEFbT3BwT2Cx9u1A2tX7NKmGCSD86MjQwzzGRSiHHdABpj5JOle879zBTfNhluU9ElOBVnhM/w640-h426/poss%20feature%2012.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Coffered ceilings, wainscots, plate rails, bookshelves, all centred on the fireplace</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Keeping faith with the spirit of the bungalow is
what I aspired to do throughout the house. </b>My quandary in this room was how best to accommodate necessary change while restoring the fireplace and its hearth. Fireplaces were central to the North American bungalow conception, and in this house fireplaces in the living and dining rooms had once been the main source of heat. The conundrum was thus how to renew the fireplace without transforming it into something it was never intended to be. Some principal rooms, bathrooms and kitchens especially, have been modified fundamentally over the years. Kitchens, for example, have evolved from being mostly unadorned work rooms where the job of food preparation was carried out using movable apparatus, to today coming with built-in cupboards, continuous counter-tops, and other special presentation features that make it a more consciously social world; yet, one that still accommodates - if now far more grandly - the workaday labour of food preparation. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtcbz5VdkxmWuVd-AmrFWblHnoy0-yrDJ2M2ciqSDNeEU2W2ttWjhh72jJ44tS-RbkIjphGi7h06An3i4zhwedK4PjRdDiaQWBfF0UN-8rEmZ7f1S6d6V9An7ul4u_rEGDtkRUzVkwMCo8gZtv7ItoFDdYBGRz0xVrmtF5lLsnnktE6ZLvHog-Yelfy8/s800/Kitchen%20as%20a%20functional%20work%20space.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtcbz5VdkxmWuVd-AmrFWblHnoy0-yrDJ2M2ciqSDNeEU2W2ttWjhh72jJ44tS-RbkIjphGi7h06An3i4zhwedK4PjRdDiaQWBfF0UN-8rEmZ7f1S6d6V9An7ul4u_rEGDtkRUzVkwMCo8gZtv7ItoFDdYBGRz0xVrmtF5lLsnnktE6ZLvHog-Yelfy8/w640-h426/Kitchen%20as%20a%20functional%20work%20space.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1921 kitchen: a spare workspace with a hoosier cabinet, table and stool, range and sink</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Today there is every incentive to substitute modern components for authentic materials, often resulting in additional muddying of residual period feeling. </b>Fashions do change over time, ditto technologies, and as a result some rooms tend to be remodelled increasingly frequently. Sometimes this process is insensitive to the original look to an extreme degree. Kitchens may be redone as often as every thirty or forty years, after which subsequent renovations are invited to compound what began as simple errors of fashion. And, we humans seem to want to be resetting some clock or other to zero, in whatever choices we happen to be making. Often we simply chase after novelty. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Our home's latest kitchen remake, as shown in the photos below, attempted a rescue from the compounding impacts of earlier modifications (one from the fifties that wasn't an affront, perhaps carried out by the Savages themselves; and a second from the late 70s or early 80s that was much more discordant). For example, the 80s updating removed a pair of the original low cupboards and archway that defined a small galley kitchen off an eating area, which accommodated both the sink and a fridge (arguably making for too much activity on a single counter). The 80s remake displaced this arrangement with bulky new painted cupboards that made no attempt to fit in, adding a new counter and cupboards jutting from the west wall with a hideous brown counter top, and some stark white linoleum flooring thrown in for good measure. This remake turned its back on previous designs in favour of current fashions, including then-trendy avocado and harvest-gold appliances. Nothing more than change for its own sake, this gained little in overall cupboard space and no new separation of cooking activities (sink and stove were now made to crowd the same counter space occupied formerly by the sink and fridge). Why the sink wasn't at least removed to the new counter top, where it would<br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAl0Eln6TAxUrFZZsBYP-zc_NrT_WCFk7FlCE5TH26gn2zjjfPWteTZrIpx9ykGpHBuY-rXwa670caQGgF0jfc6DIFAoCRHoaivNhXl6X082Kksfcx_-JtWq1u4o-muWTsj-JsxUnZbQk4wh95jpKP2F7GNCpR2Vi5b8RTXYrzjSj_xcN2DkkE0QG5OJA/s3008/Poss%20feature%2020.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAl0Eln6TAxUrFZZsBYP-zc_NrT_WCFk7FlCE5TH26gn2zjjfPWteTZrIpx9ykGpHBuY-rXwa670caQGgF0jfc6DIFAoCRHoaivNhXl6X082Kksfcx_-JtWq1u4o-muWTsj-JsxUnZbQk4wh95jpKP2F7GNCpR2Vi5b8RTXYrzjSj_xcN2DkkE0QG5OJA/w400-h266/Poss%20feature%2020.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1951 pantry plan: low cupboards, archway intact</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">have rationalized cooking operations better by greater separation, remains a mystery. Old was in this instance simply displaced by new - and not a well-thought-through version of new either. And then quite quickly, fashions moved on and this ensemble felt severely dated. At least that's how it seemed to me upon arrival: poor taste from the outset, now aging badly. The entire shemozzel called out for integration into a much more coherent whole. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLx49PPpl6XySq7Ka67Mq1mXab96hSBVw4Yylf_6kXOMAba9zwhsQvVCALZgmT6pR2OMDr1pCi7GAumk_dnlyicFBBB6p8_ZQSXOJfeoTD79OtsHpP8x98DzDRCZNVz1mOLw46Ke5pq9-ZlU7TV6CQnIE4UMxeMrn7eEoLIMCZxzF23YaUlo8Z8TEWGVE/s3008/Poss%20feature%2021.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLx49PPpl6XySq7Ka67Mq1mXab96hSBVw4Yylf_6kXOMAba9zwhsQvVCALZgmT6pR2OMDr1pCi7GAumk_dnlyicFBBB6p8_ZQSXOJfeoTD79OtsHpP8x98DzDRCZNVz1mOLw46Ke5pq9-ZlU7TV6CQnIE4UMxeMrn7eEoLIMCZxzF23YaUlo8Z8TEWGVE/w640-h426/Poss%20feature%2021.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A subtle built-in look goes a long way to fit new cupboards into the existing format</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />Fortunately, we were able to distill a few design-rules from close scrutiny of the remains of the original format, which helped us reintegrate the space. We elected to go back to the original high baseboards and low quarter-round mouldings that were characteristic throughout the rest of the house. We also replaced the cumbersome 80s cupboards with a more pleasing (because more stepped) configuration, made of markedly better materials. We opted to show off the solid wood construction by finishing these cabinets in clear stain, which dramatized the wood. We also wanted to give them a built-in look, in order that they jibe with the bones of the house. To achieve this, we extended the band running beneath the panelled ceiling along the top of the cupboards (see photo above). To us, this design-approach helped achieve a more convincing blend of old and new. The photos above and below depict the kitchen's new mixture of features: original ceiling treatments in freshened colours combined with new marmoleum tile flooring in a quasi-retro pattern; original double-hung sash windows and wood trims now mated with restored baseboards (along with the original<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8jLcQq2tMGolLwKJyRBmrDG6Lb3_bv9KvuDwhNyREXWZ-YsCRT7hOg8GMa3wXb__SmVNmT6GuWkeQ87WddxmS5XnU6NvGCm9gLeNtQSlMXUldOegepCDPdE7oohZpRI9AcljFuve8b24aomGSAL5GwI9VYwr6Ry_niG2afbiLp45JdJTXOr5Ej2b17M/s3008/Poss%20feature%2022.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8jLcQq2tMGolLwKJyRBmrDG6Lb3_bv9KvuDwhNyREXWZ-YsCRT7hOg8GMa3wXb__SmVNmT6GuWkeQ87WddxmS5XnU6NvGCm9gLeNtQSlMXUldOegepCDPdE7oohZpRI9AcljFuve8b24aomGSAL5GwI9VYwr6Ry_niG2afbiLp45JdJTXOr5Ej2b17M/w266-h400/Poss%20feature%2022.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Cupboards framed consistently</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>ceiling panels, this ensemble of elements established a vital continuity with the past). A new central island feature replaced the old awkwardly projecting counter, with its unfinished vertical wood facade and ugly brown counter top. We took advantage of the spatial gain the new island conferred to sequester sink and stove in separate counters, while simultaneously gaining added space for a dishwasher, storage cupboards, and a two-sided overhang for bar stools so that meals could be consumed there. The three of us now eat in the kitchen unless entertaining, in which case we add in the dining room space. Also, we introduced three banks of recessed pot lighting, along with shielded lights under the principal cupboards for night effects. The banks of pot lights are individually switched, optimizing versatility.<br /></span><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZz2jTGz1YYvlwYWVzCTVGBu4v5Ln4AapS1HoEroyw820oYseFvKLMWrCZzIV6u81EHdZoVVjr-DoumIOAhIMlCJvFgL1nSoXQILhA7o59XVCcpf2Yv1UdGNG7-gkz1Tu-On_zwWLMbwhoPuTvXNqJwh7csB6wdYPdg11wxNG6-eiaQuacymdhTD7trk/s1600/Poss%20feature%2013.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZz2jTGz1YYvlwYWVzCTVGBu4v5Ln4AapS1HoEroyw820oYseFvKLMWrCZzIV6u81EHdZoVVjr-DoumIOAhIMlCJvFgL1nSoXQILhA7o59XVCcpf2Yv1UdGNG7-gkz1Tu-On_zwWLMbwhoPuTvXNqJwh7csB6wdYPdg11wxNG6-eiaQuacymdhTD7trk/w640-h426/Poss%20feature%2013.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A blend of old and new ingredients in our 2005 rendition of the kitchen</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>To return to the living room: in bungalow idiom, convention has it that this is typically the most masculine of all the
principal rooms. </b>Often furnished with darkened wood wainscots, beamed ceilings and built-in bookshelves (after the image of a male hunting-lodge) it also included a prominent
stone or brick fireplace capped by a thick wooden mantel plank. Far from being threatening however, this ensemble was intended to serve as a cozy retreat from the more demanding world of the downtown office. It was a place where family and friends would gather of an evening (in winter, around a
crackling fire) to share stories from daily life.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgn_Ec8gyjx7Kt4ZTEKHFOgFt85WWdWwjUmiz64W1K_8SB1jy5sbm9VLfaqg-8vqs6TTlAfKKjgz2cN3fOw6VkzS_BUnyInvsyX6Vp-HByicrAg-tvWtUtXi0Hy-hAeE3JOPuTqO9uW70ocUrS5BFq2TAMYz9kbHXDZC_8WqtBJyZmdhgsbELhNNRsfM/s3008/poss%20feature%2015.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgn_Ec8gyjx7Kt4ZTEKHFOgFt85WWdWwjUmiz64W1K_8SB1jy5sbm9VLfaqg-8vqs6TTlAfKKjgz2cN3fOw6VkzS_BUnyInvsyX6Vp-HByicrAg-tvWtUtXi0Hy-hAeE3JOPuTqO9uW70ocUrS5BFq2TAMYz9kbHXDZC_8WqtBJyZmdhgsbELhNNRsfM/w640-h426/poss%20feature%2015.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Integrating new features consistent with an older program is restoration's goal</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">As it happened,</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> this living room had been decoratively mugged a number of times after the long Savage tenure. These assaults mostly involved tacky substitutions of ultra-modern finishes for the more-convincing original materials, so could often be addressed with cosmetic surface treatments. For example, stark-white ceiling panels between the flat-black wooden beams could simply be repainted to an off-white biased subtly towards yellow. And the equally intrusive stark-white wallpaper suffocating original Douglas fir panels sitting beneath the frieze band would turn out to be dry-strippable. And even the mis-sized mirror rudely
inserted in place of the earlier built-in mirror could be rectified by remaking the original (given access to skill, knowledge and knot-free old growth, all of which we had through Vern Krahn's masterful agency). To my eye, all these hapless mistakes of decor merely diluted the design-consistency of the original artifact. We were fortunate that so much of it could be set right so straightforwardly, even if this did sometimes involve some sleight of hand. For example, once stripped, the wallpaper had evidently left a visible residue on the wooden panels. But our painter (Mike Abernethy of Double A Painting) suggested we deal with this by using a mixture of paint and coarse sand, which he felt would give the effect of authentic plastering. Plaster bands were a common living room treatment back in the bungalow era, so we agreed to try this out. The subterfuge worked so well that we thoroughly embraced the new look! By this point we had addressed sufficient errors to notice remediation's corrective effect on perceptions of the whole: each restored component palpably strengthened the period feeling of the room. Once these problems were en route to resolution, I felt free to engage with the vexing question of how best to approach the brick fireplace surround.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazcHI28rTgon7kuROxbJccltxEd7_fUAkR-x_Ik_s-gLvN0NSJl-ncCmjQuYUzkFrusXlTPKgnd-8EixhrtAerMz_WwmeOQ6ByodGndNo-d7B1SPa3AEzIhkMeJGUWDrpdD0TfNR_DnaAtYOppyZ37385AgbXQsUMtH9tWeChZ12U0VQPC-r_vHIWdJc/s3008/poss%20feature%2016.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazcHI28rTgon7kuROxbJccltxEd7_fUAkR-x_Ik_s-gLvN0NSJl-ncCmjQuYUzkFrusXlTPKgnd-8EixhrtAerMz_WwmeOQ6ByodGndNo-d7B1SPa3AEzIhkMeJGUWDrpdD0TfNR_DnaAtYOppyZ37385AgbXQsUMtH9tWeChZ12U0VQPC-r_vHIWdJc/w640-h426/poss%20feature%2016.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Lawson Wood frieze, honeycombed leaded glass, plaster panel, dark-stained wood</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
<b>Restoring the ensemble of fireplace components to again serve as the focal point of the living room was a tremendously challenging undertaking.</b> There were, after all, some serious issues of deterioration to address. The fireplaces - heavily relied on for heat for some four decades - only came into the relaxed use more typical of California-style bungalows with the installation of powerful Wesix electric wall heaters in the early fifties. Subsequent owners would have continued the more celebratory use of fire this enabled (as have we during our time here) because a fire burning in the grate has a mesmerizing effect on social gatherings. When I acquired the house, the firebox floor was crumbling after seventy-five years of burning - so much so I was hesitant to even have a fire. Also, some of the surrounding inner bricks had loosened from long-exposure to intense heat. And somehow too a few of the hearth tiles had also come free, and a number of these were either chipped or broken.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8XrSb9uqj51Je86MiFwGftgvi2SdCkj1NXTiupbbxnjnXZIZx5-jjOLYyuJnxErRJ1z-buthQi75r9uILMZxCrPA7Qf10TSllTntUJPDhkwZfGb3awXVfGZ4W9O8dpoY4OiMlasZGuGFWOpOV_uNwFOuVFvVrhdm_DlHfvaVk-Uo4jMJ5xPzhTO5Svk/s3008/Poss%20feature%2017.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8XrSb9uqj51Je86MiFwGftgvi2SdCkj1NXTiupbbxnjnXZIZx5-jjOLYyuJnxErRJ1z-buthQi75r9uILMZxCrPA7Qf10TSllTntUJPDhkwZfGb3awXVfGZ4W9O8dpoY4OiMlasZGuGFWOpOV_uNwFOuVFvVrhdm_DlHfvaVk-Uo4jMJ5xPzhTO5Svk/w640-h426/Poss%20feature%2017.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">This four-bar Wesix wall heater made reliance on fires for heat unnecessary</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-color: currentcolor; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-style: none; border-top: medium none; border-width: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The job of renewing the fireplace really began when heritage carpenter Vern Krahn - busy healing the abused wooden features around the fireplace - recommended seasoned bricklayer Udo Heineman as someone who could sort the firebox floor and its surround. </b>I trusted Vern totally by this point, so I immediately ran with his suggestion. And in short order, Udo remade the floors of the fireboxes compatibly using new heat-proof bricks, then carefully conserved, and skilfully reset, the original curved bricks that give the inner fireplace its fitted look (these bricks are no longer available commercially, so I was anxious to see them reused in order to conserve the founding look). The picture below shows the dining room fireplace after Udo rebuilt it (it shares a chimney stack with the living room fireplace). Note the fitted look obtained via reuse of the original interior bricks.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-color: currentcolor; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-style: none; border-top: medium none; border-width: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-color: currentcolor; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-style: none; border-top: medium none; border-width: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-color: currentcolor; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-style: none; border-top: medium none; border-width: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlMnk5x-01IiUezvudZPDF1elFG96LE3jl7iVFwsOeChaWT-rkRcNbcIWwhUvUVN_Dfc-k776xo9XMq-ESkmXj3tBatyystRbLSliU97XufsyyOCVJZjWTmZeYHWLGAHZGJiJDpYKjOfDh-85CLX3u8N6ETmAuAK0sGiEPvrkfLkL2n1JloGF8ySjN/s1600/Feature%20Two.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlMnk5x-01IiUezvudZPDF1elFG96LE3jl7iVFwsOeChaWT-rkRcNbcIWwhUvUVN_Dfc-k776xo9XMq-ESkmXj3tBatyystRbLSliU97XufsyyOCVJZjWTmZeYHWLGAHZGJiJDpYKjOfDh-85CLX3u8N6ETmAuAK0sGiEPvrkfLkL2n1JloGF8ySjN/w426-h640/Feature%20Two.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: medium;">New firebox floor, inner bricks carefully re-mortared</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </span></div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">
Once the firebox issue was in hand, another big problem loomed: at some point the brick surround had been painted over a first time, in what I discerned (from chipping paint off the bricks) had been a somewhat-compatible buff tone. I speculated that this first painting may have been triggered by some surface spalling of bricks around the mouth of the fireplace, attributable to the intense heat. The bricks comprising the surround, however pretty originally, showed poor interior composition and inferior firing through their pattern of wear, which over time tended to make the outer surface inherently unstable. I would also wager that a downstream owner made the regrettable decision to bury the aging buff-colour under an unsubtle undercoat-white (visually akin to the icing on an angel-food cake, as in the photo below). I invested considerable effort in attempting to clean this paint-mess from the surface of the bricks, thinking I might possibly regain a semblance of the original finish. But the bricks weren't having it (the interior of the brick being of entirely different composition from its outer skin) and eventually I realized that my approach just wasn't going to fly. So, I made the fateful choice to instead patch any bands of mortar disintegrated by heat, then fully repaint the surround in a colour more consistent with the scheme now evolving in the living room (yellow/gold and off-whites toned to yellow, which we thought showed well against the flat-black of stained old-growth fir). This decision made, I was free to focus squarely on the challenge of restoring the original tiled hearth, which as a project needed to happen before any painting of the brick surround. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7NBULB4jxOHgKrdTRtpRvIQhmuvccH4R7p9u99fCJoYC2VC4WDWJa_B6XxIoiWCw23BWQxUxufHwbX5ZRrg7tfTkswmbdO8KLq1eMqbqI2463Fl4WFy-3GgMfmVbFS_VfNbuEwWoJnWTN-9WVTc4ozN6fst5sYTsUkN9SHxUIXCQo6H303DvKd-xKMpQ/s1600/Feature%20three.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7NBULB4jxOHgKrdTRtpRvIQhmuvccH4R7p9u99fCJoYC2VC4WDWJa_B6XxIoiWCw23BWQxUxufHwbX5ZRrg7tfTkswmbdO8KLq1eMqbqI2463Fl4WFy-3GgMfmVbFS_VfNbuEwWoJnWTN-9WVTc4ozN6fst5sYTsUkN9SHxUIXCQo6H303DvKd-xKMpQ/w640-h426/Feature%20three.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Angel-food-cake-icing coating the surround, hearth-tiles being carefully loosened</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Job one was loosening the tiles</b> <b>still gripped by the original mortar, taking care to avoid further damage. </b>Once loosened, it was apparent the tiles needed thorough cleaning. I decided to soak them for a few days in a bucket of water laced with TSP (tri-sodium phosphate, a grease-cutting cleaning agent that removes residual grime, smoke and soot).
Next I removed all softened mortar and any remaining stains with a gentle abrasive (fine steel wool) coupled with an under-the-sink, non-abrasive cleaner. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSXMjJvtGCf9-nbIY-085X77i7CGRussnZXU9wWKucZxQN7hhMYI8eu0upGMH3LsG7rVdiN5__uVcCWs_mBbloexuvqrLYJW6u4snIqx8aIeMB_g-UddwoLHBBI9CJBemIjzzsFDOCiuhgAN3oje0nL5UTFPiWXssGHwoa9dbMzOLwb9y6L83L7aU-xaQ/s3008/Poss%20feature%2018.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSXMjJvtGCf9-nbIY-085X77i7CGRussnZXU9wWKucZxQN7hhMYI8eu0upGMH3LsG7rVdiN5__uVcCWs_mBbloexuvqrLYJW6u4snIqx8aIeMB_g-UddwoLHBBI9CJBemIjzzsFDOCiuhgAN3oje0nL5UTFPiWXssGHwoa9dbMzOLwb9y6L83L7aU-xaQ/w640-h426/Poss%20feature%2018.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">After soaking tiles in TSP, cleaning residual stains with fine steel wool</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">My next challenge was replacing all the broken tiles (about ten percent of the total) with accurate reproductions. It took a long time to
find a colour match, plus a workable thickness for the replacement tiles (they don't need to be exactly the same depth as the originals, but they should be close). Then it
proved as challenging getting these replacements cut to exact size. Complicating matters, I also needed a handful of partial tiles to fit under the base course of the fireplace surround (note the recess beneath
the foot of the brick surround, photo below) a feature that gives the hearth a built-in appearance (the built-in look is central to the entire bungalow idiom - literally one of the principal ways of achieving the period-look).<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUdaUFAKTwoIw0Va1z3eywSETb_xWyAvczdRVo15Cm_DUHAeHVRRDPJGmLJ2IbguCJBHE6fMlNeaO11s3rGdIAeb1Ad8pSodGUnYXHDemUIWTdmyMSuvDf5fCXs7MaP4N9LDSsoHRxPhjhbRmd1Xg-EdQwHwe1ESlfkwClufq5qT9FG-g21kvSjdQQdk/s3008/Possible%20feature%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUdaUFAKTwoIw0Va1z3eywSETb_xWyAvczdRVo15Cm_DUHAeHVRRDPJGmLJ2IbguCJBHE6fMlNeaO11s3rGdIAeb1Ad8pSodGUnYXHDemUIWTdmyMSuvDf5fCXs7MaP4N9LDSsoHRxPhjhbRmd1Xg-EdQwHwe1ESlfkwClufq5qT9FG-g21kvSjdQQdk/w640-h426/Possible%20feature%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Built-ins are central to bungalow idiom: things should feel fitted to their surroundings</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Next came a job that I found really ugly at the time: chipping out sufficient old mortar for a new bed to hold the reset tiles firmly.</b> The old mortar bed was by this point tough and brittle, which caused it to fracture into chips while releasing clouds of fine dust that settled on everything (photo below). I took to masking up with a respirator in
order to keep this noxious stuff out of my lungs!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXsAUsqBHL0ialjKTcvx9ANsY9yC88afGj34d-cfhCj3702rjoYvf08xFcsn-y_8NvkeIeJLSvn-RJtsIT9dL3HJ30C7SJi4rM9Y6f5ZCkNfdboszbo5dAIabvH0ylvoxvPJIoqo62HF6hR0Rsp5gFAu3q4GpqQ1iRoJ0SE8CR53qa-wjWuSzSBlJq/s1600/Feature%20four.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXsAUsqBHL0ialjKTcvx9ANsY9yC88afGj34d-cfhCj3702rjoYvf08xFcsn-y_8NvkeIeJLSvn-RJtsIT9dL3HJ30C7SJi4rM9Y6f5ZCkNfdboszbo5dAIabvH0ylvoxvPJIoqo62HF6hR0Rsp5gFAu3q4GpqQ1iRoJ0SE8CR53qa-wjWuSzSBlJq/w640-h426/Feature%20four.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Not fun: chipping old mortar out to a depth sufficient to secure new tiles properly</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje2AxZxYo0mkWIMhL0Z1tTQvFxgxdYu2cNe-2vbWHKqbGeYsnyI6qiBfFkNmQHDoVqQjv2LrhcSKtNHLLN4EDETy2IUO7heraRRj4O6XsXaFZlWMsjDz9CQHJzxVXqB0J7Jf02Fud-rXFfza2g_1lp8DX00iChpcoSNxde6cQnyxvbOKiiQ4gnnDn-/s3008/poss%20feature%204.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje2AxZxYo0mkWIMhL0Z1tTQvFxgxdYu2cNe-2vbWHKqbGeYsnyI6qiBfFkNmQHDoVqQjv2LrhcSKtNHLLN4EDETy2IUO7heraRRj4O6XsXaFZlWMsjDz9CQHJzxVXqB0J7Jf02Fud-rXFfza2g_1lp8DX00iChpcoSNxde6cQnyxvbOKiiQ4gnnDn-/w640-h426/poss%20feature%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Ugly job finally done, now it's on to the work of re-tiling the hearth compatibly</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>After investing serious sweat equity in excavating old mortar, I was finally positioned to begin resetting tile on a fresh bed. </b>The finesse here would be that back in the bungalow era, hearth tiles were placed almost touching each other, with only a
hairline width of mortar separating them (this is why cutting to precise dimensions was so important, which proved elusive in modern times). The close-fitting of tiles formed a key part of the period-look, so I was anxious to capture it for finished effect (a wooden moulding along three sides of the hearth also predisposed the outcome!). But getting the setting right complicated all of my tile placements (the wide
grout lines in today's tiling style serves to forgive most minor errors of placement). </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvrxyvfgZqVJk40_Rf2tqw1JiJBWGvYEELGxsflo84Yqq0ndqwWtSp9TuzuHcTchM86hUne3EAx4O4QxzwsrWkkZSwiSdG6v4Yhi77_nkCljW2Ey9PnKRj1s3N0_k4wnIO2eXpHaX1J_K_e-eVPkdvS6NRXkvNeoiF1gUcFgoMZ8teiKVwEO_3GpEJ/s1600/Feature%20Five.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvrxyvfgZqVJk40_Rf2tqw1JiJBWGvYEELGxsflo84Yqq0ndqwWtSp9TuzuHcTchM86hUne3EAx4O4QxzwsrWkkZSwiSdG6v4Yhi77_nkCljW2Ey9PnKRj1s3N0_k4wnIO2eXpHaX1J_K_e-eVPkdvS6NRXkvNeoiF1gUcFgoMZ8teiKVwEO_3GpEJ/w640-h426/Feature%20Five.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Cleaned up with TSP and elbow grease, the tiles can finally be reset as they were</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The narrowness of the grout lines is obvious from the photo below</b>. However, it would also turn out that I had not set the tiles uniformly level (when you only rarely tile, you are somewhat unprepared for
the flow of choices in real-time, so the finickier aspects tend to suffer as a
result). On the other hand, minor flaws in setting probably don't leap to the eye of anyone
other than the person who carried out the job!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGGt4emqWg6fpCL8_h0z5X1vxUBPMWAnNjh2pGwuNcQJWwq2t7N0m8YTpnyV5pHbDlV89JaGVK3W2-u7jQexrknGEHbKQs1Q0wll-bPIqZr_TLWL2I8jMKS26TV9tyC-fi7vy6tgg7tCxLBlP_s7rUfObBHA3sNL2LeLzkLRFYf38nPw1FQhBMLAa/s1600/Feature%20Six.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGGt4emqWg6fpCL8_h0z5X1vxUBPMWAnNjh2pGwuNcQJWwq2t7N0m8YTpnyV5pHbDlV89JaGVK3W2-u7jQexrknGEHbKQs1Q0wll-bPIqZr_TLWL2I8jMKS26TV9tyC-fi7vy6tgg7tCxLBlP_s7rUfObBHA3sNL2LeLzkLRFYf38nPw1FQhBMLAa/w640-h426/Feature%20Six.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The thin grout lines between the tiles make the job of setting much more finicky</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimU3GC8XnULcPI1LuCFaPEn2h2BWm1dVodqHg9rpK0Ppgew5Vvb4vDBVjqyxVHaNiexeqr4hSLL6DFAH7lxQ_hjP8WvB4nLkuVCC88Cvq-fsCj6vZZebc44xPNu9ntKsM6R5L_CWWzNBDwi4rGMcwEPPgSlLyM54x1FLLqgl5ff4EiOcBo1RGwvbbq/s1600/Feature%20Seven.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimU3GC8XnULcPI1LuCFaPEn2h2BWm1dVodqHg9rpK0Ppgew5Vvb4vDBVjqyxVHaNiexeqr4hSLL6DFAH7lxQ_hjP8WvB4nLkuVCC88Cvq-fsCj6vZZebc44xPNu9ntKsM6R5L_CWWzNBDwi4rGMcwEPPgSlLyM54x1FLLqgl5ff4EiOcBo1RGwvbbq/w640-h426/Feature%20Seven.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Immediately after grouting the tiles in, excess grout not yet sponged off</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Above, the mortar lines are now grouted-in</b> <b>but the excess is not yet sponged off.</b> Getting a grout/tile colour match is essential to the
finished look, because a precise match was a given back in the day. Matching tile and grout proved nowhere near as difficult as
getting the replacement tiles cut to exact dimensions! Also key was allowing for the slightly greater
thickness of my replacement tiles when setting them in the new bed of mortar. Like I said, ultimately it's all about the flow of choices in real time.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGnhw8gH8se_1kbshbIqHQjcLbtgcD3Y84ojQHTpt2oFSe8WHgQaO7pg9cQUUalAPQZlb4uAfnyUyIUQuOc3QdTwv_kaLzZFLtZeyORx-2m0AI8M-2-BoSh9314j-aAaIFakMBAHUyqdBB1V61_k4scmIekZzLNrr8QZUxl9UpVvQwfkX182T48E629k/s3008/Poss%20feature%2023.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGnhw8gH8se_1kbshbIqHQjcLbtgcD3Y84ojQHTpt2oFSe8WHgQaO7pg9cQUUalAPQZlb4uAfnyUyIUQuOc3QdTwv_kaLzZFLtZeyORx-2m0AI8M-2-BoSh9314j-aAaIFakMBAHUyqdBB1V61_k4scmIekZzLNrr8QZUxl9UpVvQwfkX182T48E629k/w640-h426/Poss%20feature%2023.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">This brick surface is inherently unstable, showing signs of smoke-scorching to boot</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Once the hearth tiles had been restored</b>, <b>I could return to the issue of the
brick surround</b>. What was the appropriate course of remediation here? The picture above shows the result of my attempts to strip paint off so as to regain a semblance of original brick, resulting in an abused-brick-look that didn't withstand scrutiny. It also reinforced a suspicion I had that there may have been a causal rationale for the original painting of the surround (looking closely at the bricks above the firebox in the photo above, they do seem to have sustained considerable smoke damage). Personally, I have never
been comfortable with the abused-brick look on display in some heritage buildings (especially those where the paint has been removed with chemicals, resulting in severe abrading of the original finish). So in the end, I opted to paint the surround again. Note (photo above) the patch lines where the original mortar had deteriorated due to heat effects, necessitating in-filling of these bands. Finding a filler that adheres to the dry surfaces of brick
and mortar is tricky, as both of these media quickly draw moisture from whatever compound one uses.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDR2Qc3TuU92HHD_f1FDs7EXkpcZzN8WY2J_QIXyia6OLEulUGfX59VDrGrbPdrLDf9mUXuqKVX4AhNr1Ln-Fm5aq1s0HMumx3OgDaJG383mmkvZtohQSGkqWCRE76VJyt6KKVY4cFfrvLOZ1uJ6uHDiYjjZgFcqhNN8Hl38O_uxh1v5I-Tya50Xh/s1600/Feature%20Nine.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDR2Qc3TuU92HHD_f1FDs7EXkpcZzN8WY2J_QIXyia6OLEulUGfX59VDrGrbPdrLDf9mUXuqKVX4AhNr1Ln-Fm5aq1s0HMumx3OgDaJG383mmkvZtohQSGkqWCRE76VJyt6KKVY4cFfrvLOZ1uJ6uHDiYjjZgFcqhNN8Hl38O_uxh1v5I-Tya50Xh/w640-h426/Feature%20Nine.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A single coat of paint over the previously stripped bricks occasions improvement</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Having chosen a colour for the fireplace surround in consultation with my design-partner Susan, I began painting the stripped sections of brick in
what we felt was a more compatible colour (photo above).</b> I immediately felt pleased with
the results, and was keen to see the impact of a full coat.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAXNf59yWCp4opgjHlnQUWWcOmHn8Qtuh_vK6zypJmP0rwvkLCZf9HPTyQ8Tu2oB_Ry2L8wzCIfzBvKq4_npAkSe9z1z8zgT_aU9l9PVxh_mk5Ut0JFbFxE_0eXvTI-6k4StKhX-yTLL6QEYCn9wI1rfEGUfKsWHz7bCystKBYWhalfA4wFVho4ha/s1600/Feature%20Ten.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAXNf59yWCp4opgjHlnQUWWcOmHn8Qtuh_vK6zypJmP0rwvkLCZf9HPTyQ8Tu2oB_Ry2L8wzCIfzBvKq4_npAkSe9z1z8zgT_aU9l9PVxh_mk5Ut0JFbFxE_0eXvTI-6k4StKhX-yTLL6QEYCn9wI1rfEGUfKsWHz7bCystKBYWhalfA4wFVho4ha/w640-h426/Feature%20Ten.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A full coat of paint reveals that the fireplace is intentionally anthropomorphic</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>A full coat of paint clearly revealed that the fireplace had been contrived to have facial features</b> - <b>which is to say, it was consciously designed to resemble (however abstractly) a recognizable face.</b> In fact, this face is so apparent that once you actually see it, you know it can only have been intentional. Perhaps it is a distant reference to an ancient spirit thought to inhabit hearths inside houses (say Vesta, for example, the traditional Roman hearth goddess, who also happened to be the champion of domestic architecture?). So perchance architect Hubert Savage embedded some sort of trope in his home's living room fireplace.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">"</span></b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Vesta is the same as the earth; both have the perennial fire: the Earth and the sacred Fire are both symbolic of home."</b> <i><b>Ovid, Fasti</b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rXq-Q7wnZxe3XOFjj4tIaddDjsnxrVbd72n_DkiKTNvTINOZjeIV5X8fRiij2dOao-mJLUf3rg3PQwxsjubL0uhQEJ5JpRmc1cLQ5PGnJND3iU3B5hjk7MjDq0clYyCWNIRID5Qr2L96461-bc52Dth3IJaF7FU0vpUvj8qfC2PFF7Z8iF4gLDAL/s3008/poss%20feature%208.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rXq-Q7wnZxe3XOFjj4tIaddDjsnxrVbd72n_DkiKTNvTINOZjeIV5X8fRiij2dOao-mJLUf3rg3PQwxsjubL0uhQEJ5JpRmc1cLQ5PGnJND3iU3B5hjk7MjDq0clYyCWNIRID5Qr2L96461-bc52Dth3IJaF7FU0vpUvj8qfC2PFF7Z8iF4gLDAL/w640-h426/poss%20feature%208.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Smiling now the paint is finally going up, feeling fully engaged in healing action</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>I drew intense satisfaction from disappearing that blunt white coat of paint</b>
<b>completely (blank white greets the eye as if the object has been undercoated, but awaits a finishing coat that simply never comes) the more so as this act served to refresh the appearance of a defining feature of the
room</b>. It is painstaking work to attempt this sort of rescue - work best approached unhurriedly (say, on Sunday afternoons, during the winter months, with copious glasses of good beer to grease any skid that needs it). The photo below shows me finishing up the second full coat of new paint.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzaQxa1-b5i-g3yE6snZgVr-kShignt9miHlcg-Pm4xq5HuQOZI6BgVuL3xVlehSKa_5g8KOtQ7JduiKcMHRl_pHvher4b4VgK-jVY3a_KiATAnOsE9VKjG86D16kM3QvI7tmb2ov61BmS5wZ9Lx9vKZaKR15zdSu998FFPz64kVhc1BIm8Ry6aNr/s1600/Feature%20Eleven.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzaQxa1-b5i-g3yE6snZgVr-kShignt9miHlcg-Pm4xq5HuQOZI6BgVuL3xVlehSKa_5g8KOtQ7JduiKcMHRl_pHvher4b4VgK-jVY3a_KiATAnOsE9VKjG86D16kM3QvI7tmb2ov61BmS5wZ9Lx9vKZaKR15zdSu998FFPz64kVhc1BIm8Ry6aNr/w640-h426/Feature%20Eleven.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Sunday afternoons, in winter, with copious craft beers: an ideal work situation</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Fireplace and mantle are once more an integrated whole, especially now that mirror, bookshelves, firebox floor, hearth and fireplace surround are all either restored or renewed</b>. To my eye, the resulting ensemble keeps faith with the original character and feeling of the room that Hubert Savage designed back in 1913, while accommodating necessary elements of change (painted brick surround, replacement tiles on the hearth, restored built-in mirror, adapted plaster panels under the frieze band, modern entertainments, and so on). The
creamy colour adorning the brick fireplace now certainly has, to us at least, a warmer and cozier effect than the strident undercoat-white. A funny thing about the whole white-painting business is that, as a rule, while white has little to say colour-wise, it nevertheless calls attention to itself relentlessly!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiThcHhCoRGEedt5q0cXUfh8r_3x67f9xT8istxsa9KWSOaiTnwuj4hw3hTL98hgdwziU2IHYGn-UNQ-lh9poIiajNbo3eA6wRkDRhAaoEsHaYVQiFb08FSVxyRDWXwMxTUfN2_6orAS_ryG-Yc2m97_0EwHj3Fcpe23YAD0CaE-lTyGDpCGHl_n2Ge/s1600/Feature%20twelve.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiThcHhCoRGEedt5q0cXUfh8r_3x67f9xT8istxsa9KWSOaiTnwuj4hw3hTL98hgdwziU2IHYGn-UNQ-lh9poIiajNbo3eA6wRkDRhAaoEsHaYVQiFb08FSVxyRDWXwMxTUfN2_6orAS_ryG-Yc2m97_0EwHj3Fcpe23YAD0CaE-lTyGDpCGHl_n2Ge/w426-h640/Feature%20twelve.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">To my eye at least, once again an integrated whole</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">I hope this essay encourages those who care about heritage to try and establish a better balance between old and new in their own homes. As William Morris noted, echoing his mentor John Ruskin, it is far better to maintain buildings as one goes, by anticipating their needs and intervening promptly as needed, than it is to ignore and neglect them for years on end, only to have to find a way of rescuing and restoring them. Timely, discerning intervention is the best response. So good luck to you with all of your projects! And remember, always look to establish a balance between what's old and new.<br /></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Books for Looks:</b><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The best source of insight into the North American bungalow and its embedded values remains</b><i><b> </b><b>Robert Winter,</b> <b>The California Bungalow</b><b>.</b></i></span></p><p><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Bungalow: The Production of a Global Culture, by A.D. King</b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>is a totally informative global history of the bungalow building form, the first universal architecture. </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Homeplace: The Making of the Canadian Dwelling over Three Centuries, by Peter Ennals and Deryck W. Holdsworth</i></b></span><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>is also a very good read, with a chapter on bungalows in Vancouver and Victoria.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The evolution of the kitchen environment is covered in any number of articles, including: <i>https://dustyoldthing.com/hoosier-history-photos/, </i></b></span><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> https://www.architectmagazine.com/technology/products/the-rise-of-the-modern-kitchen, and https://20thcenturyhome.wordpress.com/2012/11/07/kitichens-1940s/</b></span></i></p><p><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> <br /></b></span></i></p><p><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>This article first appeared in my California Bungalow blog, in February of 2011. This was before I landed on the idea of a blog - Century Bungalow - to celebrate the Savage bungalow's persistence for one hundred years. The essay has been completely rewritten and edited for current times, and is now being published in Century Bungalow. Cheers all!</b></span></i></p><p><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></i>
</p><p><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Any comments will reach me at cubbs@telus.net. <br /></b></span></i>
</p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b> </span></p><br /><br /><br />David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-62582059009647674422023-04-17T16:47:00.002-07:002023-04-26T16:10:09.949-07:00Relic Boxwood<p> </p><p> </p><p> <span><i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Relic: "an object invested with interest by reason of its antiquity or associations with the past." </span></b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b> </b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b></b></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXg8A9LxLwdjcN25-ZTidQMaOrD_fQ70YhT9qOrxtNFGmwcHMVvmLzWobMiCx7uMWULCD05NwPbZ-mDzAeS_C-v7dknX4_5g98yYmbd-OKGDLSeYaNlQrvZfGwjKHibU9y9y9i_-XJWeedZJ_F40Jzy0YLZ5Y8VOY0OuQwcKi6i6PMOVKHBxUj2HpQ/s640/Relic%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXg8A9LxLwdjcN25-ZTidQMaOrD_fQ70YhT9qOrxtNFGmwcHMVvmLzWobMiCx7uMWULCD05NwPbZ-mDzAeS_C-v7dknX4_5g98yYmbd-OKGDLSeYaNlQrvZfGwjKHibU9y9y9i_-XJWeedZJ_F40Jzy0YLZ5Y8VOY0OuQwcKi6i6PMOVKHBxUj2HpQ/w640-h426/Relic%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></b></i></div><i><b><br /></b></i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I've been intrigued by boxwood shrubs
for
over a quarter century now, especially the older varieties found here
and there in front yards and gardens around Victoria. Often they appear
as thick-set hedges or path edgings, less frequently as screen plantings
or specimen shrubs. To me the mere presence of boxwood near an older
house suggests age and settled living, making it feel more homey. Years
after first noticing these older plantings, I learned how to transfer
them (and by extension, hints of their era) in the form of cloned
offspring, a trick leading to a second life in a new locale. </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span>While I
know little
technically about them, the older varieties strike
me as having leaf textures, colour variations, and growth habits
that differ subtly from today's popular offerings. </span>Some are decidedly coarser in appearance than current more-refined types, while a few are delightfully variegated and have a slight roll to their leaves.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9x3mcnQ1iTnJ34RurXwcU7TghEYZ-2Y3pQArBot5RJetPtDyea9PXg744-G7DOXutnX6qqzCozoA6LP7nchocvCeoyrRbx07zjI-h8ijbAMTsbxwqPC_eorXa1er132_vIbtPV9e_CbX5qKAzd9BBULkUGcvq9djUCENqw6Q-vtb4JoxmAQfHc3x6/s640/Relic%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9x3mcnQ1iTnJ34RurXwcU7TghEYZ-2Y3pQArBot5RJetPtDyea9PXg744-G7DOXutnX6qqzCozoA6LP7nchocvCeoyrRbx07zjI-h8ijbAMTsbxwqPC_eorXa1er132_vIbtPV9e_CbX5qKAzd9BBULkUGcvq9djUCENqw6Q-vtb4JoxmAQfHc3x6/w640-h426/Relic%202.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubgy4Lbpo86YLuMfK_-UCRi6quOGz8I1tOp7LOsI1py3bsMYTbPumD0S1NN4DInaOeiJKlCawPDWEiTUAUDKyGocqwXXBgFo0nordn42WhYNbPClLHI9S7FqxVJdYnzNBFRFZ2mrU3kGN47pR0Te6uB1fqOGlcNWnxJDbU3PUWkbd48IgAtVsGDzR/s400/relic%203.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="266" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubgy4Lbpo86YLuMfK_-UCRi6quOGz8I1tOp7LOsI1py3bsMYTbPumD0S1NN4DInaOeiJKlCawPDWEiTUAUDKyGocqwXXBgFo0nordn42WhYNbPClLHI9S7FqxVJdYnzNBFRFZ2mrU3kGN47pR0Te6uB1fqOGlcNWnxJDbU3PUWkbd48IgAtVsGDzR/w266-h400/relic%203.JPG" width="266" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I first began noticing these relic
boxwood on walks taken in older neighbourhoods, where they
firmly anchor houses to their surroundings even in smaller front yards.
Most often they appear as fairly coarse hedging, tracing the line where
lot meets sidewalk and marking a rectangular edge to the domestic realm
while framing access to the front door. Here they may lend hints of
architectural intent to otherwise utilitarian front paths and retaining
walls, typically made of concrete. Less frequently, they are found
serving as specimen shrubs in a border or foundation planting, where
they are also likely to be taller and rather more open in appearance. In our more rural suburbs, where lots tend</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> to be larger and sidewalks more rare, box hedging often echoes
the property's frontage without defining it sharply. In these
situations they serve as screens that help to integrate native species and
natural features with human landscape choices, and they are often presented
in the looser manner suited to more rural surroundings. </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihAbBX3llL62TP__3VutpTzxxXPVwpqU-YKpTaNZ70KbelPumUQyLhklrfspSKL12jHQb_nXJTZ8qOY9o7Ud5I8uC5eQXRJYMNExYvOT66xI5_FfgAWCAWF2O6cl7CqK0rZ70kJIuKQJzWvjWYbtAYQ6K11m_1sC2OIwqyqVKHLHT9FFmMg0Yb_yP4/s1600/Relic%204.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihAbBX3llL62TP__3VutpTzxxXPVwpqU-YKpTaNZ70KbelPumUQyLhklrfspSKL12jHQb_nXJTZ8qOY9o7Ud5I8uC5eQXRJYMNExYvOT66xI5_FfgAWCAWF2O6cl7CqK0rZ70kJIuKQJzWvjWYbtAYQ6K11m_1sC2OIwqyqVKHLHT9FFmMg0Yb_yP4/w640-h426/Relic%204.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Boxwood are also found tracing the outline of front paths to graphic
effect, adding visual interest and vertical dimension to the ground plane. Somehow their mere presence intensifies
feelings of long-habitation while adding form and character to the access spaces. Sometimes these front or side yard
hedge plantings comprise most or even all of the small garden. </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLJrYa_-YOnnK8zSPqJw6COMxXiCXVMgvo_XlTh9U6ybZGpP49OgRUPT8RNLRjKqKZNgHnU3eIgyrFprlhqMZaOs_BPmQUmc3BCKQGo8ykbgndSZSqaDHxknc1Zrwp7vpcBflwOkpDjrt0Zx1nJSzL_JRr92Ed1EF2d9W5KmxkNz3ezkKpQpdyGhm/s1600/Relic%205.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLJrYa_-YOnnK8zSPqJw6COMxXiCXVMgvo_XlTh9U6ybZGpP49OgRUPT8RNLRjKqKZNgHnU3eIgyrFprlhqMZaOs_BPmQUmc3BCKQGo8ykbgndSZSqaDHxknc1Zrwp7vpcBflwOkpDjrt0Zx1nJSzL_JRr92Ed1EF2d9W5KmxkNz3ezkKpQpdyGhm/w640-h426/Relic%205.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">The association of long-habitation with
the presence of boxwood plantings likely
derives from the fact humans have grown them ornamentally for so long
a time and across so many cultures, both in the West
(from before the Roman Empire) and in the East in Korea, China
and Japan, where they are prized for their low mounding forms. Boxwood
are native to many areas of the globe and have been used to order human
landscapes for so long now that they are thought of as the world's
oldest ornamental plant. Hence boxwood's presence imparts a sense of age
no matter how recent the planting may be.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLMK_UrhL0PAsiwGWhcXSlUhbOBBTRjcZz-wKaRPbdcVW_qdVwwGfqMuFxT38x2EMrbMAjwYOGg-zUgfOAGTaotmfM6uU5iwPLCYWlBW0qGfdD1Roi8bdP-s1s93Hi4SqeqspmNuQmg4XN_9xOIOoM5xbYzHbZqSYqqh4q7hiSEE5ue4KBPdLoXMp/s1600/Relic%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLMK_UrhL0PAsiwGWhcXSlUhbOBBTRjcZz-wKaRPbdcVW_qdVwwGfqMuFxT38x2EMrbMAjwYOGg-zUgfOAGTaotmfM6uU5iwPLCYWlBW0qGfdD1Roi8bdP-s1s93Hi4SqeqspmNuQmg4XN_9xOIOoM5xbYzHbZqSYqqh4q7hiSEE5ue4KBPdLoXMp/w640-h426/Relic%206.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span>Ornamental use of boxwood today is
broadly consistent with what we know from written records about its prior
use - most notably by wealthy Romans at country villas in the heyday of
their empire. Here it served as garden hedging as well as edging for paths, also as
gradations between garden levels, and for topiary too - but much of it placed and
arranged without any great formality. </span><span>"The
literary mentions of box clearly depict the plant's use in high-status
ornamental gardens in Italy. Pliny describes in detail how to take
cuttings of box for topiary bushes and Pliny the Younger's description
of his own garden layout had box hedges separating paths. In fact, the
selection of box as an ornamental garden plant has been attributed
largely to its suitability for topiary." (L.A. Lodwick, <i>Evergreen Plants in Roman Britain</i>). </span></span>
</p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbmhv_HiTXVOREvpvYMybaXH8t5lhVT4P3YuEG8dFTleohyfHgAw1wHe5xZahcElVnL11c42BHEDUXWZb2noSOj03KZmGAAe-k7xawCv10DEJqR_20_BCugFXSx6IHULEwwhyUJraMZV6tKLlAA150yEXL8AWA934ljtjFgvJ4WG_Df47oDEj0zKl/s1600/Relic%207.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbmhv_HiTXVOREvpvYMybaXH8t5lhVT4P3YuEG8dFTleohyfHgAw1wHe5xZahcElVnL11c42BHEDUXWZb2noSOj03KZmGAAe-k7xawCv10DEJqR_20_BCugFXSx6IHULEwwhyUJraMZV6tKLlAA150yEXL8AWA934ljtjFgvJ4WG_Df47oDEj0zKl/w426-h640/Relic%207.JPG" width="426" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>Boxwood are broad-leafed
evergreen shrubs with a naturally compact appearance, so their shape remains more stable over the course of the seasons. </span>Part
of the charm of these
slow-growing plants is how readily they take to the
shears, responding with architectural definition for
year-round garden structure. The more-dwarf varieties can be set out as
low geometric shapes, or placed in lines, or treated as garden incidents, elaborating
structure with a note of elegance. The taller and ultimately
tree-forming varieties of boxwood work well as specimen shrubs whose
upward growth can be held in check with regular pruning. Lodwick also
notes that box "obscures temporal changes between the seasons", making
them attractive to gardeners seeking year-round effects. Boxwood can
provide welcome continuity in gardens whose scenic show of flowering
plants disappears entirely from late fall through early spring. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrUzTmM8H4b6itDk9Li4uwXmkHSleUNMAajbnap4iAKjSRFSOrjyhxvmzY2O747-rQ5XlQSZMpLNWesj_6PqcxCMG07KQUjQHHiPFFW_PzqvvR34T_PDnqrgHO2e7iSBhZwOQ1YoV3pG7KxLgU0vCAc5kn9DsUxRCv2tVyZkjeEDZATfnjr8_H56Rk/s1600/Relic%208.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrUzTmM8H4b6itDk9Li4uwXmkHSleUNMAajbnap4iAKjSRFSOrjyhxvmzY2O747-rQ5XlQSZMpLNWesj_6PqcxCMG07KQUjQHHiPFFW_PzqvvR34T_PDnqrgHO2e7iSBhZwOQ1YoV3pG7KxLgU0vCAc5kn9DsUxRCv2tVyZkjeEDZATfnjr8_H56Rk/w426-h640/Relic%208.JPG" width="426" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Use of boxwood by wealthy villa owners
declined with the demise of the Roman empire and little is known about
ornamental use in the ensuing long period of instability and warfare.
With the return of peace coupled with rising wealth in the later middle ages, the
old garden habit of edging beds and paths in clipped boxwood revived among
prosperous Italians. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>This
easily shaped shrub
appears to have an affinity for marking bounds and edges in the
hands of ornamental gardeners, a quality this era would take to
new extremes. Geometry was then in fashion too, and in aristocratic gardens
this led to heightened formality, tight symmetry, and a much-stiffened
use of boxwood.</span> From Italy, a fad for stiffly controlled designs
spread across much of Europe, ultimately giving rise to severe parterres
in Holland and France (as at Versailles, for example). This trend
towards unrelenting confinement of plant growth was intended to
symbolize wealth, grandeur and social standing, as it takes vast labour
to constrain boxwood in the despotic manner pictured below.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirf8Giv1GZNuRHRPX6K6n-9R9DtZzzkWKi36aQFpOgeWvr6AAJee29qeXSE7rcRWxP3aMk8FzrrHKrsSFjMDIjQdvbAceOzuoP35L-IkCJWmKDAFLb9S-yWTa8NNZW_ydDUi7bgyhNuBaaz3Fk0Dp6wIpRtGuFvcILOW3A8bxWYYaZYuvP-CvTEiid/s1600/Relic%209.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirf8Giv1GZNuRHRPX6K6n-9R9DtZzzkWKi36aQFpOgeWvr6AAJee29qeXSE7rcRWxP3aMk8FzrrHKrsSFjMDIjQdvbAceOzuoP35L-IkCJWmKDAFLb9S-yWTa8NNZW_ydDUi7bgyhNuBaaz3Fk0Dp6wIpRtGuFvcILOW3A8bxWYYaZYuvP-CvTEiid/w400-h266/Relic%209.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5PA3AeKMfW8ayeDs_AzQqOvrIxHw2mAUb86RR1N0p67vZRl-v6RyuvnArT9PDecMIbjjfcGtuzs0hC8mDWzReUzrVPkea9HtG7W6rIfwfllsuh49P75vtIeg5lx-0bZ3kEY2W7Cwk2-l6GmH_a92wcZnrjgOU7N5-YYicmKAMCrIxG4GyxMLf_fp/s740/relic%2010.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="489" data-original-width="740" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5PA3AeKMfW8ayeDs_AzQqOvrIxHw2mAUb86RR1N0p67vZRl-v6RyuvnArT9PDecMIbjjfcGtuzs0hC8mDWzReUzrVPkea9HtG7W6rIfwfllsuh49P75vtIeg5lx-0bZ3kEY2W7Cwk2-l6GmH_a92wcZnrjgOU7N5-YYicmKAMCrIxG4GyxMLf_fp/w400-h264/relic%2010.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">European aristocrats, deploying fleets
of gardeners, turned shaped boxwood into a symbol of pomp and splendour
in their gardens, while demonstrating man's growing control over 'nature'.
Even remote
Norway, with a climate inhospitable to box cultivation except for a
narrow strip along the southwest coast, initially adopted this stiffened look. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Apparently,
Norwegian gardeners working on grand gardens elsewhere in Europe brought rooted
cuttings back home with them, setting these out parterre-style at the manorial
homes of rich merchants. </span>Interestingly, in Norway the vogue for
tightly clipped plantings steadily gave way to a more loosened style of
arranging and trimming boxwood, a trajectory that continues today (see photo
cluster, below right). English gardeners in the seventeenth century also used boxwood fairly stiffly in their knots, mazes and parterres, and
topiary uses had long been popular there. Topiary can include both
representational shapes (birds, animals, initials, heraldry) and
architectural or geometric shapes (pyramids, squares, globes, eggs, etc.).
Despite the national inclination to trim box into fantastic shapes or
to set it out in tightened parterres and knots, English garden use was never as stiff
as the norm in France, Holland and Italy, and a counter
tendency towards more-relaxed presentation always had a following.
Later, when gardening became a more middle-class pursuit and the
cottage-garden style came into fashion among owner-designers, a
less-formal use of boxwood spread even more widely through English
gardens.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRS823WLoHNgU_0KdizKA3Qxql5f7qQ6NAkRMuRlDfdN96w_Z4aPn4gxJGQyflQ118DsrVKWl3rqs_FamGSiEdv1V2B2BoNL0CsIJkqjpFyKhXtT745fhkTFuFk4fc2zQDZqgcsuJTHTxUSu2bjBeP_t7s-Z5dhawDkkx4OufByVBpmmcFRQ8gotCl/s231/Relic%2011.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="231" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRS823WLoHNgU_0KdizKA3Qxql5f7qQ6NAkRMuRlDfdN96w_Z4aPn4gxJGQyflQ118DsrVKWl3rqs_FamGSiEdv1V2B2BoNL0CsIJkqjpFyKhXtT745fhkTFuFk4fc2zQDZqgcsuJTHTxUSu2bjBeP_t7s-Z5dhawDkkx4OufByVBpmmcFRQ8gotCl/w320-h302/Relic%2011.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFF-l7_NgBfT92WCRkfK4oVDxQg6VbVsQz9klsb-1W-G7jwDqUPQA-4CDTAljTByl4hblmH3CF8LKfR3mHCrpvW4rmqQEm3rdAYHBDhG91q025v1CcJqu-K_kbyFeSNdSx1F_bADKMtL9eP771EHdf7awPLMiJMRq5b5DcdEruOwTONTmQbJwsh_N/s517/relic%2012.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="517" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFF-l7_NgBfT92WCRkfK4oVDxQg6VbVsQz9klsb-1W-G7jwDqUPQA-4CDTAljTByl4hblmH3CF8LKfR3mHCrpvW4rmqQEm3rdAYHBDhG91q025v1CcJqu-K_kbyFeSNdSx1F_bADKMtL9eP771EHdf7awPLMiJMRq5b5DcdEruOwTONTmQbJwsh_N/s320/relic%2012.jpeg" width="320" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYuyG1RWXbikUQNEOfSx5wtTcJrtmMyP5_QU7j0ZcA2aLHlt2_8cFjoTuCfOjj0IWvIQIIRk9DpAWsWS3gBuISn4VfgdKcFRhirWg4rGkEIJGaR-d2pVPCqxKSzSmWcijirOQjpDr3Scr0bamVrRVZ0ovLDwGj1BupZIqBfQcBJeFSIexYFJKyV641/s1162/relic%2013.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1162" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYuyG1RWXbikUQNEOfSx5wtTcJrtmMyP5_QU7j0ZcA2aLHlt2_8cFjoTuCfOjj0IWvIQIIRk9DpAWsWS3gBuISn4VfgdKcFRhirWg4rGkEIJGaR-d2pVPCqxKSzSmWcijirOQjpDr3Scr0bamVrRVZ0ovLDwGj1BupZIqBfQcBJeFSIexYFJKyV641/s320/relic%2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The long human association with boxwood
across Europe is due in part to its widespread presence as a native
species, the tree version of it providing a hardwood valued for certain
specialized articles like fine boxes, combs, carved religious beads and
musical instruments. Our pagan forebears also used boxwood branches over ages in their rites and rituals, prizing them for their year-round greenery and the longevity they exemplify. The ancient Gauls chose their
long-lived native boxwood tree as a symbol of immortality. Since medieval times these trees have often been allowed to reach great age
within settlements (but shaped for a degree of compactness, as above). The
relic boxwood pictured in the churchyard above has become a mature tree that's reckoned to be between 500 and 700 years of age.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpFbWgQGd5l2vy7BgsL76lIPWysZqkmZwFIXl5QkbFViSwpl9SG5BVUN4vzyi6_zZAczb6uY2jY26cY71yA-du9nO3k53b2K9zCrnoo6mlAL5JSwPQ2hPdvSlzcbMajnYn9Mp3ij4oJXJjOmle-GW3gyWx5KvLCW43F0EBtDxnLkN6a_vPDfrXzqd/s1600/relic%2014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpFbWgQGd5l2vy7BgsL76lIPWysZqkmZwFIXl5QkbFViSwpl9SG5BVUN4vzyi6_zZAczb6uY2jY26cY71yA-du9nO3k53b2K9zCrnoo6mlAL5JSwPQ2hPdvSlzcbMajnYn9Mp3ij4oJXJjOmle-GW3gyWx5KvLCW43F0EBtDxnLkN6a_vPDfrXzqd/w640-h480/relic%2014.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The fashion for boxwood bones in garden
design was reinforced among prosperous landowners across the entire
western world during the seventeenth century, a time of European colonial
expansion and rising mercantile wealth. Boxwood reached America in
this era too, brought with colonists as a potent reminder of the home landscape
- a tangible symbol of continuity with life there. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Early American colonists brought slips
and roots of boxwood with them to adorn their homesteads in the new land. Boxwood had long stood for 'home', a value it still carries today. In
the southern colonies especially, where extensive plantation gardens
were often maintained by African American slaves, boxwood readily gave
novel form to new-world gardens. George Washington, America's
first President, used boxwood extensively to frame the gardens at his Mount
Vernon estate, and Thomas Jefferson in turn rooted cuttings from
Washington's gardens to frame his estate at Monticello. From early on an
American love affair with these shapely, reliable plants has ebbed and flowed repeatedly, dividing allegiance between a stiffer and more formal look and something more relaxed and informal (so likely better
suited to garden-making in a previously untamed nature). The 1892 house by
San Francisco architect<br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyGz7AXp1KeK4mHuWAgfjzY_LNO3g6bZK-d4-YYqE_KO6NgseRDA2Ozhz60f2iGhhr7y2Gdm9VJSPT85-j3AObUqqij9DFWaQ6PhVGYZT30OG7Z3kZl6FVhmEHG9schjp0xFdGJQzrYg-dElWS5ibHghRaRh4_EMvj_dLsSMgaSygtXeJb2uObb8T/s1600/relic%2015.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyGz7AXp1KeK4mHuWAgfjzY_LNO3g6bZK-d4-YYqE_KO6NgseRDA2Ozhz60f2iGhhr7y2Gdm9VJSPT85-j3AObUqqij9DFWaQ6PhVGYZT30OG7Z3kZl6FVhmEHG9schjp0xFdGJQzrYg-dElWS5ibHghRaRh4_EMvj_dLsSMgaSygtXeJb2uObb8T/w400-h300/relic%2015.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Willis Polk standing on Russian Hill (photo above) has a foreground planting of boxwood used informally. The descent
of Lombard Street (photo to the right) is structured by switchbacks edged in
trimmed but still-flowing dwarf boxwood.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i> </i></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i> </i></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>The use of boxwood in older Victoria gardens
is a more recent and far less-self-conscious matter than
the stiff look of formal parterres</i></b>, town settlement here
only having come about in the latter half of the nineteenth century.
From the turn of the twentieth century and with Victoria becoming a
small city, boxwood
have regularly been used in local shrubbery gardens, typically as front
or side yard hedging that is kept with a certain coarseness of texture.
My impressions of this versatile plant grew from noticing one such hedge
crowning a low granite wall, first seen back in 1988 at the house at
Fort and Linden pictured below.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuGrm-jMu9779XlFeR7ngLneuBUtjbEeaOIvtKXd4Xbx1AhrRGp0NOwsMYLBgJKB8rbi2oEW7HYYvqJIw-4uOekf1FJ3qXfp7G-3IdQ8TsPsNYytZRvMSH9fORM_cBudyrhNoyOrG8EOyTxmB0WW0HxCn05C1g9caKTBarapTDhED48sqsafsQueu/s1600/relic16.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuGrm-jMu9779XlFeR7ngLneuBUtjbEeaOIvtKXd4Xbx1AhrRGp0NOwsMYLBgJKB8rbi2oEW7HYYvqJIw-4uOekf1FJ3qXfp7G-3IdQ8TsPsNYytZRvMSH9fORM_cBudyrhNoyOrG8EOyTxmB0WW0HxCn05C1g9caKTBarapTDhED48sqsafsQueu/w640-h426/relic16.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This
hedge, which seemed venerable to my eye thirty years ago, has a timeless
quality that runs with the genre. Once aware of the dynamic
synergy between boxwood and stone walls, I began to notice it more
and more, and
of course I coveted the specific effect for the home garden.</span></span>
</p><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">At some point in the early nineties I
happened to notice an older boxwood hidden behind the fence separating
our yard from the neighbour's, which is on a panhandle lot subdivided from
the original grounds. I realized then that our home garden had
at one time
hosted boxwood – or, at least, a single specimen - and I immediately wanted to reintroduce it.
This old plant was still lovely, semi-shaggy after years of
neglect, and distinctly tilted in direction. Strangely
though, not long afterwards my neighbour chose to pull it out, and then
offer it up with its root ball badly mangled. I took it of course,
then attempted a hapless rescue by replanting it in a shady spot and
trying to keep it watered. I doubted its chances of survival, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">especially coming into summer drought, and so was not surprised when it quickly expired. </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5q_h2TnUz1RaAaLFd0bN_tYSoMLgDQcMD2lq6aWnbvQN5jJiSPo2hRrSU2KlksrG1tYxpxG352YuY0Np_9H6kKgLqK9Kkl2pa4sBkKuWtFVDlR36R6IjK_uAnf75VBxJfgEEnDN3v7LO0N1AShEAa6RDhsUuMJaOGdyM8HxPSxLMx0C8PFEsZOYk/s1600/relic%2017.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5q_h2TnUz1RaAaLFd0bN_tYSoMLgDQcMD2lq6aWnbvQN5jJiSPo2hRrSU2KlksrG1tYxpxG352YuY0Np_9H6kKgLqK9Kkl2pa4sBkKuWtFVDlR36R6IjK_uAnf75VBxJfgEEnDN3v7LO0N1AShEAa6RDhsUuMJaOGdyM8HxPSxLMx0C8PFEsZOYk/w640-h426/relic%2017.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">
<br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Still, I wasn't at all pleased with how
this all went down, realizing later that I had missed the opportunity to
take
cuttings from the doomed plant. I suspect I've been
making up for that failure ever since! But in fact I was only just at the point of learning
to root cuttings, so lacked the awareness to prompt the thought.
However, once the feasibility of this process became more clear, I realized
it could easily be applied to any older boxwood that happened to catch
my eye.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZmSkO-IzUwqbRqfe9ZV9EBJtD9i0na-EaCmSzULAzpIlwjc7tqgl36Puewfx5pPUHHULrOzf9Jwb9f1Le2hB79jL5mVlODor2BHq7KXHpVNzcPBfW7YEE0dLRjSg64B30_A4cWMYV5TG_FffZjT_IQK_0YT1wMe5aeFJSqghsHoFazfPUJO3WP5ud/s1600/relic%2016.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZmSkO-IzUwqbRqfe9ZV9EBJtD9i0na-EaCmSzULAzpIlwjc7tqgl36Puewfx5pPUHHULrOzf9Jwb9f1Le2hB79jL5mVlODor2BHq7KXHpVNzcPBfW7YEE0dLRjSg64B30_A4cWMYV5TG_FffZjT_IQK_0YT1wMe5aeFJSqghsHoFazfPUJO3WP5ud/w640-h426/relic%2016.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Some years after the mangling incident,
another situation inviting relic box rescue arose and by then I was
ready for the challenge. I
happened to be working with the Provincial Capital Commission (PCC) in
the
mid-1990s, at the time it was overseeing restoration of St.
Ann's Academy and renewal of its extensive grounds. St. Ann's is
one of those regional institutions with a long history of mixing
boxwood into its surroundings. Today boxwood plantings deftly extend a
sense of architectural arrangement outwards from the building's vertical
lines to the park-like setting pictured below, here aided and abetted
by yew, holly and hydrangea (also regionally significant
landscape plants).</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodqHhgEv9MlBvb-S2qk4hdolrKsZaaw7u47hxv0HwgPSONzjtFk6G_tCZV4j81iiPg3dY5qwzYxctBjONCqsqGikHJHlyrnkWhyQl5krPB-gJfrtF2gZTqqN3rwoJNZ4IyRiltRKQ68YYPFAot9YryGu4BRse0XK14i5m4fZEQOKjj-vULz0VCeYl/s1600/Relic%2018.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodqHhgEv9MlBvb-S2qk4hdolrKsZaaw7u47hxv0HwgPSONzjtFk6G_tCZV4j81iiPg3dY5qwzYxctBjONCqsqGikHJHlyrnkWhyQl5krPB-gJfrtF2gZTqqN3rwoJNZ4IyRiltRKQ68YYPFAot9YryGu4BRse0XK14i5m4fZEQOKjj-vULz0VCeYl/w426-h640/Relic%2018.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">One day, while
touring the grounds with PCC staff, I noticed a trio of
shaggy older boxwood hidden in a rarely visited corner at the northwest
end of the arboretum. Evidently these mature
plants had been overlooked for some time in an overgrown shrubbery. I
found them fetching, reminiscent of the deceased home boxwood, and so
decided to try cloning them for our own garden. There was some urgency
to this rescue mission, as a plan to open up a new public access to the grounds at the corner of
Humboldt and
Blanshard made it very unlikely these oldsters would
survive the construction process (and none did). So with permission, I returned and took several dozen growing tips for rooting. I
planted these directly into garden soil in a shady spot, kept them
well-watered, and hoped for the best. I was excited to attempt to preserve this token of local garden history,
for incorporation one day into our home garden. And this first try at
multiplication of relic boxwood was ultimately to have beneficial
consequences for design I did not remotely anticipate at the time.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkXLQsAOLj4PBB2pMhtjIGZW7k7_-fbQqQGo18YRZOsPhmjUCUDNvDLgC9MCpTqVHLpgI-2ZqOlGKUka1feMOjcm4zt46TFy3VwF_olb-EQBFNXyowtvk-ScmpcqOhdlui-jTt22uYDEg5sHAC_WGSE-I5qGVHUc3QlTC268Zz1kGVELQ7HmYfn0J/s1600/Relic%2019.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkXLQsAOLj4PBB2pMhtjIGZW7k7_-fbQqQGo18YRZOsPhmjUCUDNvDLgC9MCpTqVHLpgI-2ZqOlGKUka1feMOjcm4zt46TFy3VwF_olb-EQBFNXyowtvk-ScmpcqOhdlui-jTt22uYDEg5sHAC_WGSE-I5qGVHUc3QlTC268Zz1kGVELQ7HmYfn0J/w426-h640/Relic%2019.JPG" width="426" /></a></div></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It took about a year of keeping these
cuttings moist until they developed roots sufficiently strong to support new
growth. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>I
lifted the rooted cuttings a year later, transferring them into pots where they grew
on happily for many years. As a result, we began playing around with
potted boxwood as garden accents, increasingly using them to add visual
interest or soften transitions between garden spaces. With adequate watering
and occasional light feeding, younger boxwood tolerate pot culture in our
climate extremely well.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8CtkM7GzGrii8kabmffVPBhuWpjGW355mDSbUucKPt8HwziXqRHFFgS0-HcTqNW5_N6fDUqkDte_WGH4IB5S-OViarBOkjqcKm2eqpMimIRcFc9fTmlyZoG0x8CVMnc1jlfN8o2KQczH3cibqGhyphBkrr8cu0-neInz4AgL6GjdtQG0LwrHmxedi/s1600/relic%2020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8CtkM7GzGrii8kabmffVPBhuWpjGW355mDSbUucKPt8HwziXqRHFFgS0-HcTqNW5_N6fDUqkDte_WGH4IB5S-OViarBOkjqcKm2eqpMimIRcFc9fTmlyZoG0x8CVMnc1jlfN8o2KQczH3cibqGhyphBkrr8cu0-neInz4AgL6GjdtQG0LwrHmxedi/w640-h480/relic%2020.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfifzy7kvUJB69xUOhPicglG4vpEjvOacGLtWvfPBFuWMREyUNmncHhFoTMWnVJgmsC5v_orcy_7uuHhOjuOm71Fe3aOGQFVmH4pdllrQowB8-o7_dimB9Hr32M3xPaSSpBWEhTHrAZ8TDOT2vGhlf6k4wIqFOz2325u5Y09SgjW4cdu_WoLGqGu3/s1600/relic%2021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfifzy7kvUJB69xUOhPicglG4vpEjvOacGLtWvfPBFuWMREyUNmncHhFoTMWnVJgmsC5v_orcy_7uuHhOjuOm71Fe3aOGQFVmH4pdllrQowB8-o7_dimB9Hr32M3xPaSSpBWEhTHrAZ8TDOT2vGhlf6k4wIqFOz2325u5Y09SgjW4cdu_WoLGqGu3/w640-h480/relic%2021.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Eventually the rooted cuttings reached a
size where planting them out suggested itself. At this point I made the
fateful choice to set the St. Ann's boxwood out in curving lines
(as pictured above). This we did in a number of other places too, often in proximity to stone
retaining walls or other stone features, in order to gain synergy of
effect. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtctTDrSPXzp--F9fg548dm424FCeCHExMTOsjviTJJlKleeCRcsxiKO1vjz98LBh0zyftnLdneN8vS3AoQpu3howVwxilACulI74d64n1LAVzT6OEOGk8VjYuGxN26p26WEmD-ZRe2Ee4OA93ytGN-xypdVwSZtSgxxfSMZAOLxXokXS79JxwGLB/s1600/relic%2022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtctTDrSPXzp--F9fg548dm424FCeCHExMTOsjviTJJlKleeCRcsxiKO1vjz98LBh0zyftnLdneN8vS3AoQpu3howVwxilACulI74d64n1LAVzT6OEOGk8VjYuGxN26p26WEmD-ZRe2Ee4OA93ytGN-xypdVwSZtSgxxfSMZAOLxXokXS79JxwGLB/w426-h640/relic%2022.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I was surprised how readily
these gentle boxwood curves made themselves central to the
garden's personality and overall look, so much so that it would be hard
to
imagine it without their presence now. Many years on, they continue
to provide year-round structure while greatly enhancing a mood of age
and repose in our woodland garden setting. The success of this foray in
boxwood propagation, which led eventually to entirely new planting
possibilities, whetted my appetite for more of these relic boxwood. The practice allows the transfer of some mood and magic from an older garden to
a more recent one, thus romanticizing the past. No matter, it remains a good way of developing fresh plant material, material that ultimately contributes
to intensifying feelings of serenity and repose in any garden. </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>The older institutional settings
dotting our urban region are among the more likely places to encounter
larger collections of relic boxwood</b></i>, sometimes
used with greater formality than around homes. These boxwood may be
trimmed up into neat rectangular hedges marking the edges of beds or
perimeters, grown as specimens to a greater and more natural shape, or used as screens manifesting a </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">residual shagginess. Boxwood add
significant texture to any garden or landscape setting and will, varying
with closeness of clipping, handily fill in a given shape.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWVotgMtfHhmrz2K9Aau73IQPLOTKfIKHSwuNEoS046EZDGcpRRznlZUHdF9xkW3BqsIVtoFmK-Xt5LVn6FmZJPLbTjqgW-HzLChDnqNmOnXBb58wJ5-Klk5aHkLtk5zUn1ll33NJsHd3omzU-JNzOR2QxRh8KakJeYv5ra28wHRD74zztCuZDJh5i/s1600/relic%2023.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWVotgMtfHhmrz2K9Aau73IQPLOTKfIKHSwuNEoS046EZDGcpRRznlZUHdF9xkW3BqsIVtoFmK-Xt5LVn6FmZJPLbTjqgW-HzLChDnqNmOnXBb58wJ5-Klk5aHkLtk5zUn1ll33NJsHd3omzU-JNzOR2QxRh8KakJeYv5ra28wHRD74zztCuZDJh5i/w400-h266/relic%2023.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrot0-ucFLG6lqoJ1xI_JT_w-PdX2oxgDrGJXu5h1iPVATnWFK_AmCu2qFUou_RnACRou68u5qxbpnJw3vyVir5zZKURs1xxBOOg24a5fYR1UitPVGL7on9VkIUhCBXWWl7clUX6Zltm61TkW1Mz5zVrLSlbhitag-ymHaAMb_3U5o3zxmzi3T2pU/s1600/relic%2024.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrot0-ucFLG6lqoJ1xI_JT_w-PdX2oxgDrGJXu5h1iPVATnWFK_AmCu2qFUou_RnACRou68u5qxbpnJw3vyVir5zZKURs1xxBOOg24a5fYR1UitPVGL7on9VkIUhCBXWWl7clUX6Zltm61TkW1Mz5zVrLSlbhitag-ymHaAMb_3U5o3zxmzi3T2pU/w266-h400/relic%2024.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgix6SMDnSYD-HsdiDiEbj4-eTeZ_cG_4oXuDir5jA5W1b5kdlPbI23rdHutp_iRw0FYFRJPmPWDjDqqxMJFId1Ykuz_uNhDligXfsIcYPjv2mhgLQIpWH-glkLC3PYvEjAcAC1GtpAis3C2szxAaO45MGoqeszsbi6U2QQcXM1uT8xied3YC70nf3p/s1600/relic%2025.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgix6SMDnSYD-HsdiDiEbj4-eTeZ_cG_4oXuDir5jA5W1b5kdlPbI23rdHutp_iRw0FYFRJPmPWDjDqqxMJFId1Ykuz_uNhDligXfsIcYPjv2mhgLQIpWH-glkLC3PYvEjAcAC1GtpAis3C2szxAaO45MGoqeszsbi6U2QQcXM1uT8xied3YC70nf3p/w400-h266/relic%2025.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hatley Castle's grounds (pictured above and below) in Colwood sport
a major collection of boxwood of different eras, some said to be over a hundred years old. Built in 1908 by Samuel Maclure for
James Dunsmuir, heir to the Vancouver Island coal family's fortune,
Hatley's immediate surroundings include a captivating Italianate garden
with boxwood used as bed edgings. Overall, Hatley Castle's mix of
formal and informal elements effectively binds its house, gardens and
grounds into a unified whole - a place that feels like its various parts all
belong together. This is based on using boxwood extensively to define
intermediate spaces as outdoor rooms between the house and its
surrounding woodlands. Hatley Castle is unique in the variety of boxwood
used in contrasting styles of presentation, from orderly formal
parterres and knots to sophisticated architectural sequences on terraces
or as grand mounds and point plantings punctuating walkways.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCbdsci6diRrR67G-VUpbwv82_XopevBgg7tEm-_2x039wNSDN9wVDEAAHTTl64xCtJuA2iyxIp2TaEzbip9qBWbAn8CpVk4FNEfQ-IlQp8Cy8oQXLjWmKfNqpow8skInEIgp-XabEZlUbPTunKTtIyvWQiPCAp9x6MwPhxT96HR1lU-Vo8wYRic4/s1600/relic%2026.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCbdsci6diRrR67G-VUpbwv82_XopevBgg7tEm-_2x039wNSDN9wVDEAAHTTl64xCtJuA2iyxIp2TaEzbip9qBWbAn8CpVk4FNEfQ-IlQp8Cy8oQXLjWmKfNqpow8skInEIgp-XabEZlUbPTunKTtIyvWQiPCAp9x6MwPhxT96HR1lU-Vo8wYRic4/w266-h400/relic%2026.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQuxCPUN3QCrevHZUIXB7tfyeCwqwYCBAn5WcFrfD5Vj9e32MFzy-d-Lm5-vFeYkM-dZlwH8wqs7QcVWcsXvimx2wNMdGpCekN0UmtRKw0GIWgugGYUJGraO45QAqDObggC1sKAeRWNBDiwqxV9VupPv0-z8qzrwTo5nHG02Oz7yccHxMmARmvJEV/s1600/relic%2027.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQuxCPUN3QCrevHZUIXB7tfyeCwqwYCBAn5WcFrfD5Vj9e32MFzy-d-Lm5-vFeYkM-dZlwH8wqs7QcVWcsXvimx2wNMdGpCekN0UmtRKw0GIWgugGYUJGraO45QAqDObggC1sKAeRWNBDiwqxV9VupPv0-z8qzrwTo5nHG02Oz7yccHxMmARmvJEV/w400-h266/relic%2027.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPg8g6udnLqEW1nHoYsQB84tEhzYfiyZW8ghiWRGTPz6rNaKjWtgIzzBkMFbrL5kyurpvDs4JkRBIBsoDKdzwQVhbMnPtmahVOR0JAKV9sectJ-NO0XJXrwovuK9BHIgOwBEm1qY4CtW19QCOzrBFi-3mx5qWLzrd4PwyRrjkY4lK_sWWsiLBp8bbO/s1600/relic%2028.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPg8g6udnLqEW1nHoYsQB84tEhzYfiyZW8ghiWRGTPz6rNaKjWtgIzzBkMFbrL5kyurpvDs4JkRBIBsoDKdzwQVhbMnPtmahVOR0JAKV9sectJ-NO0XJXrwovuK9BHIgOwBEm1qY4CtW19QCOzrBFi-3mx5qWLzrd4PwyRrjkY4lK_sWWsiLBp8bbO/w266-h400/relic%2028.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The above shots of Hatley Castle's collection of boxwood include mounds and chopped pyramids in pots
along walks, boxwood edgings in the Italianate garden (said to date from
the 1930s), boxwood in a parterre of circular shapes at the front entry of more recent vintage, and rows of older box used as screens,
which may date from the earliest days of the building. </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Another trove of these relic boxwood is
found at Camosun College's Lansdowne
Campus, where lines of box hedging frame the perimeter on two sides of
its extensive grounds. These long runs of hedging colour up dramatically
with the seasons, showing as fresh greens during our often-long spring
while turning an eye-catching orange-gold in our typically wet fall and winter. This
campus also has an intriguing raised circular parterre of clipped yew
and
boxwood, echoing the classical symmetry of the Young building, in addition to specimen plantings </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">shaped into larger
mounding sentinels. Finally, there are many old boxwood, some
hard-clipped and maintained, others badly overgrown and calling out for
fresh attention, around the Dunlop mansion (Maclure, 1928) which forms an
integral part of the landscaped grounds on this lovely part of the
campus.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZw_MxtnByASDBm202ZImvndI7TMl_DlfrRbHtosPhayD7apgvLyuyLOT7OupgM2GuzzS7G3Yw-nTEwZJxO9AAyFcrDYmfa3CE6ifKzEalwTwM9dV-HtjhPpy4CexvBB3vZYkM-BZu5Ws9kh0Mb5n6tP2x2nbyXMG_exStj4sL97REAQat99kXIVuf/s1600/Relic%2029.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZw_MxtnByASDBm202ZImvndI7TMl_DlfrRbHtosPhayD7apgvLyuyLOT7OupgM2GuzzS7G3Yw-nTEwZJxO9AAyFcrDYmfa3CE6ifKzEalwTwM9dV-HtjhPpy4CexvBB3vZYkM-BZu5Ws9kh0Mb5n6tP2x2nbyXMG_exStj4sL97REAQat99kXIVuf/w400-h266/Relic%2029.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzbbvWwzLGzO-1MAJdXqdtlrz2ICqT2UaVQhPSjLadIMsWqnEyR0pwNQXzmqtDS8TqlCMFGysUGRK9nOTvW9VTNR8bmssgZ7ehi7ibUMKVuCMdWkdyOtOGD4_sj3ACHr0S1Uk5JfDMSrtP-NAbl9tlVyDSF4L-1ubPCHchkFaAoVMfiXB5FPMi1Qm/s1600/Relic%2030.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzbbvWwzLGzO-1MAJdXqdtlrz2ICqT2UaVQhPSjLadIMsWqnEyR0pwNQXzmqtDS8TqlCMFGysUGRK9nOTvW9VTNR8bmssgZ7ehi7ibUMKVuCMdWkdyOtOGD4_sj3ACHr0S1Uk5JfDMSrtP-NAbl9tlVyDSF4L-1ubPCHchkFaAoVMfiXB5FPMi1Qm/w400-h266/Relic%2030.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> </span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJ26D4hDDpwKdAiwxbAPKzDhZX4tbG65iUmOtXNuAXS2dZgoMzU8ia6Gkcf6vQTiWoV6Jw8XUZ2hpdVgCda0rvh8c08BZsZAOFNBgUqeNp-ZukQb5hDdJG1hhVg9vDr8GpNRbtaWnCYGWLN8bOcsbBVM4az0CTeM9Bzj4yRMSoTGVHQSw_JLeXI6i/s1600/Relic%2031.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJ26D4hDDpwKdAiwxbAPKzDhZX4tbG65iUmOtXNuAXS2dZgoMzU8ia6Gkcf6vQTiWoV6Jw8XUZ2hpdVgCda0rvh8c08BZsZAOFNBgUqeNp-ZukQb5hDdJG1hhVg9vDr8GpNRbtaWnCYGWLN8bOcsbBVM4az0CTeM9Bzj4yRMSoTGVHQSw_JLeXI6i/w400-h266/Relic%2031.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">A small collection of relic boxwood
also survives on the grounds of the BC Legislature, where a further adventure
in plant-transfer was to occur. One day, as a new-minted MLA, I was
interviewed in the Rose Garden, a small sunken terrace on the
west side of the legislature with a broken circle edged in older box
(picture below).
It happened these hedges were being pruned that very day,
so it was evident exactly how much of their growing tips were to come
off. There seemed to be just enough length to take viable cuttings, so I
had a word with the gardener before taking a handful from above the
trimmed height. I then carried on with the usual process of rooting them
in pots.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrNUG6pBdjG1FlaAfV5xHgmYPnLbTjGij6mp3z8EiSPE55q4zSoLfsqobhMn_UcHlHk_NBIbEnGwNIZ0uXDZdIJdIEWg44z1uOi06t0wY1A9vL6ykOT4ooWpPpj70vjft3-1Okf0YB8dIVmCRC-7KEQ0PFg1QVO4oa7KMKCXn8UEHFOzMj0xDHLrOA/s1600/Relic%2032.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrNUG6pBdjG1FlaAfV5xHgmYPnLbTjGij6mp3z8EiSPE55q4zSoLfsqobhMn_UcHlHk_NBIbEnGwNIZ0uXDZdIJdIEWg44z1uOi06t0wY1A9vL6ykOT4ooWpPpj70vjft3-1Okf0YB8dIVmCRC-7KEQ0PFg1QVO4oa7KMKCXn8UEHFOzMj0xDHLrOA/w640-h426/Relic%2032.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>This approach to multiplying plant material is slow and improvised
compared to the ease and certainty of greenhouse propagation, yet it
succeeds regularly here in our temperate marine climate. So it happened
that by the time my term of office was over, the newbies were nearly ready
to be planted out. </span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I decided to place them at the front of
our house, along the edge of a stone retaining wall where I felt they
would show well. The layout ran along the edge of our parking spot,
making a hard right turn for the steps up from it (so requiring an
L-shaped planting). I took a playful approach to the challenge and wound
up with an unconventional layout. The result, more modernist than
traditional, uses boxwood in units or short runs rotated slightly across
the centreline of the L (below right). I further complicated matters by
introducing a second type of relic boxwood, with a more rounded shape,
to punctuate the runs of squared-up box at various points. This
complexity has given the result a rather funky, segmented quality overall. The
plants have adapted well to their difficult growing site, and the design
seems to hang together reasonably well despite its unusual qualities.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM65My8DtXoBjjPo0NBTwUi2s5_NZ9PMGRU8CclG5sQAXbqBD--aVRstsfvG79p85QtqrzfCkHK4Rgpv26sr4YEvzE_93oB4Cd8h-F0VKf5FIVs7VqWX7A9_TL3KkvTeOispJ-af1PBVdApBCd99vjh43MBly9eAiBxoVHzHALOFg1hNFPaYNU24ko/s1600/Relic%2033.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM65My8DtXoBjjPo0NBTwUi2s5_NZ9PMGRU8CclG5sQAXbqBD--aVRstsfvG79p85QtqrzfCkHK4Rgpv26sr4YEvzE_93oB4Cd8h-F0VKf5FIVs7VqWX7A9_TL3KkvTeOispJ-af1PBVdApBCd99vjh43MBly9eAiBxoVHzHALOFg1hNFPaYNU24ko/w426-h640/Relic%2033.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8k7xUinekfFknypByK6pnmRy0N-pzmouwamWndl7MsMpWO2B-ImmLCQ7LhUUwIxdVzKCzHANI2uEvxQ-n3i2oP3hbR17NOuBtcRevwCEnZ7-jWgUF2S3yuLPv4CgB0vpfxMOdAEN3TT_hM6K4qwaBGHL8diCyTAeI2NbSwaI3GvzMVtyBxv7XiT7R/s1600/Relic%2034.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8k7xUinekfFknypByK6pnmRy0N-pzmouwamWndl7MsMpWO2B-ImmLCQ7LhUUwIxdVzKCzHANI2uEvxQ-n3i2oP3hbR17NOuBtcRevwCEnZ7-jWgUF2S3yuLPv4CgB0vpfxMOdAEN3TT_hM6K4qwaBGHL8diCyTAeI2NbSwaI3GvzMVtyBxv7XiT7R/w640-h426/Relic%2034.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The habit of collecting older boxwood
isn't abating, despite the spatial limitations of our suburban lot. It
turns out that many different types of relic boxwood have been used hereabouts over the past
century, so new discoveries of older boxwood exemplars are still being made. I
find they tend to be less glossy, often more dull in coloration, and coarser
and bulkier in habit than today's rather neater offerings. Perhaps more of the
older box are in fact 'sempervivens' (native species, so given to taller
growth) while the newer varieties have tended to be 'suffruticosa' (dwarf
English variants that are naturally mounding and of tighter foliage
density)? However that may be, my main interest is to obtain more of the
look and feel of prior use
by transferring older examples into the home garden.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTO15PN-YnFzzVVrdl8POfuzccMk0efWZ_f9BHCUN2MGnFtmVipBMsXFrSDsbgYuAvrP2jZ7N_RhYwjqZj5RmNP1Q5P32cmcCypxctXvb59h364kWRmkHs95BI_-z4xrf-6iUhN_yHOkvV1YeUlJdG4tbFazfwal2DJkaBT9WyICbf_0zxuST-9F8N/s1600/relic%2035.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTO15PN-YnFzzVVrdl8POfuzccMk0efWZ_f9BHCUN2MGnFtmVipBMsXFrSDsbgYuAvrP2jZ7N_RhYwjqZj5RmNP1Q5P32cmcCypxctXvb59h364kWRmkHs95BI_-z4xrf-6iUhN_yHOkvV1YeUlJdG4tbFazfwal2DJkaBT9WyICbf_0zxuST-9F8N/w426-h640/relic%2035.JPG" width="426" /></a></div></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Boxwood
make an attractive choice of garden shrub insofar as they have few
special requirements in our climate and soils. While they are said to
thrive in full sun, they do seem to prefer sites where they get some relief
from direct light for part of the day. It may be that on upland sites
like ours boxwood flourish better without full sun exposure. Some varieties
will tolerate deeper shade too, but many tend to be more straggly in
such settings. It's vital to water them during our prolonged annual
drought (last year over three months with no substantial rain!) but not
too much. They like soil that drains
well and will not put up with having wet feet. There is no need to amend most
soils for boxwood (heavy clay excepted) beyond top dressing with leaf
compost and possibly mulching (but don't mound either up to the leaf
line, as that enables the diseases box is susceptible to). Also on the
plus side, their slightly pungent odour and likely bitter taste deter
deer from browsing them, a blessing for gardeners facing spiking herds. One
caution here: male deer growing new antlers resort to thick shrubs as
rubbing points, so any coarser boxwood along a buck's regular path is
liable to serious damage. A further plus, to this point at least, is
that Victoria's arid summers seem protective against the boxwood blight
afflicting moister, more humid climates. There are other diseases that
may develop from over-pruning, over-fertilizing and over-watering, but
the likelihood is remote if one avoids these practices. However, this
may all be different in the future, as a rapidly changing climate rearranges
what plants can flourish here (just look at the amount of die-back in
our cedars!).</span></span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>With well-rooted cuttings in hand,
the gardener faces choices of form for planting out, coupled with
degrees of looseness in trimming.</b></i> Are they to be grown as
specimen plants or as part of a shrubbery, shaped
into balls, pyramids or squares, or grouped to run in gently curving or
staggered lines? Are they to be left to elaborate their natural
billowing form, clipped more closely to emphasize their mounding
quality, or rendered into some more fantastical shape via the
legerdemain of pruning? Working through these choices is what designing
your garden with boxwood is all about. I enjoy using them playfully and
without too much preconception, as they can show well in pretty much any
form they are given or allowed to take. If you have boxwood as
individual specimens in pots, you can use potted samples to try a layout on for
fit. A playful approach keeps it
interesting for the amateur gardener, who is free to revel in having a
supply of
plants and just follow novel inclinations in placement. Boxwood do not have
to be used in a formal way, and in fact there is a strong case that a
more informal and relaxed look better aligns with the natural landscape
we inhabit. In the end, as with everything in a garden, one is looking
for mixture in an interesting balance.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEtHKRYm8t3JQlW12nxz53rp0lFk4ZoZEvLE1jBA9Mz1HWdE3nAZLfAiiIcIXi5Bm_UTPHzjGYYVO4CQG8hiEY9VuIkq8cqGYy7mS1jMjBxK6lMZTm1Pg4LDk_pg8y-npklq0ZaCcE12ihz1LAKahiDd0laadNv7nveXWdk_HdLfxTZv3899MN9Fh/s1600/relic%2036.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEtHKRYm8t3JQlW12nxz53rp0lFk4ZoZEvLE1jBA9Mz1HWdE3nAZLfAiiIcIXi5Bm_UTPHzjGYYVO4CQG8hiEY9VuIkq8cqGYy7mS1jMjBxK6lMZTm1Pg4LDk_pg8y-npklq0ZaCcE12ihz1LAKahiDd0laadNv7nveXWdk_HdLfxTZv3899MN9Fh/w640-h426/relic%2036.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you're of a mind to try rooting
relic boxwood here in Victoria, you won't need much equipment to get
started
(other than a pair of secateurs and approval to take cuttings). If
there's any delay before the cuttings go into the ground, you need to
ensure they remain hydrated (I use plastic bags with wetted paper towels to keep them moist). Boxwood roots quite easily
given decent conditions, which in our relatively benign climate can typically be
out of doors. (In places with harsher winters, a greenhouse may be
needed for rooting cuttings, and the range of cultivars severely limited
by the need for hardiness to counter prolonged freezing). Here on the
peninsula at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, with weather
moderated by proximity to the ocean, the range of usable cultivars is
broad and the approach to rooting is to this point wide open.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppZNXAAjEaNESgg_yMSfERXGD2CS88IaQ4RnJ96rW2nA95OK7bQIRJfY95HYZY_x1kaCEYqhlFAWMlQrOkofTRJut3P_ss-m28wmOZfX4auGhs-LTDJe2PE4de3EiXtFx9LC6pbjYpHCsrWArPGVZRcjx-MTvHFyVS3EwVIcXUWmQ09beYrOUXz4K/s1600/relic%2037.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppZNXAAjEaNESgg_yMSfERXGD2CS88IaQ4RnJ96rW2nA95OK7bQIRJfY95HYZY_x1kaCEYqhlFAWMlQrOkofTRJut3P_ss-m28wmOZfX4auGhs-LTDJe2PE4de3EiXtFx9LC6pbjYpHCsrWArPGVZRcjx-MTvHFyVS3EwVIcXUWmQ09beYrOUXz4K/w426-h640/relic%2037.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">However, do be aware that
sudden reversion to frigid winter can subject unrooted slips to frost
heave, which projects them right out of the soil and means having to resettle
them afterwards. I think it is best to take cuttings in the fall when
the rains are returning, so that plants lacking roots aren't subject to
the added stress of sustained drought. I always select cuttings of
vigorous young growth (avoiding older, harder wood), strip off most of
the leaves to expose t</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">he stems for rooting, use a hormonal rooting compound (#2
is likely best for a shrub like box) to encourage root </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">growth, and employ ordinary garden soil as a
medium, amended with a little leaf compost if it is available. I like to put the cuttings straight into
pots using holes made with a hand-cultivator, keeping them out of direct sun (dappled shade works
well), and ensuring they remain moist (they initially absorb moisture through
their stems, so pots can dry out very quickly).
After a year or so, you will see signs of fresh growth and then it's
either pot them on or plant them out.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_aCcLgRAkPiUBxviFxETtKDWJBc0Gw3OYWkH-_WYTT3kPhkSHFrHniH6Lx-xvXiKi6OyXPjHSGf0-cxTEa2cLFVG0mRC_cJOKEzZOFbuyL4YOHtFlTqNB_DFjRZQBB83mKFhogrdlhZXWfDCbrUiyajevXlWx6Y_f8ZcjQSenjLoALM6RHz1ZQPcV/s1600/relic%2038.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_aCcLgRAkPiUBxviFxETtKDWJBc0Gw3OYWkH-_WYTT3kPhkSHFrHniH6Lx-xvXiKi6OyXPjHSGf0-cxTEa2cLFVG0mRC_cJOKEzZOFbuyL4YOHtFlTqNB_DFjRZQBB83mKFhogrdlhZXWfDCbrUiyajevXlWx6Y_f8ZcjQSenjLoALM6RHz1ZQPcV/w426-h640/relic%2038.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilBO9uUwl6U-_ugemOiptrggOd_VDCzvFfJ7fQe6SpiZTTWSCGf2hekyFBMCYpSNm-ggMsVonvkoho1jUmm7CHCLQb36chJb87kA6A-z-aNstIz3-JyKknrEfdakqN3LTsILY4gfMFZlJW-7MFaKKPMyL9o_zPvow606o2BAfP_r9UYCOCHEEf5-sX/s1600/relic%2039.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilBO9uUwl6U-_ugemOiptrggOd_VDCzvFfJ7fQe6SpiZTTWSCGf2hekyFBMCYpSNm-ggMsVonvkoho1jUmm7CHCLQb36chJb87kA6A-z-aNstIz3-JyKknrEfdakqN3LTsILY4gfMFZlJW-7MFaKKPMyL9o_zPvow606o2BAfP_r9UYCOCHEEf5-sX/w640-h426/relic%2039.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnYdtW00owDy8x34voTBN_Ue3fUBXiqNja3WEwiaHrapKJH2PP3cow0I8F26oMCx5M4yefRegbZ2JYmSgJRtZpkMzqY5cM-O2wf6k60KqD3NG_y2xo8qz2AXm8KIAoP7SNtZKqjfzMrYnsF0-9qYTzSLUpJAr0L-li8mPOMc9erSK0l8rEROf9wguI/s1600/relic%2040.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnYdtW00owDy8x34voTBN_Ue3fUBXiqNja3WEwiaHrapKJH2PP3cow0I8F26oMCx5M4yefRegbZ2JYmSgJRtZpkMzqY5cM-O2wf6k60KqD3NG_y2xo8qz2AXm8KIAoP7SNtZKqjfzMrYnsF0-9qYTzSLUpJAr0L-li8mPOMc9erSK0l8rEROf9wguI/w426-h640/relic%2040.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Down the road, I can see myself
introducing a screen of relic boxwood at the front of the house where
it will help to mask noise and movement on a busy street. Likely this
will be left to develop a bit more openly than city hedging. Loosened
treatment allows box to develop its bulk more in line with natural
growth, yet clipped enough to render its shape intentional. Our garden
seems ideal for this looser use, being a piece of woodsy suburbia
with many native oaks. As an overall direction for garden design with
boxwood, I find the following comments from the American Boxwood Society
to be useful:</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"Generally speaking the landscape
architect...errs in stressing formal effect, whilst the amateurs,
seeking to express their personalities, overdo the informal. <b><i>We
believe one's endeavour should be directed, not to creating the garden
of one's dream, but to confine one's self to trying to work with the
natural setting and environment of your actual garden.</i> <i>Utilize the indigenous growth that can and does thrive where you live.</i>
<i> By doing this, your work will blend in with the natural scenery which
exists in the area.</i></b> One cannot improve on nature, and, if one persists
in trying to do so, one simply ends up with an artificial oasis." </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSBxq6AsecyWHQpgO_2LpeHdiLvysra8OiOaQWczzOW7XqsOst-jF41fEpZgtIk7ApNFJ1mDXKmHg7NGhmIzEtti0z90yo_3dy9DrkZRNbMx80vTS5-_ZBc1AsYvfaGvbzEuMmLv_yBI4LOG8tLV1lRabq1eU229RvVBlbidn3DvZ1wOUIMJ95KQm/s1600/relic%2041.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSBxq6AsecyWHQpgO_2LpeHdiLvysra8OiOaQWczzOW7XqsOst-jF41fEpZgtIk7ApNFJ1mDXKmHg7NGhmIzEtti0z90yo_3dy9DrkZRNbMx80vTS5-_ZBc1AsYvfaGvbzEuMmLv_yBI4LOG8tLV1lRabq1eU229RvVBlbidn3DvZ1wOUIMJ95KQm/w640-h426/relic%2041.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Secateurs at the ready, you can now go
forth and multiply relic boxwood cuttings to your heart's content. Think
of the possibilities of playing around with past time in
your own garden today. Be sure to get permission (people do love to give
away those cuttings) and remember to enjoy yourself!</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Articles/links referred to in the text, all available on the web:</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lodwick, L.A., <b>Evergreen Plants In Roman Britain</b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Master Gardener Program, <b>The Italian Garden </b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Salvesson, P.H. and Kanz, B., <b>Boxwood cultivars in old gardens in Norway</b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Salvesson, Kanz and Moe, <b>Historical Cultivars of Buxus sempervivens revealed in a Preserved 17th century Garden</b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><b>American Boxwood Society newsletters </b> http://www.boxwoodsociety.org/</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>This post is adapted from one that first appeared in <b><i>The Seasoned Gardener</i></b> blogspot, published in February 2019. It is affectionately dedicated now to the memory of my sister Ann, a talented artist-gardener and floral designer who introduced boxwood to her garden for its shape in Ontario winters.<br /></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span><i><b>One of the themes explored in this post is humankind's long association with boxwood.</b></i> The article invokes pagan use of box to symbolize longevity. But, as I inadvertently discovered recently while reading <b><i>Kindred</i></b> by Rebecca Wragg Sykes, the association with boxwood goes back much further than that! People who study Neanderthal remains have long surmised that these people were also skilled woodworkers, in addition to being highly skilled stone tool-makers. Proof of course has been elusive for the woodworking side, given the susceptibility of wood to breaking down in contact with soil. However, recent excavations at Poggetti Vecchi in Italy - dated at 171,000 years prior to the present - have unearthed worked wooden digging sticks, about which the following is remarked: "</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Excavations for the construction of thermal pools at Poggetti Vecchi
(Grosseto, Tuscany, central Italy) exposed a series of wooden tools in
an open-air stratified site referable to late Middle Pleistocene. The
wooden artifacts were uncovered, together with stone tools and fossil
bones, largely belonging to the straight-tusked elephant <i>Paleoloxodon antiquus</i>.
The site is radiometrically dated to around 171,000 y B.P., and hence
correlated with the early marine isotope stage 6 [Benvenuti M, et al.
(2017) <i>Quat Res</i> 88:327–344]. The sticks, all fragmentary, <i>are made from boxwood </i>(<i>Buxus sempervirens</i>)
and were over 1 m long, rounded at one end and pointed at the other.
They have been partially charred, possibly to lessen the labor of
scraping boxwood, using a technique so far not documented at the time.
The wooden artifacts have the size and features of multipurpose tools
known as “digging sticks,” which are quite commonly used by foragers.
This discovery from Poggetti Vecchi provides evidence of the processing
and use of wood by early Neanderthals, showing their ability to use fire
in tool making from very tough wood." Here the boxwood is valued for its comparative hardness as a wood, but not overtly sentimentalized in discernible ways. However, this association with humankind is evidently ancient!</span></span><h1><i>Cf:Wooden tools and fire technology in the early Neanderthal site of Poggetti Vecchi (Italy), Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Feb 5, 2018</i><br /></h1><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></div></div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><p></p><p></p>David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-63226150228940547262023-03-26T19:53:00.004-07:002024-02-21T18:59:36.365-08:00Romancing The Stones<p> </p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>"Paving in a garden is a rewarding extravagance." </i></b><span style="font-size: large;">Russel Page, <b>The Education of a Gardener</b></span></span><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSKMSuHwLdX3gTrCrOgoJvRHGbthfEryJBRQeMwDYrWwPV0uVjfPGTMyePpUi62dxpaD0WKl8JjcEjeTvnt11kM-NuN_DrPqZeOXivnAyEaqtUOWZ-SGXjWhDSriPXnN3sh6M18QkTiZHhxQydwjdqGNzN1vhQFaiwCTH3t9-xDQF3KfrmeFZmh6JR/s3008/town%20path.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSKMSuHwLdX3gTrCrOgoJvRHGbthfEryJBRQeMwDYrWwPV0uVjfPGTMyePpUi62dxpaD0WKl8JjcEjeTvnt11kM-NuN_DrPqZeOXivnAyEaqtUOWZ-SGXjWhDSriPXnN3sh6M18QkTiZHhxQydwjdqGNzN1vhQFaiwCTH3t9-xDQF3KfrmeFZmh6JR/w426-h640/town%20path.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">April 2013, waterfall step and landing </span></b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUN6v51GeV3nRZB6EWoBNjmWNlt73nkabFDg79mGFUN1Oke6sO5fAkQnU1BJ8qdzyfOC7lJHNZdWfoeoFrSwlzG0etwqiTyKu8Pp7kRimViNgXxOr6IKYwkLDB8HAz-NPlGPLbuXiXnwYkh5o8MNGu2s5fuMVeyf9rOHSsA1DPgFM1cWZm18AHaLw/s1800/1988%20Path%20as%20found.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUN6v51GeV3nRZB6EWoBNjmWNlt73nkabFDg79mGFUN1Oke6sO5fAkQnU1BJ8qdzyfOC7lJHNZdWfoeoFrSwlzG0etwqiTyKu8Pp7kRimViNgXxOr6IKYwkLDB8HAz-NPlGPLbuXiXnwYkh5o8MNGu2s5fuMVeyf9rOHSsA1DPgFM1cWZm18AHaLw/w640-h426/1988%20Path%20as%20found.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Asphalt surface in 1988, long before thoughts of repaving </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>The job of remaking the path to the front door was unavoidable in the end, but many years passed before I was ready to tackle the project.
Partly I delayed starting because I didn't know how to go about replacing it (picture above, in 1988). Asphalt to stone was the intuitive choice, but which stone, from where, and how laid to best effect?
Over two decades of ongoing exposure to small-scale stone projects would elapse before I started on the path. Ultimately though, the old walkway had to come out, its asphalt veneer
wearing thin after much use and constant weathering. And in fact, it had been rather hastily contrived - perhaps as an expedient when the
original holding was first subdivided - and consequently brought off without attention to detail.
The conundrum here was how to go about making a definitive change for the better. Complicating matters, I realized the surface would need to remain in service if we were to continue accessing the front door. There wasn't really any other option during a rebuild I intuitively knew would take me a while, so there needed to be a way of constructing a replacement without taking the existing path out of use. Considerations like these stumped me for years. Then unexpectedly, in 2010, I happened to come upon a source of irregularly shaped, flattish sandstone, and that discovery set me on a fruitful learning curve. Initially I was preoccupied with gathering enough stone for the project, a calculation based more on gut feeling than real experience (I am an amateur rather than a trained stone mason).</span><span> I also wanted the new path to feel more like a synthesis and a unified whole than the afterthought I inherited with the place. This
mattered to me because of the arts-and-crafts thinking behind the
1913 house the path accesses. Overall, in my opinion, its alignment needed only very minor tweaking, as it had been carefully fitted into the site's natural contours. But the materials and finished dimensions of the replacement surface were another matter entirely. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEOoE8EmUmc3NsrQY9x_gOSdYnJylsO4z2fvVv3ARHnt7KT5tFt2jUUaGlgdQmyAS-oUGNDIQXeMTb0ixLUQmCZ9yCE1davYMb7K6luKQm2ssH-9bYcDGYXs-cPCy4wxEtDxb628-1z7RWeWlPRxnpxuIRuPWDy_URLrcWisMkfKGp0xsSKEBq4OR/s3008/October%2009%20022.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEOoE8EmUmc3NsrQY9x_gOSdYnJylsO4z2fvVv3ARHnt7KT5tFt2jUUaGlgdQmyAS-oUGNDIQXeMTb0ixLUQmCZ9yCE1davYMb7K6luKQm2ssH-9bYcDGYXs-cPCy4wxEtDxb628-1z7RWeWlPRxnpxuIRuPWDy_URLrcWisMkfKGp0xsSKEBq4OR/w640-h426/October%2009%20022.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">R</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">aw materials for paving, newly washed and colour-saturated</span></b></span> <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>I gathered the sandstone at a family place on Pender Island, collecting it from the many small landscape openings enabling driveways or new outbuildings in the immediate neighbourhood. The pieces I selected were sufficiently flat to function as rustic paving stones. Over time I supplemented this stockpile with added pickings from a nearby rock quarry. I recall being impressed that my growing trove of stone was all-of-a-piece rather than a mix of materials drawn from far and wide. Gulf Island sandstone is a bedded stone laid down by annual deposits of granular sediment on an ancient river delta, and then subjected to enough pressure to harden into stone. Because it is a bedded stone, it tends to fracture into flattish chunks of irregular shape - perfect for my intended use. I soon fell under the influence of its subtle colour variations (bluish-greys, salmony pinks, brown-golds, most tending towards blue-green when weathered). I also found it fascinating how dramatically these colours intensified when the stones were wet.</span></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLPL5icRUguMkrpQTc-q6xJ2CQa64E8szDfVdGApyZ3aCqu2eGuxDN1-40BJnpxjN1hAoaOVsO205dlmOX01mDuP-_VmN0sQ6rPxFmX36DOczMNRLpWvO0eJDwGrCIG9kGDnpzxBnZ8GLdWpFn67NiIcmIWWGZOfPnJ81flWrkB61pJHrYCtikT0m/s3008/October%2009%20007.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLPL5icRUguMkrpQTc-q6xJ2CQa64E8szDfVdGApyZ3aCqu2eGuxDN1-40BJnpxjN1hAoaOVsO205dlmOX01mDuP-_VmN0sQ6rPxFmX36DOczMNRLpWvO0eJDwGrCIG9kGDnpzxBnZ8GLdWpFn67NiIcmIWWGZOfPnJ81flWrkB61pJHrYCtikT0m/w426-h640/October%2009%20007.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Washed stone glistening in winter light</b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>Once I had sufficient stone in hand for the project, the next obstacle was my lack of experience working with sandstone. True, I had repaired a flight of stone steps linking the path to our elegant verandah (including fashioning a new step to reduce the climb) but this was using Victoria's underlying bedrock, to be consistent with the existing steps. Ultimately, Victoria bedrock is much harder than sandstone and not created by deposition, so is far less prone to splitting into flattish slabs. A few years prior I had also built a circular stone patio in the rear garden (photo below) from an eclectic mix of materials. Again, none of it sandstone. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHU5LbwFoWG2F0vcTH0kWakQZobfbQoYt9Qgkkap9EqNp20xF881DoeszjpJTtIXM7T-vnKvVCWD_3k_yi8duv2zc-hIJHb4qta7-z1t_W4tL7NdVNiq6pdVvkkoy0FMAIJe2Dn1TmGaK8/s1600/early+April+046.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHU5LbwFoWG2F0vcTH0kWakQZobfbQoYt9Qgkkap9EqNp20xF881DoeszjpJTtIXM7T-vnKvVCWD_3k_yi8duv2zc-hIJHb4qta7-z1t_W4tL7NdVNiq6pdVvkkoy0FMAIJe2Dn1TmGaK8/w640-h424/early+April+046.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Circular stone patio built to furnish a sense of being a garden room</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>Given that this path is the principal approach to the house, it felt like a lot was riding on the outcome. So, lacking direct experience in the medium, I felt a need to acquire some before embarking on the big job. I saw this project as my chance to create something to address </span><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHU5LbwFoWG2F0vcTH0kWakQZobfbQoYt9Qgkkap9EqNp20xF881DoeszjpJTtIXM7T-vnKvVCWD_3k_yi8duv2zc-hIJHb4qta7-z1t_W4tL7NdVNiq6pdVvkkoy0FMAIJe2Dn1TmGaK8/s1600/early+April+046.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a> the more glaring defects of the old asphalt path - not least its baldly utilitarian
quality. Asphalt is not (to me at least) an adequate paving choice for a self-respecting path - especially not one integral to the garden at an arts-and-crafts house. Asphalt
as a building material doesn't reinforce any sense of place, nor does it create a memorable
impression when used. And as currently contrived, the path barely enabled the essential movements of people and goods. It was, for example, too narrow at points to function optimally. So I aspired to give its replacement more bearing, which to me meant achieving a loftier treatment in worthier materials. Also, I was determined to add some beauty to the alignment's overall utility by emphasizing the quality of the materials used to fabricate it. Looking back on this more than a decade later, these aspirations did set the bar quite high - it was no wonder I felt considerable pressure to make it look good! <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QBJ_nD9hiyosi-rQM9dzBOJ6kNUCPWtqOjJTAuxUDZsT8cs1WEwdtxIlkOevmF8ITyLu-xyPjIEO6KYUwplWPtdmPTDPaexY7nF38j1esj_EE2juKZFzi0bBDbigU2-ha1fzmxH5p-lixeQXJNv58gM6OXmfi8OhygHN3reHEB3Ip0ePGAdOXa0R/s3008/October%2009%20076.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QBJ_nD9hiyosi-rQM9dzBOJ6kNUCPWtqOjJTAuxUDZsT8cs1WEwdtxIlkOevmF8ITyLu-xyPjIEO6KYUwplWPtdmPTDPaexY7nF38j1esj_EE2juKZFzi0bBDbigU2-ha1fzmxH5p-lixeQXJNv58gM6OXmfi8OhygHN3reHEB3Ip0ePGAdOXa0R/w640-h426/October%2009%20076.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Gathering suitable slabs from shot rock at a nearby quarry</b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> <br /></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg1MpGP49Dot5AKiQxFTGPx289N0dmH49JHswsS48Lhv-N1RaNd_eYu_rGxKIiW2qb_lpxDQxecAEE0dmATb0ZIPEpjS6Fk_bC3sv2FkbgI9d9T2nuY4YPXrIfE2mt1tyTNCPHt8q6ucQHC_mi5uc_Gqo72fW2llKk3tpTg8LJzyQxnlW6V0QscuJv/s3008/October%2009%20087.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg1MpGP49Dot5AKiQxFTGPx289N0dmH49JHswsS48Lhv-N1RaNd_eYu_rGxKIiW2qb_lpxDQxecAEE0dmATb0ZIPEpjS6Fk_bC3sv2FkbgI9d9T2nuY4YPXrIfE2mt1tyTNCPHt8q6ucQHC_mi5uc_Gqo72fW2llKk3tpTg8LJzyQxnlW6V0QscuJv/w640-h426/October%2009%20087.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Bryn washing quarry muck from newly collected paving stones</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span>To this point I lacked confidence I could attain an optimal design for the entire length of the path working through sequences of shorter bouts. The alchemist trick here would be turning the output of many separate work bouts into a convincing and unified whole. Really, I had little to go on at this point, no tested rules of thumb
to guide me in layout and design - not much more than my determination not to screw things
up. While the patio project had taught me the rudiments of placing flattish stones of varying sizes together, overall it lacked the cohesion I aspired to give the path. Accordingly, I felt my approach to arranging random shapes into convincing patterns needed further consolidation. So, having a strip of fairly level space available nearby my cache of stone, I decided to lay out a sample run of 'imaginary paving' in order to gain some direction. I prepared the ground for this exercise by top-dressing it with a thin base of aggregate and rock powder (known hereabouts as 'road base') which served to even out the coarser irregularities of level and give me a stable surface to experiment on. This setup allowed me to play around with placements without anything final riding on the outcome, which became an opportunity to learn by way of progressive refinement of layout. I soon found myself looking forward to the next session of layout-play. I relished it as a practical way of getting to know sandstone better, learning its characteristics and subtleties by working with it more. I was intrigued by the fact that manipulating the placement of individual pieces held out the possibility of intensifying the overall aesthetic effect. In this genre, combinations count. This perception led me to explore the visual impact of aligning different edges with one another (some are curved, some relatively straight, most are irregular, some can be modified with hammer and chisel). Sometimes this meant simply rotating them in place in order to canvass options, but it could also mean trying out entirely different placements for improvements in overall effect. As I gained experience working with the new material, I became more invested in this emerging method's results. In
fact, looking back on that process, I am still fond of the imaginary pathway it led me to. At the time, I toyed with hauling entire segments back to town intact,
on the improbable theory that what worked in one locale could be transferred to another. One attempt at this disabused me of the idea - literal transfer of already laid-out segments wasn't ever going to give me the path I was seeking on Grange Road (differences of width and lay of land militate against it, among other factors). But looking back on it now, I really did enjoy the process of refining that trial path and, as the pictures below attest, the process of laying it out suggested a viable method of composing more convincing wholes - primarily by arranging them to feel comfortable sitting alongside one another. It also convinced me that achieving a tighter, more uniform fit among the random shapes had definite value in helping fuse them into a cohesive whole: <b><i>edges echoing adjacent edges, as much as possible, in order to better establish a sense of ensemble</i></b>. You can gauge my early progress in these new techniques from the next few shots.</span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhd_sxyAUy8Eoi8ALzeKrFXDvz8I3qypbyqzTBVkmYXPnLZsOIk-WFOTHnBEc03e4JMZv_rMxQIOoZKdyfBDva1vao7gcD4M1dfmtr0bQc_A6SrPhPO3WFd60QugTFMpCdzemLixk6Q0SzEIKv4X_DUEsvRGvYjUf8axibHw2KbiVNR00z7jTQozvJ/s640/October%2009%20210.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhd_sxyAUy8Eoi8ALzeKrFXDvz8I3qypbyqzTBVkmYXPnLZsOIk-WFOTHnBEc03e4JMZv_rMxQIOoZKdyfBDva1vao7gcD4M1dfmtr0bQc_A6SrPhPO3WFd60QugTFMpCdzemLixk6Q0SzEIKv4X_DUEsvRGvYjUf8axibHw2KbiVNR00z7jTQozvJ/w640-h426/October%2009%20210.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Small points of stone enable transitions between larger slabs</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ61cuKBp_3afWPicnbehzAODR8J4BcE_WgawC_h3HSXvTZNfvtArGswUO1JoP2w9ESKuZ9a4-z7IDBaysviP43ua-4TOoiRTCRGukRdAPNtXwazT4y9BGGvSdJDODX7ZDxz9Omv9Khws6F_gXPLfuYD5C4qsBJ2x9Sf3Nm-KVtmlk4J94gyq1h1n0/s640/October%2009%20221.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ61cuKBp_3afWPicnbehzAODR8J4BcE_WgawC_h3HSXvTZNfvtArGswUO1JoP2w9ESKuZ9a4-z7IDBaysviP43ua-4TOoiRTCRGukRdAPNtXwazT4y9BGGvSdJDODX7ZDxz9Omv9Khws6F_gXPLfuYD5C4qsBJ2x9Sf3Nm-KVtmlk4J94gyq1h1n0/w640-h426/October%2009%20221.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Edges echoing edges, so far as possible, without undue trimming</b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2eoi1a-lEtBT3xFM6L3g2iBuUUnAsSPx7G9toV8h24GgSH6npV3vTZndNfLxsdelvD_cfzCX-zYmykI2k6WER0j3OGyJKnzD7vVkvdKy95JoRseAb3nKO8xUzoUxUyIUW0x-T1Xo8wpMKET-qDbrLL41zjsNXMB0o4dehr-60fhp6sLTMEHOJ-HL3/s640/October%2009%20213.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2eoi1a-lEtBT3xFM6L3g2iBuUUnAsSPx7G9toV8h24GgSH6npV3vTZndNfLxsdelvD_cfzCX-zYmykI2k6WER0j3OGyJKnzD7vVkvdKy95JoRseAb3nKO8xUzoUxUyIUW0x-T1Xo8wpMKET-qDbrLL41zjsNXMB0o4dehr-60fhp6sLTMEHOJ-HL3/w640-h426/October%2009%20213.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span><b>Placing stones so they feel comfortable alongside one another</b></span></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>This experiment in 'imaginary paving' continued over many
weekends, spaced out over a number of months. As I refined my approach, I came to realize that adding more base material under the stones enabled a process of finer levelling, which in turn more closely approximates the finished look a given cluster will have. Gulf Island sandstone tends to split irregularly when fractured (some of the pieces are only level-flat on a single face). I first tried using sand for this finer levelling (there was some ready to hand) but ultimately rejected it as being too unstable for this purpose. Then I recalled discovering crusher fines as a basing material during the patio project (aka three-eighths-minus - basically a mix of rock dust and stone chips less than three-eighths across). Recollecting this use was a real boon, as it remains my go-to base for both initial positioning and finer levelling of stones. A secondary process of fine levelling enables a more-flush alignment of the presentation faces, which in turn approximates more closely the look of given arrangement when mortared in place. This brings the overall composition into
sharper focus, while offering hints about where added shaping of the stones would benefit appearances (this process involves lopping irregularities of shape off using a hammer and chisel). Additional levelling-up also reliably exposes the true size of residual gaps between larger pieces, in turn suggesting where further tightening at specific points may be necessary. These gaps don't show as markedly in initial layout. All this led me to realize that a
distinct step towards tightened placement was simply good practice: a way of making the finished layout clearer beforehand, which adds emphasis to the finished outcome. This approach enables a smarter and more formal appearance in the finished product. For me, this was an important insight when the main event finally got going.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqmTZv2aFFqoP5GUnDh3GfGjpIfIeVdvRUUAELuSeZXin17gztXD_bnqRk5JfU55WBBL36FAT9-zBePEizpYtQs3Xk-zt7oniyhT7vknmDeYcNwmXxdDWysOoupm1BO9M_Nr-GA_VqgJdYzGL0jURz9FfiXP4bdQALdQLbNP-gvrXej-fpTlUKHOq/s3008/Steps.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqmTZv2aFFqoP5GUnDh3GfGjpIfIeVdvRUUAELuSeZXin17gztXD_bnqRk5JfU55WBBL36FAT9-zBePEizpYtQs3Xk-zt7oniyhT7vknmDeYcNwmXxdDWysOoupm1BO9M_Nr-GA_VqgJdYzGL0jURz9FfiXP4bdQALdQLbNP-gvrXej-fpTlUKHOq/w640-h426/Steps.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The lower step added earlier to reduce an undue climb from the path</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>While I was learning from experimenting with sandstone layouts, I was also researching some more-stylized approaches to
path making in garden traditions other than the British one I'd inherited - foremost, the many ways the Japanese compose their distinctive stone pavements. Japan hosts what is likely the most-evolved tradition of path-making among the gardening nations, perhaps due to its remarkable access to so many different types of stone. Some of this stone is a by-product of natural processes like gravity and wave action, but some is due to more deliberate shaping by man, which the Japanese do (and employ) in striking ways. One precept I drew from looking at Japanese models involves the use of more substantial slabs for edging the path. This practice has a decided effect, imparting feelings of solidity and heft to the path. It also allows the edges to serve as a visual frame for an engaging flow of smaller
pieces of stone within. The technique of using larger stones as edging while framing the arrangement of smaller pieces within results in outcomes that simply feel right to the eye. Practice at working irregularly shaped sandstone chunks into compositions that hold together visually also prompted me to begin using smaller fragments (or points) of stone to reduce some of the gaps between larger stones. I tend to prefer naturally occurring quasi-geometric shapes for this: near-triangles (points),
squares, oblongs, trapezoids and so on. When it works, this method of occupying openings between stones amplifies the feeling of congruity among the principal stones. However, I have come to realize there's a fine line between using such points judiciously to animate the major intersections and over-relying on them to a degree where the composition is rendered busy. My feeling today is that the right balance is best achieved intuitively during layout, by aiming for general restraint and an overall feeling of repose. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><i><b>"Until you can feel, and keenly feel, that stones have character, that stones have tones and values, the whole artistic meaning of a Japanese garden cannot be revealed to you. In the foreigner, no matter how artistic he may be, this feeling needs to be cultivated by study."</b></i> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>In a Japanese Garden</b>, Lafcadio Hearn, <b><i>Atlantic Magazine</i></b>, 1892 </span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>It also became evident that orienting the stones across the direction of the path (i.e. horizontal to its movement) lessens feelings of forward thrust, resulting in a more-relaxed
composition and user experience overall. The converse is also true - and for my purposes was here to be
avoided - i.e. that setting stone in the direction of the path's movement speeds things up, hurrying eye and body along the extent. My new path was intended to provide an experience to be enjoyed, not one to hurry through. Further romancing of these experiments in layout follows pictorially.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJiKGHz8aXaZfj2LIpOz3_vefmi7paf1Rrn8MXXoheJhGr38nptWc99PERWv_zfszp5rUj03qpn6JjSKNhtiBVjXjlK9aVNXSlcpXw-d66FvJVK1qXa0U0WHcoqWIaCknbSsrMtE0dxNae_6WkC1Nu-bi8sJFtyDA_-Zrqe02jfvyUuq0RAgqEC13/s640/Test%20walkway%20Pender%20one.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJiKGHz8aXaZfj2LIpOz3_vefmi7paf1Rrn8MXXoheJhGr38nptWc99PERWv_zfszp5rUj03qpn6JjSKNhtiBVjXjlK9aVNXSlcpXw-d66FvJVK1qXa0U0WHcoqWIaCknbSsrMtE0dxNae_6WkC1Nu-bi8sJFtyDA_-Zrqe02jfvyUuq0RAgqEC13/w640-h426/Test%20walkway%20Pender%20one.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Levelling-up offers truer glimpses of final appearances</b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX-ZM7j6yPte1LuDikPBn0fwN20Rt34WsNOQ4WOIf5xEFrgWCOMScr6YSWLMyhOB5WHv69AUhthsa2D-F-wdBu8cDlH-lTx-5WxfX4RWkucBObClrfdcyLj5hhDEfkDplmq6GPZ2WziyLGWHni3IMiFryOZ4THlcPMoiakfoJh_m-igRfA_vV2vN4t/s640/Test%20walkway%20Pender%20two.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX-ZM7j6yPte1LuDikPBn0fwN20Rt34WsNOQ4WOIf5xEFrgWCOMScr6YSWLMyhOB5WHv69AUhthsa2D-F-wdBu8cDlH-lTx-5WxfX4RWkucBObClrfdcyLj5hhDEfkDplmq6GPZ2WziyLGWHni3IMiFryOZ4THlcPMoiakfoJh_m-igRfA_vV2vN4t/w640-h426/Test%20walkway%20Pender%20two.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Finer levelling reveals the true size of gaps between stones</span></b></span><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4OXh47dcrMpGC_3Hj2BKudp-v85Cv_P1PwmjOrWopSTmKBN6fhv9nZJkGxUZg6KFI_IG0iw60BeDiV5CslXMa8sU7TUJkYx8Wk-bCE54LovmIiL3F2B6IUfCkJUeKCR746UJmxZ0THRQ5lgLH92Mv_C64f0aHQJ-XrPfBI9T_zZZpXQ6-8tcYkb9/s640/test%20walkway%20Pender%20three.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4OXh47dcrMpGC_3Hj2BKudp-v85Cv_P1PwmjOrWopSTmKBN6fhv9nZJkGxUZg6KFI_IG0iw60BeDiV5CslXMa8sU7TUJkYx8Wk-bCE54LovmIiL3F2B6IUfCkJUeKCR746UJmxZ0THRQ5lgLH92Mv_C64f0aHQJ-XrPfBI9T_zZZpXQ6-8tcYkb9/w640-h426/test%20walkway%20Pender%20three.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Literal transfer doesn't make for a pathway that fits elsewhere</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>At some point I realized </span><span>I needed to take a leap of faith and just get going on the main project, so I began hauling stone to the site. Soon afterwards, I started laying the new path out in earnest. This entailed accepting that I could not have a complete impression over its full extent before mortaring sections of it in place. Somehow I needed to be confident of being able to knit things into a unity as the project unfolded. At first this seemed an impossible stretch, but in the end it turned out to mean just accepting the uncertainty and getting on with the knitting. Knowing there was sufficient material in hand to finish the job with consistency ultimately helped me believe I could unify the outcome, despite working piecemeal. So, with some open time ahead, one day I just dove in. I began by tearing a section of the existing asphalt out, about seventeen feet or so, from the base of the steps. Next I excavated and removed the underpinnings - meaning suddenly there were oodles of material to manage as first asphalt, then coarse
gravel and sand, came out, and a layer of road base topped with three or four inches of crusher fines went in. Once the new base material fully compacts, the paving stones rest on a stable platform that can withstand temporary use without needing to be mortared in place. When fully compacted, the layer of crusher fines creates a sound base for mortaring in our moderate, wet climate.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8dnRuKp5d3L6AI4sK6avH-aQ-y89lUUOjIwjuXqhBFHZLUD0z6TU6g8s_1eO_ofgrYdFrUY9e7EabFs5ryoULGLkzwoUjpEq4n2RNr6mBVgCaW_7DTUVViZtqUHrPXvt-H3GdSwDAmA4SRuM3KHEDwVY8eEnfvuvM59MxVF_8mjj80ZijIoytMFmd/s640/first%20town%20paving.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8dnRuKp5d3L6AI4sK6avH-aQ-y89lUUOjIwjuXqhBFHZLUD0z6TU6g8s_1eO_ofgrYdFrUY9e7EabFs5ryoULGLkzwoUjpEq4n2RNr6mBVgCaW_7DTUVViZtqUHrPXvt-H3GdSwDAmA4SRuM3KHEDwVY8eEnfvuvM59MxVF_8mjj80ZijIoytMFmd/w640-h426/first%20town%20paving.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Levelling up the layout on a base topped with crusher fines</span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>There was no going back once I'd taken the initial plunge. Fortunately life contrived to hand me disposable time, which was just what the project needed. The photo above gives an early look at the emerging path, with finer levelling yet to come. You can see how the path's edge wanders along the rocky outcrop in rough conformity to its contour. Placing these first stones alongside their neighbours developed my expectations about the potential to evolve a convincing sequence of shapes on the land. </span><span><span>Designing went on for a time while I consolidated my approach to these new materials. For one thing, it was clear that daily comings-and-goings over unmortared paving stones effectively pre-loads the base layer (pre-loading occurs when the base material compacts to the point where there is virtually no potential for it to contract further). And because this project was not being done professionally (a process where time equals money) but rather as a labour-of-love and for intrinsic satisfaction, I could allow things to simply unfold while focusing on refining layouts. Once I got the initial section to a point where I was satisfied with its design, the next challenge was to find a way</span> to keep the path operational while mortaring stone in place. Here I landed on the idea of working on only half the width at a time - a simple but effective solution, if necessitating some fussing in order to ensure prior and new work are seamless. But this approach allowed newly mortared sections to be sequestered, affording them time to set up and harden. Use of barriers as visual cues helped keep people off work that was still drying. And fortunately, my family are the principal users, so they readily acclimatized to my slow-motion paving routine. I think the method adopted (i.e. working on half the width at a time) has a certain elegance - although only someone with the privilege of doing this work as an undertaking rather than as a job could indulge himself in this way. Yet effectively,
there was no choice at our house - the path to the front door simply had to remain in use!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><p></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStDTiW-HwCa34OfjuIs9DczF5smUss0UjTyTEuiobhl6ufhO383FLaJF_F0SpZGnEFiPzuX6QKs93q6MXqshNAnm6T9KLeyevMrB2lISaspt_5uqDkQAnrValr3eo4DzioC8p1fLbuvY_NXxcumodAx1-NmBNvwREYNC54_ByeCon-dYGkF1p4M9b/s640/Phase%20one%20town%20path.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="426" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStDTiW-HwCa34OfjuIs9DczF5smUss0UjTyTEuiobhl6ufhO383FLaJF_F0SpZGnEFiPzuX6QKs93q6MXqshNAnm6T9KLeyevMrB2lISaspt_5uqDkQAnrValr3eo4DzioC8p1fLbuvY_NXxcumodAx1-NmBNvwREYNC54_ByeCon-dYGkF1p4M9b/w426-h640/Phase%20one%20town%20path.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Spring shows the new path extending</b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>Considerations of utility also played a role in shaping the path. While the existing alignment had been fitted harmoniously into the site's natural contours (credit to Hubert and Alyss, the original designers) the path itself needed widening where the asphalt iteration pinched unacceptably. I wanted to ensure sufficient width for people to pass each other comfortably. This is both appropriate on an entry path where it inevitably occurs, and also better accommodates the goods and appliances moving to and from the house (many of which are bulky and typically enter suburban buildings via the front door, which is usually the widest doorway).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVLh94zTyIuPVPSHAHdOE3twVmtvQlRXpwmKDoUbFGX5fglLNzBcS2wFjpgnTJufMI8JQiol8KECD7klCtU6qCmNL6GRsPRWM5tLKf7v9tOMODpfL9DfHpU0n_3DJCF7SbydiTJkeDDI-rvv56XUC2PYN9vAGxld0uhf2XBt4ASKJdpcKRG0aLdBM/s3008/Path%20and%20steps.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVLh94zTyIuPVPSHAHdOE3twVmtvQlRXpwmKDoUbFGX5fglLNzBcS2wFjpgnTJufMI8JQiol8KECD7klCtU6qCmNL6GRsPRWM5tLKf7v9tOMODpfL9DfHpU0n_3DJCF7SbydiTJkeDDI-rvv56XUC2PYN9vAGxld0uhf2XBt4ASKJdpcKRG0aLdBM/w426-h640/Path%20and%20steps.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Width is needed to accommodate easy passage</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>Other factors needed considering too as things began taking shape on the ground. As the path runs past the bedrock the house sits on, the land's contour rises sharply towards the house.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Z4RQVkPqFLu2jy_Pk_EC9Vp5mX78ZW06X_Xiaoo0KTcHLjjaX-t8zsA_BCMx4IeuBVave0U3eT6gBzLRQlvJV5hZ4bzQYieY9gobmXZdbl5ZUKEeyZKDGv-7hdGISMi9YD48W6JBaQZI-h35jzfhErYI6t1qFG-RrmpamOAAKqKQUfIKQV4ok-nkWG4/s3008/Rising%20contour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Z4RQVkPqFLu2jy_Pk_EC9Vp5mX78ZW06X_Xiaoo0KTcHLjjaX-t8zsA_BCMx4IeuBVave0U3eT6gBzLRQlvJV5hZ4bzQYieY9gobmXZdbl5ZUKEeyZKDGv-7hdGISMi9YD48W6JBaQZI-h35jzfhErYI6t1qFG-RrmpamOAAKqKQUfIKQV4ok-nkWG4/w640-h426/Rising%20contour.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">On the house side, contour rises sharply from the approach path</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>On the far side, the contour flattens out into a bench comprised of humps of glaciated bedrock punctuated by narrow shrubbery beds. A vertical stone retaining wall on the house side of the path had been as hastily contrived (and as awkwardly realized) as the asphalt surface itself, rising so abruptly it called out for rebuilding in a more horizontal profile (a step that would serve to soften</span><br />
<span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKPS9BJ4ymNosey9vcXOcTSJCHkB9o14sa8A1NBZNCqPkIc93w7mj-mo1dP2_YKoVC__sNIAQ9wGePjliCy9pYDhSI3ewQL0rdEE5RlJdHZyP6YveClP6hyphenhyphenhBSCsPhcpaMUUY5dsx7lJD/s1600/DSC_0055.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>its edge substantially). And I was also coming to think that greater symmetry (of material type and size) between the stones forming both edges of the path would have a positive effect. The local stone used for edging mates well with the rocky outcrops bordering the path, as it derives indirectly from them. There had been lots available onsite when I first landed here in 1988. But doing both sides of the path consistently would mean collecting more stone (stone was once readily available nearby, a byproduct of massive highway building projects that left loads of waste stone behind). The local stone edging contrasts pleasingly with the warmer
and flatter sandstone used for the path.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxmbZdNQzD8PCOcac_4srn3s7nBYY58hHJJaNDg7eN3iJk2Z5156xjbhlYkt1rwyQtYl-o8rxz5PiZ4RF9MmA7EvvlweBEuAPkchNq3TELNUJIdINf_dagTkfVG07irFI-qm9D6U8iYRzO92gtHKEZf1PS0M2R9pKWAqFYrLn5vQc_JLmt1ZYfpKC/s3008/Bedrock%20three.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxmbZdNQzD8PCOcac_4srn3s7nBYY58hHJJaNDg7eN3iJk2Z5156xjbhlYkt1rwyQtYl-o8rxz5PiZ4RF9MmA7EvvlweBEuAPkchNq3TELNUJIdINf_dagTkfVG07irFI-qm9D6U8iYRzO92gtHKEZf1PS0M2R9pKWAqFYrLn5vQc_JLmt1ZYfpKC/w640-h426/Bedrock%20three.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Glaciated bedrock bursting through like whales surfacing<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>Another aesthetic
idea gradually taking shape in the back of my mind involved the analogy of a stream flowing across the hillside. As I'd learned from looking at pictures of Japanese examples, stone paths can be designed to emphasize feelings of movement and flow. In that vein, I'd already decided not to speed the downhill motion visually, leading me to set my stones across the path's actual direction. But as design progressed, I
also found myself wondering whether impressions of path-as-stream-course could be amplified by shaping other components. For one thing, if a path is consciously styled to resemble a stream course, then low boundary walls on either side stand in for its banks - a thought that reinforced the idea of making them of similar scale.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><b><i>"Craftsmanship means dwelling on a task for a long time and going deeply into it, because you want to get it right."</i></b> Matthew Crawford, <b>Shop Class as Soulcraft<i><br /></i></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>I also felt that stream-like motion would be reinforced by reducing the pavement's incline somewhat, which meant raising it by creating a full step at its base. At this point in the trajectory, the land starts descending more sharply. The asphalt path 'addressed' this geological fact by using a half-step to break the grade slightly before giving in to the rapid descent. This seemed to me to be a makeshift solution at best. I found myself considering the impact of making a better-defined step down, possibly positioned further down the slope in order to soften the gradient a little. The
background idea of hinting at stream-like-flow ultimately proved fruitful, affecting both step placement and the dynamic shape its curving lip assumed. I wanted something that implied directional flow while mimicking, however distantly, the drop of a waterfall. </span><span>But
where exactly this full step would go, and how to make it reinforce feelings of stream-like flow - those details remained to be worked out.
Complicating matters, this is where the path separates into distinct channels, the more major one leading to what eventually became a landing, the more subsidiary one veering off at ninety degrees, heading down hill, then linking via a series of further descents to a woodland path. You can see the existing half-step's placement in the photo below, and a first look at a potential shape for the waterfall-step. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZYuCWtyq-UWThx-Lxja45I16Hmodj2V-GSRXR-rZDdCUihJMtVULEXfvKGMxmlvxPT5YZ70JzEItrga8ZU1yA_njeSk0rm82z7H-Kw1fGvsFhXWFhu8A-wWnfajtwsswldVHd-ypwscGW_Rw-oXDNusu_YJ-wU-HkNap-y2WcwS4eJrZoBumbYf5l/s1600/Rocks!!Folder%20017.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZYuCWtyq-UWThx-Lxja45I16Hmodj2V-GSRXR-rZDdCUihJMtVULEXfvKGMxmlvxPT5YZ70JzEItrga8ZU1yA_njeSk0rm82z7H-Kw1fGvsFhXWFhu8A-wWnfajtwsswldVHd-ypwscGW_Rw-oXDNusu_YJ-wU-HkNap-y2WcwS4eJrZoBumbYf5l/w640-h426/Rocks!!Folder%20017.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Early design for a step moved down slope, old half step behind<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzIt0Z3pu-kulFjSJkG5n_peiqato7_oeLwF2JLeWy5YYv675KXr_lXOpCYROVvQSTbYaWP7qIznNKEnnBKPFvCFdphr1mvHzPkr7jKW81zrHoOSTibCUtfgVC1STZr5YxVWHlHLsWGvVpWVGh9mBmtaz2f6fnQntpLnrA_9GOvmIoXNtj8xwSfWr4/s1600/Rocks!!Folder%20030.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzIt0Z3pu-kulFjSJkG5n_peiqato7_oeLwF2JLeWy5YYv675KXr_lXOpCYROVvQSTbYaWP7qIznNKEnnBKPFvCFdphr1mvHzPkr7jKW81zrHoOSTibCUtfgVC1STZr5YxVWHlHLsWGvVpWVGh9mBmtaz2f6fnQntpLnrA_9GOvmIoXNtj8xwSfWr4/w640-h426/Rocks!!Folder%20030.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Shape of new step emerging, amplifying sensations of flow</span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span></span><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>Initially I was hoping to retain the
existing half-step to shore the base under the new path, so I tried this out for size (see photos above). But it was apparent the old makeshift had to come out in its entirety. Also, it was clear that a more distinct step up from what became a landing was desirable for overall ease of access. An initial layout along these lines showed that this direction did contribute to impressions of stream-like movement. And, best of all, the effort of prospectively laying out a potential top course helped me to conjure a flowing shape for the waterfall-step's presentation edge. Having the top course roughed-in in design (photo above) also helped solidify placement of the base course beneath it! The next two photos show a more final layout evolving.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRUWf4wb_mWkIJsZW-69Sd__5BbPAlpG_2IgRtlctaVubA3pG_K6-6WwmLKwFw4xwU8b8zbnWsJR7mS68wNLUsM0zEO31NyDzcLdjT4uSC30dgDWK-OfLzniAbi1XzXi7ZI9RgFgmTMJn-t0GpQfIZpI9jqDvupxmPm_XCsas9SDY0zB0a9BjCKcu/s640/House%20and%20garden%20one.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRUWf4wb_mWkIJsZW-69Sd__5BbPAlpG_2IgRtlctaVubA3pG_K6-6WwmLKwFw4xwU8b8zbnWsJR7mS68wNLUsM0zEO31NyDzcLdjT4uSC30dgDWK-OfLzniAbi1XzXi7ZI9RgFgmTMJn-t0GpQfIZpI9jqDvupxmPm_XCsas9SDY0zB0a9BjCKcu/w640-h426/House%20and%20garden%20one.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Half-step gone now, new base course being mortared-in </span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeuX5dNaH253u0JJY07KQoNYePKsoMIrMeju26Pd06RtcvrdEsTaL7WsQLDX26WLQyhf8ZvFwvi4ZsXtpssqzMPQN_VNzuOkIg8QIvIDHox_DSNBt3hyDu-Eq01zZL6WqOriDh6NNXyPlZ8C0F24nLLLcZDacPmTYzFG0t-Gt5-G0_HTplXehKwRK3/s1600/House%20and%20garden%20two.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeuX5dNaH253u0JJY07KQoNYePKsoMIrMeju26Pd06RtcvrdEsTaL7WsQLDX26WLQyhf8ZvFwvi4ZsXtpssqzMPQN_VNzuOkIg8QIvIDHox_DSNBt3hyDu-Eq01zZL6WqOriDh6NNXyPlZ8C0F24nLLLcZDacPmTYzFG0t-Gt5-G0_HTplXehKwRK3/w640-h426/House%20and%20garden%20two.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">View of the turn to the left and the overall styling of the lip </span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>There was a lot of playing around with possibilities at this point. I wanted the layout to express free-flowing movement while retaining the feeling of being nestled into the land form. There's no inherent contradiction between these aims (streams cut channels naturally, so fit themselves into host landscapes seamlessly) but this double imperative (free flowing and built-in) made for plenty of tightening and refining of layout before any mortaring could happen. Once the base course under the path's curving lip was in place, a crib was created that could be back-filled with crusher fines and raised towards working grade. The step-base has an intriguing curve that implies forward momentum as it curls past an emerging rockery bed (photo below). <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_oc0Jkhi-BMLJfavY8U69SGRqgATF2exI5CbvqroJw_j9gU8ohUVKKbsc4de7wU-x419wplndXyHxVYeSUcoWwXaUeY1RTeVmZkm4JT9GBb3zS0-e0eqS--_jPc8loRepW0fphS8FSQNOZZ7i4NMhVZlzYQuphzh8QyQlGaUThTV1tlOpDR8_q3X/s1600/House%20and%20garden%20three.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_oc0Jkhi-BMLJfavY8U69SGRqgATF2exI5CbvqroJw_j9gU8ohUVKKbsc4de7wU-x419wplndXyHxVYeSUcoWwXaUeY1RTeVmZkm4JT9GBb3zS0-e0eqS--_jPc8loRepW0fphS8FSQNOZZ7i4NMhVZlzYQuphzh8QyQlGaUThTV1tlOpDR8_q3X/w426-h640/House%20and%20garden%20three.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Base course set, crib back filled with fines</span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>I also got caught up in shaping the rockery bed adjacent to the path (to the right, photo above). I wanted it to harmonize with the surrounding contours and nearby planting beds, so I continued using native stone for continuity of form. I realized while working on this piece of the puzzle that rockery bed and stone path were actively defining one another. You
can see how I accommodated the diverging paths here, also just how co-defining bed and path are in the pictures
above and below. I took a lot of pleasure in knitting these elements
together in design before finally fixing them in place with mortar.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl68NDsghHgaMPYz93gjQ6JXc6XKQS9uSYba4gIWn-m82b9zKxaCqUcaI8HFsIiKEt2xdmFxFTIjWUK8WGa-uUG5xL5idL4iNrD1NdQJyqY_DX28mmQg9p0ucK5UFKdm03UljgnZbMcTUDIUw3ABae-QfHpBAD5rWNsXtbJllUHjYPTpPfRaiyTWeO/s1600/rough%20layout%20001.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl68NDsghHgaMPYz93gjQ6JXc6XKQS9uSYba4gIWn-m82b9zKxaCqUcaI8HFsIiKEt2xdmFxFTIjWUK8WGa-uUG5xL5idL4iNrD1NdQJyqY_DX28mmQg9p0ucK5UFKdm03UljgnZbMcTUDIUw3ABae-QfHpBAD5rWNsXtbJllUHjYPTpPfRaiyTWeO/w640-h426/rough%20layout%20001.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lip of emerging waterfall-step, curling past the new rockery</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span>My approach to path-making involves focusing on creative placement that enables me to draw out patterns among stone shapes. This objective (discerning latent pattern among randomly shaped stones) benefits from the habit of experimenting with possibilities during layout. Experimentation nearly always produces better outcomes if one is in a creative frame of mind where possibilities can be explored. This frame of mind, sometimes referred to as 'flow', is ideal for creativity. A state of flow affords better outcomes the time and space they need to develop fully. All that inhabiting a state of flow really means is that the maker's mind is fully engaged in the process at hand - in other words, lost inside the work, with no competing awareness of time or other obligations. Accordingly, we are enveloped pleasurably by the job.<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span> </span></span></span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span><i>"When you find your place where you are, practice occurs, actualizing the fundamental point."</i> </span></b><i><span><b>Dogen</b>, 12th century Zen master</span></i></span><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimLe-Xauy3iqCmD8ROiUFH_v_ImLZZWcuJ4f4CzxJyER6iIiXC605t2BuVGTGKz5j-agPd7t7ok6Ue3AvHVxFzq2pdEckIs_Ib2I9GCQlHZ6MR6RnW0LxomhUoJ07RGauVaKE9sZN2AmviPEdJovWLn9aPSsh-rLucCwSH8CMno7S5X0ZU8rvPUSLy/s3008/late%20June%20097.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimLe-Xauy3iqCmD8ROiUFH_v_ImLZZWcuJ4f4CzxJyER6iIiXC605t2BuVGTGKz5j-agPd7t7ok6Ue3AvHVxFzq2pdEckIs_Ib2I9GCQlHZ6MR6RnW0LxomhUoJ07RGauVaKE9sZN2AmviPEdJovWLn9aPSsh-rLucCwSH8CMno7S5X0ZU8rvPUSLy/w640-h426/late%20June%20097.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Zen-like moment with stones mortared but seams unfilled</span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span>I do enjoy getting to the point where
the stone pattern is set but the seams have yet to be filled - arguably a path's most zen-like moment, because the effect of the voids is to render the pattern more graphic (photo above). Yet despite the appeal of leaving seams open (as is sometimes done in Japan) I opt to fill them with mortar because it simplifies ongoing maintenance. In our wet winter environment here on Canada's west coast, any trough left open to the elements quickly fills with soil-forming material that supports organic life (which usually means moss). It is time-consuming keeping open seams clear of debris buildup (fine perhaps for those with minions to do their bidding, but for the rest of us, not so much). Filling the seams checks soil development to a degree, although it doesn't block it entirely. Eventually moss has to be
reckoned with, as it tends finally to cover even mortared seams. Along with regular sweeping to prevent debris buildup along the edges, I rely on products like Thirty Seconds to kill moss on contact without toxic side effects (Thirty Seconds is apparently one molecule shy of being bleach, which it smells like). However, you still have to deal with the encrusted remains of the dead moss after using a product like this. A further advantage of filling seams is that the surface can be tooled with tuck pointers, which aids its appearance while torquing the path's grip under foot. And, my conclusion is that tooled seams subtly reinforce a blended - or in
Japanese terms, a 'gyo' - quality in the overall look, which emphasizes unity of ensemble over constituent elements. In the English
landscape lexicon, designs are typically seen as either formal or
informal. However, in Japan there exists a middle term ('gyo') for designs blendng formal and informal characteristics.
So a path that is gyo by design might involve the use of informally shaped materials (say, irregular chunks of flattish sandstone, in this instance) but placed for compositional formality or at least a certain neatness of effect. The modern term for paths designed in this way is 'stone carpet' ('nobedan' in Japan) which characterizes styles that seek to blend formal and informal effects.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span> </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8njrPbo-TPqYCj1hRW8rejpCFdT6rZe9oHkouv82aGGra415Jhvo6qDlK3tuN2wXJVBawKGE48Qw3Z2XxloDl7ESFPkGmRufd8ziJk0uBuUSjk7TVyHFg_Cp0CAN4r_O-N6OHjgHF8pcqtOV1ygARLmGzwh4knIxsOQW66ckIhabZ55J8ef8mcUm/s1600/March%20two%20three%20001.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8njrPbo-TPqYCj1hRW8rejpCFdT6rZe9oHkouv82aGGra415Jhvo6qDlK3tuN2wXJVBawKGE48Qw3Z2XxloDl7ESFPkGmRufd8ziJk0uBuUSjk7TVyHFg_Cp0CAN4r_O-N6OHjgHF8pcqtOV1ygARLmGzwh4knIxsOQW66ckIhabZ55J8ef8mcUm/w640-h426/March%20two%20three%20001.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Layout finalized, base course set, mortaring presentation stones</span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><br /> </span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span>Even an approach as slow as this eventually yields a complete outcome, after which the paver can take satisfaction in the work done, while anticipating the work that remains. In the picture below, I am definitely drawing satisfaction from the job, despite it having really only just begun. In fact, the section I'm sitting on will turn out to be the first of four phases that resulted in a complete sequence of walkways. Here I am also enjoying the way my stream-like-flow idea appears to have borne fruit, affirmed in the path's dynamic curve alongside the emerging rockery bed. I am equally pleased with how the lip of the waterfall-step thrusts forward, symbolizing water's movement. At this point my expectations of where this project is heading are expanding with my appetite for the work yet to come! <br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span> </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTWWG8pXVfhJTM7mwfIF8HnMyRI59l2ftRxjpIF_lKCluGdjuYblJdRkXlKH3GkuT2nD1oKsEdJ5YqWupi_exF-jTdtflK4yjOAsrunq6xgnnh6rF08ePTH1joYhPcy0yB2zKhPrfdBKa-ilEE4QcnCDHZukhp0THbOwP8WsPj31ngy3O5ttJAdjr/s1600/One%20segment%20down%20003.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTWWG8pXVfhJTM7mwfIF8HnMyRI59l2ftRxjpIF_lKCluGdjuYblJdRkXlKH3GkuT2nD1oKsEdJ5YqWupi_exF-jTdtflK4yjOAsrunq6xgnnh6rF08ePTH1joYhPcy0yB2zKhPrfdBKa-ilEE4QcnCDHZukhp0THbOwP8WsPj31ngy3O5ttJAdjr/w640-h426/One%20segment%20down%20003.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Surveying results to date, preparing for whatever comes next</span></b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span>Contriving A New Landing</span></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span>Given the way I work with stone is more adaptive than
prescriptive - meaning, more by eye and intuition rather than by exact measurement - I tend to discover things along the way that are knock-on consequences of prior choices. So, for example, when I
intuitively decided to introduce a full-step to soften the incline of the
main run of path, in effect I was also tilting things towards making a landing below it (as a way of levelling out a sloping section of path). That conclusion wasn't immediately apparent to me, however. Only gradually did I realize how sharply the asphalt path descended through the next section, leading to the realization that raising its alignment by a full step at the far end would result in a more level platform. And a landing, while more formal than the asphalt path, was also potentially much more elegant. Despite the uncertainties here, I felt I ready energy for whatever challenges came along. So I continued my experimental approach by excavating the lower half of the asphalt, just to see where that led. It was readily apparent that the entire old path needed to come out, in order to optimize advantages. Once I resolved the framework, the idea of a landing came into clearer focus.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span> </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkkIH_0Klk5WEG0K_e8KpKIEF4_0ox4ZRPkzOj29OgY1zkTKbu-ahqMKMPIcIRGNnVQFhSAECGV1qA2JofzdcYws5ufqB5L6NkRxroJZ9j9OYU7DLxAyp5hjfmBcLXI9xUwU6_E5V2y3Q8ibYnRxXPR8y-MuKDbFMCj5ZePJAZB4Z62yvCG_XiCyK/s1600/Next%20steps%20012.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkkIH_0Klk5WEG0K_e8KpKIEF4_0ox4ZRPkzOj29OgY1zkTKbu-ahqMKMPIcIRGNnVQFhSAECGV1qA2JofzdcYws5ufqB5L6NkRxroJZ9j9OYU7DLxAyp5hjfmBcLXI9xUwU6_E5V2y3Q8ibYnRxXPR8y-MuKDbFMCj5ZePJAZB4Z62yvCG_XiCyK/w640-h426/Next%20steps%20012.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Asphalt and underpinnings partly gone, new base compacted</span></b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>I recall this sequence of decisions vividly because I was by this point far inside the process of path-making and feeling confident I could resolve any problems that presented themselves along the way. This is a great mental space to be in, one where creativity flows on despite the challenges faced. I felt optimistic about coaxing this new form into harmony with the previous section's character. By this point, I had real appetite for more of this sort of self-expression, so was coming at stonework with a serious wind to my back.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYpVjZPWdq7Td0tCvjbQpda2k5zcRFDZcsvzN3sTvGb5PlVuM6rdxE680QqCkeqsXcJAqNpEGx2RziZK-HqxNWafDe5qq-z5yTsszyTK3uVC5y0i1kxGmNJa-8okU2aVG7Lv_Tw7a8XMSTRH_sEsN8UL3htNqkEeYUGUgXZyfNEtpBCpzRFTLrjjs/s1600/prelim%20layouts%20008.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYpVjZPWdq7Td0tCvjbQpda2k5zcRFDZcsvzN3sTvGb5PlVuM6rdxE680QqCkeqsXcJAqNpEGx2RziZK-HqxNWafDe5qq-z5yTsszyTK3uVC5y0i1kxGmNJa-8okU2aVG7Lv_Tw7a8XMSTRH_sEsN8UL3htNqkEeYUGUgXZyfNEtpBCpzRFTLrjjs/w426-h640/prelim%20layouts%20008.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Quickly (but rather carelessly) roughed-in</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_xvU3nnk1BGuoUmPtSL-53TTeAniBHjd_jJ0GX-EJ6j7XQe92ghtT4h4qQwJh7tWDC9dzrAHDhul2SwWpzn14sAKRoFoiM4wvUIpS24fb15rripaziM8II0pQw47oELjjRnrUs4WSxnhDDLtZdOg5gToyBzlsOhhEK88HZr_qJ5WZtM21dBg3mr1/s1600/prelim%20layouts%20013.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_xvU3nnk1BGuoUmPtSL-53TTeAniBHjd_jJ0GX-EJ6j7XQe92ghtT4h4qQwJh7tWDC9dzrAHDhul2SwWpzn14sAKRoFoiM4wvUIpS24fb15rripaziM8II0pQw47oELjjRnrUs4WSxnhDDLtZdOg5gToyBzlsOhhEK88HZr_qJ5WZtM21dBg3mr1/w640-h426/prelim%20layouts%20013.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Defining the height of a new step up, for a more level landing</b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span>The new landing was laid out in late spring 2012 and mortared-in during the summer and fall. Once the idea of making it was resolved, I found myself caught up in sequences of entirely creative bouts. The photos below show the evolving progression towards a levelled landing in preference to retention of any of the old path.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKisX7MptdSP6wdk45cNMQL_F-Mr2YW_14DzLKBwJ8YxQgDbBfJ_f7u-TLFIVAgMPqSRKVgRHdu8vlE6zeYjcn28dU-ZebpYrcT_Jj8JNswbGxo6GJEr_yUAMuBP9gvACDj0MzY5Kq0C-SEc6lVle3gFf47KvxgHr1UQ40_6RS5NfUm1CUguzmKOQ/s1600/various%20031.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKisX7MptdSP6wdk45cNMQL_F-Mr2YW_14DzLKBwJ8YxQgDbBfJ_f7u-TLFIVAgMPqSRKVgRHdu8vlE6zeYjcn28dU-ZebpYrcT_Jj8JNswbGxo6GJEr_yUAMuBP9gvACDj0MzY5Kq0C-SEc6lVle3gFf47KvxgHr1UQ40_6RS5NfUm1CUguzmKOQ/w426-h640/various%20031.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some asphalt still, but the grade is wrong</span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><br /> </span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYCW1nog3do8vte2Sf0uGque3YVFMQdu15Vui0B31Z_-_urxRWFkYfPiTA6Yu9C8JqoHXfSoNzUYHleR3sUFnyEyrfRmXxx2emVZaWSojz9u9aUeilo28bIpC-h4U_YiOcglr08v4uD3IJPinELZ6c4FRO-HH00LCZt39qYMOL4pTgryqb7Mko3xyI/s1600/prelim%2014.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYCW1nog3do8vte2Sf0uGque3YVFMQdu15Vui0B31Z_-_urxRWFkYfPiTA6Yu9C8JqoHXfSoNzUYHleR3sUFnyEyrfRmXxx2emVZaWSojz9u9aUeilo28bIpC-h4U_YiOcglr08v4uD3IJPinELZ6c4FRO-HH00LCZt39qYMOL4pTgryqb7Mko3xyI/w426-h640/prelim%2014.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bullet bitten: asphalt out, base going </span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span> </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span>With my earlier lack of clarity about final gradients (and the imperative to decide these first) I realized that I hadn't been paying close attention to the orientation of my stones. We weren't close to having a finished design at this point - simply canvassing options hastily in order to glimpse potential outcomes - so I hadn't been ensuring that stone was being laid across the path's direction. With a landing finally settled upon, there was fresh opportunity to be more systematic about layout. A new wrinkle emerged however, taking the form of a need to manage my stock of stones optimally for the phases of work still to come, including the landing, a new flight of steps and an additional but as yet undefined short pathway. Principally this meant retaining sufficient of the larger pieces to meet my needs for edging stone. This ultimately led me to deploy more of my stock of smaller pieces of stone for the landing's interior. The following shots show how I sorted this through.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20ipZMh81I8ZSLm3JxwmE6pNHRmJ40YoH8XHR7bhsJsM9CB3vszZVW_OztZDnaTCftl49WrW0tT9Fgn4wnW8XSKjEwHaR-bQ1qMqHdt8m6_RhCiGm5w-qMHFOTn3RmZ4QSE3U73XRUBOiI365C5UGdEc_CNaB7dAwNsk7sJL7hB3NcTx9UVxoZfAR/s1600/end%20May%20009.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20ipZMh81I8ZSLm3JxwmE6pNHRmJ40YoH8XHR7bhsJsM9CB3vszZVW_OztZDnaTCftl49WrW0tT9Fgn4wnW8XSKjEwHaR-bQ1qMqHdt8m6_RhCiGm5w-qMHFOTn3RmZ4QSE3U73XRUBOiI365C5UGdEc_CNaB7dAwNsk7sJL7hB3NcTx9UVxoZfAR/w640-h426/end%20May%20009.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Layout redone more horizontally, in a more uniform gradient</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><br /> </span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMklpQRldxqCQV10I7Xx204ZXqVN8ZP824i2pVPzz8zejBMETQR2l_-_Dup5Z61x2mis0Bo65utJ_sdkqrLkXr8wZv-nTOllx8n48CSnhf-aMHMelx1-OvjggNd5hqVhH9-gjaVLXwTOD8KmvL8mgs0o284i0aeCMhMS-2Ha39df-6PIm5EcwKysk/s1600/end%20May%20006.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMklpQRldxqCQV10I7Xx204ZXqVN8ZP824i2pVPzz8zejBMETQR2l_-_Dup5Z61x2mis0Bo65utJ_sdkqrLkXr8wZv-nTOllx8n48CSnhf-aMHMelx1-OvjggNd5hqVhH9-gjaVLXwTOD8KmvL8mgs0o284i0aeCMhMS-2Ha39df-6PIm5EcwKysk/w426-h640/end%20May%20006.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">From above, format now more horizontal</span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><br /><span>Once the layout felt plausible to my eye, mortaring could begin. This work ran through fall 2012 and was followed, weather permitting, by bouts of filling and tooling of seams. While I recall being busy with other garden chores (fall is like that for gardeners) I somehow found the time and energy needed to bull the new landing towards closure.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLU_GTpQG_-WbfWxBQxOci5AgH8uZV9hMvMsgc7EfSJS_ONjaSR1eZxYQKHQk9AB_eqkSAHQBbHEc2vfY-gLGPCLpJf0tzz099Db6KxOam28-JJ0MIENhxwdSmKOp0Lg5wmfhfjR9rbLfiqQ3_RRn8VCGyg_3Dx9dJXOQilqDBs5d5rmmA1dI7jTux/s3008/End%20September%202012%20008.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLU_GTpQG_-WbfWxBQxOci5AgH8uZV9hMvMsgc7EfSJS_ONjaSR1eZxYQKHQk9AB_eqkSAHQBbHEc2vfY-gLGPCLpJf0tzz099Db6KxOam28-JJ0MIENhxwdSmKOp0Lg5wmfhfjR9rbLfiqQ3_RRn8VCGyg_3Dx9dJXOQilqDBs5d5rmmA1dI7jTux/w640-h426/End%20September%202012%20008.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>The landing now rises a full step, effecting a hard right turn</span></span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><br /> <br /></span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLt4DNEB1Y9kgBN14WTdZ9WuC6oAO3d6fGaObS2JbEazw1fyMcY-uqCNrOdQB50ivGeKlK8XcFsYri3czeB4olcwbVmn4TiSWmvU0lkEjm3z3Kk0V5eb1C_kOINh-Kw58tmUovrWGA6bSWS2FD2afQbqmionDT4PtS_L6KFRJqe15f32zbXMN8RDoh/s3008/Octoober%20014.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLt4DNEB1Y9kgBN14WTdZ9WuC6oAO3d6fGaObS2JbEazw1fyMcY-uqCNrOdQB50ivGeKlK8XcFsYri3czeB4olcwbVmn4TiSWmvU0lkEjm3z3Kk0V5eb1C_kOINh-Kw58tmUovrWGA6bSWS2FD2afQbqmionDT4PtS_L6KFRJqe15f32zbXMN8RDoh/w426-h640/Octoober%20014.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Late October, new landing mortared-in</span></span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span><span> </span></span></span><br /><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NBCYXau-TADWgV2Z1SNB20PMQnTRy3gceAQPJirajdrTaJo5rUQoIMnWBzTk95E85Ouwzmkyc7g_y_ofTb250HxwX-z7-fCvNiMeO8CRUJVkZdxc22h1NkBje1CHUqTz1m5_Eya-9X9488WdkZ7Kxe0kh1XKbWyzOPABgzO6By_EC_7gA_Q3WGK7/s3008/Octoober%20011.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NBCYXau-TADWgV2Z1SNB20PMQnTRy3gceAQPJirajdrTaJo5rUQoIMnWBzTk95E85Ouwzmkyc7g_y_ofTb250HxwX-z7-fCvNiMeO8CRUJVkZdxc22h1NkBje1CHUqTz1m5_Eya-9X9488WdkZ7Kxe0kh1XKbWyzOPABgzO6By_EC_7gA_Q3WGK7/w426-h640/Octoober%20011.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Opposite view of the new landing</span></span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span>By the spring of 2013 my new landing had weathered its first winter and I was getting ready to tackle more paving. Our exterior restoration efforts were to be recognized by the Victoria Heritage Foundation in our home's centennial year, and we had also been asked to show the house publicly on Saanich's Fall Heritage Tour (which we were keen to do). My goal, however, was to advance the paving as much as possible before the tour happened. The next section of path posed novel design challenges, giving it an engaging complexity from the outset. But by this point the merits of trying layouts on for size - and the clear glimpses this provided of how things would look when mortared in - made me confident of getting a good outcome. As the old zen saying puts it, 'the obstacle is the path' - meaning to me that facing and surmounting obstacles along the way defines the ultimate shape of the path.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span> <br /></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPS94o9wGC5LqVk_ycTNHUnQDHqOc7Q61t0wd_yw_qd4mzl4CPEou6Uuc4XTOCgFzmUR9716DslfuJsot11182ONFvJkQkVKsBxU04PSxW9Pci462iZFrBADjFDiXCWWGUhML63Rvt3w7jadAkuE3S91R0-gjtKwYj5HUt6Rz2n9K2PY1BHwo25za/s1600/Marching%20on%20007.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPS94o9wGC5LqVk_ycTNHUnQDHqOc7Q61t0wd_yw_qd4mzl4CPEou6Uuc4XTOCgFzmUR9716DslfuJsot11182ONFvJkQkVKsBxU04PSxW9Pci462iZFrBADjFDiXCWWGUhML63Rvt3w7jadAkuE3S91R0-gjtKwYj5HUt6Rz2n9K2PY1BHwo25za/w426-h640/Marching%20on%20007.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Looking smart, if new, for the centennial <br /></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Fashioning A Flight Of New Steps</b></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b> </b></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b> </b></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">"Where there is a path or flight of steps, the course of it is ruled by the contour of the ground, so that the whole impression is that of Nature smoothed down in places and in others encouraged to do her very best." </span></b></i><b>The Natural Garden</b>, <i><b>The Craftsman</b></i>, January 1908<br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span>Recall that the main path splits into distinct channels at the base of what I am calling the waterfall-step, the secondary path angling off sharply towards another part of the front garden. The question here was how best to go about making a ninety-degree turn, especially given accelerating descent through this section. Here, I thought the
analogy of frozen movement captured by the waterfall-step and landing should be allowed to flow right into the topmost of what became a new flight of steps. This would give this section of path both mystery and interest. It also reinforced arts-and-crafts motifs by allowing me to settle the new path organically into the surrounding contours (the house has built-ins, such as window seats, fitted into the surrounding decor, and the building itself had been carefully inserted into the original landscape without major disturbance). The typical front walkway in
modern</span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span> suburbia comprises a fairly straight shot
from parking pad to a nearby front door. Typically rendered in concrete - a wonderfully serviceable if rather bland building material - this path is often too narrow for two-way use. Our front path's alignment falls at the opposite end of this spectrum. Built into the site's natural contours, the path takes us for a stroll along the entire facade, before switching hard</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span> back to another flight of stone steps leading to a welcoming </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span> </span></span></span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0RarHvyemDpUzH5aZs2eE4tz2Px5bFC-bS4pg49VAHlkxyLmy7KDTdRNChHE_EWr88mp_NuYXox27hicnB2xQHlQcJt7Vf6OO59-qs5G0XFg2z2l4OJG86T9k5QeK77dvUVGVtV16P6FgI_vvFlkVLOtjlTPwbqtNjN6MLxzNEY6CwrUjxOLeitM/s3008/Feb%202018%201.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0RarHvyemDpUzH5aZs2eE4tz2Px5bFC-bS4pg49VAHlkxyLmy7KDTdRNChHE_EWr88mp_NuYXox27hicnB2xQHlQcJt7Vf6OO59-qs5G0XFg2z2l4OJG86T9k5QeK77dvUVGVtV16P6FgI_vvFlkVLOtjlTPwbqtNjN6MLxzNEY6CwrUjxOLeitM/w426-h640/Feb%202018%201.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Switchback path leading to the verandah</b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span>verandah and front door. I thought the path, with its rustic alignment, should provide a more memorable sense of entry without sacrificing the feeling of belonging right where it had been placed. But as I was learning, consistent use of similar stone materials as paving strongly reinforces impressions of long habitation.</span></span></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span> </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKz9Saaw9v2zIpO19RJD4JSyQiB86ElXVQ5FQ4d5ZKzSPrNztzvs39bwNNwyJB4v1b0xh6s2vuhpqJLYHHUBLA_T5CeFuWcHS3ocM4gllGgTK4ICqCG6I_MkO1T1Ph4x2uoSya1ulYewA0J8iF_wDx5wc-HysSjK0UPYDzbbiGOBGek_6jfVsYPPx/s1600/March%20ment%20003.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKz9Saaw9v2zIpO19RJD4JSyQiB86ElXVQ5FQ4d5ZKzSPrNztzvs39bwNNwyJB4v1b0xh6s2vuhpqJLYHHUBLA_T5CeFuWcHS3ocM4gllGgTK4ICqCG6I_MkO1T1Ph4x2uoSya1ulYewA0J8iF_wDx5wc-HysSjK0UPYDzbbiGOBGek_6jfVsYPPx/w426-h640/March%20ment%20003.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">First imagining of the new flight of steps</span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">
<br />
</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span>T</span><span><span>he challenge here was to find a way of tying the main run of path seamlessly into the new flight of steps, which had been no more than exposed bedrock in their past iteration. The existing setup connected precariously through some sharp descents before accessing a
distant woodland path. Heading the other way, the land rises sharply towards the main path, which is what prompted me to begin thinking of a flight of steps. Anyone utilizing the old arrangement was obliged to scramble up a sharp incline in order to finally gain the main run of path. The exposed bedrock made it difficult to navigate (slippery when wet, mossy in winter) a feature that would only become more difficult with time as the occupants age and their movements become less certain. So my first thought was
to offset this somewhat precarious rise by making at least two, and perhaps three, generous steps. Steps here would lessen the challenge associated with taking this route, enabling more comfortable access from below. A major issue was scaling these new
steps to fit in with the main path and landing. This meant avoiding mistakes, such as making the steps too petite for the dimensions of the main path. Initially (photo below) when I roughed in the first step, I gave it insufficient tread-depth for it to feel truly comfortable in use. The experimental method however, which affords a glimpse of outcomes before constructing, was invaluable in working this piece of it out.<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span><span> </span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDyTuMHZu8jfFZhlkoHbc9yDTdEQaZSTbFFdnT9GPOf7ZIFWWf5JNz-5v5DJ4Zgp8SULjiSPLHMz8m6MIL8ybbNIGTT8YaA1i1kxLDT1PvJteBjpt5vIrBq9CtehIzOW3ziWVEbnYY6AivzNqkRNhaRik7bNGkVvk9G6iCvaPRODgKIIfVkFV79OPk/s1600/March%20ment%20004.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDyTuMHZu8jfFZhlkoHbc9yDTdEQaZSTbFFdnT9GPOf7ZIFWWf5JNz-5v5DJ4Zgp8SULjiSPLHMz8m6MIL8ybbNIGTT8YaA1i1kxLDT1PvJteBjpt5vIrBq9CtehIzOW3ziWVEbnYY6AivzNqkRNhaRik7bNGkVvk9G6iCvaPRODgKIIfVkFV79OPk/w640-h426/March%20ment%20004.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Complexity: bed edges to shape, steps to fit into landscape</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><br /> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik47tDjnhBB4xwbREDgNeUKzyYXH6wgnv-pd4SGa6MZXgLweCSdYJSp7LNEBfjLHV5UiHuQ8SNm9GrDAsCz60y0eRPg-b-1pyiLrEBUBqYM3f1_idiU5xx8pXOAhCGk8pe5HKcDNZLMBG3zxX2eW3-gATHqgPo-vyfLCcS8bFlZbf0N80PkXf82vq6/s1600/early%20April%20017.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik47tDjnhBB4xwbREDgNeUKzyYXH6wgnv-pd4SGa6MZXgLweCSdYJSp7LNEBfjLHV5UiHuQ8SNm9GrDAsCz60y0eRPg-b-1pyiLrEBUBqYM3f1_idiU5xx8pXOAhCGk8pe5HKcDNZLMBG3zxX2eW3-gATHqgPo-vyfLCcS8bFlZbf0N80PkXf82vq6/w640-h426/early%20April%20017.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Top step now deepened to fit with the main path and landing</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table> </span></span></span></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span><span>There were many things to consider in arriving at a design for the new flight of steps. First was the decision to flow the landing's level around the adjacent edge, so making it continuous with the surface of the first step
(layout emerging in the picture above). This feature enables one to move a loaded wheelbarrow from top step to landing without having to hoist it up to the main run of path (a choice that is motion-minded, especially if said wheelbarrow is loaded with heavy material like stone).
But the steps themselves also needed to feel settled into the site's contours similar to the rest of the path. Rockery beds on either side of the steps helped me orient my designs - once again, they became co-defining, so emerged in tandem with the shape of the steps. Accordingly, there
was a lot of feeling-our-way through this piece of it, ultimately leading to choices about how deep to make the steps and what finished look we were hoping to achieve. This is where a willingness to play around with possibilities can pay big dividends.</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: times;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span><span><span>Introducing steps in this location had distinct advantages, but the actual number required remained unclear (you can make out an embryonic third step at the base of the photo above). Finalizing this layout would ultimately define a fourth phase of the project - but at this point it was still up in the air. I began with the idea that the steps needed to be sufficiently deep to allow secure use when transporting goods from below (there is a second parking bay at road level). One needs to be in the right frame of mind to get results from
this sort of design exercise, where discrete entities like bed edges and paths are co-defining. But the return of spring inspired getting out there on the land and getting on with the job, so I just rolled on! </span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjckruzxsomeVqVXiE2PEJr4k0s8wyrU7ChDSmNZ3bQe9AzTWcDFPMKr1t302tpdMkVrCnnlBgCmxzuG6ddeJO6wofoBSZgG_DVreELBV-t4EKUt9KHu3HUqkCG7diDcYSb1tqnOZ-0HUGJzMV0sYVs6FoGVqpLt7jJybT6YzQAfhg081zzaWKmOy6n/s1600/April%20showers%20141.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjckruzxsomeVqVXiE2PEJr4k0s8wyrU7ChDSmNZ3bQe9AzTWcDFPMKr1t302tpdMkVrCnnlBgCmxzuG6ddeJO6wofoBSZgG_DVreELBV-t4EKUt9KHu3HUqkCG7diDcYSb1tqnOZ-0HUGJzMV0sYVs6FoGVqpLt7jJybT6YzQAfhg081zzaWKmOy6n/w640-h426/April%20showers%20141.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Spring's return brings fresh opportunity for stone step-making</b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>There was a lot of fooling around in getting to final design, but the bedrock the steps sat on made for a stable foundation. And once you commit to mortaring stones in place, they are well and
truly fixed there (comprising the new datum, as it were) - and so I wanted to be certain that things were going to work out, in every dimension, before
mortaring any layouts in place. </span></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMxKEbGh5vAKjQI15UlNdSXboOuMHsu1WmlFen3348suxQVt61aC3l9pwG-RhNag299v6gIfnSuAym69BcD72zojj2wHPenms0NQEU_h_vYQ8J0nAkdXh7l8UwscMT_Vq06zPGOpjEvy7wbCkqcRvSlSO_1t_IQrgqpfNozGLjLBSbmc86GyDm_II/s3008/Maybe%20225.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMxKEbGh5vAKjQI15UlNdSXboOuMHsu1WmlFen3348suxQVt61aC3l9pwG-RhNag299v6gIfnSuAym69BcD72zojj2wHPenms0NQEU_h_vYQ8J0nAkdXh7l8UwscMT_Vq06zPGOpjEvy7wbCkqcRvSlSO_1t_IQrgqpfNozGLjLBSbmc86GyDm_II/w640-h426/Maybe%20225.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>First step at landing level, larger stones lending greater heft</b></span></span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span>
</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7h0r3-mDdASR1yTtHAYBe_5Y97dbgJBEkyBkLko6vfeLdt4IPq0sKKKQuTTTNqoQRnMZmB_fTuhEhIhN3A9ZQPd2dqNdktiWzIPHN_BTt8BZ6JKaDNFPUKFWASEQKv13vrtISm4mxoVqntnG3YllNu4DrtKLOe0OGkCCJ_-eKqLktWU5_JsUWdhSE/s1600/Lection%20532.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7h0r3-mDdASR1yTtHAYBe_5Y97dbgJBEkyBkLko6vfeLdt4IPq0sKKKQuTTTNqoQRnMZmB_fTuhEhIhN3A9ZQPd2dqNdktiWzIPHN_BTt8BZ6JKaDNFPUKFWASEQKv13vrtISm4mxoVqntnG3YllNu4DrtKLOe0OGkCCJ_-eKqLktWU5_JsUWdhSE/w426-h640/Lection%20532.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Top step settled, second now taking shape</span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span><span><span>By May and June of 2013, things felt like they were
progressing fairly well. The pictures below show the steps being
mortared-in. I find the act of setting an emergent step's shape to be supremely satisfying - you get to witness the birth of finished form, but with the voids still open (emphasizing the gaps - photo below). Filling of the seams demands careful work too, time-consuming and finicky as regards placing mortar in a narrow space, but also highly rewarding as you move towards full closure and watch as components fuse into a cohesive composition.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span><span><span><i><b>"Follow the path through a picturesque landscape and you will come upon a succession of distinct places, each designed to evoke a distinct emotion."</b></i></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span> <span style="font-size: large;">Michael Pollan, <b>A Place Of My Own</b></span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span><span><span>At this time of year, paving needs to be got at earlier or later on in the day, as the sun is simply too strong otherwise and hurries the mortar relentlessly. This in turn hurries you, increasing the likelihood of mistakes. If mortar sets up too quickly through direct exposure to intense sunlight, it
also fails to develop optimal strength. Things can be done, however, to slow these sun effects down, such as using a hand mister to keep mortar and adjacent stones moist during the labour of seam-filling. You can also cover the newly mortared stones so they are shielded - I find this is an ideal use of old election signs, elevated above the mortar on small chunks of stone in order to avoid contact with the freshly tooled seams - to keep them out of direct sunlight as the mortar sets up and starts to cure.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1Xedt9hALvkqlapqvw65VNUgY_DYgran2QUsekrh6HH1UeESwpPj29SoKE2TnencN2djTGTlxuzejvul7lqYZ6hY5358Uyb6ebXx0qVJleZweuUKDfVMUUnqbZnxvGabiaSYssHfPEaIpGwYkusUPQbsaay4mRrCLBsiU2gImBgw7GE0xvVLcS0P/s3008/Joon%20069.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1Xedt9hALvkqlapqvw65VNUgY_DYgran2QUsekrh6HH1UeESwpPj29SoKE2TnencN2djTGTlxuzejvul7lqYZ6hY5358Uyb6ebXx0qVJleZweuUKDfVMUUnqbZnxvGabiaSYssHfPEaIpGwYkusUPQbsaay4mRrCLBsiU2gImBgw7GE0xvVLcS0P/w426-h640/Joon%20069.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Tooling seams for better grip and effect</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXJM_OWTS5ngr0rhBmZXwg28K4uvh2Wip5cmFjclq5hinuPxWiQCnmhIg0n9f_ywCW4V6I5bugaUIIeB0H0xRIB2R0yRfV9YelpSTEoh5hUeMzO2xueuxKqPM5Xa18cJTrLOOA6iZR8rOucpejtvfKKgn-XTmoksfEfAQfRWwrZs0MZID3gnzy0H4w/s3008/Joon%20077.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXJM_OWTS5ngr0rhBmZXwg28K4uvh2Wip5cmFjclq5hinuPxWiQCnmhIg0n9f_ywCW4V6I5bugaUIIeB0H0xRIB2R0yRfV9YelpSTEoh5hUeMzO2xueuxKqPM5Xa18cJTrLOOA6iZR8rOucpejtvfKKgn-XTmoksfEfAQfRWwrZs0MZID3gnzy0H4w/w640-h426/Joon%20077.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Tooled seams made using tuck pointers of varying widths</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span> <br /></span></span></span></span></span></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqBcdlmxqh_PqO6i-5mJ0HSZgRKHFh4esrkEECKflP3a2vmyYMW9zXSPdLHymf64M34G8Sk1Ka-8PzmWA1t_jGtv9citm6jQSu4toCM6UBYqbPfvT2DcDajXChTZy0icuBCN20mQ3CFwLc57kJ4jCTe3TG6BT0buAgzI92jt1CJiPtZkTJctmvqbc/s1600/Joon%20081.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqBcdlmxqh_PqO6i-5mJ0HSZgRKHFh4esrkEECKflP3a2vmyYMW9zXSPdLHymf64M34G8Sk1Ka-8PzmWA1t_jGtv9citm6jQSu4toCM6UBYqbPfvT2DcDajXChTZy0icuBCN20mQ3CFwLc57kJ4jCTe3TG6BT0buAgzI92jt1CJiPtZkTJctmvqbc/w640-h426/Joon%20081.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Hand-misted after tooling, drying slowed for optimal strength</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span><span><span><span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Inventing A New Stub Path</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span><br />
<br />
<br />
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span><span><span><span>As noted earlier, I had difficulty deciding
whether it was going to be two steps or three. That was because there remained some distance yet to be traversed before reaching the beginning of the woodland path. The choice resolved into either making a deep third step or, more realistically, designing a short section of path instead. So I decided to try laying it out as a stub pathway in order to gain an impression of how this would look on the ground. The alignment ran through a
dip in the land here, complicating matters somewhat. I decided to level this dip using crusher fines, to enable a rough-in of the short section of path. The picture below shows the dip filled with base material and a rough path layout placed. All of this served to reinforce the idea's feasibility and obvious utility.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMl4os7BJnf8X0Ler-G3SJqd7y1_QjhYQFlB4uHipMuonYTX9jvzk3SgTob0GiMMEJY3u17IuZAg7aiyZZZBXCF-8buDXVMG8BpBpKA1yc1xvtLk1Um1QezYSX1CruFjXT_AhoT2v_HgNJShawoJcbR3AW6ufUrALD9Q7D6PKN_I2JioyVsSf4WK3L/s3008/Moody%20035.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMl4os7BJnf8X0Ler-G3SJqd7y1_QjhYQFlB4uHipMuonYTX9jvzk3SgTob0GiMMEJY3u17IuZAg7aiyZZZBXCF-8buDXVMG8BpBpKA1yc1xvtLk1Um1QezYSX1CruFjXT_AhoT2v_HgNJShawoJcbR3AW6ufUrALD9Q7D6PKN_I2JioyVsSf4WK3L/w426-h640/Moody%20035.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Back-filled, quick rough-in for glimpses</span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span><span><span><span><span>This was all happening in early autumn 2013 after the fall heritage award ceremony and tour. Conditions for path-making were then ideal: warm enough to make it pleasant working outside in shorts, but not at all uncomfortable even in direct sunlight. These are optimal conditions for the sort of playing around with layout possibilities that enables novel design to emerge. Despite this section of path being much narrower than the main run, I nonetheless wanted it to feel substantial and so be in balance with the scale of the new steps. I still had some
chunkier pieces of stone left in my cache, so I could continue the practise of using larger pieces to define the edges of the pavement. This
larger material gave the new path an appearance of heft and solidity, which is good because in this location it is more visually exposed than on the bordered edges of the main run. Anyway, I was determined to finish the job with materials already on hand rather than cause delay by going off to collect more stone.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYSpWCimsknq7tZE3wQAh1GZqAQZa8EkQgQAvgleIpn5VcImMtW7mpsCxAyKLhkkpdIg1KTupPCBE6hLcYyRDNyewkmlWQ_HvkF2Vqzxj-12jjlvUjHFb0sPKtc4-JBoFksCc9kyrXw9gLc17Nkqu9JstDQMMtY9i5DbMwwCYrg2y4bbUbZ0ZQTMtt/s3008/spring%20030.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYSpWCimsknq7tZE3wQAh1GZqAQZa8EkQgQAvgleIpn5VcImMtW7mpsCxAyKLhkkpdIg1KTupPCBE6hLcYyRDNyewkmlWQ_HvkF2Vqzxj-12jjlvUjHFb0sPKtc4-JBoFksCc9kyrXw9gLc17Nkqu9JstDQMMtY9i5DbMwwCYrg2y4bbUbZ0ZQTMtt/w640-h426/spring%20030.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Spring freshness, refining layout in ideal working conditions</span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><span></span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span>I realized that beyond the now-infilled dip there was another issue, to do with a significant cross-fall through this section of path - meaning that the gradient fell away on the south side of the path (i.e. to the left in the picture above). Given this geodetic fact and the reality that this segment of path sits visibly above-ground along the southern edge, I decided it would be prudent to add a base course under this edge (which had the effect of thickening the path and projecting it as stepped down to fit the sloping ground). The next picture shows the stub-path with a base course of stone placed under it. Shoring up the edge in this way gave the path greater stability, but it also entailed substantial additional mortaring. The idea appears in draft form in the next photo.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljErngXgSlg800ZoMAYN10ylbis_m3-jgFnPXHofmfXHSKVUG4tdgE-FLUlxjM-vpVKizOdGgGbmLyZyvJmhnt8tcp9IdnoqbXhQIAQqOXKvkBJrBbpq_R13OJNz2AtioPRioLryskoAA3HJx8vy5gayCH2mSymHbELBlgulVfGXcHDuKSN4Icx8j/s1600/Grange%20stub%20005.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljErngXgSlg800ZoMAYN10ylbis_m3-jgFnPXHofmfXHSKVUG4tdgE-FLUlxjM-vpVKizOdGgGbmLyZyvJmhnt8tcp9IdnoqbXhQIAQqOXKvkBJrBbpq_R13OJNz2AtioPRioLryskoAA3HJx8vy5gayCH2mSymHbELBlgulVfGXcHDuKSN4Icx8j/w640-h426/Grange%20stub%20005.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Base course under the stub path's south side, for stability </span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><br /> </span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span>About this time, I realized my stubby path had assumed a rather phallic appearance, a thought that was initially somewhat off-putting (photos above and below). But thinking it through more deeply, it struck me that the path's shape was derived organically from the space it was contrived to fit - and that no matter how phallic it appeared, it did enable movement in the needed manner. That awareness allowed me to relax somewhat about the implications of its shape, ultimately meaning a focus on refining the design as much as possible (phallicity notwithstanding).</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNQUspiOthS8sJUHXeWKHouKfeGuc-4W4DIDyeUcRZmMmfnVxgG9S-AcYdhfe9orgjzBsj9-ckooIWcWMzdK7ECOvmwJcQpFsOLEsETnb6CeNlZCVl83g266aoGljTVmpu5fvZEy9VpXRe459L5lurXeOpNSAptsgVc_xfctWHlwRceSJhJ1rp_vJ/s3008/Grange%20stub%20011.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNQUspiOthS8sJUHXeWKHouKfeGuc-4W4DIDyeUcRZmMmfnVxgG9S-AcYdhfe9orgjzBsj9-ckooIWcWMzdK7ECOvmwJcQpFsOLEsETnb6CeNlZCVl83g266aoGljTVmpu5fvZEy9VpXRe459L5lurXeOpNSAptsgVc_xfctWHlwRceSJhJ1rp_vJ/w426-h640/Grange%20stub%20011.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Modestly phallic stub pathway emergent</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span> </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span>Once layout reaches a point where all inner tests have been met, the process of mortaring stone in place can begin (a most enjoyable moment too, the more so as this was the last phase of the project). By this time I was confident of being able to shape my stone in ways that would stand the test of time, so fixing the last stones in place felt supremely satisfying. The following shot reveals that part of the process in motion.</span></span></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><br /> </span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEierMlpDsJn8kTM9U9g_FTSRUPAYBCYZiUWCIydN0APTQDlrguBLQCyxZenZ8NCZ8wNB1LAxd1J_m1gmjQ1Z9IIvSmcIjEwfzzv_H6aj12omK7nHIHUeXErH0H6QsPTLmB-ml-4a-uloCFxW2QDrIdDyBILWr5iRiMOM5red9UqCSc87e9v2ircKN1S/s3008/Grange%20stub%20173.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEierMlpDsJn8kTM9U9g_FTSRUPAYBCYZiUWCIydN0APTQDlrguBLQCyxZenZ8NCZ8wNB1LAxd1J_m1gmjQ1Z9IIvSmcIjEwfzzv_H6aj12omK7nHIHUeXErH0H6QsPTLmB-ml-4a-uloCFxW2QDrIdDyBILWr5iRiMOM5red9UqCSc87e9v2ircKN1S/w426-h640/Grange%20stub%20173.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">The stub path being mortared in place</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><br /></span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span>Once set in mortar, the artistry of tooling the cemented voids awaits. This is the moment where finished paving fully emerges, where we get to see what's been held in the imagination for so long suddenly pop as built object in a real landscape. Feelings of pride and satisfaction ensue!</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYfv-i6wlm6sPK8N_yC5DlEG9EsIgLfs_oFACpiEOEJzS_4ZVuiBp9e201VC8Y9sueliAcTfJggqVLKsJ7wMR_FmbBO6j95j2HaTpx-vUp1g9wD_f2K1tokyjmYe_YnmL6gvxl2drhp6Q7TVKn3GmkSnfRYkhaOsOHq1Cj00z36ju6hJUVvteg9hQ/s1600/Grange%20stub%20202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYfv-i6wlm6sPK8N_yC5DlEG9EsIgLfs_oFACpiEOEJzS_4ZVuiBp9e201VC8Y9sueliAcTfJggqVLKsJ7wMR_FmbBO6j95j2HaTpx-vUp1g9wD_f2K1tokyjmYe_YnmL6gvxl2drhp6Q7TVKn3GmkSnfRYkhaOsOHq1Cj00z36ju6hJUVvteg9hQ/w640-h426/Grange%20stub%20202.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Just finished, mortar still wet, joints tooled and looking smart</span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span><span><span>When a project has gone on for years the way this has (executed mostly in spare time, in a leisurely manner, weather
permitting) the maker gets attached to the work process and used to watching its slow progression towards finished form. When it all finally does come to an end and the job is
apparently complete, there ensue contradictory feelings of satisfaction
and, perversely, intense longing for more! In the end, the job really isn't completely done anyway, because there is still finishing work on the adjoining beds and
path edges. And, of course, there are other paving jobs calling for
attention elsewhere in the garden, and likewise many other garden responsibilities neglected during the paving exercise. But none can seem as prominent as this undertaking has been,
and certainly none has so much riding on the outcome. Looking back on it more than a decade later, I still
find recalling the long process of design and construction immensely satisfying. The finished path feels like an enduring part of the gardens here - so much so that it's virtually impossible to imagine the place without it. The sandstone I used comes with grain open enough to age and weather readily, which is
both a strength and a weakness. On the plus side, it does mean the stone appears not-new in short order, reinforcing the impression that it belongs where it's placed - indeed, that it may really always have been there! This
sense of it being fit-for-purpose contributes to the overall feeling of repose that I want for the gardens surrounding our arts-and-crafts house. And of
course, this entry pathway helps structure perceptions of that garden's spaces and of the architecture's overall harmony with the land, drawing you in as it carries you through sequences of engaging
scenery. Below, a few more shots of the front path evolving and changing through the course of the seasons and the years.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFBV0FBuoEEdx2OXt5i1k4e5RreeYsHIlUf3ZKWj6vRvBmAqQIP1ug3CfbROH6b8qgvhCLi9UOSotoLc7dhAHJahgoEs4HdoYaOoREqA5dBvQtKuaT5Ktsy-wFseUo1xhmuid4j4UOUbB7Zo4DFTFXHEQjHMzzS_i53WS20a43S7HRCWoq5zriIB0O/s1600/Final%20one.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFBV0FBuoEEdx2OXt5i1k4e5RreeYsHIlUf3ZKWj6vRvBmAqQIP1ug3CfbROH6b8qgvhCLi9UOSotoLc7dhAHJahgoEs4HdoYaOoREqA5dBvQtKuaT5Ktsy-wFseUo1xhmuid4j4UOUbB7Zo4DFTFXHEQjHMzzS_i53WS20a43S7HRCWoq5zriIB0O/w426-h640/Final%20one.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">After spring's flourish, trimming time</span></b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><br /> </span> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ93eXMvJhY4tzWfGYhKPQMLUc5OuaNA9TZjmd7VvPWUMXia4MklMdGmdaX-7FK7WrIFeREeV8r1FAhmiWn4lo7wKZA1i7yoDOmYGMIHukv6-ZzUtRQuUM5oq3_f4ckbUOAxoGFml3V4hCLKBI62PseEm1UGMzyZV3BFQksbfkgNgeaTDCza9QbzFe/s1600/Final%20two.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ93eXMvJhY4tzWfGYhKPQMLUc5OuaNA9TZjmd7VvPWUMXia4MklMdGmdaX-7FK7WrIFeREeV8r1FAhmiWn4lo7wKZA1i7yoDOmYGMIHukv6-ZzUtRQuUM5oq3_f4ckbUOAxoGFml3V4hCLKBI62PseEm1UGMzyZV3BFQksbfkgNgeaTDCza9QbzFe/w426-h640/Final%20two.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Stub and steps in wet fall, oak leaves down</span></b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
</p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span></span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhferVvR9HpK6Xr493zJ0P2hSxHbriXk_0UejGJFF3vVJyVnUamFE-Kab6EaayE7UwtKKuJbOgDmdm2LbGpOugqMWg_2Ewm_stTUXyN6xYuDeb4Aj57PcqJ6WttFbSPdYofWTzDpMGtgTsmvCs_aRqFl0xaHLj038FoEbUw__aBIWfHZ1CCV1XfqLTw/s1600/Final%20three.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhferVvR9HpK6Xr493zJ0P2hSxHbriXk_0UejGJFF3vVJyVnUamFE-Kab6EaayE7UwtKKuJbOgDmdm2LbGpOugqMWg_2Ewm_stTUXyN6xYuDeb4Aj57PcqJ6WttFbSPdYofWTzDpMGtgTsmvCs_aRqFl0xaHLj038FoEbUw__aBIWfHZ1CCV1XfqLTw/w426-h640/Final%20three.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Drying out after a mid-year downpour</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><br /><span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi80cA_zCvFx_6_k7gRjAIelM4V909aQ17Hldie6sZwHhpkQEPqQq07eCOrhdGQ5iGABQ-iec9-TC8VkBVpZmMzGxdEWpAEt8mdkJrpNjqeT1AqltRXIgeh4afXDdxXE0SePFmvhuYoH14CpWDuELHgfEou5E9c4zJvwqpYIyEMLYhreycgS2Ba-MiE/s1600/Final%20four.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi80cA_zCvFx_6_k7gRjAIelM4V909aQ17Hldie6sZwHhpkQEPqQq07eCOrhdGQ5iGABQ-iec9-TC8VkBVpZmMzGxdEWpAEt8mdkJrpNjqeT1AqltRXIgeh4afXDdxXE0SePFmvhuYoH14CpWDuELHgfEou5E9c4zJvwqpYIyEMLYhreycgS2Ba-MiE/w426-h640/Final%20four.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Stream channel traversing a hillside</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span><br /><span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span></span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSB8yTvPNI9wPx2l9yPRsQhSXWPHGaPPgLhtoUJD5wx938-iYwwpH6jF-iC-gZUw-tZnQ02vK0weI3SQJll6TwLaGkZmcg7ulCFfi6Eoy88nYfXqBDu6ukA_ZILBxrhhz5Br2FZeX3k7AoBF7P8PGeNVrtRmHjq_7v5BkDm-yvK1Q4tGdXXqSAjwGe/s1600/Final%20six.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSB8yTvPNI9wPx2l9yPRsQhSXWPHGaPPgLhtoUJD5wx938-iYwwpH6jF-iC-gZUw-tZnQ02vK0weI3SQJll6TwLaGkZmcg7ulCFfi6Eoy88nYfXqBDu6ukA_ZILBxrhhz5Br2FZeX3k7AoBF7P8PGeNVrtRmHjq_7v5BkDm-yvK1Q4tGdXXqSAjwGe/w426-h640/Final%20six.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Woodland path, early spring bluebells</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><br /><span></span></span></span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPk7GcBO0DX15T81CtT8D-Fc1jm7BrP-D-b0nEOGxFtC09T-hkm6rdUDUp0qAr_2Vxyo5Mr89itaAh58mNp4L9EGPkNSEVuXoqapgJzFXVs98zR7ZdJjtQt5ct11ISge75HekRtZ6K5mFLcHbMF3BMhOWl0KiMyMsIe6Ee66JlNeiGunxtv8VE4Mw/s3008/Rockery%20fall%202022.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPk7GcBO0DX15T81CtT8D-Fc1jm7BrP-D-b0nEOGxFtC09T-hkm6rdUDUp0qAr_2Vxyo5Mr89itaAh58mNp4L9EGPkNSEVuXoqapgJzFXVs98zR7ZdJjtQt5ct11ISge75HekRtZ6K5mFLcHbMF3BMhOWl0KiMyMsIe6Ee66JlNeiGunxtv8VE4Mw/w640-h426/Rockery%20fall%202022.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Rockery beds, flight of steps, and Rumble the cat, fall 2022</b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span>A note on stone carpet (nobedan) paths: </span></span></span></span></span>
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJCp8lWnKgaMoLMymVlFBNLTmjEFGG0tQQaz1mPg3GFtWTPdUNXHlkBgP7PjopscHiMdmGX_wXE_XIzZ_5DElYyUOBWIzl3r1TmNPTOwCWSMaRyt4fCk6z6_Mu8639klraR3q8HfwHukGlnGLcTmRqlPlHSYmy39Pm6HJ_rZw_WJ8UACiSsTA0_AU/s438/eg%20of%20nobedan%20path.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJCp8lWnKgaMoLMymVlFBNLTmjEFGG0tQQaz1mPg3GFtWTPdUNXHlkBgP7PjopscHiMdmGX_wXE_XIzZ_5DElYyUOBWIzl3r1TmNPTOwCWSMaRyt4fCk6z6_Mu8639klraR3q8HfwHukGlnGLcTmRqlPlHSYmy39Pm6HJ_rZw_WJ8UACiSsTA0_AU/w274-h400/eg%20of%20nobedan%20path.jpg" width="274" /></a></span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span><i>Nobedan</i> is a modern Japanese
term for a particular approach to path design, involving contrasting
arrangements of stones that mix naturally rounded pieces or chunks split into flattish slabs with stone that has been worked
into more formal shapes (oblongs and squares mostly). The path pictured to the right gives an idea of how this technique is used in Japan, but stone carpet paths are also made outside Japan too, where they tend to be less formal and less-zen in appearance than customary in Japan. Nobedan translates roughly as 'stone carpet'
in English, an approach to design that results in distinctive outcomes. Antecedents of stone carpet designs were often called
<i>tatami-ishi </i>(literally, 'stone mats', after the tatami-mats
that figure prominently in Japanese homes). Japanese path makers sometimes mix cut stone panels as edges with sequences of irregular found-stones in ways that have zen-like results (photo, right above). These stone mats often come with quite strict linear edges due to the use of cut stone. But i</span></span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span>n North America, stone carpets tend to be fabricated using irregular fragments of fieldstone or flagstone, but without the characteristic use of squared or rectilinear stones (not readily or commercially available, as they are in Japan). My own path was contrived from flattish sandstone pavers, hand-collected and of random shapes and sizes. My design challenge was assembling
them into an ensemble that was both useful and beautiful (cf William Morris). One thing I learned from looking at photos of
other stone carpets is that a distinctive look can be achieved by using heftier stones for the edges. I borrowed this idea for my design and found it to work well in practice. I
also began seeking a rough equivalence of size between edging stones sitting across from one another, an idea that tends towards a balanced outcome.
Another idea gleaned from photos involves the practice of echoing adjacent facets of stone in layout, so that the individual pieces are blended more readily into a whole. This in turn helps the stone feel like it belongs where it's been placed. This became a key organizing principle too – one face echoing the next as much as possible, without extensive reworking of surfaces with hammer and chisel (I try to avoid over-working my stone, as going further with local sandstone inevitably runs a risk of epic failure). As much as possible, I try to utilize the facets the stones come with, seeking ways to amplify distinctive association among slabs through creative placement. I am very pleased with the outcome of this principle of placing like-with-like-facets
and would recommend it as an approach to anyone thinking of building a path in stone-carpet style. Japanese path-makers also readily accept the use of mortar as a medium for knitting arrangements into permanence, recognizing it increases the range of design choices. Using mortar allowed me, for example, to 'float' the individual pieces of stone towards a final placement that strengthened the association of the parts as an ensemble. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span>Japanese artist-gardeners also employ a trio of terms, originating in calligraphy, to
describe the composition of their aesthetic objects, including garden paths:
'shin, gyo, and so', where 'shin' refers to the formality of
geometrically cut stone, and 'so' contrasts with it in the rustic quality of
broken stone or rounded cobbles subject to gravity and rivers. 'Gyo' is the middle term, chiefly used for designs that seek to balance the poles of formality and rusticity. Overall, my path was decidedly 'gyo'
in composition and arrangement, but the stone slabs were probably somewhat 'so', inasmuch as they randomly broke into their various shapes by whatever process was used to extract them from the ground. My attempt at 'gyo'-like quality
derived from combining edge-stone discipline with the echoing of like-with-like-facets, which was a way of composing a cohesive whole from
the fragments and residuals of eons of geological process coupled with more recent human extraction. There was also the idea of setting stones consistently across the direction of the path, slowing its aesthetic momentum down. I must say I enjoyed every minute of this exercise because it served to stretch me creatively! <br /></span></span></p><p></p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Books For Looks:</span></span></b></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Michael Pollan, <b>A Place Of My Own</b>, Random House, New York, 1997.</span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHeffFSqeVyNXJpSMZ1yhMC5f_GaO3VTeqyt1YgEpepluE8MhQBwOpVyCvwMyeTqlit7hievZ__4p-9bghe37IyI8_KlNSRza7ygDiFVJa8dSIf62mGj-l6jN-mLKxXmKiB1bYUAWgLMuIABUNMRiIbLrk6CmeD9OXDAhq2fR7ErEIfyNWE7gPoIfB/s640/IMG_5933(1).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHeffFSqeVyNXJpSMZ1yhMC5f_GaO3VTeqyt1YgEpepluE8MhQBwOpVyCvwMyeTqlit7hievZ__4p-9bghe37IyI8_KlNSRza7ygDiFVJa8dSIf62mGj-l6jN-mLKxXmKiB1bYUAWgLMuIABUNMRiIbLrk6CmeD9OXDAhq2fR7ErEIfyNWE7gPoIfB/s320/IMG_5933(1).jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span></div><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Garden Technical Series</span></span></b><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">ISBN4 - 87460 - 778 - 0<br /> </span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span><br />
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<p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span>
</p><p></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Japanese Garden Design</b>, Marc P. Keane, Tuttle Publishing, 1996.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Space & Illusion In The Japanese Garden</b>, Teiji Itoh, John Weatherhill, New York, 1973.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience,</b> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mihaly Csikszentmihaly, Harper Perennial, July 2008.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Garden Paths</b>, Gordon Hayward, Camden House Publishing, Vermont, 1997 (especially Chapter Four: <b>Stone Carpets: Informal Fieldstone Walkways</b>).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Shop Class As Soulcraft: An Inquiry Into The Value Of Work</b>, Matthew B. Crawford, Penguin Books, 2009. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2dLZJTnimr2K0xf8BZ-kQniTXRxzbNT94to_pvshyVl6WqslFsM1lILhSWB2N8LTzmRC4W9QZT8SmZc78R2_OpaZR9kgB4XHwvuCWPbZ_W5L6uFAQQSy2Aod7_K3h3CiJsIJee7xa1ylMP-Lrtlo5yPCajm6Ew77SxrsidwK-RqruKFRU6nUigEE/s832/Vasilisa%20Romanenko%20Conn%20illustrator.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="625" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2dLZJTnimr2K0xf8BZ-kQniTXRxzbNT94to_pvshyVl6WqslFsM1lILhSWB2N8LTzmRC4W9QZT8SmZc78R2_OpaZR9kgB4XHwvuCWPbZ_W5L6uFAQQSy2Aod7_K3h3CiJsIJee7xa1ylMP-Lrtlo5yPCajm6Ew77SxrsidwK-RqruKFRU6nUigEE/w480-h640/Vasilisa%20Romanenko%20Conn%20illustrator.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Path pictured by Vasila Romanenko showing restful crosswise placement of paving stones.</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p>David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-73563611729494057102022-03-23T20:27:00.035-07:002022-03-25T17:54:23.287-07:00Victoria's Colonial Bungalow Fling (2)<p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><i> </i></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><i>"As a house form, the bungalow seems to have been transplanted from the British Raj to Britain, Canada, and the United States almost simultaneously, around 1880...In Canada it appeared as a dwelling in coastal British Columbia, where there was a climate like England's appropriate to bungalow dwelling and large numbers of retired Englishmen to dwell in them. Bungalows as a house form also soon appeared in the Pacific Northwest and California."</i> </span></span></span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Allan Gowans, The Comfortable House, North American Suburban Architecture 1890 - 1930.</span></span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_a66hQA0lwqSWFWAbrUFIjuMpos_LgCa8scT7bYKvWkwBnosVV0V2ciSc2M0dE8DavFI9P3WJz9LVs6bD3DXdEjYn7Xb8rO3TIv8AeIwPg_9ZyUJG6ioGPxv-Y0y3wgkz4AxtMx3tsh5TWAxVlKrzDJFaN-u53zSiGHkcSmnO2wqwr98aI5qaOhx8=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_a66hQA0lwqSWFWAbrUFIjuMpos_LgCa8scT7bYKvWkwBnosVV0V2ciSc2M0dE8DavFI9P3WJz9LVs6bD3DXdEjYn7Xb8rO3TIv8AeIwPg_9ZyUJG6ioGPxv-Y0y3wgkz4AxtMx3tsh5TWAxVlKrzDJFaN-u53zSiGHkcSmnO2wqwr98aI5qaOhx8=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><br /> <p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">Well before the California bungalow came along and took Victoria by storm (appearing in droves after 1910), the city enjoyed a lingering affair with an earlier version of this imported house type. For several decades, from at least the late 1890s to the epochal first world war, bungalows of colonial pedigree appeared along the edges of downtown and in newly emerging suburbs. Mostly workaday affordable housing, often designed by local contractors but sometimes reflecting high-style designs by local architects, these modern single-storey homes could often be quite gorgeous in their understated simplicity. As argued in a previous article (<b>Victoria's Colonial Bungalow Fling (1</b>)), this type of bungalow had deep roots in the Victoria region, having first appeared early in the colony's history in certain exotic features of its Colonial Administration Buildings, popularly known as the Birdcages. Their distinctive bell-cast hipped roofs, ample verandahs, and placement close to the ground plane would go on to enjoy a second life in the design of houses for year-round accommodation. The building above (date unknown) on Niagara Street in James Bay, offers a simple-yet-elegant interpretation of the genre: ground-hugging form, fronted by a rustic stone foundation, faceted bay window with shade hoods, shingled arts-and-crafts exterior, its verandah tucked under a hipped roof that lifts at the edges. The only thing missing here is any attempt to exploit the roof for additional living space, as indicated by the absence of dormers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">While Victoria's colonial bungalow would never rival its youthful California cousin in public popularity, it was quite widely built and brought similar lifestyle possibilities to many first-time homeowners. While sometimes dressed more generously on larger lots for a wealthier clientele, it also came to be built widely as everyday housing for people aspiring to own rather than rent their homes. Some high-style colonial bungalows were even designed as rural estate housing or as weekend retreats for the wealthy.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLRiTqQDT0-QFozpiqG5w0wFJU6BIU0d8QtIC5iqC6ru5MhlMSUPAI-H9Q5X_U8ERnsjfdk-EdFuL_ssnBf394JMNcgPY7K9GJutTcp31iQ6g1_4txkBvOB7zUQq1rcictI5L1XPrEqnVmVy-a66Ciq9QfYod6thytsU-Ln8xobpFyf1HT4TquI3wo=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLRiTqQDT0-QFozpiqG5w0wFJU6BIU0d8QtIC5iqC6ru5MhlMSUPAI-H9Q5X_U8ERnsjfdk-EdFuL_ssnBf394JMNcgPY7K9GJutTcp31iQ6g1_4txkBvOB7zUQq1rcictI5L1XPrEqnVmVy-a66Ciq9QfYod6thytsU-Ln8xobpFyf1HT4TquI3wo=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Dormered colonial bungalow on Hollywood Crescent: classical detailing, mostly intact on this facade</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">It's hard to know just how many of these often-fetching homes were actually constructed during the building's heyday, as there is no comprehensive list that I'm aware of and heritage-listing by municipalities is erratic at best. The beauty above, with ground floor classical detailing largely intact, apparently enjoys no heritage protection. The dormer above the recessed entryway has been modified to incorporate additional windows for more light, but unfortunately the new windows are not up to the standard of the building's original millwork. Colonial bungalows benefited hugely from the availability of cheap, high-quality, old growth timber milled or split from B.C.'s abundant fir and cedar forests, a factor that helped to keep their costs down for consumers. The other factor moderating cost was the availability of cheap lots opened up by electric streetcar services, which commenced early in 1890. The house shown here is large enough to be in suites, as the separate power meters visible in the photo above suggest.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhc24_jx81hRtvyhFF5vRKjEQNpsgy6qcIdfTj01rAuJZcCC7vC_WAd4wzcZV_7ddEHsv9wInf-NBmJeOKjG5JfD_bPtmV7cnvhLO63ja9RHhrF3dx7pO1XnOxAHWX7L-_PGlXN3b4vgTwaJ8z3EmZiLx6zT7o-h_Lh17H-AWOm4weQb9W1xBR9Zy8u=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhc24_jx81hRtvyhFF5vRKjEQNpsgy6qcIdfTj01rAuJZcCC7vC_WAd4wzcZV_7ddEHsv9wInf-NBmJeOKjG5JfD_bPtmV7cnvhLO63ja9RHhrF3dx7pO1XnOxAHWX7L-_PGlXN3b4vgTwaJ8z3EmZiLx6zT7o-h_Lh17H-AWOm4weQb9W1xBR9Zy8u=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">The dormers typically added to the roof form in colonial bungalows enabled utilization of the roof space for bedrooms and a bathroom. Over time, these tended to get larger. Given the size of the dormers above, the spatial gain over a plain storage attic is considerable, and sufficient to allow an upper suite as suggested by the secondary entrance, which may have been added-on (it's a little hard to tell, but the roof over it is inconsistent with any other details). Note the quality glazing in the intact dormer and the subtle use of leaded glass panes, a frequent modest-but-pleasing feature on houses like this. In all, this colonial bungalow is a choicely rendered version of the house type, situated on an irregular, oversized lot, which in my opinion merits preservation. The photo below shows the building from a different angle: note the way the shingled siding curves outwards above the belly band, in effect serving as a drip ledge to steer moisture away from the foundation. Note also the continuation of the decorative brackets under the advancing bay windows, a mark of decorative excellence.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5bnVzkQ4IUIaQEMAaw6opO8F_pbW3INXny4Wdlp45pnOrqVhkX5U8Bf2mNFEg3Rd2wsCdCQVBfN_3ZaUl3lpgS-qX21H9kzfvmNNeW7LVGTHqGu0rrxLGTKWNxfe5mJ0jbXvXfWSUdyPNj9IgNh5hFIgxd3CEuhKP726BQvBSxRNVkXAn4Co6XKZh=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5bnVzkQ4IUIaQEMAaw6opO8F_pbW3INXny4Wdlp45pnOrqVhkX5U8Bf2mNFEg3Rd2wsCdCQVBfN_3ZaUl3lpgS-qX21H9kzfvmNNeW7LVGTHqGu0rrxLGTKWNxfe5mJ0jbXvXfWSUdyPNj9IgNh5hFIgxd3CEuhKP726BQvBSxRNVkXAn4Co6XKZh=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Finely detailed building with cedar shingle siding that curves outwards at the belly band</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">In the US the term 'colonial' refers to a revival of housing types associated with America's colonial phase: typically these are two-storey houses, symmetrical in appearance, and often adorned with over-scale classical columns in higher-style versions. In Victoria the term 'colonial' refers to a house type integral to the British imperial experience in India, reaching all the way back to a humble Indian bungalow with a defining hipped roof form and a significant verandah. Victoria's colonial bungalow is an imported, stylized version of this Anglo-Indian dwelling, a source it shares with the later California bungalow but one whose original form it models more closely. Allan Gowans in his insightful <b>The Comfortable House </b>notes that "the British had from the first thought of bungalows as places of retreat, whether from the natives of their empire or from the artificialities of home society."<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><i><b>The experience of living in these adapted Indian bungalows transformed the lives of their English inhabitants, creating lasting associations that traveled with the building type as it was exported to Britain's other Pacific colonies</b></i>, or when in the later nineteenth century it appeared in England as seaside recreational housing. Life in these single-storey, low-sitting buildings took a shape very different from the tightly ordered and conventional one in the mother country. <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjT9nhwa6ZWCt93Y9_3IlOXNtRmCDWfDsq-3AjfPabqlEbIP5emqC5hOHXT_d0xe2Di5y0TtYiUokqmxBXTrZxtisTk1nAy4DOSlcpwZT1qMVzbocXAhlpnpAtgf09Ic9mmYEhZnEAb_6yqoDi3juje9KrSj1cizC9nqQhhN1cpmhQusbaBEziY56lj=s1200" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1200" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjT9nhwa6ZWCt93Y9_3IlOXNtRmCDWfDsq-3AjfPabqlEbIP5emqC5hOHXT_d0xe2Di5y0TtYiUokqmxBXTrZxtisTk1nAy4DOSlcpwZT1qMVzbocXAhlpnpAtgf09Ic9mmYEhZnEAb_6yqoDi3juje9KrSj1cizC9nqQhhN1cpmhQusbaBEziY56lj=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">A bungalow was much more open spatially, as well as more separate physically by dint of being built in its own compound, than most dwellings back home, making it far less formal and socially confining than more standard forms of British housing. This newfound freedom was especially characteristic of life enjoyed on the verandah, an intermediate social space where different orders and ranks could mingle more readily (see inset photo, right). For it was here in the cool relief from scorching heat on the bungalow's deep perimeter verandahs, tucked under its hipped and somewhat exaggerated roof form, that informality of conversation and manners, and a more relaxed approach to social life, could develop. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">Successive iterations of the Anglo-Indian bungalow elaborated the verandah both as an outdoor room and as a novel and appealing social space. One enters a bungalow through this transitional environment, and the experience of entering and perhaps lingering there conveyed unique impressions. As the verandah's design was further refined, the building's shape evolved around it. Over time the bungalow's design became more playful and eclectic, absorbing features from European architecture - like classical detailing - quite handily. When the colonial bungalow came to be built outside of India, a hip roof with a recessed verandah was frequently used to invoke the building type. A significant fronting verandah under a plain or styled hip roof was thus both symbolically and practically important when a Victoria version of the colonial bungalow began taking shape. The example below, once located at 1580 Beach Drive in Oak Bay and now apparently enjoying a second life somewhere on Saltspring Island, was designed by expatriate architect John Gerhard Tiarks in 1898.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0QdEAl6KvoEZtVsLgG2RAC7E2TIhB8-MQTiKCL9Kqqd2BepUSjOobUNyhl6Ec1xS5w5oif_9AXbdEYx2SHcn3M33VwzSDU02-YhL5iQMle6j0wl08x-SrIqTT_M9pf5k54vpqZRfhjE26sHsLT7WY1SRGPc0TADt6tEzzUQGzFG4mQTpb9D9QmvyY=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="960" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0QdEAl6KvoEZtVsLgG2RAC7E2TIhB8-MQTiKCL9Kqqd2BepUSjOobUNyhl6Ec1xS5w5oif_9AXbdEYx2SHcn3M33VwzSDU02-YhL5iQMle6j0wl08x-SrIqTT_M9pf5k54vpqZRfhjE26sHsLT7WY1SRGPc0TADt6tEzzUQGzFG4mQTpb9D9QmvyY=w640-h444" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">In part one of this article, I attempted to shed some light on the process whereby the colonial bungalow's form came to be 'indigenized' here in Victoria. This process began, according to a consensus of opinion among historians of the era, with the Colonial Administrative Buildings designed by W. O. Tiedemann in 1858. It was followed later by the works of expatriate British architect John Tiarks, beginning about 1898 with a sequence of colonial bungalows erected in Oak Bay. In tandem, on identical timelines, the oeuvre of local architect Samuel Maclure confirmed the form's relevance to Victoria, shaped it in novel ways through a long sequence of high-style versions that ran over nearly three decades, and may have contributed significantly to the shape the building ultimately took in the hands of local contractors and other architects designing houses for a growing suburban market. <br /></span></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJrU4NCElsKRYYehxF8UspnebCMbL_gzlMaY6KWZKhrWG9J8m2uGBPdRiEeMy8rHM5Pvva8EUtx44b_cGR1as3TlghPCnl7nKe9nrN4sFp70uVo71AuKPEAQ09N7xuD7a15xUuLcLGIz6ezTA0kli-tM6DvEzIN1d3WytkenUKzLfDvNhI0zYAQjxE=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJrU4NCElsKRYYehxF8UspnebCMbL_gzlMaY6KWZKhrWG9J8m2uGBPdRiEeMy8rHM5Pvva8EUtx44b_cGR1as3TlghPCnl7nKe9nrN4sFp70uVo71AuKPEAQ09N7xuD7a15xUuLcLGIz6ezTA0kli-tM6DvEzIN1d3WytkenUKzLfDvNhI0zYAQjxE=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The verandah is central to design of this 1911 colonial bungalow, by Hoult Horton for the McBeath family<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Colonial bungalows were often designed by architects for clients of means who expressly sought this type of structure. The version pictured above, designed by architect Hoult Horton for the McBeath family in 1911, is a prime example of a high-style variant. Finely wrought, with stylish classical columns in turned wood, dentils under the cornice, and classical brackets supporting its projecting roof, this massive structure is set close to the ground, shingle-sided above the belt course, and dressed to ground level in contrasting drop siding. This bungalow is also endowed with an absolutely enticing entryway, featuring a stepped balustrade and landing that lead to a substantial verandah wrapped around two faces of the building. Sadly, leaded glass that was originally part of its ensemble of features has apparently been removed, as successive owners have turned the building to suites.<br /></span></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEie4tUyrPeEJ4JvoCdPhh3O4HXERuWtTEO5RBOFLKq418MkkPtVNW5HaSsv-BrwgoREq6MzDwM11D8zyS6VIT6aUOcc_JiPVEB9ALPbO4KeAok1a4G2r8BtdR6KEqd-mky0dop6ahL8dTHj4T6Cbc28GdAWOIDCyqf8mXSbof5rUsmZrpYJPFRCADQy=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEie4tUyrPeEJ4JvoCdPhh3O4HXERuWtTEO5RBOFLKq418MkkPtVNW5HaSsv-BrwgoREq6MzDwM11D8zyS6VIT6aUOcc_JiPVEB9ALPbO4KeAok1a4G2r8BtdR6KEqd-mky0dop6ahL8dTHj4T6Cbc28GdAWOIDCyqf8mXSbof5rUsmZrpYJPFRCADQy=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Plastic flowerpots aside, elegant classical details abound here</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">To give an idea just how massive this structure actually is, I counted at least seven suites in what was originally a single family home! The building came equipped with dormers on all four sides of its hip roof, allowing the roof area to be effectively exploited as living space. The front and rear dormers have scroll-sawn balusters supporting low railings and are designed for summer use as sleeping porches. Verandahs also run along parts of three sides of the oblong structure, which is located at 614 Seaforth Street in Victoria West. It is listed on the Canadian Heritage Register as a building of significance, although the photos portraying it on the CHR website seem to diminish its overall size significantly, rendering it as a very ordinary example of the colonial bungalow. It was heritage-designated locally in 1977.<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpul5wuuCIciAx7F6CrzS2PJ-QKjAe9-UxO-KVCPAtHZTs53BR-9bBQYGpcCFD9C1wSSdAYNlAU1whKxkAGXrUQzFkFD8jcc5m02T-iwIq5SJJ5fC8V7-yXTzAqohW85dRZE4bxHGZewI4X9ksxnsl4UxynYbT-qal3Y-GriKhWIXZrNLgUTw4m639=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpul5wuuCIciAx7F6CrzS2PJ-QKjAe9-UxO-KVCPAtHZTs53BR-9bBQYGpcCFD9C1wSSdAYNlAU1whKxkAGXrUQzFkFD8jcc5m02T-iwIq5SJJ5fC8V7-yXTzAqohW85dRZE4bxHGZewI4X9ksxnsl4UxynYbT-qal3Y-GriKhWIXZrNLgUTw4m639=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></span></span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Most early versions of the colonial bungalow were not nearly as elaborate as the McBeath home, as contractors increasingly looked to them to provide more-affordable forms of contemporary housing. Some came very plainly adorned, with only a dwarf symbolic dormer, or even with no dormers at all. But over time, builders came to offer stock layouts with potential for prospective clients to select from menus of features allowing for more elaborate detailing. Many of these features improved both interior and exterior appearances, potentially adding touches of art and luxury to meet the taste of clients. There are many examples of builders adding artful components to make their efforts more appealing to a broader audience. Yet over time, not a few builders preferred instead to contract the building's footprint further in order to compress costs, while simultaneously lessening the use of artistic features in the service of the same end. But even a workaday builder's version, like the one shown below from Oak Bay, often came with some generous touches like stone foundations, brackets and dentil molding, and a faceted bay window with a decorative leaded glass panel. What was likely once open as a verandah (facade, left) may subsequently have been enclosed for interior spatial gain, a very common occurrence on smaller instances of the building type. One result is virtually no front verandah, which rather contradicts the house type.<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYQgPLBfKpyDoRQed-ZvYAEExApsZ2oYGDMCdB3izAT3bjSNqjK4wx8-_33VmNHvBHZD9DyoRpzY_g8NSdwdDnY5kqokaUqNPVaeMFL8s3zGCplKSszQkb--9V5vQqOCgQtuRRwCwo3h3PH_rL9GizqRH6KCCj0jFdvbvVvvQ6J3LPXhwqptT3ZoHv=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYQgPLBfKpyDoRQed-ZvYAEExApsZ2oYGDMCdB3izAT3bjSNqjK4wx8-_33VmNHvBHZD9DyoRpzY_g8NSdwdDnY5kqokaUqNPVaeMFL8s3zGCplKSszQkb--9V5vQqOCgQtuRRwCwo3h3PH_rL9GizqRH6KCCj0jFdvbvVvvQ6J3LPXhwqptT3ZoHv=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Victoria's version of this global building form merits greater attention as heritage in my view, if only as a harbinger of the housing revolution more fully realized with the advent of the California-style bungalow. Colonial bungalows capably (and in the hands of local architects, sometimes elegantly) rendered key features of the Anglo-Indian bungalow into early subdivision housing, beginning well before the California bungalows appeared on the scene. This type of bungalow was popular enough in its day to now be recognized as a 'vernacular' housing type, meaning a type that rooted itself locally and came to be built unselfconsciously by the building industry, with some more distinctive interpretations. The building type anticipates the era of systematic, large scale suburban development that first emerged in the pre-WW1 building boom affecting much of North America, often being erected by local builders in small clusters or even as singletons on inner-ring streets. Compared with common two-storey houses, bungalows were relatively cheap to construct with the standardized dimensional lumber and stock components then being churned out in local mills at bargain prices, so they quickly became a preferred choice of speculative builders. In its day the bungalow's horizontal look would have appeared decidedly modern, pointing a sharp contrast to the narrow verticality of many earlier Victorian homes.</span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCd0M6jSgyThrL3krnMsp4MVL6uTo_lPU-MfkE20FXQ9gW2XzPDGXxJvAxeAsDYYquRnJlwZy1Y79Km-XA220HaJRXdQT6kqS7xDZzDkukqlFMmEfqjcAFWeyLaVzCoBH49nQkn9l8hLE_DP8faRVwiSdCTys9lvO9r0roIg8iqUzPH5pIA80qwDxV=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCd0M6jSgyThrL3krnMsp4MVL6uTo_lPU-MfkE20FXQ9gW2XzPDGXxJvAxeAsDYYquRnJlwZy1Y79Km-XA220HaJRXdQT6kqS7xDZzDkukqlFMmEfqjcAFWeyLaVzCoBH49nQkn9l8hLE_DP8faRVwiSdCTys9lvO9r0roIg8iqUzPH5pIA80qwDxV=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Often built in trios by local contractors for the emerging housing market</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">How its shape congealed into the form we now recognize as characteristic - a bungalow with a bell-cast hip roof and matching dormer roofs - isn't entirely clear, but by the early 1900s these features were already becoming standard. Often built in threes by local contractors (more constrained perhaps to build during the dry season than today's building industry), increasingly designed with a fronting bay window run out close to the roof's edge coupled with a diminished front verandah (all signs of a contracting building footprint - as seen in the trio pictured above), instances of builder bungalows built 'on spec' multiplied in the first decade of the twentieth century. Early builder versions often came quite plainly adorned, some with only a dwarf dormer, or even with none at all, as in the example below from Saanich's Gorge area. This large builder's version of the type has a fairly low-rise hipped roof, bell-cast but not distinctively so, and only two fairly plain pillars supporting its entry verandah. This version does appear to have a full basement though, sitting high enough to require a ten-step staircase for access.<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjoDrnqxM6WrVAFybS0IpNHm3CQXI4kEUGdCX-u8GDyst48u9BxwN7dLhmI1emIFU7EumX8q87Tp6iSkKzRJt_75qa8byKPo2ni2E8nlQzZFO2K_QZuqFz6t9xSUOaR8w-gnA6FCon7LVAWXke-3y8Oqb9l3TpEb7OdiONShEb7eppSJ1xhEHRqbc-=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjoDrnqxM6WrVAFybS0IpNHm3CQXI4kEUGdCX-u8GDyst48u9BxwN7dLhmI1emIFU7EumX8q87Tp6iSkKzRJt_75qa8byKPo2ni2E8nlQzZFO2K_QZuqFz6t9xSUOaR8w-gnA6FCon7LVAWXke-3y8Oqb9l3TpEb7OdiONShEb7eppSJ1xhEHRqbc-=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Builder's version of a colonial bungalow in the Gorge, no frills, no dormers to access the attic</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj98o1f7NmgB-mrqAuhZwsyJfo-n6VydFoT6xi78EpoU-vq5mTjLCdnKKEqXpHv_WaG9F9LbuN9OPyr3KrnlfoWeyXJcWJB6Tbx7nYFMbnd9qJaANwYKzzNnr51rAqGnEVFNbD1ywOMiBJQSY4NMleiM3QeUGVmw3xWfi0i6N66zWqAc508Un5HSvFB=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj98o1f7NmgB-mrqAuhZwsyJfo-n6VydFoT6xi78EpoU-vq5mTjLCdnKKEqXpHv_WaG9F9LbuN9OPyr3KrnlfoWeyXJcWJB6Tbx7nYFMbnd9qJaANwYKzzNnr51rAqGnEVFNbD1ywOMiBJQSY4NMleiM3QeUGVmw3xWfi0i6N66zWqAc508Un5HSvFB=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A more elaborate builder's version, concrete block foundation, dormer accessing attic space</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Over time, and with growing interest shown by architects, the dormers grew larger and more numerous as the advantage of opening up the attic for spatial gain became more apparent and better explored. Architect-rendered variants also tended towards finer proportioning and, along with spacious verandahs, bay windows and other features, offered more careful detailing and proportioning. The colonial bungalow below, one of Oak Bay's dressiest, shows these processes in motion. The dormers, side and rear, are elegantly proportioned if understated, floating comfortably in the massive, sharply rising hip roof space. Note the addition of a gabled dormer over an advancing bay window with a flared tail to better integrate it into the main roof form. Over time dormers tended to grow in size on high-style variants, as the attic became more and more consciously conscripted for use.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjShOrieJmQ9bsK8XbBpEWXD08LrGAoSrm_ky_-0Ko7r2wnVHyYpV8PMIWpoMN7PyrrykhPeBZHf5FaCi2qpS1HsRfKnRRX0Uy67t6M39j0H-F551iVj7yg9DfctH9q5MO18ozQsXMVjqNdc8y6UJWHtGPXmyTRqZum4hlysuk0Ppiw1qa6yROSriNz=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjShOrieJmQ9bsK8XbBpEWXD08LrGAoSrm_ky_-0Ko7r2wnVHyYpV8PMIWpoMN7PyrrykhPeBZHf5FaCi2qpS1HsRfKnRRX0Uy67t6M39j0H-F551iVj7yg9DfctH9q5MO18ozQsXMVjqNdc8y6UJWHtGPXmyTRqZum4hlysuk0Ppiw1qa6yROSriNz=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Well-dressed version of the colonial bungalow in Oak Bay, perhaps by an architect of note</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">For the most part, builders and architects tended to give their dormers roof-lines identical to that of the main hipped roof (ie. bell-cast). For whatever reason, this worked so well that it became an almost-universal trait. In the hands of someone with talent for design, this meant that the dormers floated in a balanced way in their roof space, complimenting it aesthetically while providing substantially more internal space. The colonial bungalow below, also in Oak Bay and designed by architect Thomas Hooper, demonstrates this synthesis of roof forms. An eclectically styled example, it sports a bevy of tapered timber uprights supporting a full-width verandah, a portion of which has a roofed, faceted bay window in an advancing bump-out. In addition to offering some classical detailing (dentils, but no brackets) this example has turned wood balusters supporting its low verandah railings (turned wood is rare on arts-and-crafts buildings due to its association with Victorian-era decorative excess). This is a lovely colonial bungalow in fine nick overall, marred only slightly by the presence of a modern hollow-core door (left, verandah) to admit upper tenants to their suite.<br /></span></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8_fOX5lG-nVBl0ErNA5z98xqrmmfKmWVSheWxbeL57c_bcgV5wUc0u9RHPWwnonWkz203iB8v02jATS8H5eUcbLnrHL-VQYaUOykbEAgcbkeI_ECtZG3o7zomRgeGV1F0eP1Taax8lSSM38Ioc1eMvO8uKs-UQVUaNk85lFBh-o31_iiWUrsNZ_xZ=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8_fOX5lG-nVBl0ErNA5z98xqrmmfKmWVSheWxbeL57c_bcgV5wUc0u9RHPWwnonWkz203iB8v02jATS8H5eUcbLnrHL-VQYaUOykbEAgcbkeI_ECtZG3o7zomRgeGV1F0eP1Taax8lSSM38Ioc1eMvO8uKs-UQVUaNk85lFBh-o31_iiWUrsNZ_xZ=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thomas Hooper-designed version with all the subtleties a name architect could draw from the idiom</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Proportioning of dormers and other building masses tended towards excellence in the hands of architects, but could be more hit-and-miss with builders who were busily adapting their re-designs to other needs and cost structures. Dormers roofed so as to conform to the main bell-cast roof became the norm; but occasionally, the dormers could be roofed with an opposite treatment in order to mark a contrast to the main roof, something a creative architect like Samuel Maclure brought off deftly. In fact, one might say Maclure came to prefer this differential treatment, from about the time his earlier, more-harmonious approach became the norm among contractors in the emerging housing market. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">One variant that occasionally showed up stands apart from the mainstream of designs, involving a gable-roofed version of the dormer that marks a stronger contrast with the main hipped roof. In some respects, it seems slightly incongruous for the dormers to occupy such great height, serving to extend the main ridge line and thus in no way 'floating' in the expanse of the hipped roof. It is also, to my eye at least, transformative of the building's overall look, rendering it slightly less colonial-bungalow-like and a little more on route to sprouting a full second floor. Nevertheless, these variants are grand structures in their own right, often endowed with quite handsome detailing like the shingle-style version shown in photo one below, which even sports a modest Tudor tip in its gable peak. This house has some very fine touches, like the styled-shingling of the arches running between its generous clusters of columns. <b>Mountain View</b> (second photo, below) on the other hand is a simpler proposition overall, relying more on proportioning for effect than on detailing and decoration. Apart from some turned-wood balusters and a gable that's Tudored similarly to the first house (a Victoria hallmark), <b>Mountain View</b> is more sparely decorated overall yet still quite handsome. It comes with drop siding on its main floor apartments, reverting to cedar shingles both beneath the belly band and as cladding on the dormers. And both houses appear to have tiny sleeping porches behind their railed dormer fronts, while the first example has a full-width verandah that is secured with no fewer than ten grouped and tapered posts.<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigaInRgNwX3jUNQTYZxnED8jiRI1XdtzgG8ZayWBKWp7bJPfXZefM940y8hODRaGxpD27q-IJJHw_SNZn-YvMBqWPD16r0acKy0xAgsL_ODq8NyjqluZLvzXnYIfnBKrSlkMdtZreHoT7aXahXLP-HCfZRj5as3lDkuWvN5o2cxr1-8XPjpZBwxiRK=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigaInRgNwX3jUNQTYZxnED8jiRI1XdtzgG8ZayWBKWp7bJPfXZefM940y8hODRaGxpD27q-IJJHw_SNZn-YvMBqWPD16r0acKy0xAgsL_ODq8NyjqluZLvzXnYIfnBKrSlkMdtZreHoT7aXahXLP-HCfZRj5as3lDkuWvN5o2cxr1-8XPjpZBwxiRK=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fine example of a shingle-style version with gable dormers, on South Turner, Victoria</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjD7WkJA-7jZphiqsZW0niYgC_LpSeLloggqGX650M820jEe824dxW1vlrGSkUh4Kjj5HozlDwDmYyDerg9zeK6J0UDlwHhJ4gQKqevBwS4K78YgjVrSQMlt2JTI_l1caA2SB0dhPVSEEtQ1CGV9P0UqubghMR2SGDGeYzVQWjJrqojokb1Ceig3eND=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjD7WkJA-7jZphiqsZW0niYgC_LpSeLloggqGX650M820jEe824dxW1vlrGSkUh4Kjj5HozlDwDmYyDerg9zeK6J0UDlwHhJ4gQKqevBwS4K78YgjVrSQMlt2JTI_l1caA2SB0dhPVSEEtQ1CGV9P0UqubghMR2SGDGeYzVQWjJrqojokb1Ceig3eND=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Mountain View</b>, on Carey Road in Saanich, relies more on proportioning for its effect</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Generally speaking, dormer roof-lines were much more likely to echo the main roof-form than to contrast with it, creating a replica of the main roof even on humbler versions of the style. These small 'cabins' set within the roof-form would have driven costs up to a degree. But even workaday builder's bungalows soon came with conforming dormers, increasingly showing on all four faces of the hipped roof, giving the building-type a definite, quasi-fixed appearance.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1ZAZR_U0e-nHM1f86FUSE-62QSfvnuNJkfd9HJawJNdUcpZaeakCu3_frN4uh7D7T448p7lxTnk1BF3n-s8MZBm40EurJagu7aE24EnWhIgzgoZDALLD_LEnSyJhp9aIWu9hayB4jngvnonUDm_yDZiJ7CGAPfRQndO94uxRWUHQWnYSYDMmkPa-T=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1ZAZR_U0e-nHM1f86FUSE-62QSfvnuNJkfd9HJawJNdUcpZaeakCu3_frN4uh7D7T448p7lxTnk1BF3n-s8MZBm40EurJagu7aE24EnWhIgzgoZDALLD_LEnSyJhp9aIWu9hayB4jngvnonUDm_yDZiJ7CGAPfRQndO94uxRWUHQWnYSYDMmkPa-T=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Builder version with dormers on all four sides</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNPlMjTeXxj01yCr0oXd478zI_WbLeaiQ7DulGXSxE7DAN6BYCBTrS48hVig-uyPAZFPSaKaUazz7HtTl5Hwnqjqr6D8ZhN1AJIc77ZjH-p0Rd2otMILCLIpqOwCj-mjR01sfFst09xjqwE9rMQCL60Vxw7vKiUR7McOzvrUuwvg5acmqCLSklOXSc=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNPlMjTeXxj01yCr0oXd478zI_WbLeaiQ7DulGXSxE7DAN6BYCBTrS48hVig-uyPAZFPSaKaUazz7HtTl5Hwnqjqr6D8ZhN1AJIc77ZjH-p0Rd2otMILCLIpqOwCj-mjR01sfFst09xjqwE9rMQCL60Vxw7vKiUR7McOzvrUuwvg5acmqCLSklOXSc=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Massive builder colonial bungalow that is now a bed-and-breakfast on Government Street</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMjzrQbICV6qgsf3k2sKtfSvGygjd3kJ5qkbs2Y1y2Brfu7oXkB_nV_rQLGdc3-cO0zDKfRQubXHowMl7LgydWj2Yi2gVs7kQoWF6BdEhuvAA_O_BroSJ1uD-5RMI3Sp9pkKIAMQBfbkAK0bvuba-JXEj2mABpd8QJnn72vuaZcST1Hi0LM9FII6ja=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMjzrQbICV6qgsf3k2sKtfSvGygjd3kJ5qkbs2Y1y2Brfu7oXkB_nV_rQLGdc3-cO0zDKfRQubXHowMl7LgydWj2Yi2gVs7kQoWF6BdEhuvAA_O_BroSJ1uD-5RMI3Sp9pkKIAMQBfbkAK0bvuba-JXEj2mABpd8QJnn72vuaZcST1Hi0LM9FII6ja=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fine version of the colonial bungalow with elegant dormers, most likely by a local architect</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Like the California bungalow, with which it cohabited from about 1910 on, the colonial bungalow easily accepted a broad array of treatments and detailing. Mostly these features were modest add-ons, but they could definitely be subtly sophisticated if an architect happened to be involved. Variation of features helped keep buildings fresh-looking even in repetitive suburban layouts, lending them a degree of uniqueness. Photo one (below) shows a verandah with elegant sawn balusters that somewhat resemble upside-down dining room table legs, designed by architect L. W. Hargreaves circa 1911. Photo two (below) shows another 1911 colonial bungalow in the Hillside neighbourhood, designed by James Fairall, featuring cantilevered side-bay windows with casements under fixed art-glass panes. Photo three (below) shows details from a Saanich colonial bungalow designed in 1913 for Bert Graham, with art-glass panes over a trio of windows in a projecting octagonal bay.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHVHpKFIZJGr9Gt243ti9UVsBYHpGv2u1iFtaGXs3wWKda80EwIvFI4AKT4YtpwAbf2F1gjlRVWTDjV9YPTk_saGQKRMhYKPUB706QdKMeevPFwsAC8qmEotJ0RX11aBgVeLj1cSyLed0S5mOx71lG6wFBNiTG3hFyQv681_rzXBuacYLGzoepauRg=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHVHpKFIZJGr9Gt243ti9UVsBYHpGv2u1iFtaGXs3wWKda80EwIvFI4AKT4YtpwAbf2F1gjlRVWTDjV9YPTk_saGQKRMhYKPUB706QdKMeevPFwsAC8qmEotJ0RX11aBgVeLj1cSyLed0S5mOx71lG6wFBNiTG3hFyQv681_rzXBuacYLGzoepauRg=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7OP4byot9t75Nq0WUkAMZAno6GaPfswZl2NgNIZpfCIkOOavCg6lyXKW-39sWuu2GX5Zd5jHM_QoybAnFK-9JXgXEmtOO7PND2VED6S_aWYaUAf7zC0EWm1LeepKAFJSlkbSLZx4fUorlvemckhaiTN-hzSuQmOvgq5DqYYzHPzhFH3TkdZ9hTowz=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7OP4byot9t75Nq0WUkAMZAno6GaPfswZl2NgNIZpfCIkOOavCg6lyXKW-39sWuu2GX5Zd5jHM_QoybAnFK-9JXgXEmtOO7PND2VED6S_aWYaUAf7zC0EWm1LeepKAFJSlkbSLZx4fUorlvemckhaiTN-hzSuQmOvgq5DqYYzHPzhFH3TkdZ9hTowz=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></span></span><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrfNiZE_ap5FJWvJxebAG6Y2OjB4EUDWhNgDvbZnvXhC61cdLDaWjUPoAr6vbRWyjBgACIBz6x09ZlSY7F-QTjWqH94ITZtG3Ppt01zcYjvSyoPxrxGYtuy0k_WasgDPe2jINMTdTCCRiAhubp270XORyDmb8WrkkdpJ5y7ePkGMIu2pOW_H61jNCx=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrfNiZE_ap5FJWvJxebAG6Y2OjB4EUDWhNgDvbZnvXhC61cdLDaWjUPoAr6vbRWyjBgACIBz6x09ZlSY7F-QTjWqH94ITZtG3Ppt01zcYjvSyoPxrxGYtuy0k_WasgDPe2jINMTdTCCRiAhubp270XORyDmb8WrkkdpJ5y7ePkGMIu2pOW_H61jNCx=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The attic's considerable space also tended towards greater use in the hands of capable architects, resulting in any number of finely proportioned, well-laid out instances appearing around town. The example below is a higher-style version of the colonial bungalow, located on Government Street near Dallas Road, sited well back from the street on a fairly generous town lot. I don't know whether or not an architect had a hand in its detailing, but it is certainly a well-conceived shingle-style variant. Note the expanded scale of the front dormer here, with its four substantial diamond-paned windows.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjschJN_S6EaJIqFLLq8rf-sJk7s8YrG2znXy-fwFpoNZxCTWykvFRmf2rVuLckKapVasYHbjAc6KS2gB8Qg3dcQ7wkwZSO-eG9CaB1ckgWxgmXpcNhrRKcGLTs4q72lvn6w4dijbtgsS8xA2yTS14M3Ysijjq9GzZdfFrhk8RpxF3eJwVbtbl8d3Qx=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjschJN_S6EaJIqFLLq8rf-sJk7s8YrG2znXy-fwFpoNZxCTWykvFRmf2rVuLckKapVasYHbjAc6KS2gB8Qg3dcQ7wkwZSO-eG9CaB1ckgWxgmXpcNhrRKcGLTs4q72lvn6w4dijbtgsS8xA2yTS14M3Ysijjq9GzZdfFrhk8RpxF3eJwVbtbl8d3Qx=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This beauty has some really nice touches, including being generously proportioned</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span>While architects were rendering these homes more generously for their better-heeled clientele (while their novel designs were quickly copied by discerning local builders), other speculative builders were at work contracting the colonial bungalow footprint to fit onto the smaller lots that tended to come with continually rising land prices. These contractors also tended to cheapen their builds by foregoing elements of significance they deemed expendable. Many larger colonial bungalows came with a central entry corridor, with relatively large rooms placed off it on both sides, as in the example pictured above (note the positioning of the front door, implying generosity of layout). This required a certain minimum building width to be brought off credibly, and achieving that outcome required a wide-enough lot. Builder's versions tended over time to head in the opposite direction, shrinking the footprint to fit it onto more circumscribed (and thus more-uniform, less-featured) building lots. One way of doing this involved abandoning the full-width fronting verandah in favour of a bay window occupying what had once been verandah space. As the examples above and below show, this could be made to work with sufficient width allowed. The designated heritage building pictured below maintains the central hallway approach, while accommodating the advancing bay window. It comes with some fine attributes, including art glass panels in the advancing bay and scroll-sawn shade hoods above the bay's corner window. One change illustrated here is the tendency to raise the building higher in order to accommodate a full basement that enables central heating and other services (here necessitating an eleven-step access to the front door). This change was sometimes effectively masked by siding the building to just above ground level, as was done below. Another tendency involves shrinking the lot width, making it more difficult to achieve a feeling of landscape context for the building.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhr5Zhni-vIa8lXYlgj-K17vYZC1-sPul2PRPJ3rPYxCI6hDPY2yX7wrLUeZ2Gr7qKaCI7JZAe5-ELBoYZXg7gkQPlx_nbCieonVOZ2kIaARicZEq4-PDxj3fFBhJ8cyNjKHJiniH7PJ6ss1hTdHipev_Df9Hg984KScuUYG1m2cbqFh_lYYVob1FgM=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhr5Zhni-vIa8lXYlgj-K17vYZC1-sPul2PRPJ3rPYxCI6hDPY2yX7wrLUeZ2Gr7qKaCI7JZAe5-ELBoYZXg7gkQPlx_nbCieonVOZ2kIaARicZEq4-PDxj3fFBhJ8cyNjKHJiniH7PJ6ss1hTdHipev_Df9Hg984KScuUYG1m2cbqFh_lYYVob1FgM=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">One of a number of designated colonial bungalows in the city of Victoria, with a witches' cap roofline</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span>Not all attempts to shrink the building's footprint were equally successful, resulting in some versions that appear too truncated to work aesthetically. The following shots show a few builder's bungalows that have been over-contracted in order to fit onto their drastically abridged lots. The first illustrates an entrance moved to one side of the structure to accommodate less-than-ideal width; offsetting this is the fact that the verandah still runs across the entire frontage, making the building appear somewhat larger than it actually is. The second shows a colonial bungalow that's only a couple of rooms deep, in order to accommodate its shortened lot; offsetting this somewhat is retention of a central front door and vestibule arrangement, which uses the lot's width to advantage. Contraction can however only be taken so far before the building is no longer a truly distinctive type, a fact well illustrated by the third shot, presenting an outcome compromised by its initial design and now badly neglected. The fourth photo shows a building that's contracted for its lot but with just enough context left for it to maintain a sense of having an environment. The price here is largely paid by reducing the verandah to a vestigial presence.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4hxEvindPblNkH_7PecQ2g51Ib_XmBlZjXVheEuVjueb9JrPhajGLWU9XiGXqL27VPOmr6xJVA7nvjaKM9gKnOuvagLr_3JN_kjtZDGCE7i1yWcVSgF4ZJTVPKFyFGYIknwv_JQBvQAu1M_5coId2ITeZ4kkTC3CFobyhaB3wxy98q3hzm1TIf6JL=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4hxEvindPblNkH_7PecQ2g51Ib_XmBlZjXVheEuVjueb9JrPhajGLWU9XiGXqL27VPOmr6xJVA7nvjaKM9gKnOuvagLr_3JN_kjtZDGCE7i1yWcVSgF4ZJTVPKFyFGYIknwv_JQBvQAu1M_5coId2ITeZ4kkTC3CFobyhaB3wxy98q3hzm1TIf6JL=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Shrinking the bungalow's footprint to fit the lot: half the building, but a full frontal verandah</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHNa7hnaWfhx8oSWdW6OzBi0l3NMhbr0xXmrJ7l3Nit72y2qtpqOHvDWSlnJseQOlsL88Ffi6-edkcbNPfNozr8HKApxb9LLPq-e4oVT_5JgEjaGbpT2bo4xUl5gwD2ZtSzlPa9m3zd9IYG1EWcIm-w-6k0LvFK2VQlL9ckSUmHSBBXyUaiqJVXFwO=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHNa7hnaWfhx8oSWdW6OzBi0l3NMhbr0xXmrJ7l3Nit72y2qtpqOHvDWSlnJseQOlsL88Ffi6-edkcbNPfNozr8HKApxb9LLPq-e4oVT_5JgEjaGbpT2bo4xUl5gwD2ZtSzlPa9m3zd9IYG1EWcIm-w-6k0LvFK2VQlL9ckSUmHSBBXyUaiqJVXFwO=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Shortening the bungalow in order to fit a truncated lot</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgadFHbhsbPOq6IBZEPECiFAAaAKZ-ue5ADykdPGn3_CnlGaGlJ90npYZLWeFYY5j38VKAPXjLCtyDN2T5VCLNRsqgmAl3wNNlbAGxvLhalbySHxJ2TWa8ofPMIzoYcOeeU3S6mu7JBx3hYTCL2CBQGsPKA6g9l_amInJUqmryWj7TveKM3T2V10gBo=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgadFHbhsbPOq6IBZEPECiFAAaAKZ-ue5ADykdPGn3_CnlGaGlJ90npYZLWeFYY5j38VKAPXjLCtyDN2T5VCLNRsqgmAl3wNNlbAGxvLhalbySHxJ2TWa8ofPMIzoYcOeeU3S6mu7JBx3hYTCL2CBQGsPKA6g9l_amInJUqmryWj7TveKM3T2V10gBo=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Shrinking the structure to fit an impossibly small lot, then enclosing the tiny verandah</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhS-hogjx_sRbWXCLAbq4jFuP1fd7A5a9INlSNbXn0E4Woqrw7Cj6Dt5uNUKMyg0Fj34D5fUzx95AAnFDDyACBMzUU200-qjnBxafqZa0DCRuLS9mLlJAFadcuI49gMgumznYiAltquV781SB9tTNMDFCAgvg-VeNoUPEmKZ7iiWVth04jHhrVgJX80=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhS-hogjx_sRbWXCLAbq4jFuP1fd7A5a9INlSNbXn0E4Woqrw7Cj6Dt5uNUKMyg0Fj34D5fUzx95AAnFDDyACBMzUU200-qjnBxafqZa0DCRuLS9mLlJAFadcuI49gMgumznYiAltquV781SB9tTNMDFCAgvg-VeNoUPEmKZ7iiWVth04jHhrVgJX80=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Marginalising the verandah in order to keep some of the key features of a colonial bungalow</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>It's not surprising that a building type from a distant corner of Britain's global empire would migrate and then become popular in another of that empire's distant reaches.</i></b> Following the union of the colonies of Vancouver Island and mainland BC, Victoria was chosen as capital of a unified British Columbia in 1868. The united colony continued to attract capital and skilled professionals from the motherland, including surveyors who reconnoitred exploitable resources and laid out many new townsites. Victoria continued as a very British place long after the province's confederation with the Dominion of Canada, attracting droves of expatriate professionals like surveyors, architects, merchants, tradesmen and builders, along with many people pursuing military or administrative careers in the Britain's empire (Esquimalt was originally the headquarters of the British North Pacific fleet, up until 1914). It also attracted sizable amounts of surplus British capital that ultimately financed major, ongoing investments in electric street railways and hydro-electric power generation, for example.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Local ties to England and an overall pride in the achievements of the British Empire distilled a receptive audience for the colonial bungalow, now an imperial icon of domestic comfort symbolizing safe haven in a new land and a rapidly changing world. But this same colonial bungalow, in the hands of local builders, could also be done-up affordably for a growing middle class that was being invited to partake of what, from the mid-1890s until WW1, was an unprecedented material prosperity. The advent of colonial bungalows built in larger quantities coincided with the spreading desire to own one's own home and the available means to more readily acquire it (generally, it could be as inexpensive as renting, especially with cheap raw materials and the new means of financing then coming on-stream). These factors greatly expanded the market for housing created 'on spec' (ie, built for sale to as-yet unknown buyers), a clear precursor of the provision of housing in subdivisions by land development companies.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipuRXYCg2pI890CDaIwi8KAvJSYMXW3Oy2CUTiCvxc4X4MbsjnlFYvbbViEZidp0b1u4Pg79W-NetjlPHFICAXYtjsEFOAhXxtgD2ACD7hcjzQhcN7K2JQAcq9GSgjNWRuE0OpUiN6I-D1hA8aqIlmGoYTUbsm5oUc-iirtrVTPCpFJYFyRDhiFaYY=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipuRXYCg2pI890CDaIwi8KAvJSYMXW3Oy2CUTiCvxc4X4MbsjnlFYvbbViEZidp0b1u4Pg79W-NetjlPHFICAXYtjsEFOAhXxtgD2ACD7hcjzQhcN7K2JQAcq9GSgjNWRuE0OpUiN6I-D1hA8aqIlmGoYTUbsm5oUc-iirtrVTPCpFJYFyRDhiFaYY=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Speculative housing designed by architect A. M. Muir, 1909, in Victoria West</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span style="font-family: times;">The colonial bungalow pictured above is one of four designed by architect A. M. Muir in Victoria West in 1909, proving both that the colonial bungalow's footprint could be shrunk to fit a smaller lot without total sacrifice of its distinctive qualities, and that houses built 'on spec' could sell in the emerging market and were thus worthy of architectural attention. In addition to its imperial cachet, this style of bungalow also conveyed impressions of the less-formal, more-relaxed way of living associated with its Anglo-Indian forerunner. Overall the colonial bungalow carried anti-Victorian undertones in its sustained horizontality, reinforced by its association with the British arts-and-crafts movement and its early use in England for coastal or rural retreats.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicdEOBePtkiGh0XZzX4gwAuRsJdGENWHpPc3OTQrvvwRvoYfLDGxL9OhDwtr7Nw8myVZdRHTdMKl52ufeAQ-OSphHh-XMLn6ux2QnQvOqbfkC1PewuT1nW5lZW2AKNuvPdscsajzWmSj3VhIx2OURiNhZB7h90dpCSOuzOSbMftKm_MQoBnRfLRgai=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicdEOBePtkiGh0XZzX4gwAuRsJdGENWHpPc3OTQrvvwRvoYfLDGxL9OhDwtr7Nw8myVZdRHTdMKl52ufeAQ-OSphHh-XMLn6ux2QnQvOqbfkC1PewuT1nW5lZW2AKNuvPdscsajzWmSj3VhIx2OURiNhZB7h90dpCSOuzOSbMftKm_MQoBnRfLRgai=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Today the colonial bungalow can still be recognized by certain characteristic physical features: foremost its hipped roof-line, typically flared (bell-cast) at the edges, followed by its prominent dormers echoing the main roofline; another defining feature is a generous verandah that's frequently tucked under the main roof, although as time passed this was more often abridged to accommodate an advancing, faceted bay window, as illustrated by the photo above; this example, built in 1913 for local painter/decorator Bert Graham on Boleskine Road in Saanich, has been carefully restored to preserve and emphasize its original features.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAy-e-NAfgCbxC2BkuGCjXq8MeI4QwHpjHh8vS2Fcn1LKbQ_aNncGLK8sBMdgmRQFmkgg-cwq9DZ4DPUxtv0b3UocsRfvAp4sktcy36oDNi0AdLcFRQ0nYDDmt7y-Nm9oKz2opoNCFrSdKjfyKrGM-8k3_Fqflu15NaEWW-wu3qEFjbXF4uyaakqjY=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAy-e-NAfgCbxC2BkuGCjXq8MeI4QwHpjHh8vS2Fcn1LKbQ_aNncGLK8sBMdgmRQFmkgg-cwq9DZ4DPUxtv0b3UocsRfvAp4sktcy36oDNi0AdLcFRQ0nYDDmt7y-Nm9oKz2opoNCFrSdKjfyKrGM-8k3_Fqflu15NaEWW-wu3qEFjbXF4uyaakqjY=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span style="font-family: times;">Colonial bungalows were as versatile at absorbing details as their later California cousins, in fact being influenced by the latter's design variations soon after they began appearing around Victoria. The version pictured above, located in Esquimalt, has many special and charming features, including a leaded-glass transom and door surround, a full-width front verandah with bay windows, and exposed rafter tails in Craftsman fashion on its roof and dormers. The stepped balustrade also adds a classy interest to the entry staircase, projecting the house out into the surrounding world.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Colonial bungalow design treatments could vary as much as architects and builders wanted them to. The photo below shows a colonial bungalow on Princess Avenue designed by architect L. W. Hargreaves circa 1911. A rustic foundation and tapered stone piers support slender, fluted classical columns rising to a bracketed enclosed soffit. This building comes with many lovely features, including a full-width verandah and a glazed front door. Drop siding on the main floor and dormers turn to shingles below the belly band.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirEiWAxDto2GJAVXZB9QchXB1TdYh8H6TnNG8GJKyCIbKUV7mN0L5fgZgVjqriL64Q889reDhRRXWc_E1G3U1sSs5yf9xjkS9aV6NxcGVInlH3NCEucC4oJIuaxOmpR2exlT1-YOxIzc1eUvV6av76-IhD2lzYsV3Ni4UVqlT2BDBUYlvMpLwSUXdw=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirEiWAxDto2GJAVXZB9QchXB1TdYh8H6TnNG8GJKyCIbKUV7mN0L5fgZgVjqriL64Q889reDhRRXWc_E1G3U1sSs5yf9xjkS9aV6NxcGVInlH3NCEucC4oJIuaxOmpR2exlT1-YOxIzc1eUvV6av76-IhD2lzYsV3Ni4UVqlT2BDBUYlvMpLwSUXdw=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">California-style bungalows sometimes added Asian-features to an already eclectic mix of Swiss, Craftsman and other elements. After 1910, colonial bungalows were subject to similar wide-ranging design mixtures. On the dwelling below, located in Saanich's upper Gorge neighbourhood, the rustic quality of a cobblestone foundation and piers combines with Asian-influenced brackets and gable-end treatments to produce an interesting mixture. Of course, there are also Tudor boards in the gable with knee braces (Craftsman touch) for support, with a classical dentil course thrown in for good measure! I had the good fortune to look inside this colonial bungalow, so was able to glimpse its many arts-and-crafts features including a classic central hallway layout. This example is wide enough to incorporate an entry hallway without sacrificing generosity of room layouts. Its once-open verandah has been enclosed for protection against the elements.</span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaNG-XXgd324LNBkvUOgbmn7ahm_54WrDaJ3DejYfbRj1sp2cTKC8QpwD_AcfMCUxkI_L_mjsOFeodL5KISyza_kiDYfJabVXn-B1KdhUVwegAO5rGHYcsTv0GnHwYprLwdx6bdRDBTmCP5JYTI0yQQueCB4gmgAF9-1zaWdlV1vL1AxEt9Uy1bzjj=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaNG-XXgd324LNBkvUOgbmn7ahm_54WrDaJ3DejYfbRj1sp2cTKC8QpwD_AcfMCUxkI_L_mjsOFeodL5KISyza_kiDYfJabVXn-B1KdhUVwegAO5rGHYcsTv0GnHwYprLwdx6bdRDBTmCP5JYTI0yQQueCB4gmgAF9-1zaWdlV1vL1AxEt9Uy1bzjj=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Eclecticism often governed the choice of details, sometimes jarringly, at other times more sympathetically. When it all worked, however, it could be spectacular, even if idioms were a bit jumbled in the results. The designated colonial bungalow below, at 949 Meares Street in Victoria, is one instance where a mixture of elements really works, aided and abetted by a tasteful application of current colour. This house has been lovingly restored to its original character, which includes a mix of classical elements and special features.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOj5uMvJD644zZHaE-g7R-rTmSe4lYQu_Zn5MAqBfGsVlNUOCqCdGuiIfUyY1BrJ5Zr5VXGCjsq8zcV8Zf6NhrVlHKouzUma7HUmWLeO_snzbjPkdtmVHZs9RI7JjVj5JEi3ouQaFcXgc9AsVNEGbW4Q9sR3Uev0ZgUZpYyGwaufea9lCCkWGbnmth=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOj5uMvJD644zZHaE-g7R-rTmSe4lYQu_Zn5MAqBfGsVlNUOCqCdGuiIfUyY1BrJ5Zr5VXGCjsq8zcV8Zf6NhrVlHKouzUma7HUmWLeO_snzbjPkdtmVHZs9RI7JjVj5JEi3ouQaFcXgc9AsVNEGbW4Q9sR3Uev0ZgUZpYyGwaufea9lCCkWGbnmth=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidmi16fvlOh-75YV4m6gfpot1qCvZew1e5_gGXMJC7jgT4fp9ZZCExxuI8RIUQvZlh62q-Xuq3CQu2sOOFPPmuI84mWKqsU9MIDXDXDgCwcpGJH3Cv7J4xvNhCS8TW_pFZ1ldkkAvBPUyAQNvYhuNGhGuUogQZYVGoGIIYvjEOsTZ-c6xDTqy5pMCB=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidmi16fvlOh-75YV4m6gfpot1qCvZew1e5_gGXMJC7jgT4fp9ZZCExxuI8RIUQvZlh62q-Xuq3CQu2sOOFPPmuI84mWKqsU9MIDXDXDgCwcpGJH3Cv7J4xvNhCS8TW_pFZ1ldkkAvBPUyAQNvYhuNGhGuUogQZYVGoGIIYvjEOsTZ-c6xDTqy5pMCB=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Usually colonial bungalows (indeed, most older houses in Victoria) are sided with wood, either as dressed drop siding (photo above) or cedar shingled in local arts-and-crafts style, or with a mix of both in distinct panels separated by a band, with either form potentially given prominence on the main body of the building. But there are several exceptions to the use of wooden siding, one of which is a brick colonial bungalow - a building material in short supply in Victoria that tended to be reserved for commercial buildings in the downtown. The example pictured below, built by bricklayer William Heatherbell on Linden Avenue in 1905, is a known exception. A solid if rather plain design, the house's once-open verandah is now fully enclosed, altering the look of the building from the street somewhat. But it remains a good example of the genre in a rarely used building material.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgo964EMmNLH9mGnNMql1QXdVJVKdTG2o6lYkuel_JQ6uaeX38QtIPEAV0BGabx7Tv10835OTmZeIOtmFuTQ0He2aVpaaReTNu8jflI5CeewQVsopftlrrRtFt9wfdS0502-dtyEPVrMjHUaDcUeqdUTZIg_UL5vfGsFDJ-g3oX7Etjtx_vaEs0VuMS=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgo964EMmNLH9mGnNMql1QXdVJVKdTG2o6lYkuel_JQ6uaeX38QtIPEAV0BGabx7Tv10835OTmZeIOtmFuTQ0He2aVpaaReTNu8jflI5CeewQVsopftlrrRtFt9wfdS0502-dtyEPVrMjHUaDcUeqdUTZIg_UL5vfGsFDJ-g3oX7Etjtx_vaEs0VuMS=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Stone is a common local material that often found its way into foundations and piers supporting the bungalow's verandah, where it serves to connect building to ground with rustic effect. This can be a very convincing use that has the virtue of linking the building more organically to its site, even if the stone used didn't originate there. But stone is rarely seen as the principal building material on colonial bungalows in these parts. However, one exception is the house at 4201 Quadra Street, erected in 1906 for pioneer Saanich dairy farmers Ellen and Josiah Bull. It was built for them by mason A. W. Roberts, from random fieldstone that was perhaps gathered on site as part of the process of creating and tending the farm's fields. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8EU7xBhigciKxITluBrdNHcLJ49DCK5Ue9jbRBdctjpD_Ht9YLqCFgpyCJmhH2ngFt17xtZyDlJN0OlYZq2DzBZm0sFq_HmtCIXJYD4NYcJN8b8IZkwX8Z90ehPyQmKZJOHUVJmgj-1_PKl5NpYOFH8AQkVufPjGmg0DGUWoFXHyvXuJ3lFeMhrL9=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8EU7xBhigciKxITluBrdNHcLJ49DCK5Ue9jbRBdctjpD_Ht9YLqCFgpyCJmhH2ngFt17xtZyDlJN0OlYZq2DzBZm0sFq_HmtCIXJYD4NYcJN8b8IZkwX8Z90ehPyQmKZJOHUVJmgj-1_PKl5NpYOFH8AQkVufPjGmg0DGUWoFXHyvXuJ3lFeMhrL9=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixX6UglRHa6VterdQYbusKgBEvLHmi4chKFEUgvU57Z1HYGE_IoqAeYWzgVq-HASWEE-TyvosG8Y02QT1wrRIBBMwGN1wtLVZdgXdLiWDvoOBLwU4g7XSAuq06k6BQufmRYZ3hflAqflzlk6wfYf63bDnWP3xD_MetkI2E14fimTxxA3zq_FCaBtcd=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixX6UglRHa6VterdQYbusKgBEvLHmi4chKFEUgvU57Z1HYGE_IoqAeYWzgVq-HASWEE-TyvosG8Y02QT1wrRIBBMwGN1wtLVZdgXdLiWDvoOBLwU4g7XSAuq06k6BQufmRYZ3hflAqflzlk6wfYf63bDnWP3xD_MetkI2E14fimTxxA3zq_FCaBtcd=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The original Anglo-Indian bungalow was often built in a compound where it was surrounded by gardens, an arrangement that placed all the rooms in close contact with the out-of-doors. This sense of being a separate dwelling in its own compound also animated social life on the verandah, turning it into a secure outdoor room where a cozy informality of decor and manners came more naturally to inhabitants and guests. While this sense of informality transferred itself effectively to the colonial bungalow, the idea of a compound around the structure was increasingly poorly provided-for on the shrinking lots in subdivision layouts. The natural footprint of a full colonial bungalow tended towards a wide oblong shape, which as noted above afforded the opportunity to place substantial rooms on either side of a central hallway. Yet, as they came to be built on increasingly narrow city lots, the space available was needed to accommodate interior layout (itself compromised increasingly over time) leaving little room for actual gardened context around the building. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">We have already noted the impact on overall design of a contracting footprint to fit more-standardized, less-generous lots. This phenomenon particularly affected the verandah, which tended early on, especially on high-style versions, to occupy the entire width of the building (if not wrapped around the corner). There are some fine examples of contraction resulting in fairly innovative solutions, several of which are pictured below. However, this would not have been cheap to achieve (and cheapening of housing provision is a force constantly at work in the housing market). The result, over time, would have tended to lead to displacement of this form by other bungalow types, particularly California-style bungalows after they came on stream, because these were being conceived for the smaller lots that were tending to become the norm.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEja9lkC859aYfzvC9k5y1mn7KlsJJq0Ew4vLa7oL0mxQb9b6-9XysrYNexK0dMG-B6IItl_68PqLxWSWBLcVYOvbsNT3PrasXbFQcMACgYACGVymHXWVuC9IBU4UKu9GsGA7TxPst5HKDghxEgYc_9wL_f6HDw3EJRlCWDX_v6DCN_vAY-cSvu4kzuR=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEja9lkC859aYfzvC9k5y1mn7KlsJJq0Ew4vLa7oL0mxQb9b6-9XysrYNexK0dMG-B6IItl_68PqLxWSWBLcVYOvbsNT3PrasXbFQcMACgYACGVymHXWVuC9IBU4UKu9GsGA7TxPst5HKDghxEgYc_9wL_f6HDw3EJRlCWDX_v6DCN_vAY-cSvu4kzuR=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">In the instance shown above, the structure's footprint has been contracted but the full-width verandah has been maintained, wrapping around a second side of the structure to allow a recessed front door - a creative solution that maintains some of the generosity of treatment of the original (but coming at the cost of interior space, however, and the loss of a central corridor). In the next example (photo below) the full-width verandah is maintained by means of an advancing secondary roof structure that accommodates both verandah and an octagonal bay window. This building is well dressed with clusters of slender classical columns, all of which offset to some degree a dramatically narrowed footprint. The second shot (photos below) shows just how small the lot has in fact become, to the point where a neighbouring structure (a California-style bungalow) nearly touches it. There is simply no room for any natural context on lots this closely packed. These buildings both appear to have been raised to accommodate suites under the main floor. The quality of work done is excellent, however.<br /></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4uclJypd0WoaHJBPD0W6IK8askoyIUkyTBvLQG2tvAPrm7TTz7X86Oq7s7QJsTgLBSPpZ2czejVZzzPSO-cPfJtUDvS4MB-neeC_Jvh_fu0B5AWA-HrZqf-yx6R0xrQSxmWsx-zORVmTw-EPWxQPFyZVcK_JwvB8uWDs70C-E-0eXLjyfy8u9Dxko=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4uclJypd0WoaHJBPD0W6IK8askoyIUkyTBvLQG2tvAPrm7TTz7X86Oq7s7QJsTgLBSPpZ2czejVZzzPSO-cPfJtUDvS4MB-neeC_Jvh_fu0B5AWA-HrZqf-yx6R0xrQSxmWsx-zORVmTw-EPWxQPFyZVcK_JwvB8uWDs70C-E-0eXLjyfy8u9Dxko=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdi2pyKJXUAVH8puY-DP9irqd7AGgjkO3WY4KEuYCKqVCQmuWnqomWJMBVYhnBF8a78WylOb5r4UaNFsa50FETJhWdNoXnbmlldn64KfLIt7gl7jSsw6tRbTkaewIc8r2ruGuKHkkaj8W8Ma1vPFL3iDcBDMwjCIxYCvypYVF7wL_bqbJaO0rjdSu-=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdi2pyKJXUAVH8puY-DP9irqd7AGgjkO3WY4KEuYCKqVCQmuWnqomWJMBVYhnBF8a78WylOb5r4UaNFsa50FETJhWdNoXnbmlldn64KfLIt7gl7jSsw6tRbTkaewIc8r2ruGuKHkkaj8W8Ma1vPFL3iDcBDMwjCIxYCvypYVF7wL_bqbJaO0rjdSu-=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">A final example (photo below) shows another elegant solution to the contracted footprint, again using an advancing supplemental roof form to afford a full-width verandah, which goes a long way towards maintaining the style's overall integrity despite a severely narrowed building width. This lovely example from James Bay also appears to now incorporate suites under the main floor.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGiVyM_aos8bxC3V-nOhBuX607ghpuixTiNhg9zLC2Z5ROkIr6s78dtCFooysbcJGzGKcAbdMqh9o012F67Rp7ObSy5ETVniENGG1z5Pt-GpKPIlKSWM6T1-M4gHU5s3MXldU1NUxpRyL9WANjKgmOi4wlc5btHKUvIlKKKdUiBDgjiLH8hNLcJ54p=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGiVyM_aos8bxC3V-nOhBuX607ghpuixTiNhg9zLC2Z5ROkIr6s78dtCFooysbcJGzGKcAbdMqh9o012F67Rp7ObSy5ETVniENGG1z5Pt-GpKPIlKSWM6T1-M4gHU5s3MXldU1NUxpRyL9WANjKgmOi4wlc5btHKUvIlKKKdUiBDgjiLH8hNLcJ54p=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The spatial limitations of emergent suburbia might explain the colonial bungalow's gradual loss of appeal among builders and clients, as its broader natural footprint would require a larger lot in order to not feel crammed-in. Truncated, narrowed versions of the building abound, with the entry vestibule moved to one side and the floorplan adjusted for narrower lot widths. Yet this house-type appears not to have made the leap in popularity associated with the California bungalow, which quickly enjoyed pride of place in West Coast suburbs. The California variant of the bungalow came with an open floor-plan that helped optimize feelings of spaciousness in what was often an extremely small house. Often, California-style bungalows were built with their gable ends facing the roadway, and with either a full-width verandah tucked under it or an advancing verandah under a separate gable roof that was integrated into the facade's overall design. The photo below (COVArchives) depicts California-style bungalows emerging beneath Government House on one of Victoria's first bungalow streets. The boulevard treatment and the row of maturing trees go a long way towards creating a verdant context for the houses.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjd5Hb4FGqtAVxVV2Y9OtItXZ4mhoBptopGYeivJHxfv265EN1mIEBC8z3tl-za2Zw3nGApK57eW4hde3fTpmDyNGeTGXiPap9Jj6iQlCIbzL3O8yQC0qFet1oTcQxDhv3voXycLKLgpQ92E21CLxELfDA-84of_fWqJFbIgiVhT-y5imJ40dQp5W1O=s800" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="800" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjd5Hb4FGqtAVxVV2Y9OtItXZ4mhoBptopGYeivJHxfv265EN1mIEBC8z3tl-za2Zw3nGApK57eW4hde3fTpmDyNGeTGXiPap9Jj6iQlCIbzL3O8yQC0qFet1oTcQxDhv3voXycLKLgpQ92E21CLxELfDA-84of_fWqJFbIgiVhT-y5imJ40dQp5W1O=w640-h444" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Discovering surviving colonial bungalows today, one is often struck by the lack of any surrounding landscape at all, a feature these buildings seem to cry out for. Even fairly modest additions of greenery can have a transformative effect. When, on rarer occasions, a colonial bungalow comes enveloped by an elaborate garden setting, the impacts are beguiling and the house feels more complete. The 1906 version pictured below illustrates this house-in-a-garden effect on its more ample corner lot, located in the Hillside area (corner lots are typically larger due to their double frontage). Once overlain with asbestos-cement siding, this house has been lovingly restored to its glory days. Elegant details abound here: decoratively tapered timber posts, bracketed verandah treatment, stepped and shingled balustrade gracefully masking an entry staircase, art glass in fixed panes, canted bay window with scroll-sawn shades, tasteful paint job, the whole enchilada! But best of all to my eye is its situation in a more generous gardened setting, on sloping ground, making full use of the additional space of its corner lot.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4iLou9HzMMd2CUR8ql_TeIX1NjRqF3Rw55k2tbuTI1XG4zsku7tzzDTzsDRWw3UIZXkWg8aOjU2OZ8F0AoVUATcLj5-_8DOSIyac74LJZdgANlGqyh1_MZ_0NzCs2br1ljGPes3ZRsOh2MFG5p4e2OO0r2wo9yHR1DSJpfERgrN_seadqt5dSAANy=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4iLou9HzMMd2CUR8ql_TeIX1NjRqF3Rw55k2tbuTI1XG4zsku7tzzDTzsDRWw3UIZXkWg8aOjU2OZ8F0AoVUATcLj5-_8DOSIyac74LJZdgANlGqyh1_MZ_0NzCs2br1ljGPes3ZRsOh2MFG5p4e2OO0r2wo9yHR1DSJpfERgrN_seadqt5dSAANy=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">There are loads of nicely appointed colonial bungalows out there awaiting rescue by discerning people who recognize their inherent appeal. Some of these really only require more appropriate painting (ie. in order to replace the white-undercoat-look with period-appropriate colours that tastefully pick out their wooden features) and attention to restoration of minor details (such as careful re-pointing of stonework) in order to make them sing anew. A few come with enough adjacent land (photo below, Gordon Head) to enable development of a landscaped setting all around them, thus are susceptible of restoring the building-type's original look of a cozy house in its own compound.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgx_asVCDy1aycW6z9NyPa6jEYKheE9m2jxhrnKuyRVSpzDCZzedvS5wFhytnX89FAK6Yc-aSrw-17uuqz2rT8U5fCLaCue3nnqtu7rKI0iAj5Lm8Nj1yKuHfC4x1CmVE4ZgLyvixaE2l0JTbpg7Y-_PxlamGnVzGEtLeinermmRFVQk1--UhEoKWFv=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgx_asVCDy1aycW6z9NyPa6jEYKheE9m2jxhrnKuyRVSpzDCZzedvS5wFhytnX89FAK6Yc-aSrw-17uuqz2rT8U5fCLaCue3nnqtu7rKI0iAj5Lm8Nj1yKuHfC4x1CmVE4ZgLyvixaE2l0JTbpg7Y-_PxlamGnVzGEtLeinermmRFVQk1--UhEoKWFv=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Others, like the example below from Saanich's Gorge neighbourhood, will require much more elbow grease in order to regain their full effect. This version, long smothered in the asbestos-cement tiles that can still be seen along the exposed side, has original drop siding intact under the form-suffocating replacement covering. It is almost certainly in fine condition too (with some filling of nail holes) because re-siding with asbestos-cement tiles was no more than a cosmetic renewal fad that sadly came to coat many a worthy building. The process of removing these tiles effects double improvement, regaining both the original (high quality, knot-free old growth) drop siding, while restoring palpable dimension to the window and other trims that the replacement overcoat rendered less distinct. This is really meaningful conservation work in motion, and the owners are to be congratulated for their patience and vision.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhX0snRx4tcuc21lXvuXaZU-PUjBgbYLfTvmYyRsrZvhP1vcq9obt_AE9ejH7s48bZQmZWcViVX_2J3WlepxV4Ug-LdmywKtZY8voMBsixBAus_KGB9cTVYmg6Hl1auwuB9Fwdf0lABY5mkpSwLGInr_hqNvI4I9bfrX0t39nfzxqlqDpa4K5tmiwLS=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhX0snRx4tcuc21lXvuXaZU-PUjBgbYLfTvmYyRsrZvhP1vcq9obt_AE9ejH7s48bZQmZWcViVX_2J3WlepxV4Ug-LdmywKtZY8voMBsixBAus_KGB9cTVYmg6Hl1auwuB9Fwdf0lABY5mkpSwLGInr_hqNvI4I9bfrX0t39nfzxqlqDpa4K5tmiwLS=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Occasionally one of these historic colonial bungalows lucks out due to its particularly fortunate location. That is certainly the case for Lambrick House (photos below), which happens to now reside within Saanich's Lambrick Park. Originally built in 1909 for successful Victoria liquor merchant Luke Pither (of Pither and Leiser fame), who with wife Madge established a model poultry farm on twenty-one hectares of surrounding land, it was gradually acquired by Arthur and Clara Lambrick, who switched the land over to dairy farming. The building itself is a classy example in excellent nick and has the good fortune to now be used as offices by Saanich Parks. Paradoxically, its front entrance now faces the rear yard, while the back of the building now faces the internal road network of Lambrick Park.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj88RBPNpKyRbUzxc9Lg8dWiWLhdG6XeKsFtqxpf4vCvZEBhmUTOPTcJDa7vFOT54I94v6sjYwpJVeIr7OYyl8cn5FeIp7o2BjJpXnu2yv9oL6Dm-4BX_yd6QZkaVk9Ai8y7Hb9ZaL-XarbckmlPJyscPtliRQy8MaUSEVoja4xi2OR0P5FnTqT56oH=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj88RBPNpKyRbUzxc9Lg8dWiWLhdG6XeKsFtqxpf4vCvZEBhmUTOPTcJDa7vFOT54I94v6sjYwpJVeIr7OYyl8cn5FeIp7o2BjJpXnu2yv9oL6Dm-4BX_yd6QZkaVk9Ai8y7Hb9ZaL-XarbckmlPJyscPtliRQy8MaUSEVoja4xi2OR0P5FnTqT56oH=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLkKoHKQ_KZk1-YiwuyZg9gP0r0BciZluKZnBK8Ci0r6gQOmzSEYfNLGCFu-58iaiJYAAH4v5Cj9r5deM0H47i9Lxp7WlaHY2Yer4JbsVcKC31sL7y6DE4tJkEmIzpYgIUhvkZwhZ0SVPaa6GOFda7O8HwADV4vnqtF2SeOSuJ4a0HVYtyOcYlDp7d=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLkKoHKQ_KZk1-YiwuyZg9gP0r0BciZluKZnBK8Ci0r6gQOmzSEYfNLGCFu-58iaiJYAAH4v5Cj9r5deM0H47i9Lxp7WlaHY2Yer4JbsVcKC31sL7y6DE4tJkEmIzpYgIUhvkZwhZ0SVPaa6GOFda7O8HwADV4vnqtF2SeOSuJ4a0HVYtyOcYlDp7d=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Even after the California bungalow arrived in Victoria, there was still a market for colonial bungalows designed by architects for clients who wanted a custom version of this structure. Typically, architect-designed variants would be designed for a more-generous lot than the standard subdivision offering, sometimes coming with more elaborate views. What follows are two high-style versions by different local architects, both of which show clear signs of being influenced by the work of renowned British architect C.F.A. Voysey. The first is a dwelling at 1134 Dallas Road, designed for W. J. Dobson by H.J. Rous Cullin in 1912. Some might quibble that this is not strictly speaking a colonial bungalow, since its form is marvelously exaggerated and thoroughly abstracted. But it is indeed a bungalow, and in all particulars most fits the colonial-type's description. The flared roof's pitch is fantastically exaggerated, while dormers and a bumped-out entry verandah reflect that steep pitch precisely. The building is made of roughcast cement and, surprisingly for a house on such a small footprint, the corner walls are massively buttressed, balancing its exaggeratedly steep roof pitch considerably. Placed at first on a generous corner lot, its original gardens were conceived by William Westby, designer of the sunken garden at the Butchart Gardens. Sadly, these gardens no longer exist, but the house, slightly modified window-wise, does.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiH-MgQ0K0VcmpE4b4sKuONegjNlKDcQyoJvSWYLKxr9Jaf5o9N5ei92ZlQppKA1DXOSLDHIDXwrEd14w9yF4iEgjgBuUHgjkGJsUBwmuLq9wxkFaKVljFcf7ysIxG-c3Fjf62gyNA8ZGgx74N1E7ledsD9uCxbsxcpn9MxnX_dlclCXK0ZxT4LR3Wd=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiH-MgQ0K0VcmpE4b4sKuONegjNlKDcQyoJvSWYLKxr9Jaf5o9N5ei92ZlQppKA1DXOSLDHIDXwrEd14w9yF4iEgjgBuUHgjkGJsUBwmuLq9wxkFaKVljFcf7ysIxG-c3Fjf62gyNA8ZGgx74N1E7ledsD9uCxbsxcpn9MxnX_dlclCXK0ZxT4LR3Wd=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span><br /><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEig_btJCoAJRD5U_tQlcNQ7BgkXnL8Mj7H-NW-xWR9ziSI-4CDRf5LXULxjDopNQCMqYBKKoVOzXhDWd9RbkLvKTCYE15cIPqx-rf-AXAdkrnqOvLxTLCwGUZm5978Djl5tyZBVYqJDfZBvcjAfhAdBF4S1ndR-jY9aXOu4wzCbER-BL_-gY4nmls5g=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEig_btJCoAJRD5U_tQlcNQ7BgkXnL8Mj7H-NW-xWR9ziSI-4CDRf5LXULxjDopNQCMqYBKKoVOzXhDWd9RbkLvKTCYE15cIPqx-rf-AXAdkrnqOvLxTLCwGUZm5978Djl5tyZBVYqJDfZBvcjAfhAdBF4S1ndR-jY9aXOu4wzCbER-BL_-gY4nmls5g=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3668BpJjhSttPdrt_aXD8PMUDKrf0mnITfzn1Lj1a21cdWCvT5LNMFH0VVflPrhSYqxdBDIMC6WkGAhsGeqU-f0FinIpPpxq6fRHmkER4d3Z3MFsqJceS5en-Hxl5a7huJ1Ly4uxEMUdV7T26WT3jDOmJ06P_Se-6JI38tnsO5jYZzJkYM09T84ND=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3668BpJjhSttPdrt_aXD8PMUDKrf0mnITfzn1Lj1a21cdWCvT5LNMFH0VVflPrhSYqxdBDIMC6WkGAhsGeqU-f0FinIpPpxq6fRHmkER4d3Z3MFsqJceS5en-Hxl5a7huJ1Ly4uxEMUdV7T26WT3jDOmJ06P_Se-6JI38tnsO5jYZzJkYM09T84ND=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span> </span></span></span></span></p><p style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span><span>Celebrated architect Samuel Maclure (whose work on colonial bungalows is canvassed more fully in <b>Victoria's Colonial Bungalow Fling (1</b>)) also continued designing in this idiom after the California bungalow had taken Victoria by storm. Maclure, also influenced by C. F. A. Voysey's work from early in the century, designed an intriguing version of the colonial bungalow for C.M. Lamb at 2450 Windsor Road in Oak Bay in 1912. Martin Segger, in his <b>The Buildings of Samuel Maclure</b>, commenting on the architect's pronounced move towards steeper roofs on colonial bungalows after 1906, notes that the Lamb design appears to take its lead from a published but unbuilt design of Voysey's: "</span></span></span><span><i>The most
pure, however, of these Voyseyesque bungalows is the Lamb house on
Windsor Park in Victoria, designed quite late in 1912, but
surely owing its origin directly to Voysey's <b>Lodge for a Manchester
Suburb</b> published in <b>The British Architect</b> some 23 years before."<b> </b></i>For the purposes of comparison, here is the original design by Voysey, as it appeared in The British Architect:</span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /> <br /></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEga9qyjuPWv_H4viabWHCzQBzZ-8T9Lkk_3-K8r5zsxAr1i75jPThcR1h26-_lYFdgNA-x_loKd6_KqvpKUHVwYjKi4yb1MqB0x8hpqVUS41oxIwcZjfyHVug8DDFilryD7ndvjbDWL8Nfe4cLLU5aJTA6ZAAa2XA160xeQXfgSouM-0VvICj4OUDek=s2570" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2570" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEga9qyjuPWv_H4viabWHCzQBzZ-8T9Lkk_3-K8r5zsxAr1i75jPThcR1h26-_lYFdgNA-x_loKd6_KqvpKUHVwYjKi4yb1MqB0x8hpqVUS41oxIwcZjfyHVug8DDFilryD7ndvjbDWL8Nfe4cLLU5aJTA6ZAAa2XA160xeQXfgSouM-0VvICj4OUDek=w348-h640" width="348" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />It's a very simple dwelling that Maclure, with characteristic genius, evolved into an atmospheric rendering of the colonial bungalow form. Here's how that building appears today (photo below).<br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi27tSCn4poIbn_rbH2o3JuLBx66mfCx4xWhTfWKwHyUUqxvYUX7nDch9FMqXPk_59MuNZx5HSeDDDLPeRSOsZ-WfzlI4xX0cEo5yvmb9TsGPUqhU2T5oNB-5BTsV_kO2THhCAw4F8kTYju_r_Buq3Uvku7hJRt2D0DCXOUZmJlWm_pbv8Fbde1hvyf=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi27tSCn4poIbn_rbH2o3JuLBx66mfCx4xWhTfWKwHyUUqxvYUX7nDch9FMqXPk_59MuNZx5HSeDDDLPeRSOsZ-WfzlI4xX0cEo5yvmb9TsGPUqhU2T5oNB-5BTsV_kO2THhCAw4F8kTYju_r_Buq3Uvku7hJRt2D0DCXOUZmJlWm_pbv8Fbde1hvyf=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Some aspects of Voysey's original design have obviously been modified, this being a much larger footprint than the original design, accommodating more rooms, and providing bedroom and perhaps bathroom space in the roof, as witnessed by the dormers. What's interesting to note, however, is that the building has also changed over time with occupancy, as attested by a wonderful photo (dating circa 1912, below) from the City of Victoria photo archives. This photo proclaims a more Maclure-like original treatment, with a roofed-over verandah at one end of the building that would have added atmosphere to what is now a more bland and unrelieved structure. Obviously, this verandah was enclosed sometime later to the benefit of interior space, unfortunately coming at the expense of both design-originality and complexity. Note the absence of any dormer in the end wall. It also seems to be the case that the original building's Tudor boards and panels were not displayed in as sharp a contrast as today's version.<br /></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLMf0dACPyroljAGMZEIM-7KwlyemjG9KxQWiBxtRrKYIidPxpVjewL0y6P_golIqo_GciFkZXhVoIdexmzEifN5yuFY0aBxE2hW8ir-v5CIZbKPhQn9VYI7Iintl67AhsdB-0ZjU2l7KPTBhBUWpIOUIsgvpXaz6VSjaMkTs3di4RiM7gILGQ_fyZ=s800" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="800" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLMf0dACPyroljAGMZEIM-7KwlyemjG9KxQWiBxtRrKYIidPxpVjewL0y6P_golIqo_GciFkZXhVoIdexmzEifN5yuFY0aBxE2hW8ir-v5CIZbKPhQn9VYI7Iintl67AhsdB-0ZjU2l7KPTBhBUWpIOUIsgvpXaz6VSjaMkTs3di4RiM7gILGQ_fyZ=w640-h372" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">One can only speculate about the declining appeal of the colonial bungalow after WW I, but suddenly this building form no longer enjoyed its former cachet. For starters, the war put a crimp in Victoria's local economy that would not be truly relieved until at least the advent of a second world war (a period punctuated by the Great Depression, which had numerous negative impacts on the local housing market). And in little Victoria, there was no single driver of growth to match Vancouver's more-buoyant position as a port-and-rail hub for global shipping routes, which brought sustained in-migration, the creation of many family-supporting jobs, and with them, fresh opportunities for vast subdivision-building. Victoria had to contend with a much-slower return to growth after world war one, which also saw the loss of a great deal of its youthful male population. As Harry Gregson, author of <b>A History of Victoria</b>, notes: <i>"From the collapse in 1914 of the great land boom until the outbreak of World War II Victoria was economically in the doldrums. The population was static. Between 1921 and 1931 the city gained a mere 300 people and the position in the environs was not much better. For a community with a declining industrial complex whose prosperity depended on a continuous influx of people with means or marketable skills, this was a serious matter....One effect was to cause ambitious young men to leave a city in which they had no future and to seek their livings elsewhere."</i><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">As regards the colonial bungalow's declining popularity, it was almost certainly subject to the same dynamic that ultimately shaped perceptions of the California bungalow: while widely built in the roaring twenties in suburbs across much of North America, it suffered rapid loss of its early appeal as it came to be identified closely with tract-style housing. This meant a more-or-less permanent fall from grace among that part of the population with the money to retain architects to design houses. Tastes among the genteel portion of the populace shifted, and the market for architects tightened dramatically as the group able to commission designs contracted with the economic doldrums. It wasn't that there was no money for design, rather that the preferences for design tilted sharply away from bungalows, which increasingly were viewed as a plebeian style of housing.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">One outcome of languid growth and changing preferences is that the stock of bungalows built in the halcyon days prior to WW I is pretty much all of it, for when growth finally returned after WW II, the bungalow was displaced by more-anodyne forms of housing that delivered greater interior space but in markedly less-dressed fashion. Verandahs, for example, pretty much disappeared, replaced by mundane entrances with perhaps a tiny roof for protection from the elements. Over time, speculative builders stripped the average building's skin so thoroughly that it ultimately redefined the finished product, and despite minimalism being transformed into a new social religion. This phenomenon means that the stock of bungalows built in the first decades of the twentieth century is pretty much all of it - and what happens to those buildings now determines how much of that part of our built domestic heritage we manage to retain. This is especially true of the colonial bungalow because it was never the dominating form the California bungalow became. So what does the future hold for these remarkable buildings?</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><p><i><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"</span></span></i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><i>Every
house can't be saved and some truly are too far gone to be saved, but
many houses are destroyed every year that could have been saved. Knowing
it is possible is often the first critical step toward accomplishing
something good.</i>"</span></span></span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Scott T. Hanson, Restoring Your Historic House: The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners</span></b></span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Some colonial bungalows will certainly be torn down to make way for the massive piles that can be built on a standard RS-6 lot (their depreciated assessed value almost guarantees it). Others will go in order to make room for high-rise condominium buildings, victims of necessary densification. High-style versions will probably survive to a greater degree, as well-heeled owners are more likely to see their unique qualities and imagine just how easily they can be subtly modernized (they are also considerably larger buildings, a continuing preoccupation). One good example of a prospering high-style variant is the C.B. Jones house, designed by Samuel Maclure in 1912 as a vacation home for a successful Victoria engineer, on the slopes of Mount Tolmie. As the photo below attests, it has been lovingly brought back to full character by its current owners. <br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></span></span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLSIudlB_DgLDN2Q8EIWoYUkEql_KQ8r14WQR-auVWerYkUBpsxk8AuCYAo0aeYihaF5LT1iTpFABoUBOchbM-f8AjFcvazDXp55mf27EuUCu_QCKk3hOhxKGTIzPO5x1zL3bC-ohqCwJxIMy8xxizKhlN3zbtVaX8PofoeRHuMZrhRL7TYXTYez2D=s3008" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLSIudlB_DgLDN2Q8EIWoYUkEql_KQ8r14WQR-auVWerYkUBpsxk8AuCYAo0aeYihaF5LT1iTpFABoUBOchbM-f8AjFcvazDXp55mf27EuUCu_QCKk3hOhxKGTIzPO5x1zL3bC-ohqCwJxIMy8xxizKhlN3zbtVaX8PofoeRHuMZrhRL7TYXTYez2D=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></span></span></span></span></div><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></span></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Other colonial bungalows are likely to be turned into multiple suites (hence provide more rental accommodation, a crying need regionally). Conversion of buildings to suites is a process that can be achieved with design integrity or as easily deteriorate into a series of merely makeshift manouevres. The building in the next photo suggests the higher road, by which any building extensions are achieved in strict conformity to the original building's design vocabulary. This is not rocket science, but it can be made to go wrong very easily when designers treat the original design vocabulary as irrelevant (a response typical of modernist architects). What is needed to do justice to these buildings is a respectful attitude on the part of the architect, which is rarer than one might think. When the appropriate path is taken, however, the results are wonderful to behold and restoration worthy of the name occurs (as the following pictures attest). </span></span></span></span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></span></span></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDAzrHjfxKmM1X7n39UTU_kdyV_S6rXOw9p28xKpQv_BGANo37aHCdBGOd3qZ4F00_CZfMfOSjZG54Wv6qxxJxNOln_YOb9MZOYBuaekhcdRfaJiCKnG7SFpihXirhv328hLw3e8Mdo6bSN8s4mpmbLZxcJi6RCzJKiq7ENnbEtkNP12kJYvyl27ux=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDAzrHjfxKmM1X7n39UTU_kdyV_S6rXOw9p28xKpQv_BGANo37aHCdBGOd3qZ4F00_CZfMfOSjZG54Wv6qxxJxNOln_YOb9MZOYBuaekhcdRfaJiCKnG7SFpihXirhv328hLw3e8Mdo6bSN8s4mpmbLZxcJi6RCzJKiq7ENnbEtkNP12kJYvyl27ux=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Speaking the language of the existing structure allows for seamless extension of the building envelope</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></span></div><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /> </span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidshYNLqX-h73kk2celim4YB36witRRNQ4NHa-gES59E6M56m0NADCXWL9ojZw8F0EINyuLQzHtm2TNrfvhtCi4SK-VvOyiQGPwQn1j5EVuboO8XBB9VI29-TopLiLCgmcuMP6IgaHAj8aNOthGMeggGcmYmUWKD0l79h99_C_UXzlYUjqrQt9J63f=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidshYNLqX-h73kk2celim4YB36witRRNQ4NHa-gES59E6M56m0NADCXWL9ojZw8F0EINyuLQzHtm2TNrfvhtCi4SK-VvOyiQGPwQn1j5EVuboO8XBB9VI29-TopLiLCgmcuMP6IgaHAj8aNOthGMeggGcmYmUWKD0l79h99_C_UXzlYUjqrQt9J63f=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Speaking the existing building's language is something 'modernist' architects reject, hence their failures<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></span><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Books for looks</b>:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Comfortable House: North American Suburban Architecture 1890 - 1930, Alan Gowans</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Homeplace: The Making of the Canadian Dwelling over Three Centuries, Peter Ennals and Deryck W. Holdsworth</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">A History of Victoria, Harry Gregson</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Buildings of Samuel Maclure, Martin Segger </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Restoring Your Historic House, Scott T. Hansen & David J. Clough<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p></p>David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-15122620565754459692022-01-10T08:39:00.009-08:002022-03-25T18:16:55.893-07:00Victoria's Colonial Bungalow Fling (1)<p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span>"T</span></b><span><b>he colonial
bungalow, identified by its extensive perimeter verandahs, dominant
hipped roof, and low-slung horizontal form would have been familiar
to any British colonist who had spent time in India or the Pacific
possessions where it had become the standard
expatriate house type." </b></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i><span> </span></i></b><span>Martin Segger, <b><i>The Buildings of Samuel Maclure</i></b><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLQz22zy_yqgVlhNtl_DhyphenhyphenwcUUcuJJziqrUYBDGaRowbH-SuZVFCC6-tGC9whP2pGuRZZka52L7AyqL2H55gMf_Jjeaqfsr5OfDIGrxhZXTiLZQD88TKhkt2RIpTt5DvD6QYyKBhllBns/s2048/Meares+Colbung.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLQz22zy_yqgVlhNtl_DhyphenhyphenwcUUcuJJziqrUYBDGaRowbH-SuZVFCC6-tGC9whP2pGuRZZka52L7AyqL2H55gMf_Jjeaqfsr5OfDIGrxhZXTiLZQD88TKhkt2RIpTt5DvD6QYyKBhllBns/w640-h426/Meares+Colbung.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">A tasteful colonial bungalow at the style's apogee: drop siding, classical details, chamfered timbers</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Victoria's ongoing love affair with the house-type known as the colonial bungalow began early in the city's history, not long after the original Hudson's Bay Company fort (built in 1843) morphed into the Colony of Vancouver Island (1849) and the city-proper emerged from nowhere in response to gold's discovery in the Fraser Valley in 1857. The discovery of gold on the Fraser also instigated creation of the Colony of British Columbia, to better safeguard British claims to the territory against the expected onrush of prospectors, many of whom were Americans. If the ensuing gold rush caused Victoria's population to swell quickly as thousands of miners outfitted and provisioned themselves here, new business opportunities were afforded to merchants purveying goods and supplies. Within this dynamic of sudden growth and newfound wealth an architectural form appeared that would have been familiar to any residents of British imperial background, taking the shape of the hipped roof and other characteristics associated with the Anglo-Indian bungalow. As the opening quote suggests, this colonial-type bungalow would have been recognizable to anyone who had lived previously in a British Pacific colony. Bungalows like these were low-lying, single storey affairs, often with somewhat over-scaled roofs, and typically equipped with verandahs that gave them a distinctive look. This sort of bungalow first emerged in India, where a rural Bengali house-type was adapted to meet the needs and expectations of Britain's colonial administrators and military brass. Curiously shaped versions of a relatively obscure native dwelling</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">-type (the chauyari, according to Michael Kluckner, originally with a pyramidal roof of thatched material), they eventually leapt in much-modified form from India to Britain's other Pacific colonies, arriving in Australia early in the nineteenth century. The oldest surviving example there, <b>Elizabeth Farm</b>, was given the distinctive form of an Anglo-Indian bungalow in the early 1800s. It remains celebrated today as an exemplar of colonial housing in early Australia, influenced directly by the British experience in India and likely prompted by the presence of military figures in the newfound colony. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">This same characteristic hipped roof also appeared unexpectedly in the burgeoning Colony of Vancouver Island, embodied in the features defining the look of the colony's first legislative buildings, begun in 1859. Its appearance in Victoria is perhaps unsurprising in light of the British fascination with the bungalow's unique mix of exotic and practical features, or the desire of the colony's governors to establish it as a British possession. Victoria quickly became home to many professionals of British origin, attracted to the colony by the opportunity to prosper if possessed of the right types of skills. These surveyor-engineer-architect types would also be joined by other expatriates, such as retired colonial administrators or military men, who might be drawn to a colonial outpost by the prospects of genteel living in a paradisial spot. All of which added up, over time, to there being a receptive local audience for architectural versions of this imported, exotic building type. The following essay examines the influence of three local architects whose professional work involved designs for specific clients that served to indigenize the colonial bungalow in these parts - the first of these clients being the Colony of Vancouver Island itself, headquartered in what became the City of Victoria in 1862. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span>1. Herman Otto Tiedemann</span></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ghtDnPI_5KS81Qk0AU9FHpKvDHU09eOVzSA1xxnGthURr8YiVkDTQPA6B3NhmR46E2h6GasOcVpGbkeV6RmurOHcIMyhvWNHzxB6zbxrCVFZ9apmV6xxZx5UAiEwnsGQQ_zuk8XqZQQ/s1029/1866+prov+archives.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1029" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ghtDnPI_5KS81Qk0AU9FHpKvDHU09eOVzSA1xxnGthURr8YiVkDTQPA6B3NhmR46E2h6GasOcVpGbkeV6RmurOHcIMyhvWNHzxB6zbxrCVFZ9apmV6xxZx5UAiEwnsGQQ_zuk8XqZQQ/w640-h498/1866+prov+archives.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">The cluster of hip-roofed administrative buildings designed by H.O. Tiedemann, shown circa 1866</span><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgd21QSLIGe9aoCFZkM4-dX3IxSVzMZzSYAwDxP2p-R_0JOJnJkj3ALaUv0or7_AF6pg1CE8ziPSzhWxNOUSkNvxWIfWvohXdex1o_z3FhGBcXpceutVrAwOMyMRR2Ue4gdvEzZe9TDhp55aZiIzjAg_sJnNhdTkKAr-QQR9d0iC89xWn8rmrieBH0h=s960" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="960" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgd21QSLIGe9aoCFZkM4-dX3IxSVzMZzSYAwDxP2p-R_0JOJnJkj3ALaUv0or7_AF6pg1CE8ziPSzhWxNOUSkNvxWIfWvohXdex1o_z3FhGBcXpceutVrAwOMyMRR2Ue4gdvEzZe9TDhp55aZiIzjAg_sJnNhdTkKAr-QQR9d0iC89xWn8rmrieBH0h=w640-h392" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Looking across the James Bay bridge towards the bungalow-roofed legislative cluster, ca 1874</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Early indications of the colonial bungalow enjoying cachet in Victoria took the form of the distinctive hipped roofs capping the colony's first cluster of legislative buildings (pictured above), known formally as the Colonial Administration Buildings. This cluster, designed by German-trained architect and engineer H. O. Tiedemann, was constructed starting in 1858, the year word of gold's discovery on the Fraser River began enticing hordes of would-be miners from around the globe to these parts. Financed with monies derived from the astute sale of suddenly valuable downtown lands (orchestrated by the colony's first governor, James Douglas) the new buildings were intended to tie the future legislature more closely to the evolving city by bridging the mudflats of James Bay (coincidentally providing Douglas himself with a more direct route to his home on the other side of the bay). There is an element of conjuring about this early civic cluster, appearing as it did just in time to transmit a sense of settled authority governing the territory (to some extent this was a sleight of hand). But what seems truly curious here is that an architect who trained outside the British imperial tradition would wind up adopting colonial bungalow features as the integrating element for his designs. The resulting 'curious' confections, likened to "Italian-villa fancy birdcages" by the Victoria Gazette, were initially given a rather rough ride for their eclecticism (sitting poorly, for example, with the clamorous Amor de Cosmos, a future Premier of British Columbia who dismissed them contemptuously as "something between a Dutch toy and a Chinese pagoda"). <br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">And yet, over time, the Birdcages (as they were popularly known) would come to be regarded more fondly by the general public, perhaps as maturing grounds elevated their quaint charm in the dramatic setting of Victoria's harbour, with its mountain and ocean backdrop. Architectural historian Martin Segger, in his masterful </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span><i>The Buildings of Samuel Maclure (In Search Of Appropriate Form)</i></span></b></span><span><span style="font-family: times;"><b> </b>takes these distinctively hipped roofs and other bungalow features (placement on a low podium set close to the ground plane, furnished with ample verandahs) as indicating an underlying resonance of the colonial bungalow building form. This should not surprise us in what was, at the professional level at least, a very British colony. One distinctive feature of the Tiedemann designs was the manner in which he lifted his hip roofs by breaking and raising the tail of the rafters. Architecturally, this extra lift along the hip rafters enables the roof to be run further out over a building's walls, emphasizing its sheltering quality while accommodating the verandahs typically tucked in under it. The lifting of the roof-line was an early instance of a feature that would one day become definitional for the building when it was widely constructed around Victoria: a distinctively bell-cast hip roof. What happened over time was that this original defining lift in the roof angle migrated further and further along the hip rafter. Lifting the tail of a hip roof was common in historic instances of this building type as it came to be built outside of India (cf inset photo below of <b>Elizabeth Farm</b> in New South Wales, Australia, where the hip roof has a distinct uplift (or 'broken pitch' in Australian parlance) as it descends from the ridge line.</span><br /></span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQGgJfyr9X0vk2MS8CZ10J-jgFDYAJ99l8p3txhim11vF5aR6eO6pq0V02T9kofhYAHxEkwB0xaQ9-EmY-WqmDBItiLtq1f7EBnp0TKsXFto8gFeOTX2kOKYi6rcmQmbNW8yokoWTW4Y/s370/Early+Aussie+version+colbung.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="222" data-original-width="370" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQGgJfyr9X0vk2MS8CZ10J-jgFDYAJ99l8p3txhim11vF5aR6eO6pq0V02T9kofhYAHxEkwB0xaQ9-EmY-WqmDBItiLtq1f7EBnp0TKsXFto8gFeOTX2kOKYi6rcmQmbNW8yokoWTW4Y/w400-h240/Early+Aussie+version+colbung.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Early Australian colonial bungalow with bell-cast roof</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>But this was not always and everywhere the case.</i> Colonial bungalows could also be designed without any such lift to the hip rafter, a choice of treatment reflecting more faithfully the native Indian practice of using thatch as a roofing material, piled deep in order to repel rains - resulting in both an amplification of roof volume and a singular look. Forty years on, Tiedemann's choice of a lift in his hip roof would be echoed (if rather more gracefully) by domestic architect Samuel Maclure. Alternatively, John Gerhard Tiarks, another local designer of colonial bungalows working in the late 1890s, preferred hip rafters with an unbroken pitch, leading to a different overall effect. Ultimately, the dominant trend locally would be to adopt a lifted hip, flared near the eaves so as to project more boldly over the walls. Tiedemann certainly got things rolling with his eclectic designs for the colony's first administration buildings. A number of authors see this representation of the colonial bungalow roof-line as a more-or-less conscious shaping of space to be recognizable to British eyes, especially for those with colonial experience elsewhere.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5aTN1RoEVO-EfXBzD91dXh27WntAsWHL5lCf8ShazbcvAt9qbzPfksfN4aKzQ47WnPV0Nd2KKjK4cRwtHKNxuAbtyJzgCNjW6iyzWlhXj6ek8oDCnsdQ9ziAlamtwif3k5Y5gL3WcAas/s1200/Birdcages+10+G-05987+circa+1866.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1200" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5aTN1RoEVO-EfXBzD91dXh27WntAsWHL5lCf8ShazbcvAt9qbzPfksfN4aKzQ47WnPV0Nd2KKjK4cRwtHKNxuAbtyJzgCNjW6iyzWlhXj6ek8oDCnsdQ9ziAlamtwif3k5Y5gL3WcAas/w640-h342/Birdcages+10+G-05987+circa+1866.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Hipped roofs, deliberately lifted out over the walls, for a sheltering look to these bungalows</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Other authors writing about the Birdcages also recognize the colonial bungalow's familiarity of shape to, and underlying popularity with, the initially small audience of expatriate Brits comprising Victoria's professional class. As an example of this, a brochure entitled <b><i>Discover Your Legislature</i></b>, published by the office of The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, situates the building cluster as follows: "Tiedemann took his inspiration for the Birdcages from a 'colonial bungalow' design that originated out of British-occupied India and combined it with European influences, such as those mentioned in the newspapers as being stylized after a Swiss-cottage and Italian-villa..."</span><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwiD6nWLyUX5_K3rUMuXC0AUlbxV38AnzZMQ2678t0XlWjV3LUnnjVzTifp5dx5zmKtq8vOX5LWagY4Gf3LLb47bZIhyphenhyphenG6cv6hOX-XmntCWaqTJZwELKiplTr2-W-1hkyu6OEJExJ4hyphenhyphenU/s800/M09621_141.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="800" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwiD6nWLyUX5_K3rUMuXC0AUlbxV38AnzZMQ2678t0XlWjV3LUnnjVzTifp5dx5zmKtq8vOX5LWagY4Gf3LLb47bZIhyphenhyphenG6cv6hOX-XmntCWaqTJZwELKiplTr2-W-1hkyu6OEJExJ4hyphenhyphenU/w640-h490/M09621_141.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Long after Rattenbury's grand essay in stone landed, vestiges of the original Birdcages persist</span><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Robert Ratcliffe Taylor, author of a recent history of the process of building the Birdcages and of the momentous legislative choices eventually made in their precincts, reinforces the idea that the colonial bungalow was recognizable to Victorians with prior experience of the India-Pacific region. In a recent essay in the Ormsby Review (and well worth</span><br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4nA_TvUApjhaCtwBMG-rmq5lbFGh5AvLegdPvT96-28H9WUpWQtvYP06aJ3FBS-g-iWY_5S2vrS7UKF2aT-zLGF2iT5VJKveD4e5Fmx7t6bvH76Y6uZSTyWBMAl3wWfdW2-r6JpUK73rgilaJODb6-F7VtKbc3Jjokuep_V9FWdqdQ4Bj6kdaI8uf=s526" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="526" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4nA_TvUApjhaCtwBMG-rmq5lbFGh5AvLegdPvT96-28H9WUpWQtvYP06aJ3FBS-g-iWY_5S2vrS7UKF2aT-zLGF2iT5VJKveD4e5Fmx7t6bvH76Y6uZSTyWBMAl3wWfdW2-r6JpUK73rgilaJODb6-F7VtKbc3Jjokuep_V9FWdqdQ4Bj6kdaI8uf=w320-h267" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fort Victoria, from Wharf, in 1861: close ties?</span> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">absorbing) entitled "<b><i>The Mysterious and Difficult Hermann Otto Tiedemann</i></b>," Taylor suggests that the legislative cluster's "hipped, bell-cast roofs,
projecting eaves and fretted vergeboards did indeed give them an
unusual, almost 'Oriental' appearance... Moreover, their ground-hugging,
wide-verandahed appearance echoed the bungalows of British India,<b><i>
</i></b>which already had close ties with Victoria.<i>" </i>Consider the inset photo (right) showing Fort Victoria seen from Wharf Street in 1861, for one indication of a possible source of such early 'close ties' with Victoria.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i> </i></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6E_dsaI5lB6sD-TT75xMk7vDFjmQSSBxa6NsMh4lxnabODfwD8OUy93WRRnk4Snme083VnbqaTHToPlH4ztR1HOTseprajLbavfuYl-50FhESI3mec0w6urNw92B4aGV3qO50rcpHnY8/s924/James+Bay+from+the+Birdcages.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="924" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6E_dsaI5lB6sD-TT75xMk7vDFjmQSSBxa6NsMh4lxnabODfwD8OUy93WRRnk4Snme083VnbqaTHToPlH4ztR1HOTseprajLbavfuYl-50FhESI3mec0w6urNw92B4aGV3qO50rcpHnY8/w640-h374/James+Bay+from+the+Birdcages.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">With landscape now maturing around them, the Birdcages relax more into their striking setting</span><br /></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i> </i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span>2. John Gerhard Tiarks</span></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i> </i></b><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">While it would be fascinating to know more about the colonial bungalow's history during the era of the Birdcages (roughly 1859 - 1898), what is known with certainty is that, from the late 1890s on (with a return to booming economic conditions and more-sustained population growth) there was a definite market for architect-designed variants of this house type, for use chiefly as year-round residences. The remarkable, if lamentably brief, career of architect John Gerhard Tiarks (who died suddenly after a bicycle fall in 1901, aged 34) demonstrates this in spades. The English-trained Tiarks moved to Victoria in 1888, where he enjoyed an immediate success designing residences, often executing his projects 'on spec' (meaning, building them on land he had purchased, using his own designs, overseeing construction, and then selling them to willing buyers - an early version of what became 'the housing market'). Despite a career lasting a mere 13 years, Tiarks was busy designing over 75 buildings in the Victoria area! Later he launched himself further in residential real estate, partnering with rising star Francis Mawson Rattenbury on the purchase of some prime acreage in then-undeveloped Oak Bay. These attractive holdings were once part of what was known as the Pemberton estate (J. D. Pemberton was Crown Surveyor in the colony, having worked previously for the Hudson's Bay Company from 1851; he was a talented man, part explorer and part skilled mapper, who laid out the townsite for the City of Victoria and the suburb of James Bay, so positioning himself to get in on the ground floor in local real estate). A portion of the 15 acres of land acquired by the duo came with ocean shoreline, which went to Rattenbury for the purpose of building his family home (Lechinihl - today part of Glenlyon Norfolk school); other parts were developed and marketed in parcels with estate-like design controls. In 1898, Tiarks created a remarkable colonial bungalow at 1512 Beach Drive on a parcel of these lands, for Arthur and Matilda Haynes, which still stands today. This classy early colonial bungalow has many of the features that we see reappearing as standard treatments in the more-popular but later California bungalow era. </span><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0qkoE4ycBBOdfydk-Ztjai6gH3rB5TfBghunmZR3TgLBtkS5To6KeXGZLwzYwqqKvarpLtfEj69HsBxT8NpWcdoOxLIJ5Y07BKZT69TZFWeH_7l7WZwxM7bkLWqRkZ1VA9jNR9ZjT4hM/s2048/View+One+Colbung.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0qkoE4ycBBOdfydk-Ztjai6gH3rB5TfBghunmZR3TgLBtkS5To6KeXGZLwzYwqqKvarpLtfEj69HsBxT8NpWcdoOxLIJ5Y07BKZT69TZFWeH_7l7WZwxM7bkLWqRkZ1VA9jNR9ZjT4hM/w640-h426/View+One+Colbung.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dormers, verandah, a modest elegance with a highly textured and unusual wall treatment</span><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZpkvQSVuebA_PDjdNoRf-q8u7knT4ZJfFf8QMN2z6NufmiY97nammaYKCZJUAOZP0Tn4KMN9nJO5wWiT_0w-5hWd3_tA9bUfQtJU1ls5K0cAaAD0DAJSEaY7KBj4OBQCFywApFCwRac/s2048/View+Two+Colbung.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZpkvQSVuebA_PDjdNoRf-q8u7knT4ZJfFf8QMN2z6NufmiY97nammaYKCZJUAOZP0Tn4KMN9nJO5wWiT_0w-5hWd3_tA9bUfQtJU1ls5K0cAaAD0DAJSEaY7KBj4OBQCFywApFCwRac/w640-h426/View+Two+Colbung.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">A stone foundation and low verandah railings impart rustic and informal notes to this house</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">In
what was his signature treatment, Tiarks chose not to lift the
edges on his hip roofs, preferring instead a long, straight rafter line emphasizing roof volume. As noted above, this roof treatment was closer to the Anglo-Indian bungalow as widely built in India (see inset photo, below right, of a bungalow in India with a thatched hip roof for the general idea). Interestingly, even at this early date, Tiarks is setting dormers into the house's roof in order to achieve modest spatial gains (thereby anticipating the California bungalow's tendency to exploit the attic space while avoiding the effect of a full two-storey house). Also, at the Haynes house above, he gives the verandah a separate roof, projected at a less steep angle than the main roof (so imparting a sense of lift). Eastholme (photo below) was another Tiarks design, at 1580 Beach Drive in</span><br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStn4KJcmeWcWgEg6y5YbB4lknxqc_Uo6loMJ-yg-elgdbU8AAg6KyYRbIoIBP84ZmDrj4jBtizr52WIEiVoLoA-bV_500idCzGqdxmSMahQXf4AJjn3EeSsF140xD3AXklyblUOos5MA/s800/800px-A_British_man_in_front_of_a_bungalow_in_India_during_the_Raj_-_LIFE.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="800" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStn4KJcmeWcWgEg6y5YbB4lknxqc_Uo6loMJ-yg-elgdbU8AAg6KyYRbIoIBP84ZmDrj4jBtizr52WIEiVoLoA-bV_500idCzGqdxmSMahQXf4AJjn3EeSsF140xD3AXklyblUOos5MA/w400-h274/800px-A_British_man_in_front_of_a_bungalow_in_India_during_the_Raj_-_LIFE.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Englishman and bungalow: note the classic roof of thatch</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Oak Bay, this time for Herbert F. Hewett, built in 1899. The building continued here until 1992, when it was relocated to Salt Spring Island in order to make way for the more grandiose offering now gracing its site. Eastholme is a somewhat plainer and less-complicated affair than the Haynes bungalow, as shown by the absence of dormers in its roof, as well as by the more economic recessing of the verandah entryway under the principal roof form. It was nevertheless another example of an early colonial bungalow in Victoria, with a definite cottage-like charm (again, consider the similarities with the inset photo to the right above, from LIFE magazine, pre-1947).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9D6FwINhAVi_LiT0yoGJEzmv_493dcjKTQoPfJhRwbHeeRD6f5BcbKnXFawtTs4aoCsjilxNe_zH2voWz99KWQXERZHrjMzaT1-kzdLOHLxnoRL4LBYOex-OWdaKtm9AsCUl8AwBZrD37tkz0yDx86BnPgZjDR_wQsc9bcMhwVALsj7K-y4CvPnj-=s960" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="960" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9D6FwINhAVi_LiT0yoGJEzmv_493dcjKTQoPfJhRwbHeeRD6f5BcbKnXFawtTs4aoCsjilxNe_zH2voWz99KWQXERZHrjMzaT1-kzdLOHLxnoRL4LBYOex-OWdaKtm9AsCUl8AwBZrD37tkz0yDx86BnPgZjDR_wQsc9bcMhwVALsj7K-y4CvPnj-=w640-h444" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Eastholme, designed by J. G. Tiarks for H. F. Hewett in 1899, now removed to Saltspring Island</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Tiarks also designed a pair of enormous colonial bungalows in 1898 (seven thousand-plus square feet each!) situated on some prestigious holdings off York Place in Oak Bay, for a pair of well-heeled solicitors who were partners in a Victoria law firm. Both had previously sampled high office in successful political careers in other parts of the country. One of these twin bungalows, named Annandale (inset, below right), was for Sir Charles Hibbert Tupper, once a Justice Minister in the Dominion government and a relative of Sir Charles Tupper, one of the fathers of Confederation; the other bungalow, known as Garrison House, was for the Honourable Frederick Peters, a former Premier and Attorney-general for Prince</span><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggD6A_ioYwJqr_ggCsN_ybLrgRf2JXzUA5T5q0u1niRmwv2g2d0rqXhLtjh2QrPDVLS_t1YdI9sCtAW8ERCG6i0tEAYYKFEBhFcHLtRg4UJzXfrPmvbnT49rsXeLpC93lmM_bzjfjgJqj5x1PlVkAyInpipMY_SSgbp3uwZo3slwZsSYk7lTm-_M0-=s3008" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggD6A_ioYwJqr_ggCsN_ybLrgRf2JXzUA5T5q0u1niRmwv2g2d0rqXhLtjh2QrPDVLS_t1YdI9sCtAW8ERCG6i0tEAYYKFEBhFcHLtRg4UJzXfrPmvbnT49rsXeLpC93lmM_bzjfjgJqj5x1PlVkAyInpipMY_SSgbp3uwZo3slwZsSYk7lTm-_M0-=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Edward Island. These gargantuan buildings came with massive, distinctively hipped roofs. Both also came equipped with all the mod cons of the day, including electricity, then a comparative novelty in residential settings. Both buildings would go on to enjoy notoriety in what quickly became the thriving municipality of Oak Bay: Annandale was famous for the long list of serious nobs who visited and were entertained there; Garrison House suffered an early conversion to institutional use, followed by an untimely and total loss to fire in 1932. The Tupper house still stands at York Place, now divided into suites (as are many grandiose residences of the era) rather under-maintained in exterior appearance, and now largely obscured from public view by a dense vegetative screen. The picture below shows the two bungalows shortly after the building process completed (from COVArchives, Rattenbury Fonds).</span></span><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9uCHVoBe8od6GHSTiR_g61BeVcWsQRZFtdTlx6f8bk4tXstGtzToCK6uCQD3g_WaMpS1To608r7n5ld4DLrpKdt5KkI1HySgOX5iUYbyuoTchkmXfIj30Din4K4TaAtCkmt2DIRNTS0/s800/M00139_141+Tiarks.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="800" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9uCHVoBe8od6GHSTiR_g61BeVcWsQRZFtdTlx6f8bk4tXstGtzToCK6uCQD3g_WaMpS1To608r7n5ld4DLrpKdt5KkI1HySgOX5iUYbyuoTchkmXfIj30Din4K4TaAtCkmt2DIRNTS0/w640-h420/M00139_141+Tiarks.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Annandale (nearest) and Garrison House, shown shortly after their construction in 1898<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Some observations on Tiarks' styling of these gigantic colonial bungalows: a sharply rising hip roof architecturally dramatizing roof volume was obviously his design preference.</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> This feature suggests that his interpretations of the colonial bungalow did not factor into the achievement of its standard form (ie. the one most widely built in its construction heyday, which saw it most often delivered with a bell-cast roof and dormers styled to echo the main roof's form). Tiarks intended the verandahs on these buildings to have a significant presence, making them into a central feature that defines their look and wrapping them around three sides of the building. Here they effect a transition between the building and its surroundings, capturing views of environmental features from within a substantial space that is sheltered from the elements. Verandahs were entirely practical in Victoria's unusual wet-dry climate, building on their traditional use in the Anglo-Indian bungalow where they provided relief from both intense heat and heavy seasonal rains. Another function they serve, similarly arising from lived experience in India, was their potential for use as a social mixing space in what was in effect a sequence of roofed outdoor rooms. This transitional zone adds a certain exoticism to the overall bungalow experience, lending informality to a novel physical space that simultaneously provides sheltered entry to the residence. Tiarks clearly intends these verandahs to play a key role in defining the overall look, once again tucking them under a separate roof form that angles into the main roof plane. </span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJk1w0h8fYJEyggQe-CHpl3kj1N_Bs42JfkhcumYDUSdu0t9a5u403WgNL0iebj-gmXjW6SXMdO1K_zhMHtDuSmfHLt3Kc7OPbXgzaJZZ3nB0xuQm7Yd2sVUiXVPyV_8iramquzvvjec/s800/M02800_141+CVA+Annandale+Tiarks.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="785" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJk1w0h8fYJEyggQe-CHpl3kj1N_Bs42JfkhcumYDUSdu0t9a5u403WgNL0iebj-gmXjW6SXMdO1K_zhMHtDuSmfHLt3Kc7OPbXgzaJZZ3nB0xuQm7Yd2sVUiXVPyV_8iramquzvvjec/w628-h640/M02800_141+CVA+Annandale+Tiarks.jpg" width="628" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Annandale, circa 1959, still showing much of the original conception (COVArchives)</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">To my eye however, there are residual Victorian elements to Tiarks' design of this bungalow couplet, one example of which is the trio of contrasting dormers set into his massive hipped roofs. It's almost as if decorative variety were the goal rather than the arts-and-crafts objective of achieving a more fully integrated outcome. Looking at photo two of Annandale (above) we observe that each dormer is treated entirely differently from its mates: the largest of the three (furthest to the right) sports a gable roof with its tips buried within the main roof; notionally it seems in sync with the dominant roof form, yet somehow it is not quite, to my eye at least, an architectural synthesis. By contrast, the middle dormer is a long, narrow, shed-roofed affair, terminating in two relatively small windows. To me, this dormer feels dwarfed by the vast expanse of roof it springs from. Sharpening this contrast even further, the third dormer (on the left), is also gable roofed but this time with the tips exposed and the gable decorated, contributing to a confusion of shapes and treatments lacking any inherent relationship to one another.</span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEZm4J6VAtiaPiiQEXvWSY4sYlaenUTXeC6JfnXp81MnCqGvHoh00znTlZ0efb5uKSjAY6HWYn-rQlFJuxhXiUvyT7XtAuKxv2X7M0QpQjbmdw_Sw3VqOGRX6MJtsdeDj8bkBaPClqGk/s800/Tiarks+508+Dallas+Road.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="800" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEZm4J6VAtiaPiiQEXvWSY4sYlaenUTXeC6JfnXp81MnCqGvHoh00znTlZ0efb5uKSjAY6HWYn-rQlFJuxhXiUvyT7XtAuKxv2X7M0QpQjbmdw_Sw3VqOGRX6MJtsdeDj8bkBaPClqGk/w640-h434/Tiarks+508+Dallas+Road.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">The Weiler brothers' colonial bungalow by J. G. Tiarks, an exclusive rental with stunning views </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Tiarks' designs may not have anticipated the ultimate form colonial bungalows would assume locally, but his success as an architect with an interest in the idiom reinforces the notion that there was underlying demand for this look of house in Victoria near the turn of the twentieth century. The colonial bungalow appealed broadly to people of British extraction: from mustered-out colonial administrators seeking quiet enjoyment of a peaceful setting, to retired officers looking for the trappings of wealth at a good price, and it included an emergent group of successful local business and professional families aspiring to own a residence expressing status, modernity, and a definite connection to the glories of empire. Buildings such as these might be custom-designed for specific well-heeled clients (like the York Place couplet or the singletons located on Beach Drive) but they could also be </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">designed 'on spec' for the market or custom-built for investors looking to offer rental accommodation that might attract a moderately well-heeled demographic wanting access to safe, temperate Victoria. The city was, after all, by this point successfully marketing itself</span><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOufnurcjdKeXMFTLlgRtid8sfATbfuhohMo_OfG0_3BGDmEAY-DwPVo5t3_P_5iD_mDvPCiUEq4J0B6sl15shE6hDBOBnKZfGvtVBfOOUBC7I7dFazrOW3qD5TRLFBf49AF9gkjlARE/s1732/tourism+brochure+1909.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1537" data-original-width="1732" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOufnurcjdKeXMFTLlgRtid8sfATbfuhohMo_OfG0_3BGDmEAY-DwPVo5t3_P_5iD_mDvPCiUEq4J0B6sl15shE6hDBOBnKZfGvtVBfOOUBC7I7dFazrOW3qD5TRLFBf49AF9gkjlARE/w400-h355/tourism+brochure+1909.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">as a tourism destination (see photo of brochure, right, dated 1909: - No hot summers; No hard winters). And of course, over time, with even only modest population growth, a premium location with a desirable, contemporary colonial bungalow for rent would likely more than repay the initial outlay on building and land. The fourth Tiarks' colonial bungalow, pictured above, was designed in 1897 for Joseph and Charles Weiler (scions of successful local merchant John Weiler) who were conceivably looking for practical ways to consolidate family wealth, in this instance as a rental in an enviable location on Dallas Road, with views across the majestic straits of Juan de Fuca to the Olympic Mountains. I'm sure there was a market for it! </span></span><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span>3. Samuel Maclure</span></b></span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMQ6HCRzvRRYZRJrtCVHg7fAHtwBrenqeDfE_VZCDgVqF5cF4irpc3qHo-RGT_cXKA6dtJ-xAP1exRClJ9Y96mcUB03RTvFK8PnB3FAH1acRudpSmT4dn4kvxRF648ySVxMK9gavTuUY/s800/Maclure+on+Superior+M00573_141.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="800" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMQ6HCRzvRRYZRJrtCVHg7fAHtwBrenqeDfE_VZCDgVqF5cF4irpc3qHo-RGT_cXKA6dtJ-xAP1exRClJ9Y96mcUB03RTvFK8PnB3FAH1acRudpSmT4dn4kvxRF648ySVxMK9gavTuUY/w640-h458/Maclure+on+Superior+M00573_141.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span> </span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">A further indication of ongoing local demand for this specialized building type is revealed in the practice of residential architect Samuel Maclure, who created a stream of innovative colonial bungalow designs that proved highly popular in Victoria. In 1899, Maclure declared his interest by designing a novel colonial bungalow to house his own family, located on Superior Street (newspaper photo above) just around the corner from Rattenbury's new Legislative Assembly building. Immediately popular in Victoria (Segger calls it "an instant success") this noteworthy reworking of the house-type would serve as a 'calling card' for Maclure's new professional practice. The architect's reputation was further amplified when publications like <i>Victoria Homes</i> (a local newspaper feature aimed in part at tourists) repeatedly ran pictures of it as proof of the underlying originality of local architecture. This newfound notoriety led to additional commissions for similar structures, which in some instances were fairly literal reprises of the original building. Over the ensuing years, however, Maclure continued to evolve his approach to the colonial bungalow form, varying his treatments in order to demonstrate design-originality. Maclure's family home ("a gracefully understated design") and the followup colonial bungalows also furnished local contractors with models that any number were quick to copy, building their own 'interpretations' for a rapidly expanding housing market (and equally typically, losing some of Maclure's finesse along the way). In this manner, Maclure's early innovations may have played a formative role in achieving the building's paradigmatic form.</span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Segger offers the following on Maclure's approach to the styling of domestic architecture: "Specializing in small house
design Maclure was also searching for a distinctive personal style
with a uniquely regional flavour<i><b>.</b></i>...Maclure's immediate
inspiration was local. <i>Drawing on the most prestigious standing
structures (the Georgian style HBC [Hudson's Bay Company] buildings and colonial bungalow
forms of the old government buildings the 'Birdcages') he quickly
forged a highly original residential type</i>. The
meticulously designed but rather unostentatious hipped-roof and
shingle-clad bungalows became a familiar part of the urban landscape." Segger also notes that Maclure's family home galvanized demand for buildings of this type: "revolutionary but traditional, its startling fresh design was to be the prototype for a long line of smaller houses wherein even replicas of the architect's were both demanded and occasionally supplied with few modifications." </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">A good example of this pulse in demand for structures on this new model of colonial bungalow is Arden (pictured below, COVArchives) erected at 1176 Beach Drive in 1902, for Ada and Hugo Beaven (son of former BC Premier Robert Beaven). This very handsomely detailed colonial bungalow was unfortunately demolished, a fate that sadly also befell the Maclure family bungalow. </span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiErvf0k_aJaNCUX27xZq5o5F8kb2yrJdnoHQtQ-C33rUCZhEPGc1GV4OJVaB3CNRWpTEAvjTFFv0EPmYGIcw4qyx_vrnquhUHC-pQN-V9qFb93z3DoBfOqOR9R5R3pIL_QZF-lMTy7Jas/s800/M07186_141.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="800" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiErvf0k_aJaNCUX27xZq5o5F8kb2yrJdnoHQtQ-C33rUCZhEPGc1GV4OJVaB3CNRWpTEAvjTFFv0EPmYGIcw4qyx_vrnquhUHC-pQN-V9qFb93z3DoBfOqOR9R5R3pIL_QZF-lMTy7Jas/w640-h410/M07186_141.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Arden, looking smart, surrounded by mature landscaping - a fixture on Beach Drive (ca 1930)</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Indeed, so popular were these new colonial bungalows that local builders and architects were keenly interested in supplying their own versions of what they referred to as 'the Maclure bungalow'. These early examples of Maclure's handiwork developed new expectations of what could be done with a modest but artistic, cozy yet modern home. Among Arden's outstanding features is its finely proportioned hip roof, gracefully flared near the edges, rendering it into an elegantly bell-cast shape that emphasizes its sheltering effect (all features that would come to typify the mature form of the building). Also noteworthy is the recessed entry verandah, a frequent Maclure feature, providing shelter from the elements and adding to the overall feeling of coziness combined with stylistic elegance. Another fine feature is the proportioning and placement of the front dormer, floating decoratively in the main roof space, echoing the bell-cast hip of the main roof form. There is also a conservatory-style pavilion to the left, advancing into the maturely landscaped setting while sitting securely under its own stylish hipped roof. Here at Arden, the garden conservatory functions as a windowed sun room, while at the Maclure family home it manifests as a true verandah, which apart from being roofed is otherwise open to the elements. Arden, like the Maclure family home, is a resoundingly horizontal building (befitting a bungalow in an outer suburban, then-country setting) set close enough to the ground plane to emphasize that very quality. This sharpens the contrast with the more vertical Victorian-era houses that are typical of the more closely packed inner suburbs nestled against Victoria's downtown. There is also little of the tacked-on ornament characteristic of so many Queen Anne-style houses of the high Victorian era (although, if you look closely, Maclure's personal enthusiasm for finials is evident). In those days, arts-and-crafts architects studiously avoided the Victorian embrace of architectural doodads, preferring instead to emphasize features like local materials for wall texture, decorative expression of the building's structure, and above all, refined proportioning of the building's masses. Arden is a colonial bungalow built in an emerging and pretty suburb that remains rural, with gardened grounds fringed by a mature treed landscape - the building feels nestled-into its surroundings, in a comfortable manner, crowning its slight rise.</span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDAT0n3R66HCnG0euuX9IKq0aEa29JKxGlufr7lSNzLDqo7HH5Zn2BlmlTYoCW34Y5XwNMgndO_KYGreUxy9naE1mYBGHjJ3OOrnyeJar0PeSZEUW0zinBIHQtm_GE0ill7bTbgGy5FCc/s800/132+Dallas+Road+c+1974.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="800" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDAT0n3R66HCnG0euuX9IKq0aEa29JKxGlufr7lSNzLDqo7HH5Zn2BlmlTYoCW34Y5XwNMgndO_KYGreUxy9naE1mYBGHjJ3OOrnyeJar0PeSZEUW0zinBIHQtm_GE0ill7bTbgGy5FCc/w640-h484/132+Dallas+Road+c+1974.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">132 Dallas Road, c. 1974, probable contractor's version of the Maclure colonial bungalow</span><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnL6CqZih00jfpwb9vOTOuPdctOlcpxmqUMnjn6bmovgW5jcEoNZUgnFa_ub3k00FLKjL8sXypJSUSbeITaNJFclPmfxyKi_7kYDH4gBsBb_XD5wFL5byOMaPWZlGvYAK7P2q3Ulu7wkg/s750/David+Ramsay+House%252C+Ellensburg%252C+1916.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="750" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnL6CqZih00jfpwb9vOTOuPdctOlcpxmqUMnjn6bmovgW5jcEoNZUgnFa_ub3k00FLKjL8sXypJSUSbeITaNJFclPmfxyKi_7kYDH4gBsBb_XD5wFL5byOMaPWZlGvYAK7P2q3Ulu7wkg/w400-h280/David+Ramsay+House%252C+Ellensburg%252C+1916.jpg" width="400" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="font-family: times;">The photo above shows what is likely a builder's version of 'the Maclure bungalow' (COVArchives). Signs that this wasn't Maclure's own handiwork include the building's stucco exterior, the over-steep and concreted front steps (Maclure preferred wooden steps and landings in a graceful sequence), a general coarsening of building features in order presumably to keep costs down, and a telling absence of finials! While there was demand for any number of such builder versions of Maclure's radically restyled colonial bungalow, there was also plenty of demand for the real article - and even a little from</span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> out-of-country, in at least one area of the Pacific Northwest. An example of this is the Ramsay House (insert, right) constructed in Ellensburg, Washington in 1905, for a wealthy couple who had recognized Maclure's artistic talents while vacationing in Victoria; able to review examples of his work firsthand, they convinced themselves he simply had to become the architect of their family home. The Ramseys commissioned him to design a unique variant of the colonial bungalow, which here presents an early instance of Maclure deploying a straightened version of the hip roof with no perceptible lift at the edges (a feature repeated for the roof on the front dormer). And while a conservatory bay projects into the garden at the left of the photo,</span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span style="font-family: times;"> in this instance a second, preponderant wing runs perpendicular to the first, thus expanding the home's footprint while enabling an elaborate recessed entry verandah.</span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUR72-P3jWn2eBY1xLDnuQdTXf5s600kLeTOrPT3kFlEfSEU96GCYFzDQ9Q5rli4XvqN3xe2VmHxvXMGgoEVMj8EnJsIXPj6nPpt4Dyop5i5pxIu5SxHZiUlx-DtYv_A7cSDZ4wvWKcrw/s2048/Gore+plus+004.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUR72-P3jWn2eBY1xLDnuQdTXf5s600kLeTOrPT3kFlEfSEU96GCYFzDQ9Q5rli4XvqN3xe2VmHxvXMGgoEVMj8EnJsIXPj6nPpt4Dyop5i5pxIu5SxHZiUlx-DtYv_A7cSDZ4wvWKcrw/w640-h426/Gore+plus+004.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Gore house (1912) a remarkable innovation in bungalow design that set the city to talking</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Looking at Maclure's buildings today, one has the impression he relished the act of refining their shape and detailing, whether grandiose or compact, and that this almost playful trait accounts for the sheer variety of his essays in the colonial bungalow style over decades. By 1912, when he came to design Gore House at Regent's Place (photo above), his conception had evolved considerably from that governing his family home in 1899. Gore House is set across a gently sloping landscape, on foundations so low the building appears to rise directly from the land itself, in California arts-and-crafts style (see first photo, above). The exposed rafter tails under its projecting hip roof lend this bungalow a modest Craftsman touch (yet it comes equipped with gutters and downspouts, a practical necessity in Victoria's rainy winter). But in this instance Maclure's dormers are flat-roofed, standing in sharpened contrast to the bell-cast main roofline, and are significantly larger in size so as to optimize interior spatial gain. The heightened hip roof also serves this end. </span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipPr5PukJ_oUGA2b0Pk8RalDUkEmsqcU4jGrozwKphROFTSIUqbjOBH31kf0gR9Gpi8Thsu6O4nx5FccqGCYBJnKVPEuI2T4W8gbel9SLeULOxZLhpfsqpLvHjCLoNZaVzgdCAQf-pp24/s2048/Gore+plus+017.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipPr5PukJ_oUGA2b0Pk8RalDUkEmsqcU4jGrozwKphROFTSIUqbjOBH31kf0gR9Gpi8Thsu6O4nx5FccqGCYBJnKVPEuI2T4W8gbel9SLeULOxZLhpfsqpLvHjCLoNZaVzgdCAQf-pp24/w640-h426/Gore+plus+017.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Here the main roof-form is bell-cast at the edges, and the roofed entryway mimics it</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">There is also a projecting roofed-over entryway that does trace the main roof's form, both being gently lifted at the edges (photo above). Segger says that Maclure continually modified these interpretations so as to better meet the needs of his clients and the particular site: "While builders and other architects were quick to follow with their own versions of the Maclure bungalow, the form remained with the architect a gradually evolving house-type to which he returned again and again, always with a variation which better adapted it to client, location and current taste."</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywpY4SRfLId9nK0v2LfFsyUTlekM8GEENBgwufVrURUc6KDVMZ_wAkdXlWiaSeq96X5b6MPCUONyfYSEb4vkcYKt3MGE4e_bYt6XIbFdQBe4J9BabySI6dJll_uDghKGUQO_QAVw8qbA/s2048/A.+O.+Campbell+house+1912.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1873" data-original-width="2048" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywpY4SRfLId9nK0v2LfFsyUTlekM8GEENBgwufVrURUc6KDVMZ_wAkdXlWiaSeq96X5b6MPCUONyfYSEb4vkcYKt3MGE4e_bYt6XIbFdQBe4J9BabySI6dJll_uDghKGUQO_QAVw8qbA/w640-h586/A.+O.+Campbell+house+1912.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dormer treatment and slight lift at the roof's edge continue, the roof angle is now far steeper</span><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">For the A.O. Campbell House (elevations above, UVic Library) also in 1912, Maclure retained the contrasting, flattened dormer roofs as at Gore House, but made the main hipped roof rise even more sharply, further dramatizing its volume. The edges of his roof still flare gently outwards in what the eye sees as a delicate curve. The building pictured above also nestles comfortably into its rocky situation, sited near to the ground plane so as to leave nature's original bequest as undisturbed as possible. This evolving Maclure style was by now quite familiar to local eyes, making his designs even more sought-after by the discerning subset of people who could afford an architect-designed home. Maclure's unique way of doing this, his architectural 'indigenization' of the colonial bungalow form if you will, may in earlier days have contributed certain design-leads for the paradigmatic shape these buildings ultimately assumed as units of expanding suburbia; but here we see him veering further away from any literal repetition. Segger says Maclure was always intrigued by the possibilities of the colonial bungalow form, tackling it anew over nearly three decades, and going so far as to explore its potential to be scaled-up grandly into a novel form of mansion-house. Nowadays these intriguing smaller buildings are sometimes referred to as 'Edwardian' bungalows, or even as 'Edwardian' cottages (muddying the waters yet further) but they are in fact colonial bungalows, despite sharing features like coziness with British cottages, as they descend directly from colonial antecedents in India. Besides, a market for this genre of building existed on either side of the Edwardian era (technically from 1901 - 1910) so the colonial bungalow's story is in no way limited to, nor is it captured by, the abbreviated compass of this notional era. Eventually a substantial number of bungalows following a more-or-less paradigmatic version of this program would be built in every corner of the region, typically appearing in suburbs alongside other contemporary housing (originally often built in threes, by contractors, during the summer months, as buildings on spec often were early in the twentieth century). They are likely the by-product of builders directly cribbing treatments like those at Arden or the Maclure home on Superior. I will have more to say about that phenomenon in part two of this article, but for now here's a quite lovely, if slightly incongruous, interpretation of the paradigmatic style (photo below). Note that despite the classical brackets and the stone foundation and piers, the verandah has shrunk to a mere half the width of the building, while a diminished bay window (more a sidewall feature than a frontal bay) has been run out to its edge. While this instance has some very positive features to it, the loss of half the verandah, making it more an entry-porch, renders the design discontinuous and somewhat incongruous.</span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMUJr0g82OJu-clJs5Xs_7PmioMsxijJRT2YaPbns3kbNPiijzuyJP1eX9hY65a31GQ31WEDKfunnHuriS8xrfPuA1KkkpcB8Av-lXtJxc9BayAQSQR8rsFJRx5bS6T9qs6A1itgKw7ewUtps54YogdijQpeaZ_jVmGkiJKWF_Y0K8af5wvzU1YO31=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMUJr0g82OJu-clJs5Xs_7PmioMsxijJRT2YaPbns3kbNPiijzuyJP1eX9hY65a31GQ31WEDKfunnHuriS8xrfPuA1KkkpcB8Av-lXtJxc9BayAQSQR8rsFJRx5bS6T9qs6A1itgKw7ewUtps54YogdijQpeaZ_jVmGkiJKWF_Y0K8af5wvzU1YO31=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Fairfield colonial bungalow with some rustic flair in its stone basement and tapered verandah piers</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span><br /></span></span><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">A smaller part of the bumper crop of bungalows in this idiom erected from the late 1890s to around the start of the first World War were in fact architect-designed interpretations, styled expressly for clients requesting this type of house. But Maclure, however he may have contributed to overall colonial bungalow design-trends with one or other of his early variants, was busily evolving novel versions for specific sites and clients. This dynamic can be glimpsed in the influences combining in the C. B. Jones house at 1911 Woodley Road in Saanich (1913, COVArchives, below). Designed for a successful Victoria contractor/engineer on the then-rural slopes of Mount Tolmie for use as a luxury getaway, Maclure here opts for fully flat-roofed dormers but adds a really grand two-storey Tudor gable that relieves the roof form and gains a distinctive sense of entry. This time the now-steeply hipped roof has no apparent flare at the edges. Rafter tails are again visible, expressing part of the building's underlying structure in Craftsman fashion, and there are knee-braces securing the Tudored gable form along with a dropped finial. Roof-wise, Maclure appears increasingly influenced by renowned designer C. F. A. Voysey, a British arts-and-crafts architect who also found colonial bungalow roof lines appealing (he often placed scaled-up hip roofs on the quite voluminous structures he designed for his relatively well-off clientele). Segger notes that from 1903 on "the low-rise hipped roof colonial bungalow undergoes a transformation into a larger roofed building of much more simplified form". The building pictured below appears also to have nascent corner buttresses too, another Voysey-like touch. The house itself is shingle-clad, after local arts and crafts fashion.</span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhU8NaQTp1UaGdf5EVVyYhWUEfj-7IAN6E_JjhgPfAHYKi-ND-G_81HEJ40fF21p9vCu_7FYG4JkjVI1vHnPR9qjvEVW5Wg-qlz8Kc1kcHgosifm4OM-rUiiV8qf-pnF1MKj4mq0UjWsg/s800/1912+Jones+Maclure+1911+Woodley+HU+Knight+1928.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="521" data-original-width="800" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhU8NaQTp1UaGdf5EVVyYhWUEfj-7IAN6E_JjhgPfAHYKi-ND-G_81HEJ40fF21p9vCu_7FYG4JkjVI1vHnPR9qjvEVW5Wg-qlz8Kc1kcHgosifm4OM-rUiiV8qf-pnF1MKj4mq0UjWsg/w640-h416/1912+Jones+Maclure+1911+Woodley+HU+Knight+1928.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">A vacation house done up for successful Victoria engineer/builder C.B. Jones in 1911<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Whether or not we can discern any direct links between Maclure's early innovations and the paradigmatic form colonial bungalows took up until circa 1914 (when growth in general building around Victoria ground to a halt) his design-vocabulary in this idiom continued to catch the attention of discerning people of means - those with the wherewithal to hire an architect to gain a really distinctive design. Maclure was very much in sync with the local market for this specialized building-type, his suite of designs comprising its leading edge. Maclure-designed bungalows might be modestly sized, as at Gore house, or they could be scaled-up substantially, like the Harry T. Shaw house on Foul Bay Road (elevation below, UVic Library). They might be built as year-round homes in town or as weekend houses placed in scenic locales for successful entrepreneurs. Segger says that the colonial bungalow "was well-suited to climates where combinations of oppressive heat and monsoon rain dictated open, well-ventilated but sheltered living spaces. Victoria's own mild, yet not always hospitable climate encouraged this kind of open, yet restricted, relationship with the landscape." </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirI73wkpjXjVrlw13gpzeyo0m70w1zPcRlmkBS-vFDnurgfONQhw7etazwdhoxsoGcix3uDVAjdXPle9NneJDM1BbDm4F0IFJrJ6NqpjSjnO2GBolXsZWHsRcp0pvJEKqYhcNQKFXw8Ww/s2778/H.T.+Shaw+Fowl+Bay.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="2778" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirI73wkpjXjVrlw13gpzeyo0m70w1zPcRlmkBS-vFDnurgfONQhw7etazwdhoxsoGcix3uDVAjdXPle9NneJDM1BbDm4F0IFJrJ6NqpjSjnO2GBolXsZWHsRcp0pvJEKqYhcNQKFXw8Ww/w640-h260/H.T.+Shaw+Fowl+Bay.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Despite the marked success of a more standardized (if still quite charming and comparatively well-planned) mass-market version of the colonial bungalow, Maclure continued tweaking his own designs in ways that ensured his buildings remained fresh and contemporary. One such bungalow - and a truly vast one at that - emerged in the form of Benvenuto (picture below) the garden home of Jenny and Robert Butchart (of Butchart Gardens fame) which Maclure evolved in a series of redesigns and additions between 1911 - 1925. Segger notes that we do not know definitively whether Maclure designed this house originally, but acknowledges that he may have. Intriguingly, the main bungalow incorporates many features closely associated with the paradigmatic form of these buildings, like the lifted edges of the large hipped roofs and the way the dormers echo that treatment. An undated photo (below, possibly from the thirties) shows Maclure's handiwork at the heart of a landscape that is much-appreciated by tourists and locals to this very day.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQyqwVXED6IqZZnpYYlWVk0Ki-eiUnpTtQnruorI3OX-R8QeRU914E-UqUiDm4g2QJiIASTNegq557jDde89cxai-0ejQWN6ssHlug4IgJJnE4TrhQeVh-BT6IrsPtdjjaPe7f6eQFLk/s1023/Benvenuto+by+Maclure.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1023" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQyqwVXED6IqZZnpYYlWVk0Ki-eiUnpTtQnruorI3OX-R8QeRU914E-UqUiDm4g2QJiIASTNegq557jDde89cxai-0ejQWN6ssHlug4IgJJnE4TrhQeVh-BT6IrsPtdjjaPe7f6eQFLk/w640-h500/Benvenuto+by+Maclure.webp" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Benvenuto, Butchart Gardens, for Jenny and Robert Butchart, shown here in the thirties (likely)</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span><br /></span></span><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Maclure was also seasoned at deploying the hipped, bell-cast roof-form on larger, multi-storey buildings. One occasion appeared early on in his career, in the form of the commission he won for Gabriola (1901/2), located in Vancouver's west end and designed for B.T. and Emily Rogers, owners of the ultra-successful B.C. Sugar concern. A prestigious endeavour for such a young architect (especially perhaps for one whose home base was little Victoria) Maclure showed he had the chops to design majestic residences for the well-heeled in surging Vancouver. This one occupied an entire city block when first built, incorporating gardens, outbuildings and a paddock for five horses. You can see from the picture below that the roof form (if far more grandiose and elaborated here than on any of his bungalows, due in part to the gravitas of slate as a roofing material) is nonetheless composed of elements similar to his early colonial bungalow roofs (see pictures below). Here the dormers reflect the proportioning and finish of the main hipped roof, floating gracefully in their allotted roof space. Maclure's comfort level with this elegant roof type is evident at Gabriola (which somehow has magically persisted to this day). Note how he forms his main roof (hipped, bell-cast, graceful) and how the dormers float in the roof space for optimal decorative effect.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqDNykBNCUKqnA0tDzJsEDVVjsrVXFlwAPt3h2HHrEvgN7tB3nN7Ip90ZirQT7UHccLW_fKzwIWeaGSD87aWiufr4Th4tIXqyfzOwAzJpHB9ou3aZgqtsu4hjDSTbTvQVSIVOxVOvL80/s2048/Gabriola+one.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1362" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqDNykBNCUKqnA0tDzJsEDVVjsrVXFlwAPt3h2HHrEvgN7tB3nN7Ip90ZirQT7UHccLW_fKzwIWeaGSD87aWiufr4Th4tIXqyfzOwAzJpHB9ou3aZgqtsu4hjDSTbTvQVSIVOxVOvL80/w426-h640/Gabriola+one.jpg" width="426" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Gabriola, a two-plus-storey mansion with colonial bungalow roof features</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">This luxurious building has classy touches galore, from its carved sandstone motifs (by John Wills Bruce, a Scottish architectural sculptor) and wooden classical detailing to its magnificent stained glass windows. Originally Gabriola sported much-more extensive grounds, encompassing outbuildings and stables in a gardened landscape setting. And, apart from several insults inflicted due to conversion to high-end steakhouse (the famous Hy's) plus a modicum of casual disfiguring of features through repurposing and parceling into suites, Gabriola itself remains substantially intact, a living example of Maclure's arts-and-crafts credo and its period authenticity. Above all, it underscores his personal ability to realize a complete vision for a statement-house, working entirely through the hands of other artist-craftsmen. Gabriola has apparently now reverted to condo-suites (or is in the process of attempting this conversion) which may in fact comprise good recycling of this sort of luxury heritage (especially if its ongoing maintenance is worked adequately into the homeowner bargain); sadly, the price of this rescue is that a brutally modernist piece of visual flotsam will be inflicted on its already abbreviated grounds. I'm both sad, and yet glad, that it's being done - at least Maclure's artwork continues intact for future generations (and for a few lucky suite owners).</span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BBq-iTJG2F7Jyb5VlK-mXYOkxPbcpsKYRaPz5lkCDb7fA99N5BXK0446KGsQyEPNfTltmwX9yKDnTluNBo1LsE2XQZ3Qa4LEw2IC3yI5rFt3EIQyXvRVNRLlmxGR4702qVCFQQewCos/s2048/Sandstone+Vancouver+Sugar.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BBq-iTJG2F7Jyb5VlK-mXYOkxPbcpsKYRaPz5lkCDb7fA99N5BXK0446KGsQyEPNfTltmwX9yKDnTluNBo1LsE2XQZ3Qa4LEw2IC3yI5rFt3EIQyXvRVNRLlmxGR4702qVCFQQewCos/w640-h426/Sandstone+Vancouver+Sugar.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Gabriola, named for the source of its sandstone exterior, showing hip roofs and dormers<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Whatever the commission Maclure accepted, he was disinclined to simply duplicate his prior designs: each one represented fresh opportunity to shape a building, an approach that required a continuously evolving design-vocabulary. The Captain Verner house (picture below) dating to 1912 and built in Duncan, BC illustrates this continuous updating of design-vocabulary in motion. This time we detect no lift at the edges of the roof, but here the dormer does repeat the main roof form. This time the walls sport prominent Tudor-boards (rather than the more subdued cedar shingles) in what seems a stark black-and-white contrast. Tudor detail and Tudor allusions were themes Maclure explored expressively on many of his buildings, viewing these touches as 'appropriate form' for a design-commissioning public of British background. Where the earlier use of cedar shingles as siding expressed west coast arts-and-crafts values, the demonstrative black and white scheme now emphasizes the British connection more fully.</span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2z2P3nSBoud1TzVsJejypCJa1QLtENPzzV_N-O0T-RAKBpfzXYh-o3PWYTbSO9pcPIrer_HQqI7zQOjF-Nv0qv1MHmA0G7I1CzVRPsE0fqw0bVIILfX0NJB_QL3EwnDDY-X-zYextkU/s600/Captain+Verner+Bungalow+Duncan+1984.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2z2P3nSBoud1TzVsJejypCJa1QLtENPzzV_N-O0T-RAKBpfzXYh-o3PWYTbSO9pcPIrer_HQqI7zQOjF-Nv0qv1MHmA0G7I1CzVRPsE0fqw0bVIILfX0NJB_QL3EwnDDY-X-zYextkU/w640-h428/Captain+Verner+Bungalow+Duncan+1984.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">From shingle siding to blackened Tudor Boards with white stucco panels: the Captain Verner bungalow</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Below is a picture of the E. D. Todd mansion in Oak Bay (Dainhurst), also designed in 1912, which saw Maclure scaling-up the colonial bungalow format to achieve a much grander building plan. Here a massive, two-and-a-half storey, Tudor gable frames a compelling front entrance, the verandahs it leads through deeply recessed under the main roof form. The subtle bell-cast roof is back again in this example, dormers are of the firmly flat-roofed type, and the main hipped roof is absolutely gargantuan. The bungalow-form seems to invite this sort of exaggeration of features in the hands of creative architects, perhaps especially in the way the roof is treated in the instance of colonial-type bungalows. This mansion-version comes with rubble-stone foundations rising up into tapered stone piers that convey rustic flair and connect it to the landscape. In this example the Tudor boards are limited to the gable peaks and dormer sides and have been set in less-sharp contrast to the 'plaster' element, making them more understated in effect than at the Captain Verner house. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACnc9ueMA8SOVYMxECCM0wel4OkPeCUzU6dPNj5z4FK6HZvSloIDrLr5ptOBjSOENQ-wnDNWHEB6XiskdmH1h5uJMOE8RijOHAohyphenhyphen9012oWx17ZyLskNvDEuBX7ZAKvHpPOj7R82ked8/s800/Tod+Maclure+508+Island+Road+1918.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="800" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACnc9ueMA8SOVYMxECCM0wel4OkPeCUzU6dPNj5z4FK6HZvSloIDrLr5ptOBjSOENQ-wnDNWHEB6XiskdmH1h5uJMOE8RijOHAohyphenhyphen9012oWx17ZyLskNvDEuBX7ZAKvHpPOj7R82ked8/w640-h514/Tod+Maclure+508+Island+Road+1918.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">The E. D. Todd mansion in Oak Bay saw Maclure scaling the colonial bungalow form way up</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><br /><span><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>It's
intriguing to consider that the colonial form of bungalow, while making the
rounds of Britain's Pacific colonies, came to have a life of its own in
quaint little Victoria. Here the colonial bungalow established itself as an indigenous type well before bungalows took off as subdivision housing in Los Angeles (beginning about 1905). Los Angeles' success at using the bungalow-and-streetcar combination to extend suburban space would trigger the transfer of similarly-styled dwellings to
virtually every growing city-region in North America, eventually reaching as far afield as Australia. From Los Angeles the bungalow idea drifted northwards along the Pacific coast, setting up in growing urban regions where it was deployed to house newcomers attracted by prospering cities like San Francisco, Portland and Seattle. This transfer was propelled by the mounting wave of pattern books published by bungalow marketers like Jud Yoho or Henry Wilson, enthusiastic magazines like The Craftsman, and the easy availability of pre-cut, ready-to-assemble models distributed from centres like Chicago via North America's abundant rail connections. Eventually, by about 1910, the California-style bungalow reached both Victoria and high-growth Vancouver, in the latter case taking off on lines similar to the LA development model. Victoria's bungalow constructors were active in the pulsing prewar period too (just not on anywhere near the same scale), while Vancouver enjoyed booming conditions and rapid population growth on both sides of the first World War. Victoria's architectural community was in one sense positioned to anticipate the entire
process of bungalow-extended subdivision, by dint both of the historic British
imperial connection to the bungalow-form and its early presence as a building type meeting the expectations of people who could commission architects to design their homes. And local contractors extended this reach by copying or amending high-style versions to create the beginnings of a mass market. Yet what a smaller city like Victoria (population around 46,000 in 1914) lacked to fuel full take-off was in-migration on the scale powering development in
neighbouring Vancouver. There, explosive port-and-railway-related growth translated more readily into sustained demand for speculative housing, fed by extensive electric streetcar networks, delivered in what were substantial subdivisions. The differing growth dynamics in these two centres meant that when bungalows caught on as mass-market housing in Victoria in the runup to WW1, the colonial bungalow tended to be built as one of many bungalow-type options on offer to the broad public. While high-style demand for this building-form constituted a definite local market from the late 1890s at least, the mass market was served more by contractors than by architects, and as a result colonial bungalows went through the now-familiar process of cheapening, standardizing, and downsizing in their hands. This process did, however, make them more accessible to greater numbers of people, but over time popularity tended to come at the expense of quality, and as significantly, of size. The building shrank considerably to meet the needs of standardized lot sizes, often being dressed less elegantly to hold the line on price. Throughout the building's constructional heyday, a creative architect like Maclure might evolve his designs continually but the mass-market tended to run in the opposite direction, moving steadily towards greater standardization. And after WW1, Victoria's economy was in the doldrums right up until a second world war began to shake it loose.<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>So from about 1910 on, which saw the advent of the newly popular California-style designs appear in steadily growing subdivisions, Vancouver especially followed in the footsteps of bungalow promoters working in major U.S. cities. The effect was felt in Victoria as well, but to a far lesser degree. Indeed, the phenomenon of multiplying bungalow suburbias in both cities was widespread enough that Anthony King (<b><i>The Bungalow: The Production Of A Global Culture</i></b>) suggests that the two effectively comprised a kind of "California North". Certainly in Vancouver developers employed similar methods to those honed in LA: housing built in large tracts, using bungalow models that were differentiated sufficiently to maintain varied streetscapes, connecting suburbanites to jobs, services and entertainment using electric streetcars, and doing it all at relatively low prices due to cheap land and building materials. And by some strange alchemy, the colonial bungalow form that rendered itself paradigmatic in Victoria re-emerged as one of a half-dozen standardized bungalow types constituting the California type. So versions of it came to be built in subdivisions in many cities in North America (it was not, however, ever known as a colonial bungalow outside of BC, and it may or may not have enjoyed any relationship to Victoria's pattern). How this occurred is not something revealed by my research however, so the question of actual origins remains very much open. Nevertheless, as King notes, regional forms of bungalow design tended not to survive the tsunami of centrally generated patterns available in books, magazines and as high-quality pre-cut package kits for bungalow-style houses. To be sure, many high-style versions of colonial bungalows were designed for clients of means in Victoria (as there were for the California variant with its initial popularity here). But in a couple of decades at most, bungalows would become over-identified as cheap, accessible middle class housing, to the point that people of means consciously looked to other forms of building to express status and taste. So in the end, Victoria's colonial bungalow eventually fell to the same axe that killed the California variant. And when bungalows generally fell from favour (as they did with the onset of the Great Depression, if not sooner) so too the colonial bungalow largely vanished from view.<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i><span>This is the first of a series of articles about the colonial bungalow's history in Victoria, B.C., a British Pacific colony where the building type was indigenized early in its history. Built here and there as one of a palette of expatriate design choices, it typically involved an architect who gave it a more-or-less distinctive appearance, before it enjoyed a second flowering in the era of mass-produced bungalow-types built on spec in subdivisions. Victoria's Colonial Bungalow Fling (2) explores the colonial bungalow in its heyday, both its architect-designed and builder-designed incarnations, including the era when the novel California bungalow was introduced and rapidly took over the new home market. In this era, with the notable exception of Maclure and other local arts-and-crafts architects who designed high-style variants, the colonial bungalow tended increasingly towards a set of repeating features in a distinctive style that soon became conventionalized. In this sense, the colonial bungalow was truly engulfed by the California bungalow's rapid overall popularity, and over time it became just one of the choices on offer within the larger bungalow phenomenon. There are still many fine colonial bungalows standing in our midst today, contrived back in the building's heyday; many more of them should enjoy formal heritage protection than currently do, so they are more likely to be retained long-term as community assets.</span></i></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i><span> </span></i></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Books for looks</b>: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i><span> </span></i></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Buildings of Samuel Maclure</b>, by Martin Segger (see especially Chapter Seven: Shingle Style and Colonial Bungalow, At the Confluence of Traditions)<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Bungalow: The Production Of A Global Culture</b>, by Anthony D King.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Homeplace: The Making of the Canadian Dwelling Over Three Centuries</b>, Peter Ennals and Deryck W. Holdsworth <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Annandale Carriage House, Conservation Plan</b>, Donald Luxton and Associates, November 2018, pdf available at oakbay.civicweb.net, providing a history of Tiarks' twin bungalows and an outline of his architectural career.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Notes from the Long Paddock</b>, Michael Kluckner, available online at: https://www.michaelkluckner.com/longpaddock.html; a book-proposal by BC author MK on the history of architecture in Australia, illustrated by the author.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Birdcages: British Columbia's first legislative buildings, 1859-1957</b>, Robert Ratcliffe Taylor<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i><span> </span></i></b></span>
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<br /><br /><br /></span><br />David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-65505314815037361492016-08-08T10:31:00.008-07:002023-12-28T19:13:10.009-08:00The Romance Of Possibility<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">"...note how admirably<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> an old building in the country sits on the <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">ground, how it forms an element of the scenery. Of course garden c<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">raft...has something to do with this wedding of building to site: the old designer absorbed th<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">e s<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">ite into his imagination, studied its conformation before he planted his building upon it: <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">he likewise touched up the site to suit the building. And as a result the structure is linked with the site, steeped in its scenery, blended with all the picturesque commonplaces of the land."</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><span>J. D<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">. Sedding, Art and Handicraft, 189<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">3</span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidIqqRLTzh7NnEX90Is9r_t5J4JaqPUOP3LRiQ4WEETf21Zz4dRUSYtUUKPLETFcyM5RcekDoWjtnHzJ6ZDy9BWygmX6iZHqH87K_vJ8M4ZJO8YiG7XPvlooSw7_cQC-vzpb5uiZi39aE/s1600/lineup+035.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidIqqRLTzh7NnEX90Is9r_t5J4JaqPUOP3LRiQ4WEETf21Zz4dRUSYtUUKPLETFcyM5RcekDoWjtnHzJ6ZDy9BWygmX6iZHqH87K_vJ8M4ZJO8YiG7XPvlooSw7_cQC-vzpb5uiZi39aE/s640/lineup+035.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Sedding's description of a picturesquely placed older building</i></b> <b><i>seems to capture the atmosphere of the home I've been fortunate to inhabit since March 1988</i></b>. Often we choose a house based mostly on feelings about its potential as a nest, with looks and landscaping a remote second. But in this case, I was smitten long before getting inside, based on a first glance at the ensemble from the road. To say the place had 'curb appeal' would be understatement. While its grounds turned out to be a remnant of their once rambling extent, the scene still possessed an aura so lively it immediately piqued my interest in stewarding it. I could hardly believe my good fortune at stumbling upon such a captivating refuge, a feeling that only deepened as I explored its equally magical interior. House and site effused charm, despite rough handling through subdivision and some rather insensitive updating. And the site's scenic potential spoke directly to a garden imagination searching for an inspiring venue. For sure, nothing could alter the fact of visual encroachment by other houses, but I felt confident their presence could be lessened by judiciously applying more landscaping. And the reality is, proximity is the norm in suburbia anyway, with other dwellings often coming uncomfortably close. So close in fact that side walls now often come with few windows in order to protect privacy, irrespective of which exposure this sacrifices and how cave-like it makes an interior. It's also common for landscape features to be mutilated in development, perhaps especially on rocky upland sites. But the house on Grange Road was clearly something other than the suburban norm, its manifest charm fetching to this would-be gardener's eye. The photo at top shows the old place as it appeared some twenty-eight years ago now, gracing a natural rise with scattered oaks front and back: a modestly sized but characterful home in a still-dramatic landscape setting. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Since acquiring this sweet old spot, I've focussed on healing wounds and hiding scars by restoring the house and elaborating new garden spaces around it. I have also been interested, as a pastime, in collecting impressions of its long history, to establish a clearer sense of how things sat before they passed through the property mill. This pencilling-in of a past for a setting now much-changed is a bittersweet, if enriching, business, as it sharpens awareness of what might have been avoided had greater restraint been shown. And, as all romantic engagement teaches us, 'what might have been' can be a tormenting place to linger for any length of time. Truth is, infill development is decidedly, often brutally, indifferent to landscape, a process of economics and geometry foremost - after which a downstream owner finds herself trying to rebuild a genuine sense of place on a fragment of land. I still count myself lucky to have discovered a situation with so much inherent vitality, and to have gained the luxury of amplifying an underlying connection between building and site rather than having to conjure one from thin air. Few suburban gardeners unearth situations where what Sedding termed 'the romance of possibility' is embedded to such a fantastic degree. Many struggle to find a way to spark an illusion of romance long after a forced union has been contrived. All I had to do here was discern underlying possibilities and devise novel ways to express them.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4x9T7b-4zHh5LGiXMKucA9NI_VFiYHkdDzaFS0452ZQCxfVqyH7n8NxljjX96pDgXuoNhbbvEBmM5tUMcWX-urDydgfxQ_LfadxLd1BNghg9xD-ItDUaToMmM4IGb4wCUBGGz8hoXHY/s1600/DSC_0155.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4x9T7b-4zHh5LGiXMKucA9NI_VFiYHkdDzaFS0452ZQCxfVqyH7n8NxljjX96pDgXuoNhbbvEBmM5tUMcWX-urDydgfxQ_LfadxLd1BNghg9xD-ItDUaToMmM4IGb4wCUBGGz8hoXHY/w640-h424/DSC_0155.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>No romance of possibility outside these identical newbies</b></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><p>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As a medium for interpretation, this old place dates to early in the twentieth century, making it a veritable antique in our throwaway present - a smallish house anomalously surviving in a domestic world of continual change. Heading towards an uncertain future, this old place carries its steadily lengthening history in tow, lodged in its old-growth bones and turn-of-the-century details. It's a past that, with close observation, can tell us how it was made, how it was inhabited and used, and importantly, afford insight into how it came to be placed where it is. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>The Savage bungalow was erected in the summer of 1913, just as a fancy new electric railroad opened access to habitable sites scattered among outlying farms and rural holdings.</b></i> It was all alone out there at first, with few houses nearby and none visible through its many windows, perched high on its rocky outcrop on the fringe of an open oak meadow. The new house must have stood there quite smartly in splendid isolation, gazing out serenely over forested slopes towards farms dotted with rocky outcrops, with glimpses of distant views (Portage Inlet, the Olympics, and remotely from its front porch on clear winter days, Mount Baker).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7egQMS7DE5a_jeFF1eTVBIrLoLwiTPnce35HUGn419ZfOD3w8Nf7QcHiYTRKmsFi4EHOFOT200_qoewJ4usNbHyXNUn6id1wlW4CRAWsgCrbySaDOMHpcYThCSBmBrz8RKNqMexgpHlo/s1600/DSC_0055.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7egQMS7DE5a_jeFF1eTVBIrLoLwiTPnce35HUGn419ZfOD3w8Nf7QcHiYTRKmsFi4EHOFOT200_qoewJ4usNbHyXNUn6id1wlW4CRAWsgCrbySaDOMHpcYThCSBmBrz8RKNqMexgpHlo/w640-h424/DSC_0055.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Lands dotted with rock outcrops and oak meadows</b></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">If this situation had been minted in Japan, the Savage bungalow would have been considered a <i>shakkei</i> landscape par excellence<i> </i>for all the wild scenery it took in. And when first built, it must have appeared a novel and quite exotic form of building to be placed in such a rural locale. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today it is a house more glimpsed than proclaimed, having under my hand retreated from the encroaching world behind a deepening vegetative screen. As its steward now for over a quarter century (joined capably by my wife Susan for the past 18 years), I have been orchestrating this gradual transition towards greater visual separation from bordering uses. My goal has been to minimize the impact of adjacent houses so that the garden's residual linkage to wilder surroundings beyond is reinforced - an ongoing work of garden legerdemain, in other words. Most of this has been based on our determining what works on the ground to strengthen connection to the wider surroundings, without the benefit of images of how it all had once looked as a whole. For sadly, to my knowledge at least, not a single picture has come to light of the house's occupation by the Savages, an original tenure lasting over fifty years; no small Kodak prints of them enjoying a garden afternoon, none of house and landscape as they appeared during their first half century. It's as if time had closed up entirely around that first occupancy, sealing it off from the prying eyes of the present and leaving only the house in its immediate setting as artifacts to ponder. By the time I landed in the sprawling municipality of Saanich in 1988, the surrounding lands had been trimmed to meet the spatial requirements of an RS-6 lot in a built-out suburban area. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXcDrZ_l6h4siVANfgZjE87oxDx7di9yvWgHuhhAEqJfkTVGz0pvVIsKepHZzmI18Ko-pXHfb2qUm-xtdNVN_C4LGLlaslMd4h_X3HuRREnCowTP3CC-xRu_8jmK2ADyEWK2UMLtS4zdg/s1600/First+Nikon+Download+025.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXcDrZ_l6h4siVANfgZjE87oxDx7di9yvWgHuhhAEqJfkTVGz0pvVIsKepHZzmI18Ko-pXHfb2qUm-xtdNVN_C4LGLlaslMd4h_X3HuRREnCowTP3CC-xRu_8jmK2ADyEWK2UMLtS4zdg/w640-h424/First+Nikon+Download+025.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>View from the street, winter 2009, understory now taking hold<br /></b></span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><p>
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Known photo documentation of their appearance only begins with a handful of shots taken after the house was first sold in the market, towards the end of Alys Savage's life, to Pat Brown and her husband (these few photos have only recently come to light). Pat recounts that Alys Savage, though then in declining health, nonetheless conducted a rigorous interview of the prospective buyers, to ensure a 'proper' connection to the old place. But apart from stories about Alys's quirkiness in older age, there's been little hard evidence from the earlier days. And so, until the Pat Brown photos came along, I was left to my own imagination for images of how house and setting once looked. These photos, as you'll see below, lift time's veil considerably, conveying distinct and invaluable impressions of the house standing in a still pristine landscape. Below is a first sample.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimIZRf3ZVf7It2ySPV_VrWKxOTtpAzZdtdt_m7XOWSgKJV3CJIs1K7wijEPLS4CIDgMJxLBYG_OvU0a0Hr5Z4RUE6R53gKK9jtsarFoqC6RMsGcOclsZiARESLaepb9gfzuCRpYibgvo/s1600/photo+1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimIZRf3ZVf7It2ySPV_VrWKxOTtpAzZdtdt_m7XOWSgKJV3CJIs1K7wijEPLS4CIDgMJxLBYG_OvU0a0Hr5Z4RUE6R53gKK9jtsarFoqC6RMsGcOclsZiARESLaepb9gfzuCRpYibgvo/w640-h640/photo+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>View <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">of</span> the rear of the bungalow, taken from the tennis lawn, courtesy of Pat Brown<br /></b></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><p>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">This to me is an astonishing picture, showing the bungalow from its original tennis lawn through the meadow fringe that was 'captured' by Savage's placement of the building. For he had only to, in Sedding's phrase, "focus the view and frame it", his English landscape instincts prompting a placement that achieves pictorial composition at both front and rear. You can see that the house, from this angle, appears to sit directly on the ground, in contrast to its rather grand elevation on rising ground at the front. The rear roof line is brought so low in fact that at its lowest point, the gable tip had to be pruned back so one could walk more safely under it! Setting the building at ground level means one literally steps out the back door into a paradise at a meadow's edge. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">What an opportunity to build creatively this must have seemed to a young arts-and-crafts architect recently arrived from England! </span>From his front verandah, he took in views to woods, fields and ocean reaches, fringed by distant mountains. At the rear, he gained a small grassy terrace that gradually gives way to scattered oaks, for a meadow effect and a compelling sense of partial enclosure. Today a boundary fence stands just on the house side of the rockery wall shown the foreground above, a blunt reminder of its severing into lots. Of interest is that the oaks depicted still stand nearly fifty years on, while a twin of the spirea shown blooming in the foreground still adorns our front walkway. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMSqGiIPnj9YvJOJDnSS-8PkrfYxy1cdIzWndsVQ52MDBhWZJXLz2oaxpkSL3cLOzaOTgC0npCL8im5cCz7yLzQJE54yTwWgV2N8U90m8T_eZ7uhHEDeUsD-HbO1JwiXvk0IWiFYbDWcI/s1600/DSC_0006.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMSqGiIPnj9YvJOJDnSS-8PkrfYxy1cdIzWndsVQ52MDBhWZJXLz2oaxpkSL3cLOzaOTgC0npCL8im5cCz7yLzQJE54yTwWgV2N8U90m8T_eZ7uhHEDeUsD-HbO1JwiXvk0IWiFYbDWcI/w640-h424/DSC_0006.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Oak grove, white lilacs, reintroduced camas lilies: renewed meadow effects</b></span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">And that clump of white lilacs you can just make out at the right edge of Pat's photo still blooms gloriously to this day (see above). The dark, shaggy boxwood sitting beside the spirea alas was torn out by a neighbour quite needlessly, early on in my tenure (it's odd when people suddenly turn on garden-worthy plants and simply decide they should be gone, even though they continue to perform and the gardener has no replacement in mind). One day the boxwood was literally handed me over the fence, its roots so massacred in removal they didn't stand a chance of surviving a transplant in late spring. To this day I regret not having had the presence of mind to take cuttings from it, as it was a beautiful old specimen with a captivating waywardness of form, and I was thus forced to watch as it slid into oblivion. I apparently have been atoning for this loss over the years by bringing many local boxwoods made from cuttings into the garden, though thus far I've found none that match its form.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>The Savage bungalow was designed to occupy its hill-crest site without appearing to disturb the founding scene</i></b>, <b><i>in the English arts-and-crafts manner</i></b>. The year it was built (1913) was also the moment a long constructional boom in Victoria (and right across most of North America) peaked, so there is a booming optimism about economic prospects behind both choice of locale and design of building. Electric interurban railways were then enabling exurban expansions around cities right across North America. The following year, however, the boom would fizzle, and with its waning the world would also hurl itself into horrific global warfare. So these occupants<br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS98f3JGLDOxX1haTKJE4PF8BGfcYU2k8GL3gIsIALfnWBeFTDX0sdYs5pI748wGFRk12-T7OGWzhFGJE6ZtynuqAeuDDjNacLqtN3Mrt7xZOmDudslIbxNuST1Hq9DwbTGqyyjzE1eM0/s1600/Prospect+Lake+Station+1923.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS98f3JGLDOxX1haTKJE4PF8BGfcYU2k8GL3gIsIALfnWBeFTDX0sdYs5pI748wGFRk12-T7OGWzhFGJE6ZtynuqAeuDDjNacLqtN3Mrt7xZOmDudslIbxNuST1Hq9DwbTGqyyjzE1eM0/w400-h250/Prospect+Lake+Station+1923.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Regular stops and convenient schedule</b></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">
of a remote private Arcadia on the outskirts of Victoria may suddenly have found themselves a bit stranded out there in the notional garden suburb, which existed more as wishful thinking than as built reality. But in 1913 this speculative suburbia seemed poised to mushroom to life based on convenient downtown access by rail. And the Savage bungalow, along with several others built at the same time, attests that the new Interurban line did in fact begin distributing residences within walking radius of its regularly spaced stops. But then all of that ground to a sudden halt, as outbound motion abruptly smacked up against an economic slump so severe that it would be another four decades before Victoria again saw such sustained suburban growth. And the snazzy new Interurban line that allowed the Savages to make their romantic choice to live way out in the boonies was shut down in about a</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOG9LfcgsprTaDaLRoe2B3vA5rLwMn2MfFcYK7xc8VPmxo21GSuOsixJfb_KhwWkm3SvZ_jGeGp_lWTrPN6rtPS3TjPYaHTcYR2UfA9xBSH1vqzOGib2NA4jbh9UfD01HKkiku217SZf8/s1600/Lake+Hill+Jitney+-+1910s.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOG9LfcgsprTaDaLRoe2B3vA5rLwMn2MfFcYK7xc8VPmxo21GSuOsixJfb_KhwWkm3SvZ_jGeGp_lWTrPN6rtPS3TjPYaHTcYR2UfA9xBSH1vqzOGib2NA4jbh9UfD01HKkiku217SZf8/w400-h248/Lake+Hill+Jitney+-+1910s.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Jitney buses were competing with streetcars</b></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">decade, victim of the unexpected rise of cutthroat competition by jitney buses. The inset photo to the left shows the Lake Hill jitney bus, one of more than fifty that sprang up in unregulated competition with the streetcars. So the Saanich Interurban was pretty much a goner from the moment it opened, but no one realized that back then, and it did last long enough to allow the Savages to establish their somewhat improbable rural idyll.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Despite the isolation and hardships imposed by a depressed economy (Hubert was apparently forced to work outside his chosen field for a time, as a hand on the CN rail line) I doubt the Savages were much troubled to find themselves living quietly and simply in a scenic spot in</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGFaVBHvQBoOiSCfRT_PXZUPV-BxhRbsHVvqjprrnQ0coc0V7rp7W6lGG-a8yUw16-CI0dUIDerzRw8htW_P-FMM_txoZR-S7z8U1uVa7AkLCxQJij6Exm58Gd_hLQQsb2EzwH_SEPbg/s1600/10628168_737298223015639_3267891981857670734_n.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGFaVBHvQBoOiSCfRT_PXZUPV-BxhRbsHVvqjprrnQ0coc0V7rp7W6lGG-a8yUw16-CI0dUIDerzRw8htW_P-FMM_txoZR-S7z8U1uVa7AkLCxQJij6Exm58Gd_hLQQsb2EzwH_SEPbg/w400-h285/10628168_737298223015639_3267891981857670734_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Cougars sometimes roamed the suburban fringe</b></span></span></td></tr>
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</span> the gentle Victoria countryside - in short, inhabiting their own rural paradise, surrounded by a mostly benign wild nature (the occasional cougar excepted). It would have seemed shockingly convenient after all, because the whole array of modern conveniences were ready to hand (eg. piped water, electricity, and telephone) as well as, for a time at least, that initially enabling rail access to the urban core, where Savage's architectural practice was located. In any case, the family obviously enjoyed occupying the locale as they remained there throughout a lifetime.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>That the Savage bungalow was designed as an outlier appears evident</b></i>, <i><b>despite the gradual infilling of its surroundings with other homes</b></i>. The size of its original land holding alone suggests outlier status (large enough to make three lots, plus a leftover piece incorporated into Marigold park in the early nineties). Location and form however also suggest a conscious linkage of city and country. Had such a pretty landscape been closer to town, it would likely have been scooped up by someone wealthy for their more-grand mansion, or perhaps further mangled in subdivision by local contractors intent on raiding the property larder. This locale was linked to town yet physically remote from it, thus embodying the original idea of suburbia as a safe haven in the countryside. And it was built more rustically than a town building would have been, despite being dressed to appear as one. The first suburban home to be built along the eastern edge of Strawberry Vale, it was a one-of-a-kind undertaking expressing a young arts-and-crafts architect's personal sensibilities. </span></p><p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBAyDuv3a90KrwuWBHZ-QzRKGzKI9RIM2v8T4P6SpkhZlE_3hjKAo9QfT8XjpIqcdrnV-ynSTatFKBXK4O_NIQrRuX74d09H5KqyOX15p_ZywPC6KHzs9bKp8UackQ1R58DoZlSxZ8KE/s1600/First+Nikon+Download+088.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBAyDuv3a90KrwuWBHZ-QzRKGzKI9RIM2v8T4P6SpkhZlE_3hjKAo9QfT8XjpIqcdrnV-ynSTatFKBXK4O_NIQrRuX74d09H5KqyOX15p_ZywPC6KHzs9bKp8UackQ1R58DoZlSxZ8KE/s640/First+Nikon+Download+088.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Trio of advancing gables pointing skywards, echoing the fir forest that rises behind it<br /></b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is also noteworthy that the house was inserted so carefully into its picturesque setting, without any obvious levelling to make a building pad nor any excavation of the underlying bedrock. This allows it to appear to 'belong' just where it's built, rising directly from the ground it sits on. Running lengthwise along a crest of glaciated rock, it perches securely on a ledge while sitting parallel to the roadway (this was in sharp contrast to typical subdivision layouts of the day, which tended towards long, narrow, rectilinear lots, gable ends facing road-wards). The Savage bungalow's long walls face east and west for an ideal siting, giving the building lengthy morning and afternoon light. By choosing to build in a bungalow format, Savage chose to emphasize horizontal lines for a statement of modernity. These lines echo those of the ridge and so appear more in harmony with them. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYytFC7QGH4NtymfMwQu8ewJNPnKjTqoIkl-SllBIBXz1YXKkTWzT1xiY-nI-MCT-KlENsV0z8kErvurqfwMRLhq9-sNOWLp1zoqYwlAxi6igKs0FcNTaqzL1d5c8j6IfDk9EBEFTmVZg/s1600/various+066.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYytFC7QGH4NtymfMwQu8ewJNPnKjTqoIkl-SllBIBXz1YXKkTWzT1xiY-nI-MCT-KlENsV0z8kErvurqfwMRLhq9-sNOWLp1zoqYwlAxi6igKs0FcNTaqzL1d5c8j6IfDk9EBEFTmVZg/s400/various+066.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Deep foundation on the south wall</b></span></span></td></tr>
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Building and surroundings immediately became a single fused entity. Where the land dips away at the south end of the house, a substantial stone foundation wall fills in the hollow between floor plate and ground. When first built, the Savage bungalow would have offered a striking contrast to the two- and three-storey homes characteristic of the previous era, proclaiming confidently that <i><b>it was emphatically not a Victorian-era home</b></i>. Rather, it stood iconically for a new and more progressive era, for a modernity accessible to a middle class looking forward to a more independent life than the one possible in rented flats, and as such it marked a conscious departure from prior housing types in most regards. And, it was manifestly a romantic and most untypical placement for a house, an aura that remains with it to this day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>I've long had a hunch that Hubert Savage foresaw dual purpose for this house</b></i>,<i><b> serving as a family domicile while offering a suggestive example to prospective clients - a sort of demonstration home for those who might thus be persuaded to pay the extra ten percent to deploy an architect's skills on their dream home's behalf.</b></i> Grange Road in this view would have been intended to showcase just how artfully even a modest floor area might be arranged to optimize feelings of spaciousness and variety. And also, importantly and rather eccentrically, to illustrate the practicality and beauty of picturesque placement, whereby a house is conceived in a greater intimacy with its surroundings. Not by any means only</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsWcukCVQEpJmCCFTtoikDV_dTukYLZynVdssAhZrUy-sdfMRo73GTDMW7ABoIPOZQyNxlxHfT-XLTqZ6bs7YViJgfXcx7zrS_mgTjQxXuEAD8QNJfWo7gZr9Iw02VwrkHi4MSb7G2vw/s1600/various+144.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsWcukCVQEpJmCCFTtoikDV_dTukYLZynVdssAhZrUy-sdfMRo73GTDMW7ABoIPOZQyNxlxHfT-XLTqZ6bs7YViJgfXcx7zrS_mgTjQxXuEAD8QNJfWo7gZr9Iw02VwrkHi4MSb7G2vw/w265-h400/various+144.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Animated by eastern light</b></span></span></td></tr>
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rudimentary shelter (as bungalows were often conceived to be in the more benign climate of trend-setting California) but rather a locus for agreeable, even genteel, year-round living, the house came equipped with a bevy of the latest contrivances, including built in cooling cupboards. Yet despite all its modernity, it also kept faith with tradition in its detailing and interior layouts. And Hubert Savage obviously did design this smallish architectural gem for his own family's enjoyment, and quite possibly as a vehicle for his own aspirations to a more wholesome, freer lifestyle possible in close proximity to wild nature (an idea very much 'in the air' in those days).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Rosemary Cross, daughter of Savage's friend and sometime-partner Percy Leonard James, often visited the house while growing up. She relayed that the place rapidly became a social hub for arts-and-crafts types from around the region - other architects like the James brothers, for example - and that there were many gatherings and tea-parties held there, often spilling out into the extensive grounds at back. This active social life in a rural setting, aided and abetted by the grass tennis court set out in the lower back garden (today occupied rather prosaically by a no-step rancher) would have quietly helped extend the reach and influence of its architect back in town. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKQZwJi-91RmgLoG7liD9rauunFGYp28Srb7rXVwUZTpcft3sm6bj1kk4IeHVoZpd7sCU1JklVrK5U6di7H3zvMBcw0T2DkTKfsUNcOoZLRLvbU1vSAVbP7vVkHFFmaLFVpL6wIg3rZk/s1600/various+007.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKQZwJi-91RmgLoG7liD9rauunFGYp28Srb7rXVwUZTpcft3sm6bj1kk4IeHVoZpd7sCU1JklVrK5U6di7H3zvMBcw0T2DkTKfsUNcOoZLRLvbU1vSAVbP7vVkHFFmaLFVpL6wIg3rZk/w265-h400/various+007.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Nestled into a framed view</b></span></span></td></tr>
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Certainly it would have illustrated how a bungalow might be designed to reflect regional arts and crafts motifs, how an eye for scenic composition could make a house seem to grow directly from its rocky upland site - and so to feel, paradoxically, that while expressly modern in conception, it had somehow always been there. The building incorporates then-popular regional preferences (loose Tudor detailing, for example) and is clearly being interpreted for a Victoria (and perhaps a somewhat expat-English) sensibility. But also, following a new and rather bohemian fashion that was becoming a fad among adventurous folk in England around that time, it illustrates just how easily city folk could inhabit a pretty knoll in the countryside by deploying an economical type of building. This sort of domestic dispersal into wilder nature was made doable via the cornucopia of domestic contrivances and transport systems based on the sudden and near-universal availability of electricity throughout the Victoria region. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gu36oGz4wuLID_DF4CZT2VVhzCq0dSrGz0IPmb8oSzXExNPubVP32Xnp_68YIZ6YoKqTzNgZTOSCXzkGxBON0j_2eIotxACnBeEQ1SftRZK6Y0rboHwenT7Ac6yXrFSlvkqtQOO_35c/s1600/lineup+009.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gu36oGz4wuLID_DF4CZT2VVhzCq0dSrGz0IPmb8oSzXExNPubVP32Xnp_68YIZ6YoKqTzNgZTOSCXzkGxBON0j_2eIotxACnBeEQ1SftRZK6Y0rboHwenT7Ac6yXrFSlvkqtQOO_35c/s640/lineup+009.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Oak meadow slowly thickening, <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">future </span>shrubby understory appearing in embryo</b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>History tells us, however, that this house would not become trend-setting, that whatever it stood for as a mode of dwelling would not catch on in the wider housing marketplace across the region.</i></b> Houses in more closely packed subdivisions, closer to the central core and clustered around downtown streetcar stops, would have been more realistic and marketable choices to new home buyers. After all, moving so far out of town for habitation could easily have seemed oddly complicating rather than liberating to townies. Instead, the Savage house would continue as it began, a unique interpretation of the bungalow themes of its day - themes that would be more popularly interpreted in the California and Craftsman idioms popping up on the nearer edges of town in more densely settled suburbs. Its economics and, even more, its distance from downtown were likely against it ever spawning more of its kind. And however cheap the land it sat on may have been by dint of relative remoteness, the house itself was far too elaborately festooned to ever qualify as market housing (yet not nearly grandiose enough in scale</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05DFWj71j14d6EXCkHgeDY95JSlFasfWKKUf_ZW23e3W1nM0UVsq6F5Vg_Vf_ncK1X15mykjSPQr4Y5GvpFobWeZdigJd5Zr57fnwB7WdpJgrZEko0sLJ2m9rvP5dWB0QP7eZjOwvNAs/s1600/House+and+garden+025.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05DFWj71j14d6EXCkHgeDY95JSlFasfWKKUf_ZW23e3W1nM0UVsq6F5Vg_Vf_ncK1X15mykjSPQr4Y5GvpFobWeZdigJd5Zr57fnwB7WdpJgrZEko0sLJ2m9rvP5dWB0QP7eZjOwvNAs/w400-h265/House+and+garden+025.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>California-type bungalows were popping up all over</b></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">to satisfy the aspirations of local nobs seeking a status symbol for their wealth). All the same, it did pack a great deal of personality into a modest footprint, achieving a singular balance of comfort and simplicity, and with its sense of spaciousness reinforced by a living connection to the out-of-doors. And there it stands to this day, an elaborate yet spatially modest, artful and utterly charming house in what was the country and has since become city: wealth without ostentation one might say, despite its now being surrounded by the very siege-works of everyday suburbia it was, implicitly or explicitly, designed to counter. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">As a form of scenic placement, the Savage bungalow was part of a broader phenomenon launched by the advent of commuter railroads, beginning around 1840 in the USA. Dependable rail service created the first opportunity to occupy beautiful chunks of pristine countryside in the hinterlands of growing cities while still enjoying town-derived income, which gave rise over decades to genteel enclaves of lavish homes in park-like rural settings. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FbcY1VJbT4rgNI5eInZc3KlObGdBCFO5DZf_JHrNt4aZd1Cm7uqV1jCUbugqmS5pdu3kuf6P7j7u9sZRyoCSIuJZlkrbRUjG_BQDX-grpHyLRB9KAj3LsQ0B1_CEjw-6ERQGVUvkIis/s1600/DSC_0027.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FbcY1VJbT4rgNI5eInZc3KlObGdBCFO5DZf_JHrNt4aZd1Cm7uqV1jCUbugqmS5pdu3kuf6P7j7u9sZRyoCSIuJZlkrbRUjG_BQDX-grpHyLRB9KAj3LsQ0B1_CEjw-6ERQGVUvkIis/w400-h265/DSC_0027.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Close-packing entirely eliminates natural context</b></span></span></td></tr>
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This went on right across North America in what historian John Stilgoe calls 'the borderlands', if much more intensively in the rapidly urbanizing and industrializing USA, where such development occurred everywhere from the Adirondacks to the reaches of the San Francisco Bay (see inset below). Bungalows, built first in North America as economical cottage and camp dwellings, soon came to be designed more elaborately as country and weekend homes that could be plunked down in scenic locales. Advocates of this more picturesque use marketed ideas about outfitting them with town-like infrastructures in order to deliver greater creature comfort. That second, still-rural phase of bungalow use coexisted with their sudden appearance as market housing in suburbs (their ultimate and most generalized form) beginning about 1905 in Los Angeles suburbs like Pasadena and Altadena, and then mostly everywhere else in<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-BjJAsz9fJPK2xXbGzdauAhv9wMSeZF6wWw9wd_n9-fzDBfzBbxjDdUBbvX2X7y26IAM3IC4LAShMBAW_JTcx4xO_pV3e3syWoxsagWL6kVubzOF9lS4IMgu9rYpL4jMMTI5rnHPb3w/s1600/Wurster+house.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-BjJAsz9fJPK2xXbGzdauAhv9wMSeZF6wWw9wd_n9-fzDBfzBbxjDdUBbvX2X7y26IAM3IC4LAShMBAW_JTcx4xO_pV3e3syWoxsagWL6kVubzOF9lS4IMgu9rYpL4jMMTI5rnHPb3w/s400/Wurster+house.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Worcester bungalow in rural Piedmont, San Francisco Bay<br /></b></span></span></td></tr>
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</span><span style="font-size: large;">North America shortly</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">thereafter. The subdivision bungalow quickly rose to become America's first 'dream home' and until well into the twenties it was built on a vast scale in planned subdivisions. Victoria and its picturesque rural peninsula were home to all three of phases of bungalow use. The Savage bungalow seems to have its feet set somewhere in the middle camp, expressly a country bungalow by locale but still dressed for town sensibilities, but with aspects of its design more rudimentary than would likely have been the case had it been built in town (such as its placement over a low crawl space rather than on a concrete foundation). In a way this house was intended to demonstrate just how simply and easily it all could be done, given modern transport options, cheap land and milled materials.</span></div><p>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>We can only dimly imagine the initial impact such a horizontal dwelling would have exercised on passers-by </b></i><b><i>(who admittedly may for quite some time have been few, given its rurality).</i></b> Town buildings of substance were typically more vertical and built closer together in Victorian times. The Savage bungalow, by contrast, dramatically reinforces the geological lines of force on this site with ground-hugging placement and linear drop-siding, balanced by a trio of advancing, skyward-pointing gables set cross-wise along its roof line. Design of this house thus reflects an idiosyncratic synthesis of town and country values that, with no modification of its footprint since the Savages' day, persists intact as a distinctive local landmark. The main discontinuities with its more open and sylvan past are the now-abridged lot and the house's greater encirclement by vegetation, the result of (and my conscious reaction to) the crude facts of subdivision appearing on all sides.</span></p><p>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrTmNLwpwA0As61l9MvLKrun4cLf6QIxE7XIRd1DDxOhxjxBt-MFS9d0fvT5tF_nxaTtDRn72gnMC1UZFwNRS-N54YIMeFwKpIRT8XwYGX5qc5dzN7_c1ZTkEMfETpH5gFOPa2tEuGWQ/s1600/various+210.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrTmNLwpwA0As61l9MvLKrun4cLf6QIxE7XIRd1DDxOhxjxBt-MFS9d0fvT5tF_nxaTtDRn72gnMC1UZFwNRS-N54YIMeFwKpIRT8XwYGX5qc5dzN7_c1ZTkEMfETpH5gFOPa2tEuGWQ/s640/various+210.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Spring 2014, recently repainted house and flourishing vegetative <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">buffer</span>, south side</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Where the house once declared its presence to all and sundry, today it peeks out more modestly through a vegetative buffer. To me, this partial revelation from the road only enhances feelings of mystery and interest as one approaches on foot. The entry pathway takes you along the entire facade of the building, before accessing a switch back to a grandly projected front verandah. The following</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">piece of this narrative sketches the site's scenic transition from being</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6IR82IKAymO36ysPY-bWi5azp3KWxIhXyNBBGwJeix08WBbWzeHhXFpW_mUlKSVhzGQtG_ESyuLLK6ZmvxV-BSleKMEordiyi5-QzONtafogm3L4f5-cWpg0U7OFSObF12B3EHoVzN4/s1600/DSC_0078.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6IR82IKAymO36ysPY-bWi5azp3KWxIhXyNBBGwJeix08WBbWzeHhXFpW_mUlKSVhzGQtG_ESyuLLK6ZmvxV-BSleKMEordiyi5-QzONtafogm3L4f5-cWpg0U7OFSObF12B3EHoVzN4/s400/DSC_0078.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A building now more glimpsed than declared</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">wide open to a setting now more enclosed, a journey that was triggered prior to my arrival by the physical acts of subdivision. Once there were land uses on all four sides of the original building, some visual distancing became necessary and I felt, if done adroitly, could be restorative. After all, bungalows in their first manifestations in colonial India were regularly built in their own gardened settings - compounds of flowering plants that might be fenced off to establish a distinctive context for the building. A garden set loosely and rustically among oaks and native shrubs thus seemed an appropriate motif and compromise for a site sporting a remnant woodsy context.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>I documented in pictures what the place was like when I took possession in 1988 and began tending its landscape,</i></b> <i><b>showing the front yard oaks already beginning to pencil their grainy presence into the scene's character.</b></i> And now too there is Pat Brown's clutch of precious photos affording glimpses into how things were before they were subdivided into lots. What's truly remarkable is that Pat herself had the chance to experience the place when the subdivision was approved on paper but not yet carried out on the land - making her years there a happy, final idyll for the original old acreage. This must have been somewhat like inhabiting a rural dreamland, a woodsy private Arcadia with scenic views orchestrated from every window - a self-sufficient island enclave in a slowly advancing sea of shrinking lots and modest abodes. I am so happy she departed the scene before the original landscape was deconstructed, because it would have been miserable to watch its beauty being handled peremptorily after knowing it pristine. By her own account, it was an entirely romantic setting, one impossible not to be charmed by, which I think is confirmed by her pictures.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-vCv-lAc_5OQrF9Ufa9DSZV9jtTctoVKF1NX7FjmHunbDWUAjsy7pNrdoAJiBhGeVD564MUs0uQEHD6eog-4iDCClzkgirjKv2iT0B5duuwRKvx5_c8DSDGMwMkePCyExbGf1EXiDoI/s1600/Sourcing+004.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-vCv-lAc_5OQrF9Ufa9DSZV9jtTctoVKF1NX7FjmHunbDWUAjsy7pNrdoAJiBhGeVD564MUs0uQEHD6eog-4iDCClzkgirjKv2iT0B5duuwRKvx5_c8DSDGMwMkePCyExbGf1EXiDoI/s640/Sourcing+004.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">E</span>merging oaks and a smattering of understory plants hint at meadow effects</b></span></span> </td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The photo above was taken in 1988, the year I happened upon the scene. It would be fair to say I didn't know the details or implications of what I'd jumped into, but had simply allowed my imagination to choose a unique combination of setting and house. The scene depicted above is in high summer, hence the straw-coloured grass baked into early dormancy by the sustained drought that's typical of southern Vancouver Island. I recall being shocked by the extreme aridity of my newly acquired upland parcel, having formed initial impressions of the place in still-moist spring, with first daffodils, then lilies and finally lunaria poking up through moist green carpets of moss. This is typical of long-blooming spring on our wet west coast. But it all disappears abruptly in summer, some years as late as June, in some as early as April (or lately, in March), always inevitably transforming greenery to brownery in full-on drought, and shrinking the moist masses of moss to rinds. So despite having passed several summers prior to 1988 here on the south island, my impression of Victoria's climate still tilted towards its wet-season manifestation (lush, like the classic English landscape). And haling from humid Ontario with its ample summer rains, one is not given to understanding the idea of wet-dry climates, full stop. I did however find some relief from the sun's glaring exposure on my upland slope in the ongoing greenery of the many small and large oaks on site<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdA7YoCoSkuOG9WgqPolcQKPGDkeplLuh2SZ-AJVkluI6Ga3iUsLWjAOY5dglca4mSPMLOVdFeZkY7sQeHbbca8AsF9clbFB06Rnx2Sgr4XcVP52orupnHzuQAhmgqIi3QkOHvDU9jE5U/s1600/lineup+003.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdA7YoCoSkuOG9WgqPolcQKPGDkeplLuh2SZ-AJVkluI6Ga3iUsLWjAOY5dglca4mSPMLOVdFeZkY7sQeHbbca8AsF9clbFB06Rnx2Sgr4XcVP52orupnHzuQAhmgqIi3QkOHvDU9jE5U/w400-h285/lineup+003.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Lilies, lilacs, lunaria: later spring greenery</b></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>(about two dozen of them, six at least quite large) though they too would soon be assailed by the jumping gall wasp (an invasive offshore insect brought in by fishermen). For a decade or so, this meant that oak leaves appeared blotchy and gnawed-at by mid-summer, which greatly reinforced the impression of drought holding sway. The house appears in the photo just as it came to me in March, with a faded blue-and-white colour scheme, brown asphalt shingles, and here and there a failing gutter or missing downspout. I recall feeling thrilled to discover that two original exterior lamps, illuminating front porch<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2mff1UNjN6-eQonuC5uppUFb45XChR1ogKnU_jQuoqSKxflU-AXZiglcst2phA5cMgfE2PGVNIsUbo8r8w-AGpJjAZdfwMZS2y90j_likx0PSXGKP81tpPrFPEMdUgG7JVxb33T2k-A/s1600/DSC_0013+%25281%2529.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2mff1UNjN6-eQonuC5uppUFb45XChR1ogKnU_jQuoqSKxflU-AXZiglcst2phA5cMgfE2PGVNIsUbo8r8w-AGpJjAZdfwMZS2y90j_likx0PSXGKP81tpPrFPEMdUgG7JVxb33T2k-A/s400/DSC_0013+%25281%2529.JPG" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Recycled original lamps now grace shed</b></span></span></td></tr>
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</div><span style="font-size: large;">and back wall, remained in place (all there was of night lighting for all the years until my tenure - the locale was too sparsely inhabited back then to have street lamps). Also note there's just enough space for my pickup on the compact parking pad that's been chiselled out of the rock terrace when the subdivision got done. I recall thinking it was a minor miracle that the intrusion of parking should actually be so minimal (having grown up in Ontario) but I couldn't help trying to imagine how the landscape there might have appeared prior to its creation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>I also felt it was really fortunate no one had built a garage</i></b>, <i><b>which I recognize discloses a certain eccentricity on my part</b></i>. For along with an access drive, a garage would have chewed further into the glaciated rock outcrops that give this site the feel of natural terracing, plus it would have introduced a competing (typically unaesthetic) structure at the front of the house. There is is also the modern tendency to creep the garage, typically now double-doored, as close to the house as possible, if not outright making it part of the building facade. The retaining wall behind my pickup implies the modest scale of cut and fill required here to enable off-road parking, something I guessed was probably required by the subdivision bylaw. Also lucky in my view was the compact size of the driveway<br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXRyoG-GmOSaYcC4jMq7sKAlo3n_ehyZetQ9GYyTFBKTvi71iyz2yFKrkrXc1oY9XoxnbFO3qX3-91mqOfR9EVGGxLiFvpYfqWd7ZgJ9-Dz17dbFxWvyZ70bb1x5uldqlLnOiwpPdg2k/s1600/DSC_0008.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXRyoG-GmOSaYcC4jMq7sKAlo3n_ehyZetQ9GYyTFBKTvi71iyz2yFKrkrXc1oY9XoxnbFO3qX3-91mqOfR9EVGGxLiFvpYfqWd7ZgJ9-Dz17dbFxWvyZ70bb1x5uldqlLnOiwpPdg2k/s400/DSC_0008.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Panhandle d</span>rive<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> </span>eliminates context between houses</b></span></span></td></tr>
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providing access to the panhandled lot behind the main house - more akin to a narrow rural laneway than a typical modern driveway treatment. Panhandling of lots to permit extra dwellings to be built, a not-infrequent move where the original parcels were sized to allow for ground-disposal of sewage, often generates a massive driveway treatment (at least here in Saanich - firetruck access requirements I gather). Miraculously, this one had escaped a process that often obliterates landscape features, should any happen to persist.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXja6G_4kqzZOflFCZq360Cjb85Cy-uWl9wcKIiqM4UqnA5Yh46g0uETgV7CYTCN-YDOaMbvIbIQzRCBRGDPlUBaOlqa21pi43ag9_9WghTY7_1Auf0BWPrp_ohNMYMlrcyOMXA3cZYRk/s1600/DSC_0002.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXja6G_4kqzZOflFCZq360Cjb85Cy-uWl9wcKIiqM4UqnA5Yh46g0uETgV7CYTCN-YDOaMbvIbIQzRCBRGDPlUBaOlqa21pi43ag9_9WghTY7_1Auf0BWPrp_ohNMYMlrcyOMXA3cZYRk/s640/DSC_0002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Summer just before drought wins out, showing a tangle of flowers and greenery</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I recall thinking early on that while it was tragic that the original landscape ever had to be carved up into lots, the job could in fact have been much worse. And that's simply because it left enough of the original landscape intact as frontage and back yard to preserve the scenic quality of a house-in-a-setting. Just enough context remained out back to galvanize a semblance of the original oak-meadow effect (aided and abetted by the retention of fir forest cover beyond the panhandle lot as Marigold Park). The feeling of oneness with surroundings was definitely shaved rather thin on the side yard setbacks courtesy of the new lot lines, especially to the north where Saanich had allowed an (to me at least) inadequate separation to bring the neighbouring house closer than either owner might wish. Fortunately, a high, solid fence separates the two dwellings, and the Savage bungalow has no significant north-facing windows. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEA1irBGJCrUvJQG19QwlO6tel1G4rQoeGmrQqC5hUngq1z9_IPs5SXYkDSqqroDp4FzDVPBMhtNGrA06ItCU263Nvl-xhDz24DYy9xVyAh-3HbMyjukkIW6DV8UoEFTwxrC8IoqlVEQ/s1600/DSC_0036.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEA1irBGJCrUvJQG19QwlO6tel1G4rQoeGmrQqC5hUngq1z9_IPs5SXYkDSqqroDp4FzDVPBMhtNGrA06ItCU263Nvl-xhDz24DYy9xVyAh-3HbMyjukkIW6DV8UoEFTwxrC8IoqlVEQ/s640/DSC_0036.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>After taking visitors along the whole facade, a switchback delivers access to the front door</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Yet despite my curiosity about how the place initially looked, I remain grateful for never having known it prior to subdivision.</i></b> I didn't have to watch while it was turned into rectangles. I didn't have to endure the blasting out of rocky outcrops to make the panhandle road or insert the new parking pad. </span><span style="font-size: large;">I'm sure that would have seemed a crude violation of so naturally picturesque a scene. So in that sense, it's fortunate I happened along when I did, well after the deeds were done, because that enabled me to be smitten by my first views of the property, and so to feel its residual pull from the curb upon arrival. Had I known it beforehand, I may have felt disappointed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPwj-y3W6YlTXaFAhctayXtp8tu8UF92wDXyQoxjs10uWl74Yr_7ApqXsPdFG1u7Uyg0AXw7kMAPacu-9j9oW9GDcU2-rRFeU0ZXNa4wH_EhPcbuuLtwJooORGRCMTCbFGc_rtuD454SY/s1600/DSC_0020.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPwj-y3W6YlTXaFAhctayXtp8tu8UF92wDXyQoxjs10uWl74Yr_7ApqXsPdFG1u7Uyg0AXw7kMAPacu-9j9oW9GDcU2-rRFeU0ZXNa4wH_EhPcbuuLtwJooORGRCMTCbFGc_rtuD454SY/w265-h400/DSC_0020.JPG" width="265" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">But as a newcomer to the scene, and a would-be gardener, I could approach the remnants as givens and simply marvel at their persistence and muse about possibilities of rescue and affirmation. I was in any case habituated to landscape violations from my days growing up in high-growth Ontario. To my eye, much more was intact with building and site than was removed, and certainly enough remained to keep a strong continuity with the past alive. The whole setting was simply awaiting some touches of garden magic to enable it to feel more whole again. I could feel the romance of possibility beckoning me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Of course there's an element of trompe l'oeil at work here</b></i>, <b><i>because today a suburban grid, with its angular, arbitrary lot lines, is superimposed on what was formerly a remnant of a continuous landscape</i></b>. The original house and lot are sorely abridged now, abruptly so at back where open oak meadows ran all the way to high fir forest without interruption. And yet, as I've said, with the original magic of site and building as fused entities intact, a possibility afforded<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-0m_AjeexrcMMTncRihLnhYRGeJf6RhUUZEDMTCHAN19gB_1rb7f37CSUNNRIbnPi_d6CE9lVVrIzmSFWRUNEuumfmFUU3fu-LWtO4xgZ2ighRBSlrz4mOOajcCiqNw25V3kiVz4kaY/s1600/Various+038.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-0m_AjeexrcMMTncRihLnhYRGeJf6RhUUZEDMTCHAN19gB_1rb7f37CSUNNRIbnPi_d6CE9lVVrIzmSFWRUNEuumfmFUU3fu-LWtO4xgZ2ighRBSlrz4mOOajcCiqNw25V3kiVz4kaY/w400-h265/Various+038.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Savage's Hall cottage,<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">also f</span>used with its site</b></span></span></td></tr>
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more by chance than conscious choosing. By now there could just as easily have have been two-storey houses overlooking the back garden. Or, the house itself might have been raised or another storey added on top, as there was nothing to prevent that happening back then (the house was not designated as heritage until 1993, so its exterior was not in any way protected). The house itself might have simply been demolished and replaced by some massive stucco temple (it's astounding just how much house can be built on an RS-6 lot in Saanich). The remaining meadow oaks at back could could have been felled, as there were no controls on tree-cutting back then. Or, the entire frontage could have been blasted out</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZ-jL3ox-xEyIdM9qHOZ0O3A8L2uVPpmh8Dyye83LbyL2I7C9l4UQrfq53BxUVsUGNttHV7jeOKmUcMIKQEo-QX-I07V6IxG0hERC7nkcoyerbMG2fRXwcAFWaxAkp1mxPkHedPBJYIw/s1600/DSC_0084.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZ-jL3ox-xEyIdM9qHOZ0O3A8L2uVPpmh8Dyye83LbyL2I7C9l4UQrfq53BxUVsUGNttHV7jeOKmUcMIKQEo-QX-I07V6IxG0hERC7nkcoyerbMG2fRXwcAFWaxAkp1mxPkHedPBJYIw/s400/DSC_0084.JPG" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Heritage sand<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">wich</span>ed b<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">y</span> beh<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">e</span>moths</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">to create a 'proper' access drive, or to widen the road, or to provide space for the multi-car garages that epitomize modernity. So many bad things can happen when unprotected heritage runs through the property mill, and this is not infrequent when an original holding is subdivided by the next generation. The process of subdividing land results in suburban lots typically emerging as small parcels of land lacking in definite character. If there's any character at all, it's in the house itself, but not in its surroundings. Landscape character is added after the fact, if ever. Victoria's topographical variety means there are more exceptions to the rule here, but the suburban norm remains a flat and featureless lot, as shown in the picture below of a house of the same era as the Savage bungalow. Consider this contemporary description of garden-making in such anodyne settings: "Urban lots lack space. They are typically narrow, flat rectangles without privacy...What space is available is typically featureless, boring and</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi96HaQK2p0sc4spZZ3eEtD9tOghqSPTQrpZIz1DOdzlDvJxrtGBH6hlngasKQeokzYg_06N5Sh8t9inAUBmktO9M7H75NNx-2sUhyphenhyphenXzZOA2M4jJKEaeyyjIVIcinKf6-_H535Fpj4daas/s1600/Feb+2012+145.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi96HaQK2p0sc4spZZ3eEtD9tOghqSPTQrpZIz1DOdzlDvJxrtGBH6hlngasKQeokzYg_06N5Sh8t9inAUBmktO9M7H75NNx-2sUhyphenhyphenXzZOA2M4jJKEaeyyjIVIcinKf6-_H535Fpj4daas/w400-h265/Feb+2012+145.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">F</span>lat<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">,</span> featureless, typical of m<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">any</span> subu<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">rbs</span></b></span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">even uninviting". That's a contemporary landscape designer's description of the challenge faced when creating a garden around such homes! The physical act of subdivision often involves stripping and grading the</span><span style="font-size: large;"> land, flattening it to simplify the build-out of larger tracts. </span><span style="font-size: large;"> The Savage bungalow, by contrast, was placed in a scenic landscape and made through technique to feel nestled-in there. I've already noted how this bungalow sits just above the land along the back, actually touching the ground in the north-west corner. This reflects arts-and-crafts thinking about building design and placement - the landscape was there before human habitation, and the designer's job is to fit the building respectfully into its surroundings, rather than simply superimposing a geometry on the setting. This is not at all how the average tract house is placed and even on its truncated lot, the Savage bungalow stands out from</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9vc0O1wYbrH5iXforN2NOAIsBejlssNy8CBwFN-yAmA7SR8SlAo9NGIZPn56P8DKZWhhF_TPrK95pOHt6MrSfR6U98usxBloiqqEG95yWH6qLFgFFC1ErPNNviTcOwG1e0KB6FHdeO0w/s1600/1280px-Markham-suburbs_aerial-edit2.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9vc0O1wYbrH5iXforN2NOAIsBejlssNy8CBwFN-yAmA7SR8SlAo9NGIZPn56P8DKZWhhF_TPrK95pOHt6MrSfR6U98usxBloiqqEG95yWH6qLFgFFC1ErPNNviTcOwG1e0KB6FHdeO0w/s320/1280px-Markham-suburbs_aerial-edit2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">No discernible landscape here in modernia</span></span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">them to this day. Its placement emphasizes pictorial quality, something rarely seen in a home in the city. The resulting composition's character and peculiar charm depend upon this sympathy, so the real miracle is that the house-in-its-own-setting feeling wasn't compromised in the usual way by subsequent development. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Prior to seeing Pat Brown's revealing photos, I got a first intimation of how the old place once appeared from an unexpected source, which is </b></i><b><i>reproduced below</i>. </b>This artifact affords no more than a hazy window to peer through, but it does reveal a peep at the entire frontage in a time when all was yet pristine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">This is a photocopy of what I gather was a hand-made Christmas card, drawn by Joy Savage at some point while growing up on Grange Road (you can just make out her signature at bottom right in the white band). The 'To all in your house, from all in our house' was apparently commonly used on such cards back in those days. This photocopy was sent me by Albert Barth, Joy's husband, as part of a package of information that included the precious gift of copies of the original floor plans signed by Joy's father, Hubert Savage, Architect. I love the fact that this piece shows the fronting landscape so far back in time (I'm guessing the card may have been rendered in the 1930s). We can see how the land falls away in folds to where the road runs, or alternately, how the land rose up from the road in informal benches to reach the house-crescendo on the ridge. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The original asphalt <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">w</span>alkway as it appeared back in the year of purchase</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">This bungalow certainly sits proudly on its own rise, its gabled</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">angularity softened by the smooth folds of glaciated bedrock that have the effect of natural terracing. It's not clear exactly how the house was originally accessed from the road, as no front path is evident from Joy's card. But Pat Brown assures me it was always just as it is today, running up informally from the left, but with fewer steps and more natural slope originally. The sloping pathway takes visitors along the building's facade before accessing the stone steps and switchback path that leads ultimately to the verandah and front door. Elaborate as a layout, this path placement must have been a conscious choice on the architect's part, a way perhaps of further extending his building into the landscape and knitting the two into an ensemble. The indirectness does confer an element of surprise on the entry, imparting a sense of expectation among visitors. It is also decidedly rural in nature, breaking modern rules about designing direct sidewalks from garages to front doors, which became the norm in town.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Something that jumps out of Joy's rendering, in contrast to the emerging oak and understory landscape in place when I appeared, is the now-startling view of the grounds as pretty much bereft of oaks. By 1988, oaks were well-along in establishing themselves across the front of the property, mostly rather stunted in thin, rocky pockets of soil, but with a few more mature specimens towards the north edge of the lot. I was initially skeptical of this lack of oak meadow but today accept that the site was probably only slowly generating oak meadow at the time. Initially I wondered if the original oak cover was logged off when the house was built, but I've never actually located oak stumps that would confirm this idea. There were on the other hand a couple of prominent stumps out back, where a pair of largish oaks evidently once stood - but perhaps too close to the building and giving a bit too much shade? I removed these tough grey stumps early on in my tenure, in order to clear the lawn of a coarse note in plain view from the kitchen. But the fact the front of the building remained quite open to the road as late as the 1970s was confirmed by Pat Brown, and the next of her wonderful photos illustrates that fact. On looking carefully at it, one discerns even then a slow infiltration of oak meadow landscape to the left of the house. You can also see that Pat's photo is framed through the branches of what was en route to being a substantial fir tree, at road level, now long-gone. One can also see that the entry path indeed ran in from the left, across and up the slope without, at this point, any discernible steps. How lovely that approach is, how naturally it runs with the land form!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-d1CzpnR8TVj4PjWFcPbmIROk05cVlF5PrI9oeyozDT-aPbT73BSySlP_qkkXTK_Po1mdwJ2HPjxQqvZGtKrDk6EnTDw9Jjb916LVDtVJD-QwuKrdRRi5MitAwqCSbX5FPMs2ykSr1hQ/s1600/Old+Victoria+Scans+3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-d1CzpnR8TVj4PjWFcPbmIROk05cVlF5PrI9oeyozDT-aPbT73BSySlP_qkkXTK_Po1mdwJ2HPjxQqvZGtKrDk6EnTDw9Jjb916LVDtVJD-QwuKrdRRi5MitAwqCSbX5FPMs2ykSr1hQ/w640-h640/Old+Victoria+Scans+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Early</span> integration of house, landforms,<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> </span>vegetation and natural contour<br /></b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>In the photo above, the house sports a fading cream-and-brown colour scheme, likely its second colour iteration at least. </b></i>The southern exposure takes a toll on any paint job here, and one can gauge the sun's forceful presence from the canvas awning above the trio of living room windows and the curtains inside. The roof appears to be clad in duroid shingles, added over the original cedar shingle roof. There were three layers of roofing by the time I came along. An aluminum storm window has been added over the main living room window (it was still striking a discordant note when I arrived and was one of the first removals I made, along with a truly regrettable plastic chandelier in the dining room). <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZfTlkDyaH2M1V69S0WfCmPJFlP4zo0uBGLLooHrFsC_5RLAdRtY3UiJTkl_U8RvtKm_s6gBBJ5SW9x-bTXGhFl09-bWZy6XPdBOCW5uFJoTQNl80-GdQ_MCAWvMG3yElLTkzr8-1SfSY/s1600/lineup+031.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZfTlkDyaH2M1V69S0WfCmPJFlP4zo0uBGLLooHrFsC_5RLAdRtY3UiJTkl_U8RvtKm_s6gBBJ5SW9x-bTXGhFl09-bWZy6XPdBOCW5uFJoTQNl80-GdQ_MCAWvMG3yElLTkzr8-1SfSY/w400-h268/lineup+031.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Dilapidated shed found upon arrival</b></span></span></td></tr>
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At one time the house had both wooden storm windows and summer screens, several of which I found rotting away in a heap at the back of a leaky shed that someone had apparently dragged from elsewhere into the back garden. To the left edge towards the top corner, you can just make out a fence of some kind. Pat Brown recounts that Alys Savage had gates on both the north and south sides of the house, to develop a sense of privacy and enclosure for the rear garden. With subdivision and adjacency, such separations become much more necessary.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2HjioKBcO6M_AUg5jZ3B8z1YLPSL6I3M9Pv4Fx0HpiG9xXFz1gGfk1x3vcpKzISzcSB9Ls-zjZyBvRy5qel4n_hPTBJlsU67scO4LE_2TTrQj2bJBx4odkKSS52qPBE0pLT8gcdb9F6M/s1600/Old+Victoria+Scans+1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2HjioKBcO6M_AUg5jZ3B8z1YLPSL6I3M9Pv4Fx0HpiG9xXFz1gGfk1x3vcpKzISzcSB9Ls-zjZyBvRy5qel4n_hPTBJlsU67scO4LE_2TTrQj2bJBx4odkKSS52qPBE0pLT8gcdb9F6M/s640/Old+Victoria+Scans+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Tennis court and edge shrubberies set informally into the oak meadow.</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Above is another of Pat's photos, this one also a treasure. It's the sole known picture of the original grass tennis court (probably the septic field for the house) and the garden edge behind the Savage bungalow. There may be others, but next to nothing by way of photographs has surfaced during my time here. The grass court appears in the foreground, and there is a rockery edge around two sides of the lawn, with steps up and through an arbour and gate leading to the back garden, where I believe vegetables may have been grown. The feeling overall is that of a serene glade, here shown in late spring or early summer. Snow-in-summer, which survives here still in several patches, blooms in drifts along the loose rockery edge. There's also a wisteria bush that's visible just past the oak<br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29oxiyYZc7cWhtwDVrnKirddp_mbZMMl75wwKXkmlSI4htXQyCfC9o-qbcQp2u_Ezm56ehq-XvfhrsLteiRiFVB6U9jjvvJQDnwH3dHq9y6LJ2OMS_Xx3O7gnvVOth82ZLOd4JkGTTDc/s1600/early+June+006.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29oxiyYZc7cWhtwDVrnKirddp_mbZMMl75wwKXkmlSI4htXQyCfC9o-qbcQp2u_Ezm56ehq-XvfhrsLteiRiFVB6U9jjvvJQDnwH3dHq9y6LJ2OMS_Xx3O7gnvVOth82ZLOd4JkGTTDc/w400-h265/early+June+006.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Tennis court gate recycled</b></span></span> </td></tr>
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on the right. It persisted right up until several years ago, when it too was summarily ripped out. It would have been magical to come upon this natural sunk-lawn, lying just beyond the layer of rock outcrop anchoring the level back garden. Pat Brown speaks lyrically of life within that scenic enclave, and with particular enthusiasm for a particularly venerable oak (just visible at right) that hosted some of the wisteria's spring blooms. My first neighbour at back, Jean Redding, one day handed me the gate just visible in the inset photo above. She said she found it discarded on site when they moved into their newly built rancher, and thought it may have come from the old garden. Pat's photo confirms that it was in fact the gate within the old arbour. I took pleasure in having Vern Krahn remake and recycle it as part of the new garden, thereby conserving another piece of the old one. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2RzjH9EqFZxXgtFPLLTNHlBfTfFp7G_fRqFGIqL4fCjHbQcb8IR5Q3okp5bjjrzi39amT4BFWkXWIKlh9kWYIoQzCr7Z9vhZG6wG2gawFUOofvAADdgNbdWR21-0VpbGTAk3yTXiuS4/s1600/Old+Victoria+Scans+2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2RzjH9EqFZxXgtFPLLTNHlBfTfFp7G_fRqFGIqL4fCjHbQcb8IR5Q3okp5bjjrzi39amT4BFWkXWIKlh9kWYIoQzCr7Z9vhZG6wG2gawFUOofvAADdgNbdWR21-0VpbGTAk3yTXiuS4/s640/Old+Victoria+Scans+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Back garden with the two stumps, foundation plantings running amok, oak fringe</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b> </b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Another Pat Brown photo (above) from the early seventies shows the house and back garden as an ensemble. </b></i>There's no visible presence of neighbouring buildings yet, young oaks (to the right) create a loose sense of enclosure, and some sort of shrub (holly perhaps) serves inappropriately as a foundation planting by the rear door. Also visible are the two oak stumps protruding abruptly from the lawn, and two former vent openings beside the back door indicating a cooling cupboard's presence within (refrigerators weren't widespread until about 1930) so the house came with this built-in cooling device. Compare this photo with how the ensemble appeared after the neighbourhood had been built out on the grid, as in the photo below from summer 1989.</span></p><p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWRRFS4etIEBvRPCc0JdqTKLM1a18Ct2QIRxblBoO51sV5BpCcnYla3w-hJlOZkGdL9LMmyc_H_w14_yUHG6aNbiabPIn_oNcSnBWVEc0Njs5jX9ELXShZ7miZ8f2jsls-Jwq2pqPxQ0/s1600/lineup+023.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWRRFS4etIEBvRPCc0JdqTKLM1a18Ct2QIRxblBoO51sV5BpCcnYla3w-hJlOZkGdL9LMmyc_H_w14_yUHG6aNbiabPIn_oNcSnBWVEc0Njs5jX9ELXShZ7miZ8f2jsls-Jwq2pqPxQ0/s640/lineup+023.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Second summer, view of the rancher next door, planting beds being rebuilt and extended </b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Taken from a somewhat similar angle much later, this photo reveals the stark reality of suburban development - a blank white stucco wall replaces what had once been treed edge. The Garry Oaks have disappeared, displaced or dwarfed by aggressive young firs (an aggressively advancing species in this neighbourhood). An apple tree that appeared recently planted in the Pat Brown photo has now taken adult shape. The holly has disappeared, which is a positive step as it was not a plant to have growing against a building. Here I have just begun rebuilding and extending planting beds from the scattered stone remains I discovered on site, mostly with hardy Mediterranean herbs inspired by the plantings at Murray Cook's herb farm near Sooke (long gone now). The iris were there upon arrival, and remain there in expanded plantings to this day. The next shot illustrates our garden response to the blunt facts of subdivision, which has been to try and screen them partially from direct view.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrl9Gt29Yv12sljL2VmzKNX6Wm2gQsRWqeF0-Vv3c1fy2ULEid3qWkv6yRWqH-2b0RpzGEkebxSOIv4aJWoUCgt4Y_ug2biB-RiUDHx_6ZWW_horwI1yx-1Wav8sfIdZapn6uO7jwB1rA/s1600/March+the+lamb+044.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrl9Gt29Yv12sljL2VmzKNX6Wm2gQsRWqeF0-Vv3c1fy2ULEid3qWkv6yRWqH-2b0RpzGEkebxSOIv4aJWoUCgt4Y_ug2biB-RiUDHx_6ZWW_horwI1yx-1Wav8sfIdZapn6uO7jwB1rA/s640/March+the+lamb+044.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>By 2011, the back garden is becoming more screened to the outside and enclosed within<br /></b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">In the photo above we see the scene twenty-odd years on, and the changes are palpable. Gone are the
asphalt shingles, the roughly incised cat-door, the decorative shutters (which were not sized to fit the window frames), the cheap aluminum sliders, the aggressive firs, the foundation
plantings, and most importantly, the baleful impact of a vista comprised of a blank stucco
wall. Newly, the empty pond is now a planting bed fronted by a curving boxwood line, the patio terrace is repaved in stone and its steps rebuilt and expanded,
and importantly the rockery bed behind the patio terrace has been enlarged and its plantings
are now filling in, screening the garden from the adjacent home's presence. Also, exterior Tudor-style lanterns have been added as garden lighting, while
the colour scheme has swung to yellows and black in indirect reference to things Tudor. The back
garden is becoming a more private space, less open to its immediate surroundings,
more an enclave divided loosely into garden rooms articulated around a small central lawn. The bones of the old garden,
which were in disrepair and at times bafflingly discontinuous, have now been elaborated into fuller expression as a network of beds at the edges of garden rooms. I have tried to make design choices that are compatible
with the leads left by the past, respecting them as much as possible, while lending each my own interpretation as a gardener. Much has changed in the overall scheme,
but to my eye at least, it's compatible with and integrated into the earlier surroundings. Removal of the surging young firs have allowed a Garry oak that was losing the competition to flourish anew and become a mainstay of the back garden. I have always given oaks pride of place and stopped firs - an advancing species in our changing climate - from setting up shop, which they do very quickly if you aren't steadfast. All the garden changes give the ensemble a structure that
wasn't a necessity prior to subdivision. But some form of enclosure becomes necessary with infill - both to achieve the potential for peaceful enjoyment and to
build up the edge scenery from inside the bungalow, so the vistas from within aren't dominated by views to other dwellings. It's not possible to remove these views entirely, but they can certainly be softened and diminished to some extent.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD56wd9GhpECOSefOMY42-9hQmY7h38HzH8Z1XSU6v35YI-1pPBc8rIsJk5XC13lMdfSYboOpoaFQrnCAv6KtVgMMbmuqizEocBCbsLkvpk-WqlCv58K3LHEnUTP7JDZrZJca6OJ91vuc/s1600/photo+2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD56wd9GhpECOSefOMY42-9hQmY7h38HzH8Z1XSU6v35YI-1pPBc8rIsJk5XC13lMdfSYboOpoaFQrnCAv6KtVgMMbmuqizEocBCbsLkvpk-WqlCv58K3LHEnUTP7JDZrZJca6OJ91vuc/s640/photo+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Photo from the tennis lawn again showing the open oak grove</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Of all the photos Pat Brown shared, I find this one and the related photo at the outset of this essay absolutely nostalgic to contemplate. </b></i>They reveal the harmony and the complicity that once existed between house and oak meadow. It's a natural world that's only been lightly gardened, tweaked tastefully in order to optimize human enjoyment, but not at the meadow's expense. Sadly, this view and this world no longer exist. When the tennis lawn was subdivided and a house erected there, it vanished, leaving only vestiges like the oak and the boxwood. Sometime after all this went down, and a couple of owners on, I happened upon the scene, determined to undertake a rescue and to reknit the remains into an ensemble. Fortunately the house was intact (if somewhat neglected) and surrounded by enough land to stimulate my garden imagination, on a site that many would have found daunting. And there would certainly be major challenges to address on the road to returning it to something like a private Arcadia, as the next photo attests.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGME6UzNi24x3MNVlKfpZ-TC47kmRQ1ghsGHcRtIyS0_po-r4pjHXRqT4tO4zlQA77hAZtyCC4nXWx4s4EdxC8lv-CFEzzcvLMm3Vjr5ltdG5hDlW6Euk36GpZR8AZRtyOxRV0tO9Sc2s/s1600/lineup+026.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGME6UzNi24x3MNVlKfpZ-TC47kmRQ1ghsGHcRtIyS0_po-r4pjHXRqT4tO4zlQA77hAZtyCC4nXWx4s4EdxC8lv-CFEzzcvLMm3Vjr5ltdG5hDlW6Euk36GpZR8AZRtyOxRV0tO9Sc2s/s640/lineup+026.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>The back garden: <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">h</span>ow I found it<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> and the point </span>where my garden<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">-</span>making began<br /></b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The photo above shows the southwest corner of the back garden pretty much as I found it. I'd begun building rockery walls to define new edges for planting beds, but the garden has obviously been long-neglected (note the derelict compost bin and the fir stump overtaken by ivy). You can't help but see the
arbitrary lines of the subdivision process traced literally on the land by the cement-block
wall supporting the new fence. A precise right angle at the corner of the lot is marked with frank clarity, likely a surveyor's resolution of a dispute between
neighbours over where the turn and parking pad for the new panhandle lot had
been placed. Happily, I managed to miss that piece of the fun! Excavating the ground during my first summer, by way of healing the raw mess I'd inherited, I discovered asphalt paving running under the cement blocks supporting the new fence, indicating that the neighbour's parking pad had been built somewhat in trespass on the remaining Savage property.
The not-yet-grey fence suggested a relatively recent resolution of this dispute, as did the abandoned construction debris I had to clear out. Fixing that area up so the
coarse edge of construction was replaced with continuous garden edge became a primary design focus. The next photo indicates how that piece of the garden was looking by spring 2016.</span></p><p>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9bGVMxCyi-5QmrzS8920GuOzSKId_lMF3Se0c7d2vIMb6m8Ok-H2JhcsszkBgeg14RKgqnzPJcsYFCb_eO86bD7ZKTigVZtBdBnuZ2P-2zn9FHTc_PH2U4z4D3WHAF0wPFSJ8JFP9GW4/s1600/DSC_0017+%25281%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9bGVMxCyi-5QmrzS8920GuOzSKId_lMF3Se0c7d2vIMb6m8Ok-H2JhcsszkBgeg14RKgqnzPJcsYFCb_eO86bD7ZKTigVZtBdBnuZ2P-2zn9FHTc_PH2U4z4D3WHAF0wPFSJ8JFP9GW4/s640/DSC_0017+%25281%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Looking towards the southwest corner of the renewed garden in spring 2016</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrl9Gt29Yv12sljL2VmzKNX6Wm2gQsRWqeF0-Vv3c1fy2ULEid3qWkv6yRWqH-2b0RpzGEkebxSOIv4aJWoUCgt4Y_ug2biB-RiUDHx_6ZWW_horwI1yx-1Wav8sfIdZapn6uO7jwB1rA/s1600/March+the+lamb+044.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><p>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>It turns out I was a good fit for the challenge of making a garden that felt consistent with the house and its placement.</b></i> When I found the bungalow on Grange, I was seeking a character house on a lot with garden possibilities. I couldn't have told you then what a bungalow was, didn't
know much about the arts-and-crafts era, and definitely had never
heard of Hubert Savage. But I was as smitten by the site as by the house sitting so comfortably on it, so I knew at first sight that I wanted to explore the opportunity of gardening the ensemble. I immediately sensed the potential to elaborate the landscaping (as difficult as the site is) and believed that this setting would continue to stimulate my garden imagination for a very long time. I saw the challenge of reinforcing the complicity between house and setting as the rarest of opportunities in a world of mainly bland residences set on mostly featureless grounds. I also felt the call to heal wounds inflicted on landscape by the unyielding process of transforming it into building lots. That's a quirk of my personality that was well-suited to the mission. This site certainly came with many challenges, in the form of vexing proximities especially - yet, I had never encountered a house and setting combination on a single suburban lot with a true potential for expressive landscape gardening. It was, as it were, love at first sight.</span></p><p>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jhaHvhspz7ebMTr8StESGxhZkcxhf5vJyL9PgD__N83y2ODOJ1ORPYqiZVB9gUMFg7YecE1YjPLR_qsdpcNpT96Rxk3GlNsTKDpQ5ldQ1PteVtVomT5nFzDsgMbVYQr1n01ThRoh-S8/s1600/Lection+001.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jhaHvhspz7ebMTr8StESGxhZkcxhf5vJyL9PgD__N83y2ODOJ1ORPYqiZVB9gUMFg7YecE1YjPLR_qsdpcNpT96Rxk3GlNsTKDpQ5ldQ1PteVtVomT5nFzDsgMbVYQr1n01ThRoh-S8/s640/Lection+001.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>View through a window across the patio towards the former tennis lawn, 2013</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Three objectives have
guided my approach to tending and modifying this landscape:</b></i> the
need to heal or mask the wounds inflicted by land division; the desire
to separate the edges to a greater degree from adjacent uses made
near lot boundaries (including and especially the now-much-busier road along the
frontage); and my personal desire to make a garden with a balance
between native species and gardened plantings, one expressive of interaction and complicity. My overall goal is to blend the gardened components with the native
landscape and geology of the site, so that things feel as though
they belong where placed and, like the house, somehow magically just grew out of the situation.
Call it, as Sedding did in <b><i>Garden-craft, Old and New</i></b>, a garden contrived as a state of 'betweenity': not old, not new,
but both; not all art, nor simply wild nature, but each and both in a convincing blend of formal and informal that ultimately feels a unified whole. My
essay in garden-making has gone through many phases and continues
to evolve as I head now towards seventy years of age, as it should if one is
still learning the craft and still stimulated by
a venue. In a future post, I'll perhaps chronicle how my notion of
a garden contrived as 'betweenity' has evolved over my nearly three decades of inhabiting
the magical Savage bungalow and its immediate environs. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSnsp5-3nTOyue9Flved0o72IB1WNI4hq1x7gw92r6fblEhQ3CnBchzuTui-YOqzr0st00lrlEfR664H_k4xDxX4oI1U5-WupXc5ihdto1m8jNX9aMMMwXoM2z6As7687u9uzYlX1vFs/s1600/lineup+029.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSnsp5-3nTOyue9Flved0o72IB1WNI4hq1x7gw92r6fblEhQ3CnBchzuTui-YOqzr0st00lrlEfR664H_k4xDxX4oI1U5-WupXc5ihdto1m8jNX9aMMMwXoM2z6As7687u9uzYlX1vFs/s640/lineup+029.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Still life: barrel burner (left), rampant ivy, dilapidated shed and <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">happy new</span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">o</span></span>wner</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3P9DmD2dbfex9vsAwJz7pvERIo8hxd2Vr7LEyjqut2kdg6SFH6-GBdatkE-f6hdZfs4-wp4yfKHG93Vfk-Z_3SV58DxS0TyszAt7BZvhBA-w15tnv6RyfYwzvjbOW2wgkSqXPdWKmUFU/s1600/DSC_0004.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3P9DmD2dbfex9vsAwJz7pvERIo8hxd2Vr7LEyjqut2kdg6SFH6-GBdatkE-f6hdZfs4-wp4yfKHG93Vfk-Z_3SV58DxS0TyszAt7BZvhBA-w15tnv6RyfYwzvjbOW2wgkSqXPdWKmUFU/s640/DSC_0004.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Still life: old meadow oaks, original<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> white</span> lilacs, camas lillies, and new<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> garden</span> shed </b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>The phrase employed as a title to this piece - 'the romance of possibility' - was coined by John Dando Sedding in his 1896 book entitled Garden-craft Old and New, on page 15. Sedding was a British arts-and-crafts architect who specialized in restoring old churches. Sedding's book is available online (free) as a Project Gutenberg eBook.</i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i> </i></b><br /></span></p>David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-2769964928813935152016-02-04T07:02:00.000-08:002019-01-29T19:43:27.146-08:00Homage to the craftsman<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"He who works with his hands is a labourer.</b></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.</b></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist."</b></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>St. Francis </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9iDZ4F4Ulx0ppKaYX7ghrTLZMnBYddWxBPplkRsOzxtBkn6bKvdUSXR9Jit_sy5ACilgqt5Z0Psece_po-BFOs6fstLN7Q6KWoxu0MFW5FK1Qu64eLm4sfn9PWH2NK7UGB4jfIonjuE/s1600/var+049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9iDZ4F4Ulx0ppKaYX7ghrTLZMnBYddWxBPplkRsOzxtBkn6bKvdUSXR9Jit_sy5ACilgqt5Z0Psece_po-BFOs6fstLN7Q6KWoxu0MFW5FK1Qu64eLm4sfn9PWH2NK7UGB4jfIonjuE/s640/var+049.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jawing with Vern Krahn across<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> a</span> gate he'<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">d</span> remade and just installed</span></span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Recently a dear friend of Victoria's heritage community passed away, alas far too soon. He was Vern Krahn, master carpenter, joiner and cabinet maker - an ally of all those who want older buildings to persist with fidelity to their past, an unsung hero of heritage for the many contributions of his creative hands. He worked on a lot of old Victoria during his productive lifetime, reviving things that were neglected and repairing what was damaged. He was beyond good with wood: a 360-degree craftsman who could reliably fashion anything to exact proportions, then fit it seamlessly into a pre-existing scheme. Vern was a true artisan carpenter, an invaluable anachronism who remained modest about his own talents and achievements.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We had the good fortune to have Vern execute projects, big and small, at our house over a period of fifteen years. Like most vintage residences on the west coast, the Savage bungalow is made largely of wood, and wooden buildings have bits that wear unevenly, inside and out. Heavy use means door panels may get broken, new owners may make unfortunate choices of decor and maul original features, sections of exterior board deteriorate in our long wet winters. All buildings that survive also require periodic updating as services change, and those modifications may be done well or crudely. And of course, bathrooms and kitchens get remodeled and they too may be mangled in the process. All of which means there is a great deal of work for capable hands in restoring and replacing wooden components in older homes. Such were Vern Krahn's.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzukVK1V8bfualsCoSp7NAEXP398LQX2R6ShLjK36TJjQyoXji30MCLt_qzd11Cm7CWmPof1nOxEY3jKcNZUCUEE1Aa1drCdFoce4zQSk1ORYOGniNvLqBrkHkGLwhGle6g5Ak5Wo3QI/s1600/Lambrick+House+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzukVK1V8bfualsCoSp7NAEXP398LQX2R6ShLjK36TJjQyoXji30MCLt_qzd11Cm7CWmPof1nOxEY3jKcNZUCUEE1Aa1drCdFoce4zQSk1ORYOGniNvLqBrkHkGLwhGle6g5Ak5Wo3QI/s640/Lambrick+House+016.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Vern's first door at the Savage house, open in the corner</span></span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We</span><span style="font-size: large;"> first turned to Vern to design and build a replacement for a solid wood door connecting our kitchen to a small utility room. I got his name from friends in the heritage community, and it turned out he lived just a block away from our house, so we were in fact neighbours. We asked him to replace a door whose panels had been cracked in several places and that had warped as well. <span style="font-size: large;">The idea was to fashion a new door that would be true to the past (stiles, rails and panels identical to the original) but adapted for contemporary wants, so glazed in the upper half. We opted to modify the original design so as to lessen the door's walling effect when closed, feeling a glazed portion would keep a sense of visual connection to the next room while still admitting light when not open. This new door would also become the critical first step in an eventual full kitchen makeover. We really wanted to maintain continuity with the original decor while adjusting the door's effect on space, which is where a craftsman with Vern's skills came in. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxk4JatYdgSWVRB3Z29GlWPdCNZ95bjuQ2lKNhltxfSseSXxvQTZzl4Q4KAYckxF0RfKkHDvMt2uV7XeG5ZhjlyfWGyZ_XWgPMruLtzUJLbGtMnMrIvqNntk4m1aS7YEf7_ko2KnhxMsw/s1600/DSC_0014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxk4JatYdgSWVRB3Z29GlWPdCNZ95bjuQ2lKNhltxfSseSXxvQTZzl4Q4KAYckxF0RfKkHDvMt2uV7XeG5ZhjlyfWGyZ_XWgPMruLtzUJLbGtMnMrIvqNntk4m1aS7YEf7_ko2KnhxMsw/s640/DSC_0014.JPG" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>This door retains the past while accommodating new elements</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It takes an array of carpentry skills to be able to manufacture a solid door from scratch. Vern fashioned and installed a beautiful one of clear fir, replicating the dimensions of the original door exactly. Over a decade on, that door still fits like a glove and closes with reassuring solidity. The quality of the finished work and the exchange of ideas around its design left us very confident of Vern's ability to do more work on the house. We realized immediately what a privilege it was to have his attention focused on our home's needs. The real challenge would turn out to be getting access to his time for projects, because Vern was always and understandably in great demand. And, he preferred to work solo in a field where there is often a crew, so he could give it his undivided attention.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yp11q26_-Gi31XJtWQic417Uuf2t_IRVfPinbVQvFvJfXeGOe82rl6cTnOc140rdduHWwRVjRu851-Xuuh7eP9p3WdS4EwrxY70nWWnpcmlUBmCjOMBi9lHzKxmLaTN3KlyzgVH423I/s1600/DSC_0034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yp11q26_-Gi31XJtWQic417Uuf2t_IRVfPinbVQvFvJfXeGOe82rl6cTnOc140rdduHWwRVjRu851-Xuuh7eP9p3WdS4EwrxY70nWWnpcmlUBmCjOMBi9lHzKxmLaTN3KlyzgVH423I/s640/DSC_0034.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The replace<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ment</span> mirror and once-damaged frame Vern repaired above the fireplace</span></span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The next job we asked him to tackle was repair of some mistakes someone had made in the living room, when a broken mirror integral to a built-in above the fireplace had been replaced with mis-sized glass crudely skived into the existing frame. This had left the room's central feature looking damaged and abused. Vern executed one of his trademark seamless repairs, replacing the glass with a beveled mirror of proper thickness, and mending the damaged lower rail of the frame so flawlessly that one sees no signs of intervention (the earlier replacement glass had been held in place with plastic clips, a classy touch; Vern's painstaking repair employed a thin wood molding to hold the pane in place unobtrusively). As part of healing the built-in, Vern also adapted a couple of book-sized shelves to hold music CDs, with similar deftness. This precision of work and delicacy of touch Vern would characterize as 'museum-quality restoration,' a little joke he enjoyed from a time he'd been employed making precise exhibits for the provincial museum. 'Museum quality' became code for work done with utmost attention to details. He understood that we wanted it, and he capably delivered it.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">View to the garden from the corridor room that Vern would rep<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">air and<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> rebuild</span></span> for us</span></span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After several rounds of finicky smaller restorations, we asked Vern to tackle the far larger job of repairing and restoring a small but important room off our kitchen. It had suffered indignities over the years and appeared neglected. On plan, it shows as a 'summer tea room', which both let onto the back garden and at the far end housed a small utility cluster sprouting around the original electrical inlet. Little bigger than a wide corridor in scale (below), and with a barrel-vaulted ceiling that allowed its designer to just tuck it in under an extension of the main roof form, this modest space began life partially open to the elements (screened, like a summer sleeping porch) before at some point being enclosed with windows. In the nineties, I'd had some crummy aluminum windows replaced with leaded casements that flanked a tiny picture window. While a distinct gain aesthetically, it only served to make it even more obvious that that rest of the room badly needed attention. It bore ugly scars where the utility room wall had been summarily ripped out in order to inch bulky appliances closer to the services. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>End wall rebuilt, new door installed, lino down, built-in yet to appear</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The original end wall had come with a door to access a closet-sized space that sequestered the utilities from view. All that remained now were jagged ends of a wall ripped out, framing timbers exposed, the door long gone. This shabby situation left the room feeling neglected, leaving a growing octopus of electrical wiring fanning out from an upgraded electrical panel in full view, alongside a water heater sitting directly on an unfinished floor. For a long time this situation stymied me, to a certain extent out of fear of what might happen without a discerning craftsman to help resolve the design choices and carry out the repair with surgical precision. All those hesitations evaporated once Vern appeared on the scene.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">All p</span>ainted up<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> now,</span> Vern'<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">s second door with translucent glass </span></b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We agreed he would undertake an adaptive restoration, based on remaking the missing wall where it had been and fashioning a new door similar to the kitchen door, thereby recreating a true utility closet to contain the business end of the home. We determined there was just enough room to squeak in a European washer-dryer set, stacked in one corner of the closet, if we relocated the hot water tank to the corner diagonally opposite it. Vern liked the idea of putting the room's decor back to how it had been while modifying it just enough to accommodate a compact version of modern conveniences. Together we worked out the details of each facet of the restoration, beginning with a new door with translucent glass to admit light while masking the utilities. You can see from the picture above just how well Vern brought that piece of it off - we were and remain mightily pleased with it.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvkd4b6szqZPj2UbB39WjZzROWMDVpgzc7E9e4YYnwjzusG7uyQXfR7yqfK7DGsWFX6BoFAjVaFN7auxjsYgYOQQlCSZ-BW7be4ShrP8vF3-qqNbTjGBQPDO1Cp2DPtTztyH-VRckIa4/s1600/DSC_0028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvkd4b6szqZPj2UbB39WjZzROWMDVpgzc7E9e4YYnwjzusG7uyQXfR7yqfK7DGsWFX6BoFAjVaFN7auxjsYgYOQQlCSZ-BW7be4ShrP8vF3-qqNbTjGBQPDO1Cp2DPtTztyH-VRckIa4/s640/DSC_0028.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Facing north towards the old cooling closet and the original rear door that Vern repaired</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It took some time from commissioning this project to actually getting Vern on site. But that delay in starting was how it had to be, because he was always in demand and insisted on giving every job his best attentions. Somehow he managed to find time for us in that busy schedule and once on site was totally seized of the project and saw the job right the way through. The wall he made consistent with the original finishing of the room, using identical vertical bead boarding so the repair would be invisible. Once that wall and door appeared, the sense of wounds healing was tangible. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1rI4jFzIV7mFNP-VhnVUx-tdTxd1PWyUQm2I-eopulz5HzxPaQyPNEdeEvIfs3txe2iYVN4VDPPcwsXUjrg5PPb2_2jVX2KqImDEuQbycg-0XeX3b6KiQKhNVRv0Zyaba5LmsClvrPw/s1600/DSC_0020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1rI4jFzIV7mFNP-VhnVUx-tdTxd1PWyUQm2I-eopulz5HzxPaQyPNEdeEvIfs3txe2iYVN4VDPPcwsXUjrg5PPb2_2jVX2KqImDEuQbycg-0XeX3b6KiQKhNVRv0Zyaba5LmsClvrPw/s640/DSC_0020.JPG" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Cooling closet adapted to cabinet use with lovely doors</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We also had to adapt and evolve an awkward set of corner cupboards that had been poorly contrived from an original California cooler (a built-in device used to store food in the days before refrigeration, utilizing screened vents to the exterior to capture an airflow). These cupboards were (to be kind) poorly thought out, the base awkwardly accessed via a lid rather than through doors, the upper bank too shallow for much goods storage, the top out of keeping with the base. Vern deepened the upper tier of these built-in cupboards without damage to the ceiling, rendering it more useful and in better balance with the bottom half, and then sealed the lid on the base and opened its facade to accept cupboard doors. Next he fashioned two sets of cupboard doors, employing a light bead board (a tongue-and-groove board) for the panels, which in turn harmonized with the wall treatment. I think these doors are an especially good example of Vern's artistry: unpretentious, light but solid and finely rendered, with a graceful bevel along the inside rails and styles that takes them subtly off rectilinear. I managed to track down some authentic Craftsman hardware for the handles, to reinforce the period feeling of the room. I think you'll agree he did a fantastic job - this was the cabinet-maker at the top of his form, investing creativity in even the most humble work.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDR-UeDhos3HKsjzsXDFEddXZ8Sr2SaXCUOcAC2aQGMVPl0plotU-ugYAoNhAvdmovNVyq7EXlTJM_Dpi2O_SgE-Oex74Nk8H0YD83r2AFcKnpq37gHQLAnMYq9KBiaswBZUY6gJE_odo/s640/DSC_0037.JPG" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Vern fashioned a lovely trio<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> of</span> drawers to <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">utilize</span> the base of the built-in bench</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We aspired not just to restore this space, but also to increase its utility and appeal as a room and lessen the feeling of it being a passage-way. That led us to the idea of installing a built-in bench seat under the bank of windows letting onto the back garden. The main roof swoops low at this point, pulling the windows down with it, so a wide view of the garden can only be obtained from a sitting position. We felt that a window seat would open up a cozy intimacy with the garden. At the same time, we wanted the seat to be functional for other purposes, so settled on gaining storage by having deep drawers built into its base (bungalows often provided these multi-use spaces). Vern fashioned us a lovely built-in seat from clear Douglas fir, with clear fir bead board for the drawer fronts. Together we developed a corner detail to supply a bit more</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVezwEhn_1rKNVf-Qol3z95P0czDks-rbmJYX-Uv2__SK0tXL5mEb2KIlf4nVPO2T7gPEPOlmVS7Y7hrLQ-rOtsLEEVF0zspO6TuYwfkAbpqlxcuj1-BeU42AUk91s7K56HuJe4kCqnsw/s1600/DSC_0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVezwEhn_1rKNVf-Qol3z95P0czDks-rbmJYX-Uv2__SK0tXL5mEb2KIlf4nVPO2T7gPEPOlmVS7Y7hrLQ-rOtsLEEVF0zspO6TuYwfkAbpqlxcuj1-BeU42AUk91s7K56HuJe4kCqnsw/s320/DSC_0038.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">storage space while giving a secure surface on which to set a mug or a book. Vern carried his cupboard door design over into the drawer fronts, reinforcing the overall sense of harmony pervading the room. The drawers were installed with more Craftsman-style hardware, again for period feeling. To our eye, the furnished window seat fits the room perfectly, offering a wonderfully intimate view to the garden room outside. Vern did all the work in that room, from repairing the original back door to making a compatible ceiling for the utility closet to installing the new linoleum. He did a topnotch job and the room has worn-in delightfully.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2q3JtYMnD6Wbgc-qzRCka5g9nCyr4b7-IqrUpxyyDgQ3Am_iwxL-FAQcYreS7dMtE8kaK2jYj1U2U57JBffeSzhRSssS5QS7JgAJSH8QpI41vMY4ztujiJdHsfvYlZoAZzbg5gOOu3oc/s1600/Maybe+213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2q3JtYMnD6Wbgc-qzRCka5g9nCyr4b7-IqrUpxyyDgQ3Am_iwxL-FAQcYreS7dMtE8kaK2jYj1U2U57JBffeSzhRSssS5QS7JgAJSH8QpI41vMY4ztujiJdHsfvYlZoAZzbg5gOOu3oc/s640/Maybe+213.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A window seat makes the room more intimate and inviting</span></span></span></span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The latest, and trickiest, of the big jobs Vern did for our house came about rather unexpectedly. It happened that the exterior had been comprehensively repaired in the late nineties, before Vern came on the scene. Or at least, we thought it had been. The work done was good quality but it turned out that some hidden rot had been missed at the time. That became evident one day when I chanced to notice</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNsrgNBstVrooEnSW4X2Z4Enb4nSqDDMm79f-ZSZwygxYV_6g2ZLg8JatVUnkPVzukDvAuE9uWd1FZ6mghh6SnNaT-ziKyDi61Cig-4TWi-ZpbUG2mCQ49moLxipB4WWxk76rz0LYvUck/s1600/thank+yous+045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNsrgNBstVrooEnSW4X2Z4Enb4nSqDDMm79f-ZSZwygxYV_6g2ZLg8JatVUnkPVzukDvAuE9uWd1FZ6mghh6SnNaT-ziKyDi61Cig-4TWi-ZpbUG2mCQ49moLxipB4WWxk76rz0LYvUck/s320/thank+yous+045.jpg" width="320" /></a> that the soffits under the gable ends across the facade of the house were sagging ominously. After a hundred years of exposure to dampness with little venting, their time was up. And so a new need for heritage carpentry of a high order opened up suddenly. Getting this repair done right was something the building's overall look depended upon, so the stakes were high as we headed towards its centennial year. I knew we needed Vern for this job, but again the challenge would be the long queue for his attention. Luckily for us and for the house, he liked working on our place, so was quite willing to entertain a job that would be very difficult to access and execute. He was no spring chicken at this point and this wasn't anything that could be easily done from a ladder - it needed scaffolding, to create a working platform and have equipment and materials to hand. And this scaffolding would have to be moved along a facade that advances and retreats, on ground that in places falls away sharply. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Anyway, it took about a year for Vern to be able to fit this work in, but then in the summer of 2012, he arrived on site, set up a working platform on some scaffolding, and began tackling the complex job of repair. It happened that I took lots of photographs over the course of this challenging piece of repair work, which Vern did to the most exacting standards. I've selected a few of these pictures to show him at work in his element, rescuing an important piece of local history and endowing it with fresh life. I think the pictures capture the craftsman at work.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItMN2S_JJbaHhQY8E48GWOT2bz2SGUOqvGWv0auhCScM6gdDsWQVsOFnH1zCqH_amby1Ntjz2vkQMeKZ1tv6qZcve2d6rRtdgM6oOTl5wNd6W5sI6xGjGAhFB_bISPd_DDx3OGNlnYis/s1600/Grange+reno+plus+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItMN2S_JJbaHhQY8E48GWOT2bz2SGUOqvGWv0auhCScM6gdDsWQVsOFnH1zCqH_amby1Ntjz2vkQMeKZ1tv6qZcve2d6rRtdgM6oOTl5wNd6W5sI6xGjGAhFB_bISPd_DDx3OGNlnYis/s640/Grange+reno+plus+004.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Carefully c</span>utting out the rotten bits</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Replacing them seamlessly with new components</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Removing no more wood than absolutely necessary</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Fashioning replacements up on the platform</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Scaffolding erected in an awkward location</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Putting it back together, blending old with new</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Careful attention to the details,<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span>locus of both God and devil</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Re-<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">t</span></span>ruing posts after inserting a shingle under them</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Ready for the electrician now and then the painter to finish up the job</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Vern passed away on January 6, 2016, and with that passing a talented craftsman who looked after a lot of Victoria's wooden heritage departed our community. As his obituary notes, he "was a man of immense depth and integrity" and "his many fine works remain as testament to his craftsmanship". It's in that vein that I've tried to document the fine stewardship he gave our 1913 house, in recognition of the skill and discernment he brought to every piece of work he did. This is a rarity in our times, yet essential if we want to keep our landmarks alive. Vern possessed the bedrock skill of the traditional craftsman: the ability to generously invest himself in his work, putting care, attention to detail, and a lifetime knowledge of craft into everything he did, big or small, high falutin' or work-a-day. I had the great boon of knowing him for fifteen years, both as a client and a friend, and the chance to share many probing conversations. The regret I feel so deeply today is that he didn't have longer to express his craft, and that we as a community didn't find the way to transfer some of his insight to up and coming heritage carpenters. Like many I'm sure, I do feel grateful I had the opportunity to know him and the chance to work with him in preserving some heritage. And I feel fortunate to be able see and enjoy his work all around me, every day.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Refinished now, showing no signs of intervention whatsoever.</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A service honouring Vern's life will be held on Saturday February 6th from 2 - 4:30 pm at First Memorial, 4725 Falaise Drive.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">If you are interested in more about the challenges of restoring heritage buildings and the calling that is heritage carpentry, see my Sourcing Craft Skills For Heritage Preservation (http://centurybungalow.blogspot.ca/2013/06/sourcing-craft-skills-for-heritage.html).</span></i><br />
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David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-60189379749425536672014-03-09T10:06:00.013-07:002023-12-25T18:00:42.345-08:00Century Bungalow Redux<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ77jqPFH0UBz7rTK85ioUaDuR5GmwL6SqdqNVvIpAPU7vozflWNYin2uQfQD6K0yQHO9GfLywnhF5DaiHQuw3wnDqk717AtoCYY1PTch2xwYL2G1EwSc_Ch6jvZ5QwRTmkj7fwa51W1Q/s1600/uno+060.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ77jqPFH0UBz7rTK85ioUaDuR5GmwL6SqdqNVvIpAPU7vozflWNYin2uQfQD6K0yQHO9GfLywnhF5DaiHQuw3wnDqk717AtoCYY1PTch2xwYL2G1EwSc_Ch6jvZ5QwRTmkj7fwa51W1Q/s1600/uno+060.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Restoration is never really over when a house is over the 100 year mark, but back in 2013 it looks renewed</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHG4uIsP6qj09_bBYB8W-L_x0gtK5XLl_gk6fegQ8jZ8KYk9RmaB6X_A3vjornaU3v9VCSPHCyH-yHb9acuWRmBleqOe8DnvATf3bnEhyphenhyphenLKnsAkxqslqAKKA2WPUsdqwDhM1kJ0_2pgwk/s1600/Lambrick+House+034.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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</xml><![endif]--><span style="font-size: large;">I launched <b><i>Century Bungalow</i></b> in late 2012 as a
way of celebrating a wooden house making it through its first century of use intact. I
intended it as a record of the house and its designers, Hubert and Alys
Savage, that would capture some of its
original context that isn't obvious to the eye. The posts are rather speculative in nature, there being so little
pictorial evidence of the Savages’ occupancy - the artifact is really all there is to work from, the house in its
landscape setting. No photographs of home or owners that I'm aware of. No images indicating the social life of the house. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>No turned wood in view</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Century Bungalow</i></b> also looks at broader issues of stewardship that arise
with custody of an older building whose character one wishes to respect and that
has significance for the community. It considers the challenges
and choices of restoration, and the difficulty and necessity of finding
appropriate skills for the interventions needed to return the building to a
state of sound repair. Heritage stewardship inevitably involves some enrichment of our understanding of the structure – what it is, inherently, and the tradition of
which it is part.Without that understanding, it's hard to guide the hands doing the work towards the best choices.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Tall piers for a sense of entry</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Savage house is a bungalow, making it part of a
larger phenomenon of its time – the first fully modern house type to be
supplied in market quantities, offered to city dwellers wanting to
reside in attractive homes with all mod cons. A type that spread quickly in
cities across North America, and far beyond. A home that was affordable to people who'd never owned one before, because the economics of land and materials made them fantastically cheap for a time. An amount of land that was lavish relative to current building lots, and that would have taken work to keep looking kempt. A quality of design that was often architectural, even when supplied in subdivision quantities. The Savage bungalow however is also one of a kind, an eclectic blend of British, North American and regional arts-and-crafts influences. And I believe we can even discern Gustav Stickley's influence in its layout and details.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsMuiLnxerhXa3uLYph5_c3Im2bvniTIEsDNaaBvpH6KJPyHObj1PXGpvRWIvAZPH-_kewhGhIcGXU-Utm8cOQy1zi-AroqcY5qWbCjiMk3ulAD8iqjnu-EicG7xn6YpDyYEDanh5yxE/s1600/British%2520Colonial%2520Architecture3.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsMuiLnxerhXa3uLYph5_c3Im2bvniTIEsDNaaBvpH6KJPyHObj1PXGpvRWIvAZPH-_kewhGhIcGXU-Utm8cOQy1zi-AroqcY5qWbCjiMk3ulAD8iqjnu-EicG7xn6YpDyYEDanh5yxE/s1600/British%2520Colonial%2520Architecture3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>British adapted the Bengali bungalow to colonial needs</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The bungalow itself enjoys a rich history as a building form (originally a house on one floor, like a cottage, with all the principal rooms under a single massive roof form) travelling far from
its origins in Bengal after many regional reworkings as housing stock for imperial
administrators; in turn, it was widely dispersed throughout the Commonwealth, further romanticized and evolved, before being recast into the forms we recognize today, in the
busy workshop called Los Angeles. LA is where it was minted as America’s first
'dream' home and supplied in subdivision quantities on spec to the masses - for the first time anywhere in history. The Savage bungalow has a lot of California influence in it, but its roots are more mixed than many. For example, the tapered rock pillars
supporting the entry verandah are California-style, the enclosed soffits are
regional arts-and-crafts, while the fusing of building with landscape reflects
British arts-and-crafts thinking. It is a very eclectic house, even for a bungalow!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Bungalow with enclosed soffits: a regional feature</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One thing I didn’t do is place this house conclusively in
relation to the North American phenomenon of the bungalow, which went through phases as camp, park and recreational housing before evolving into a subdivision
type supplied in larger quantities in planned developments. That’s partly due
to its complexity, which makes it part of the phenomenon, yet exotic. It may be correct to say that its type is actually transitional, and that it offers a glimpse of the bungalow form as it migrates from rural-recreational housing to something more suburban yet still retaining a strong rustic feeling. This house was built as an outlier with no other homes nearby. <span style="font-size: large;">It draws on both rural
and urban bungalow forms and incorporates regional design touches and local materials, yet the product would not exert a design influence on the trends in suburban
housing types being supplied on the LA model. As elsewhere, in Victoria the bungalow came finally to be supplied cheek by jowl, gable ends typically facing the road, on streets that were equipped with sidewalks. For a time the stone or brick piers and timbers holding up an emphatically presented verandah roof continued to define a vital look, lending variety to the closely packed structures. And then, all that went the way of the dodo beginning in the great depression.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4SEoEATsV13NC4VhH64wgelxuM83WCQpQY1QpEH15io45l8oxzHV1fH6ePz33ozN6af5JInn-nNMtXZ_FPuy_re0rBV26cCRHOaB2pCjF38beuGEIqBrd-8bgvcfEve8tnQ7mzhSm6k/s1600/stfrancis_court1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4SEoEATsV13NC4VhH64wgelxuM83WCQpQY1QpEH15io45l8oxzHV1fH6ePz33ozN6af5JInn-nNMtXZ_FPuy_re0rBV26cCRHOaB2pCjF38beuGEIqBrd-8bgvcfEve8tnQ7mzhSm6k/s1600/stfrancis_court1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>St. Francis Court, by Sylvanus Marston: note the emblematic stone piers to the right<br /></b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Savage bungalow would have made an unlikely prototype for subdivision housing on this new model: set cross-wise on its lot, built over a low crawl space (thus lacking a basement), making extensive use of timbering, wood panelling, decoratively styled built-ins, and many other artistic touches. Clearly it is part of the artistic small-house movement, a progressive-era direction favouring quality and detailing of space over volume and
extent. Ultimately it represents one couple’s
vision of an arts-and-crafts dwelling, set apart by the fact that one of them actually trained to design just such buildings. The outcome was sufficiently compelling that the couple occupied it happily for a lifetime. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">What follows is commentary on the nine posts comprising
<b><i>Century Bungalow</i></b>. It aims to convey some of the things learned via the researching and writing of the blog, and points to issues that have evolved or changed over the course of
a year. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. An arts-and-crafts
bungalow at the century mark</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Century Bungalow</i></b> begins in late 2012 with a post commenting on
the improbability of wooden houses making it intact through a hundred years today.
Chief among the many threats to survival of smaller buildings especially is
our own desire to replace the old with the new, to remove the hand of the past
and the marks of time and start with a clean slate.</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWpEUmko3pOwu8S_Y2p6KzxNrvC3d-RSqFffeV9gKIhWHzL650XgJorjTMb2SU3hU0dWnwmxIHVfDRgpe7MLgbcePamZd8iqRrLyfs4TkyCMkFwBUlvf2lDjxf2V_nEyAW6Xlip52PEM/s1600/Feb+104.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWpEUmko3pOwu8S_Y2p6KzxNrvC3d-RSqFffeV9gKIhWHzL650XgJorjTMb2SU3hU0dWnwmxIHVfDRgpe7MLgbcePamZd8iqRrLyfs4TkyCMkFwBUlvf2lDjxf2V_nEyAW6Xlip52PEM/s1600/Feb+104.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Excavator and dumpster = house be gone</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today the development potential – read as buildable square
footage – of even a modest lot is so great that any older home, depreciated in monetary ‘value’ due to its longevity, is a sitting duck for the wrecking ball. Or less hyperbolically, for the excavator, because that’s the machine being deployed
to get the job done. A day and a half at most, several large waste bins hauled to the landfill, maybe $5,000 out of pocket – and presto, as heritage advocate Michael Kluckner puts it, the clock is reset to zero. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLwLKRSkhbgNIpurWvQ77fcbUqXceVEoxaviAHTlT4a0Ctv8EFXFTQCTAqo3eYEKf9En7wUw1iLTrjeRIqvSu0YGfg9RdLtJoKmi72HO32NyhLHIZecD56C1bHyOvP9At5YtgFE1BZsrY/s1600/rond+014.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLwLKRSkhbgNIpurWvQ77fcbUqXceVEoxaviAHTlT4a0Ctv8EFXFTQCTAqo3eYEKf9En7wUw1iLTrjeRIqvSu0YGfg9RdLtJoKmi72HO32NyhLHIZecD56C1bHyOvP9At5YtgFE1BZsrY/s1600/rond+014.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Heigh ho, to the landfill it's going to go</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Evidently we like resetting the clock to zero. In the course
of 2013 I joined a Facebook group called Vancouver Vanishes, which put
me in touch with the excavators chewing relentlessly across Kitsilano and other historic
city neighbourhoods. This site documents the steady disappearance of quality
homes, and a quick tally showed at least 14 homes demolished in the first six
weeks of 2014, none them dilapidated or really even run down. Vancouver is passively overseeing the
liquidation of its domestic past on a truly vast scale.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJ0iPnB6aaWNwD8L5ZP98h2cyu5XS0yOffP3wycfKAXrj01fy70ZHf8Yg2jFuSqDOhSE-gQjHFBOQwhaHtX6_-kgtbsfDLX5JTNlQmIoJfLNWG2_WvoLZGspr6ptnFMDHr-DUD2HLyUo/s1600/rond+022.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJ0iPnB6aaWNwD8L5ZP98h2cyu5XS0yOffP3wycfKAXrj01fy70ZHf8Yg2jFuSqDOhSE-gQjHFBOQwhaHtX6_-kgtbsfDLX5JTNlQmIoJfLNWG2_WvoLZGspr6ptnFMDHr-DUD2HLyUo/s1600/rond+022.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Context smashed to bits</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">On average Vancouver sees 750 houses a year smashed up
and dumped in the landfill, according to a 2011city report: “Considering the
relative ease in obtaining a demolition permit and building new, it’s small
wonder that so many Vancouver homeowners forgo the preservation of an existing
house, even one that is in good shape.” By 2012, the number of annual demolitions had risen to 940! Vancouver is simply erasing its past willy nilly, and the same forces are beginning to chew away at Victoria.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Oddly, while my post canvassed the many factors that
limit the lifespan of houses, I neglected to mention fire – a deadly enemy of wood frame
buildings. This is a surprising oversight, given that I live in a wooden
building on a treed site with heavy fuel loading. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLjEE6sNnkXHVlstjQ8ba8KxgYKEMxgYT3LgfTPBmQ5pC0x5hN1kiOrZ4CzHCI0AzlUbIf5j9VteGkorA0JxiqijugZMfFDjsG2ZfEpP17BYCnmY2c7uarNx9I4aHSyP6C8gzJVfquTS4/s1600/1991-Firestorm-164.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLjEE6sNnkXHVlstjQ8ba8KxgYKEMxgYT3LgfTPBmQ5pC0x5hN1kiOrZ4CzHCI0AzlUbIf5j9VteGkorA0JxiqijugZMfFDjsG2ZfEpP17BYCnmY2c7uarNx9I4aHSyP6C8gzJVfquTS4/s1600/1991-Firestorm-164.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Fuel loading: an ongoing problem in Arcadia</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">It's doubly surprising inasmuch as I'm well aware of the history of
places like San Francisco, hosting enclaves of bungalows in woody surroundings,
where sudden fires have devastated whole swaths of historic buildings.</span></div>
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</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">An early outcome of the <b><i>Centennial Bungalow</i></b> project was the fact the
Saanich heritage committee took seriously the idea that a huge number of homes
on the registry would turn one hundred in 2013. 1913 was the crescendo of a long building boom that had lasted most of a quarter century. Ken Johnson and the committee members drew up a list of centenarian houses, and made plans to commemorate the occasion
with specially cast heritage plaques for each of the century homes. Good job Saanich heritage! Another outcome was that my restoration project received a Hallmark Society award of merit for the quality of work undertaken. The recognition is much appreciated</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGM-H4pvUAWbby9sAV9UYN9uK6FDOju0ya0w852kKzvwJgvv-BbjpicicqftdQes0oYn6dJuzrWJKJ_8V6oHMh5-Td-GGGW0L13jR0OE1bYS4X4eRAnvlbxPBpLODGK9L2pABN4sLBFE/s1600/Summer2013_1587.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGM-H4pvUAWbby9sAV9UYN9uK6FDOju0ya0w852kKzvwJgvv-BbjpicicqftdQes0oYn6dJuzrWJKJ_8V6oHMh5-Td-GGGW0L13jR0OE1bYS4X4eRAnvlbxPBpLODGK9L2pABN4sLBFE/s1600/Summer2013_1587.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Sharing our place with the annual Saanich Heritage Tour</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">and in my fifth post, Sourcing Craft Skills, I tried to share some of the credit with the skilled craftsmen who have worked on the building over the years. We responded to our award by agreeing to open the house for the annual heritage tour on a Sunday in September, when nearly sixty people arrived by bus for a guided walk-through.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Town and Country</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This post challenged me to figure out what
Hubert and Alys Savage were doing locating five kilometers out of town on
a lonely track at the edge of a cow pasture. The simple answer is that a new
interurban railway opened the door to a novel way of occupying rural land. It enabled picturesque living far beyond the pale of civilization by providing a convenient means of access to services and work downtown. But that led me to further wonder what such an expensive infrastructure was doing way out
there in the boonies, and from there, what forces brought about its sudden demise so soon after its construction?</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicC18GmYPXTpMYuzUbFUFMI5dA8Eynigm0cOQI7bYOmU8q4WxlhPibd6HY8zP4e2GOLkDw7bHfSqN7PSe6lC82unQrGr0kCz3jw07952ZHI3rN_ExCeDGx_kq4diijNj12nfpzh1sQTLM/s1600/BCERC+three.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicC18GmYPXTpMYuzUbFUFMI5dA8Eynigm0cOQI7bYOmU8q4WxlhPibd6HY8zP4e2GOLkDw7bHfSqN7PSe6lC82unQrGr0kCz3jw07952ZHI3rN_ExCeDGx_kq4diijNj12nfpzh1sQTLM/s1600/BCERC+three.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Electric railways expanded suburbia into the countryside</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">These questions reached back to the first appearance of the automobile and the
particular way in which its distribution affected the shape of North American cities,
which did not initially take the form of mass individual ownership, as one might imagine. When the car first appeared on city streets, the city of the day was fully engaged in extending itself via suburban enclaves clustered along electric streetcar lines. </span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9HxDgrku0NOX9Zy52OBaNFp_IuQnfcUPcF_bnVsw4C2GFl9hz4C_ufvXytsyoJvYH8U2OHZsC4D_OJquvr-5nhe46F5mwYG9H20LE3n2h-e3mpmdMCaEndlRn6yEaI7zygcSQZ_v3as/s1600/Prospect+Lake+Station+1923.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9HxDgrku0NOX9Zy52OBaNFp_IuQnfcUPcF_bnVsw4C2GFl9hz4C_ufvXytsyoJvYH8U2OHZsC4D_OJquvr-5nhe46F5mwYG9H20LE3n2h-e3mpmdMCaEndlRn6yEaI7zygcSQZ_v3as/s400/Prospect+Lake+Station+1923.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Saanich Interurban line, Prospect Station</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">Interurban railways vastly amplified the dispersal of such suburban pods regionally and had just come on stream when use of the automobile reached a first critical juncture. This took the shape of the jitney bus, emerging as a business opportunity in transport that allowed enterprising individuals to compete
directly with urban railways for clientele. Jitneys were the common precursor to both the modern taxi and the bus. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNNaEtDoJ9BcFhkTfRj5OqI1mCDEGKB8abfiaNHNudz7ZXca1p6QHnojLIxNAX-aeNVIlVIewd7NRVdkM_a1GWHtpjTbq1ntahaOtefNr2UVshQE26dDl6taGEp4GH7_pWe0norTux_Q/s1600/1913+Peerless+Vancouver.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNNaEtDoJ9BcFhkTfRj5OqI1mCDEGKB8abfiaNHNudz7ZXca1p6QHnojLIxNAX-aeNVIlVIewd7NRVdkM_a1GWHtpjTbq1ntahaOtefNr2UVshQE26dDl6taGEp4GH7_pWe0norTux_Q/s1600/1913+Peerless+Vancouver.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>A jitney bus from the bungalow era</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">No one saw that particular development coming, least of
all the backers of interurban passenger railways. Its impact was devastating
given the scale of investment in bringing these advanced electric lines to life. To make
economic sense at all, electric interurban railways needed rapidly expanding residential development that was based on
their transit service, which if they had it would grow both passenger demand and domestic electrical consumption. What they got instead was cut-throat competition for any new passengers,
coupled with an utterly unforeseen bust in overall economic growth. And lacking regulation to restrict their appeal, jitneys could
simply cruise station stops plucking passengers by offering cheap fares (a nickel) and the
advantage of delivery right to the doorstep (a first appearance of the 'convenience' attributable to the automobile).</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFU1C0SuzZa23KpfWv2Rnu4YlbJM3n68K8ccvGC2nB19EvSvAQXTNM5nYTmzV2uDCMzC50g-VxBs9ua1hVv16djDMPCGKpZDDTzefkX5aWgdmymvPyflVidcJRGVwIw2UwHImt_KYcZ4/s1600/postcard+1916+Lotus.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFU1C0SuzZa23KpfWv2Rnu4YlbJM3n68K8ccvGC2nB19EvSvAQXTNM5nYTmzV2uDCMzC50g-VxBs9ua1hVv16djDMPCGKpZDDTzefkX5aWgdmymvPyflVidcJRGVwIw2UwHImt_KYcZ4/s400/postcard+1916+Lotus.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>City growing out of<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"> surrounding </span>country using streetcars</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">Even in a small city like Victoria, the appearance of jitneys, followed closely by the rise of the private automobile on an expanding scale, completely
destabilized the economics of electric rail-based transit. It would take another thirty years before the tracks of town streetcars were ripped out and the electric option purged. But starting with jitney cabs, the automobile began dominantly modifying the
urban form through its potential to open up dispersed suburbs
anywhere roads ran, wherever there was unbuilt land available for development. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Q4crqwxu5R8fkgtmr6ZbJOcutFI5Oqc2Se7MDIg_z3VzVojU0cx-GPE2GkDBg0V2CNWp3aYm0fY6fcALu28eOfUdKnodXAhO36olzDyprXdkIXATNw58OCOpNBL0RzRPi0SgAeDy4OU/s1600/Ford+motor+company,+1913.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Q4crqwxu5R8fkgtmr6ZbJOcutFI5Oqc2Se7MDIg_z3VzVojU0cx-GPE2GkDBg0V2CNWp3aYm0fY6fcALu28eOfUdKnodXAhO36olzDyprXdkIXATNw58OCOpNBL0RzRPi0SgAeDy4OU/s1600/Ford+motor+company,+1913.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Ford motor plant, components ready for assembly</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The loss of economic dynamism was especially severe in
little Victoria, coming along with the advent of war in 1914. This receding economic tide
left Hubert and Alys marooned way out in the boonies and, after 1924, without any rail passenger service to downtown.
The boom times wouldn't return on anything approaching the pre-war scale until the
post-WW2 housing boom again swelled settlement of the suburban city-region. By then Hubert and Alys were reaching the end of their time on Grange Road, but they had managed to stay put on their remote hillside for nearly an entire lifetime. Savage apparently suffered the loss of most of his architectural practice in the immediate post-war doldrums. In the end they too must have adopted the car in order to access their paradisial enclave conveniently, a minor relic of which
is a letter from Hubert Savage complaining to Saanich Council that the road was
becoming impassable due to potholes (a byproduct of the car)!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Outside In: Designing With Nature</b></span></h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj90i0HPU2faFrGFUzInmkYodJresOQurUyomyc29IByxJPpBigN6XJr7kSzyik80ocooZ20D6Z1As4wlnqmy6Ui290Mq4ms3EROfLQGOq43MMc3ySNYKtn70yVrRnzx_K_sapUhbhoyyY/s1600/April+showers+141.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj90i0HPU2faFrGFUzInmkYodJresOQurUyomyc29IByxJPpBigN6XJr7kSzyik80ocooZ20D6Z1As4wlnqmy6Ui290Mq4ms3EROfLQGOq43MMc3ySNYKtn70yVrRnzx_K_sapUhbhoyyY/s1600/April+showers+141.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Sense of prospect from being removed, above the street</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I still recall seeing the Savage bungalow for the first
time and feeling struck by the novelty of a house in such a distinctive landscape setting. Its 'curb appeal' lay in the fact that enough of its original
wooded lot remained intact that it continued to appear as pictorial
composition, which appealed to me exceptionally as a gardener. At the time I didn’t know anything about picturesque
landscape theory or the arts-and-crafts approach of placing and shaping a building to suit
its setting – I only knew that this house seemed different from any place I’d ever seen
in suburbia.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHN5Jme-23gFV_BH-MJmqWQtmbmBpIu12hU-nSQKqUyRfIRjsbi-OXSbKsBENUHmWGAjNS8rt03nZwyaMvw23q4KWJQzuRWRDJDsj5wbQFoNmLX5ogC9o1rFzK_YpDKB1UYhuoTLYi5E/s1600/next+to+last+034.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHN5Jme-23gFV_BH-MJmqWQtmbmBpIu12hU-nSQKqUyRfIRjsbi-OXSbKsBENUHmWGAjNS8rt03nZwyaMvw23q4KWJQzuRWRDJDsj5wbQFoNmLX5ogC9o1rFzK_YpDKB1UYhuoTLYi5E/s1600/next+to+last+034.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>A sense of refuge as well</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Outside In</b>
is about the conscious connecting of building to surroundings, and how a
particular architect, by design, sought to unify structure and landscape in his own residence. And
how, by skillfully exploiting both prospect and aspect on his sloping site, he managed
to capture a sense of refuge that makes the building special to inhabit to this day. It
feels both secure and removed up here, yet at the same time intimately linked to
the surroundings. House and setting feel as one, giving rise to a distinct sense of place.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVKmwKzJXApwnd-5TWoUrc8_Df1M69XLT6ZmR7TbmUdxIK7Zfg8koiChRgbv1wdX-f1VKnhyphenhyphentFlfqcoZ-UtTnPWaAtn2udzdolwWdN_BUbasOrN7XM2UpucBbQvymHqi3uDRNQWf1fYg/s1600/April+showers+134.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVKmwKzJXApwnd-5TWoUrc8_Df1M69XLT6ZmR7TbmUdxIK7Zfg8koiChRgbv1wdX-f1VKnhyphenhyphentFlfqcoZ-UtTnPWaAtn2udzdolwWdN_BUbasOrN7XM2UpucBbQvymHqi3uDRNQWf1fYg/s1600/April+showers+134.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Designed to admit light, frame views, connect occupants to nature<br /></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Writing now in February 2014, with spring hinted-at by the
flowering of aconites and snowdrops, I continue to marvel at the way the
changing daylight reaches into the core of this bungalow. Living here comes with certain
constraints, like the lack of adequate storage space, but one inevitably finds it
uplifting and cozy due to the light brought in from outside by design. I am aware that the openness of this house to its immediate surroundings assumes a settled and peaceful society around it.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3HhANeGUYvuAgpArT9RDmAvj8ReYEAh43QfhbJ26RXgitzlNJM8Nevj901nEAljN0wfYDYA7rY7fUt_P7P8Plb7R9uDtyl0P0u3AtDCedNBWpFMiEFlbwkYYf1moR77bOs1UQBQWDL8/s1600/Living+room+light+013.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3HhANeGUYvuAgpArT9RDmAvj8ReYEAh43QfhbJ26RXgitzlNJM8Nevj901nEAljN0wfYDYA7rY7fUt_P7P8Plb7R9uDtyl0P0u3AtDCedNBWpFMiEFlbwkYYf1moR77bOs1UQBQWDL8/s1600/Living+room+light+013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>All mod cons in a romanticized setting</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The threat of war may have been stalking the globe when this house was built in 1913, but even so it wasn’t coming
directly to North America, and certainly not to what was by then the staid and genteel small city of Victoria, with rustic edges. Life
in the mainstream was peaceful and well on its way to becoming convenient. The
entire kit of modern appliances, from toasters and telephones to stoves and hot
water heaters had suddenly appeared and made for civilized living wherever a house
might be placed, given the readily available magic of electricity. I think the design and placing of this house out on a rural hillside reflects the era’s
romantic optimism about a life where connections to nature are
sufficiently mediated that people can enjoy proximity to them while controlling for any type of discomfort. One exception may have been heating system here in the coldest parts of winter, as the house once depended upon several inefficient fireplaces in the central rooms and a small oil heater for the bedrooms and bathroom. Hubert Savage ultimately corrected that problem, however, by installing powerful Wesix electric space heaters in all of rooms in the early 1950s.<br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. A Printed Frieze By Lawson Wood</b></span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIjzqe8jv9dQIQhdzOpB8qpgIXk47NGfzC-Sj-VQDL6mWEma0EzMg-iWdl-OmzhBkyy-HjO3wy6hezbFtaQDSzfW5thyphenhyphenFhFcftHbGWjUx6xXTEni_BmmSYR5LFZG594P_VhUlrU9OznA/s1600/Feb+131.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIjzqe8jv9dQIQhdzOpB8qpgIXk47NGfzC-Sj-VQDL6mWEma0EzMg-iWdl-OmzhBkyy-HjO3wy6hezbFtaQDSzfW5thyphenhyphenFhFcftHbGWjUx6xXTEni_BmmSYR5LFZG594P_VhUlrU9OznA/s1600/Feb+131.jpg" width="212" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">This post is about an unusual ‘art’ frieze by English graphic artist Lawson Wood that bands the
living room of the house. It speculates about its meaning and
placement. Since writing it, as intimated in the earlier post, I've actually found a conservator to repair several
damaged areas of the original work.</span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Simone Vogel-Horridge was recommended to me
by heritage consultant Stuart Stark. She has now done close analysis of the
condition of the art work, and drawn some conclusions about its genesis. Likely it's a
chromolithograph or a 'chromo' as they were known in the day (therefore not a watercolour process as I wrongly surmised at first writing) so a paint-on-stone print. It's unusual insofar as bungalow friezes are often repeating patterns rather than scenic depictions with people and animals. Lawson Wood’s
signature block is also a printed device. Another blog reader with an art school background suggested that the frieze might have been made with a technique known as 'pochoir', a printing process using stencils. Further research is needed to tie down the exact process used to make the art object.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoa-0dKZmFTqs0dWnxCzu1nf4j47hvQUFzzDPejHPKmC6aNe-AeIuYl3RFTk_ot9OFwT850G4R3WdZCVC5_X8XPD5vAfPwfb9cpypTKq73FnVGF0kytsvE70iCgZdl634FqHgtbydB-0/s1600/Feb+125.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoa-0dKZmFTqs0dWnxCzu1nf4j47hvQUFzzDPejHPKmC6aNe-AeIuYl3RFTk_ot9OFwT850G4R3WdZCVC5_X8XPD5vAfPwfb9cpypTKq73FnVGF0kytsvE70iCgZdl634FqHgtbydB-0/s1600/Feb+125.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Soon Simone will return to repair areas of the frieze that are damaged or have discoloured in reaction to daylight or because of acids leeching from an earlier wallpaper under the frieze.This intervention is intended to stabilize the artifact, not to
attempt its restoration (which would involve wet-cleaning it to remove a layer of wood smoke and tobacco
residues). Interestingly, Simone called
a few weeks ago to relay that she had come across a couple of similarly signed Lawson Wood prints at a local
auction house – and that they were versions of the same details on the
frieze in our living room, but coloured rather less vividly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDgnNox7MBvn5Ggzb2-KDNSC1wDrKbCcyESDlpz9NP9Qz4eIV-fQnL_HXBNXfrL9M1x30IybPXgetnJSpLNP9M6il9TSx-YB0wVo8TiYp871zCTA0u6FnGy_ygSuloNPKmyArREE1-9w/s1600/Feb+127.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDgnNox7MBvn5Ggzb2-KDNSC1wDrKbCcyESDlpz9NP9Qz4eIV-fQnL_HXBNXfrL9M1x30IybPXgetnJSpLNP9M6il9TSx-YB0wVo8TiYp871zCTA0u6FnGy_ygSuloNPKmyArREE1-9w/s1600/Feb+127.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">While I had no idea what I’d do with these quite bulky prints in a house with so little wallspace for display, I allowed myself to put in a reserve bid at the last moment and then was surprised to learn
I’d acquired them for next to nothing. It appears there's not much traction for Lawson Wood in 2014 Victoria! But, it seems I do have a knack for complicating matters, and that I am a
bit of a collector too. But perhaps these prints are better off with someone who appreciates them and has an understanding of how they came about?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgSzSV6Va6nkQgRcwNAbZCRn-L_Gp56rlbVwIoRV3Nn1cDbM8oawvDH54reeBUG3cwfPQ33TE1DTBPlVwhYkIeca8nKpvTYIvfM5ZS_55bmKBxPWjWBy0ScSTSI_MXlfTtkb_qI4IEBI4/s1600/Feb+130.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgSzSV6Va6nkQgRcwNAbZCRn-L_Gp56rlbVwIoRV3Nn1cDbM8oawvDH54reeBUG3cwfPQ33TE1DTBPlVwhYkIeca8nKpvTYIvfM5ZS_55bmKBxPWjWBy0ScSTSI_MXlfTtkb_qI4IEBI4/s1600/Feb+130.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Sourcing Craft
Skills for Heritage Restoration</b></span></h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_iZV2p4ypwB1Kf9No9oBRCCe7MUZ7bHDa33rJhJ_eqd7j55eFmdsn21zCrQtpILQEuoJBtpLxUSCSHnJIADvr71C8_X-flmb_rK6qOeO2SV0lnErtV6S6_lIygro9lgzqM5RqH38Dvc/s1600/800px-Fairbanks_house_dedham.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_iZV2p4ypwB1Kf9No9oBRCCe7MUZ7bHDa33rJhJ_eqd7j55eFmdsn21zCrQtpILQEuoJBtpLxUSCSHnJIADvr71C8_X-flmb_rK6qOeO2SV0lnErtV6S6_lIygro9lgzqM5RqH38Dvc/s1600/800px-Fairbanks_house_dedham.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>The oldest wooden building in North America: 1642</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">In June I wrote about the craft skills needed to undertake
restoration of buildings like ours. Reading Steven Semes’ <b><i>The Future of the Past</i></b> as
part of my centennial project only reinforced the value of keeping historic
buildings in good nick, rather than having to intervene radically in order to rescue them
from neglect. Morris, following Ruskin, counseled that we should carefully tend
our monuments, watching for signs of deterioration and moving promptly to fix
them as they appear. If repair is executed with the skill and caring of
traditional craft knowledge, even wooden buildings can live for a very long time. The Fairbanks house (right) built in 1642 and thought to be the oldest in North America, is just 28 years shy of four hundred years and still going strong. The de Gannes house in Nova
Scotia (below) has been continuously inhabited and maintained since 1708.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWPNdIW6BlYvxb3olB0SGhwXKHaSUsyFlSX3lQdVQHyPnwWhXNHSRWS9tam0jgbgRVnxDoHzS_Znkaa97IiOvBKavqZahyphenhyphenoExLZgGeEh86biIFr1Hjw2pzYKyhWv306ZomIYFoDQkv8c0/s1600/Degannes+house,+1708.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWPNdIW6BlYvxb3olB0SGhwXKHaSUsyFlSX3lQdVQHyPnwWhXNHSRWS9tam0jgbgRVnxDoHzS_Znkaa97IiOvBKavqZahyphenhyphenoExLZgGeEh86biIFr1Hjw2pzYKyhWv306ZomIYFoDQkv8c0/s1600/Degannes+house,+1708.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>One of the oldest wooden houses in Canada: 1708</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But actually finding the person with the skills to do the work remains
the challenge. My friend and ally Vern Krahn is now semi-retired from carpentry, and there
really isn’t a viable replacement in sight. I’m hopeful I’ll be able to talk
Vern into one or two more projects here – recently he put a couple of hours into
restringing the weights in one of my double-hung sash windows. Typically, he
minimized the difficulty of the job, but in fact it’s incredibly finicky and if
you don’t know the tricks, your chances of getting it right are between slim and none. I’m left feeling that those of us who care about heritage need to do more to cultivate and assure the passing on of these old
woodworking skills, else we risk enduring a period of unacceptable options. The picture below shows Vern and I with a gate he's copied exactly from a deteriorated original from the vegetable garden on the Savage property.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3jlrcEwvD_MbU6m1x8TvHL00YefczqIRg0gUZEhk2_N6NnlL6Aqzpe5EUTz1SPZmkQKBZO54qRBrHVRPQWsHyQmGTmCXB_1nrLskhC3RSXzpH9prWIhRvYi9GsMsR0LLGvs2UQBPurQ/s1600/var+049.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3jlrcEwvD_MbU6m1x8TvHL00YefczqIRg0gUZEhk2_N6NnlL6Aqzpe5EUTz1SPZmkQKBZO54qRBrHVRPQWsHyQmGTmCXB_1nrLskhC3RSXzpH9prWIhRvYi9GsMsR0LLGvs2UQBPurQ/s1600/var+049.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Vern Krahn and a reproduction gate he's installed</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. A Shed of My Own</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A friend who read this essay about the unusual genesis of my
eye-catching shed wondered, over beer one day, if I may not have an
obsessive-compulsive disorder or some other form of mental illness. No one, he said very deliberately, goes that far just to create a small amount of storage
capacity. Clearly he found my interest in the details if not outright obsessive, then at least excessive and absolutely beside the point (which is spatial gain). </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">I accept that the exercise I involved myself in isn't a template for </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEOUvivWqDd8wtaITALMdDCm96jf-RewsSU3iwxw5VeUlW-F5UWVpTWZiCbdst3_MbGMONVihjCDDWmTiu_dJrbMvzztO39I1H0n2bctFEy8PqstOZ45DNi9xxLlldT52B-sZ2XP5ygI/s1600/Misc+014.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEOUvivWqDd8wtaITALMdDCm96jf-RewsSU3iwxw5VeUlW-F5UWVpTWZiCbdst3_MbGMONVihjCDDWmTiu_dJrbMvzztO39I1H0n2bctFEy8PqstOZ45DNi9xxLlldT52B-sZ2XP5ygI/s1600/Misc+014.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Seen in between winter and spring</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">building an everyday garden shed, but I would insist that such an investment of time, money and engagement in design made for a fascinating learning opportunity, and that
aesthetically, at least to my own eye, the juice was well worth the squeeze. I lamely offered to lend my friend
my copy of Michael Pollan’s autobiographical <b><i>A Place Of My Own</i></b>, to
inspire his own thinking about small buildings. But he just muttered darkly about
renovations being the bane of the middle class, and allowed that he’d had enough of home improvement, and if anything absolutely had to be done, it would now be nothing more than the line of least resistance. After that the conversation quickly reverted to sports: how about those Canucks, anyway?</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguL4OQXTw_YLDX95_YEjtbfQELWAkObfc6JBCdDoJqiwI6pjzI7TkFGVvKTJIUWlqumioK3ba6YezhkuGrkpZDvciWBj3tR-vorWT8ya4kdYKN91oVIjwXqSDMLZP6yyBiMu5gcWvHkbY/s1600/lichen+032.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguL4OQXTw_YLDX95_YEjtbfQELWAkObfc6JBCdDoJqiwI6pjzI7TkFGVvKTJIUWlqumioK3ba6YezhkuGrkpZDvciWBj3tR-vorWT8ya4kdYKN91oVIjwXqSDMLZP6yyBiMu5gcWvHkbY/s1600/lichen+032.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>A cottage designed for the Halls by Hubert Savage</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hubert Savage expressed a lifelong interest in smaller houses, creating a number of them in the vicinity of his own home, both for the market and for close friends. Several of these remain intact in Strawberry Vale today. The one pictured at left, Stranton Lodge, is now a protected heritage structure within Knockan Hill park - it was saved by citizen initiative from demolition to make way for a parking lot, which was not itself wanted by actual park users. I was fortunate to play a minor role, as a fledgling Saanich Councilor, in helping to get it protected. A little gem of an English arts-and-crafts cottage - a trademark 'S' for Savage visible on its chimney - it's now well-tenanted and kept up. We were told, by the way, by parks staff that there was simply no precedent for keeping a residence within a park. But a little searching around BC soon turned up examples in North Vancouver of heritage houses being maintained in parks, in one case for use as park-keepers housing. Oops! </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. Finishing Touches</b></span></h2>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Sanding a south wall before painting</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ambrose Bierce once amusingly characterized house painting as the art of protecting flat surfaces while exposing them to insults of the critic. Paint
choices often do elicit criticism beyond any statement we were consciously trying to
make, perhaps never more so than when, as I did in <i><b>Century Bungalow</b></i>, you suggest there are better ways
to make those choices when dealing with a heritage building. Some thought it more virtuous to repaint a house oneself as needed, rather than working through other, more expensive, hands. I respect DIY, am involved in loads of it, but it doesn't extend to exterior paint jobs. I no longer have the time, agility or inclination to tackle prep work perched on a ladder. It's a massive undertaking in sometimes precarious positions and it has to be done in dry times (here, during summer heat). Also, considerable skill goes into a job that's to last and look good for a more than a year. Skip or cheap out on the prep and your coat of paint will be splitting and blistering immediately. Most saving on the costs of building and maintaining today (including painting) comes at the expense of quality and longevity of finish, and with a heritage building I feel that's definitely the wrong path. The fact that people now move as often as they do perhaps means that cheap and nasty has fewer implications for the owner than is desirable. I am satisfied with</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJK3TqxvbWaESTd4tDMqYMGvGqqIqYDb9GXKFXusnqBx3_gz2UOKJanWqFzp8fVyzJLufXUb16w3cRgShdsrxSVUXNT9e01AZDKfIBZndlgJLlUIsbL-3pkyJaFg2cFrWSFJTzjVXIDk/s1600/vary+061.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJK3TqxvbWaESTd4tDMqYMGvGqqIqYDb9GXKFXusnqBx3_gz2UOKJanWqFzp8fVyzJLufXUb16w3cRgShdsrxSVUXNT9e01AZDKfIBZndlgJLlUIsbL-3pkyJaFg2cFrWSFJTzjVXIDk/s1600/vary+061.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Caulking and undercoating with primer</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">having adopted a colour scheme that
I think works for the design details of the house, subtly differentiating the main elements of exterior woodwork. To my eye at least, the results are tasteful. I’m
grateful for the advice that got me to this outcome, and for the skilled hands that turned it
so deftly from concept to reality. The modern tendency is often to wind up painting an older house white, almost by default, perhaps thinking that white-painting is innocuous enough to sidestep the critics Bierce invokes. But white paint looks, to my eye at least, as though the building has just been undercoated and is perpetually awaiting delivery of its true colour scheme. The details of a wooden house simply disappear when the building is neutral white, although paradoxically white objects compete aggressively for the eye's attention in scenery. The yellow-and-black colour scheme we opted for echoes a regional variant of Tudor colorations in the English past – thus is to some extent consistent with the Tudor design elements that I referenced in my next post, and with the Englishness of its designer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>8. Allusive
Architecture</b></span></h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHG4uIsP6qj09_bBYB8W-L_x0gtK5XLl_gk6fegQ8jZ8KYk9RmaB6X_A3vjornaU3v9VCSPHCyH-yHb9acuWRmBleqOe8DnvATf3bnEhyphenhyphenLKnsAkxqslqAKKA2WPUsdqwDhM1kJ0_2pgwk/s1600/Lambrick+House+034.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHG4uIsP6qj09_bBYB8W-L_x0gtK5XLl_gk6fegQ8jZ8KYk9RmaB6X_A3vjornaU3v9VCSPHCyH-yHb9acuWRmBleqOe8DnvATf3bnEhyphenhyphenLKnsAkxqslqAKKA2WPUsdqwDhM1kJ0_2pgwk/s1600/Lambrick+House+034.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Proportioning and presentation of materials mainly allowed to speak for themselves</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">In October I speculated about a turn-of-the-century direction in house design, involving the expressive use of natural materials coupled with detailing drawn from styles of other eras and
places. Writing this piece led me to feel there’s
more to be said about what could be termed ‘progressive’ design, as contrasted
with Victorian design (busily eclectic) and modern design (where any ornament is considered a sin).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">In broad terms, progressive design involved a rejection of Victorian excess
in favour of more elegant proportioning and greater emphasis on the inherent qualities
of natural materials. It was also Stickley's</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU9sjhepVFDBXRBRXMLypbe88oVpZWEENugp136nL0_FF3br5TA8OSUjlbA9nbHC09YJCpOKRjZBbShPRYBMFUloav_CwcFFz3pF2E7G1AMDcI9iTML4rwNBeiSXExy5vQVnsxEyA0Mk8/s1600/First+bungs+026.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU9sjhepVFDBXRBRXMLypbe88oVpZWEENugp136nL0_FF3br5TA8OSUjlbA9nbHC09YJCpOKRjZBbShPRYBMFUloav_CwcFFz3pF2E7G1AMDcI9iTML4rwNBeiSXExy5vQVnsxEyA0Mk8/s1600/First+bungs+026.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Extending the building harmoniously</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">approach to design - removing everything that wasn't essential, exploring the inherent qualities of the building materials themselves, exposing structure frankly in order to gain effect. Stickley distributed
home plans in his Craftsman magazine that relied on expressed structure, refined proportions, and the texturing of space with natural materials. Mindful of the Ruskinian precept that one should only ever ornament
construction, never construct ornament, Stickley's approach to making his architectural sleight of hand work visually was by exposing the structure (real or apparent) of the building.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I’ve come
to see the bungalow in the arts-and-crafts period as the high-point of the progressive
design era, in effect its halcyon days, which could profitably be studied for insights as to how we might rescue house design from the barrenness of modernism, the caricatures of post-modernism, or the doodads of Victorian times. Expressive use of the materials of construction and fine proportioning of components is an endlessly fruitful direction that sadly is not much explored today. A look at the addition to the colonial bungalow pictured above shows how, by speaking the language of the original, the building can be extended without jarring results.<br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>9. Shelter and
Comfort</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My last piece of 2014 ramped it up on the topic of water management and comfort,
serving as a pretext to skewer starchitects Frank Lloyd Wright and Le
Corbusier for their modernist excesses and ego-maniacal lapses. Researching it enriched my
understanding of how modernist thinking altered the way the basic units of
suburbia have evolved, both good and bad.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5LzBD1MavYdC38vF6PamwKbJ-2gL-CDCxz_a98uI7otHcMgrdrzJ9bGPv9GPwz2Xel1JdP4aF8xGLNJQWjZYwZrspmBdsERgVhRewMZZrswN_zGXOhxoeu9yuWsfrsxwLj2W_bcST-I/s1600/Xmas+2013+172.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5LzBD1MavYdC38vF6PamwKbJ-2gL-CDCxz_a98uI7otHcMgrdrzJ9bGPv9GPwz2Xel1JdP4aF8xGLNJQWjZYwZrspmBdsERgVhRewMZZrswN_zGXOhxoeu9yuWsfrsxwLj2W_bcST-I/s1600/Xmas+2013+172.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Epic fail: carton on end, zero landscape<br /></b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">It also sharpened my sense of
grievance over modernism’s arrogant refusal to insist on both function and beauty in its creations. Wright, it must be said, accepted both beauty and
function as goals, even though he could miss the mark in both realms at times.
But to ideologically reject beauty and then show complete indifference to functionality, as Le Corbusier did, and to refuse
to acknowledge the failure but instead just blow it off as creativity – that is
monstrous and unforgiveable architectural ego-mania. Especially if you reject the idea that buildings should delight our sense of sight, functional worthiness is all that remains. Reject that and what is left is absolutely nothing at all. As pictured beside, modernism is possibly doing okay with function but still a bit of a dead-end when it comes to form.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Keeping moisture out – of rooms, of walls – has been a
primary functional objective since Adam’s first house roofed out the sky.
Leaking roofs, damp walls, uncomfortable and unhealthy living environments are
unacceptable and unnecessary byproducts of a superficial design-arrogance.
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1e8FdulbS360NQRPa6x6kkK8zPD8smDb2I59t_PC5h8rm3hjMqBedCO3u6yBUsl5txmdjvsqIMpmi5iGu4TpXnhk_DQqJzFg3XBBV82XVi5eBu2jyIJIK-IgEaAQkaR-EHhLd69xm10w/s1600/Xmas+2013+178.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1e8FdulbS360NQRPa6x6kkK8zPD8smDb2I59t_PC5h8rm3hjMqBedCO3u6yBUsl5txmdjvsqIMpmi5iGu4TpXnhk_DQqJzFg3XBBV82XVi5eBu2jyIJIK-IgEaAQkaR-EHhLd69xm10w/s1600/Xmas+2013+178.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Lo-maintenance plastic hedge adds class to the cartons<br /></b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Perhaps certain egos are simply </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">thumbing their noses at the common run of humans – Le
Corbusier certainly was. Today the problems we face derive from modern
materials used in such a way as to minimize costs to the builder – so long as
that drives development economics, we’ll continue to see damp walls that
spore moulds that damage our health. On the other hand, buildings like the one above (complete with lo-maintenance plastic - kid you not - hedging) continue to be chosen by a portion of the well-heeled middle class, indicating that the modernist preference for structures that look like cartons still has cachet. Perhaps you feel very 'now' if you have one?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>10. What’s Next?</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Apart from this post, I haven't any more articles for <b><i>Century Bungalow </i></b>in planning. I've already focused an awful lot of attention on a
small and ultimately obscure bungalow built out in what was once the deep boonies. Certainly there are other topics – like House and Garden
– that interest me and may yet evoke posts. But the centennial year
ran its course and the rationale for celebrating it with a blog has to some extent too. It's been a full and rich year in the life of the house, and for me personally too, and the blog certainly contributed to that outcome for both of us. Bottom line, I found it highly rewarding as a project and satisfying as the building's current steward to create a bit of a record. It certainly refined my own thinking about heritage, and was a creative process in its own right. Maybe, in the end, that’s all that needs to be said.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMTMEluI0aBwMA8OyyU4saQB1O2-paPP01JP-x_cMo7TfRLRgotXuimcy-h0GDcz8Akbfv8h26iIZ1gP8rfHPewIhDq-nCUsT9Uvfk8kPpdz694xvyGXfwSX23aYNQvyZxfIfIZ98udAM/s1600/Spring+2009+157.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMTMEluI0aBwMA8OyyU4saQB1O2-paPP01JP-x_cMo7TfRLRgotXuimcy-h0GDcz8Akbfv8h26iIZ1gP8rfHPewIhDq-nCUsT9Uvfk8kPpdz694xvyGXfwSX23aYNQvyZxfIfIZ98udAM/s1600/Spring+2009+157.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Note: this blog post was edited and updated in February 2016. A further post - <b>Homage To The Craftsman</b> - was added to celebrate the life of my departed friend and master carpenter, Vern Krahn. An introduction to Pat Brown, a former owner of the Savage bungalow, and the ensuing correspondence between us led to a further post in 2016 entitled <b>The Romance of Possibility</b>. There have been other posts since then.<br /></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">“The sun did not shine. It was too wet to
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A richly detailed bungalow with broad sheltering eaves repelling the Vancouver rains </b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Rain was falling steadily
when I began this post, marking Victoria’s autumn shift from drought to damp
and</b> <b>serving as a reminder to ensure drainage systems are working properly
so that comfort is ensured</b>. Keeping moisture out of houses has been a running challenge since
man first bent branches together to roof out a patch of the sky – especially in
damper climates like ours. Recently it’s
become resurgent, as newly engineered flaws in roof and wall designs let
moisture invade cavities that can’t dry out due to plastic vapour barriers. Rot
consumes its wooden host with startling speed when walls can't dry out, especially
if second-growth timber is involved!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1axcxf1nTZ8U6Xg4-0C1guHBHTSUfQGVuP8jPg2mQsWzIw4vSzhG9_SWc5O9jxrTD55aC3Cx5JV5S_WW7-njXzbpgn3tUL1b8Cfx4f5I2OdStGNqXePkPjRmG8Wc31eenZMpBBuIL4hY/s1600/Wood+and+stone+042.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1axcxf1nTZ8U6Xg4-0C1guHBHTSUfQGVuP8jPg2mQsWzIw4vSzhG9_SWc5O9jxrTD55aC3Cx5JV5S_WW7-njXzbpgn3tUL1b8Cfx4f5I2OdStGNqXePkPjRmG8Wc31eenZMpBBuIL4hY/s640/Wood+and+stone+042.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Rot moves quickly in a new house once wood becomes soaked</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">All building eras have their failings when it comes to
managing water, as do some famous modernist architects. All house types require
ongoing attention to water management, adding to the bane of home ownership and affecting how
much we have to be involved in order to dwell comfortably. I’m fortunate in that
my house, the Hubert Savage bungalow, does a reasonable job of keeping rainfall and
moisture out of walls and foundations. For a century-old home, the general
conception is fairly sound, meaning that water is successfully managed from
roof to ground and then dispersed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUm3ymka2YrbSsa9omemWAUbLFf7DG8M1AZN9oXys9sizLQs7_Oiatd5LQGaDVVrJgu8aCbbHsC3fux1eVIanICpkq5N-D2Orb5QgLcnqPzgqndQ3dDUvwLftssO1dExu22mKebQnvQA/s1600/uno+063.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUm3ymka2YrbSsa9omemWAUbLFf7DG8M1AZN9oXys9sizLQs7_Oiatd5LQGaDVVrJgu8aCbbHsC3fux1eVIanICpkq5N-D2Orb5QgLcnqPzgqndQ3dDUvwLftssO1dExu22mKebQnvQA/s640/uno+063.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A gable roof form is ideal for shedding rainfall and generous eaves protect the walls</b></span></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">The challenge for architecture begins with a roof that’s
impervious, shedding water and sending it away from the building's foundations. One advantage
of early bungalows is the way their roofs push well out over their walls, protecting
them from being directly rained upon. These sometimes exaggeratedly broad eaves create
a distinctly sheltering look too, a hallmark of the early California style and a
feature that’s central to its lasting appeal. A relatively flat, projecting roof defines
the one-story building’s style.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnRAUT4ulTKJ2jlQ4xFcXNCr3YEjMOVqxKTv_i_eTssH_3ebtThRccKB9VQUYI5XBWymGgsldRkMw3e3E6vKAbZ178-XSTllgRMxn0pE2ubnqlzBsyUC6zhROzH2qJ2ONSJhq5peqyuAU/s1600/5856b31410eadcce5f28130d233698cb.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnRAUT4ulTKJ2jlQ4xFcXNCr3YEjMOVqxKTv_i_eTssH_3ebtThRccKB9VQUYI5XBWymGgsldRkMw3e3E6vKAbZ178-XSTllgRMxn0pE2ubnqlzBsyUC6zhROzH2qJ2ONSJhq5peqyuAU/s640/5856b31410eadcce5f28130d233698cb.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A prairie house by Frank Lloyd Wright sheltered by a projecting roof form with deep eaves</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">For bungalow designers, exaggerating the roof’s form reinforced
the impression of the house as a haven or refuge from inclement weather. Generous
treatment of the roof imparts a sense of security and coziness, a form-play that
Frank Lloyd Wright used to great effect on many of his massive Prairie-style
houses. But a house can only provide a cozy haven if it actually delivers a dry
interior!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br /></div>
<p></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-rbdeDVhojnbl8miMm9CSbegy6cVHp4YSWMsLa0BeDrAY5ayANmj1nOUtm4ZQ26r1Ya9LinVQ5qJdj90R9ARZm-94O5epm18C84eVL522giYfzpF-EvEOZqIq31VYMvPE4YhzsoghjY/s2048/Roof+four.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-rbdeDVhojnbl8miMm9CSbegy6cVHp4YSWMsLa0BeDrAY5ayANmj1nOUtm4ZQ26r1Ya9LinVQ5qJdj90R9ARZm-94O5epm18C84eVL522giYfzpF-EvEOZqIq31VYMvPE4YhzsoghjY/w640-h426/Roof+four.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">The umbrella effect of broad roof overhangs shields the wall
beneath them from direct rainfall. Any rainfall that does reach the walls is then
sealed out by siding that directs it downwards to a device known as a water
table – a slab of angled wood then sends any moisture out beyond the foundation. This is a very useful feature, as many California-style
bungalows sit close to or even directly upon the land.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpxR_GCwxNZScYe2-pLwO_y9-0dieXfim0R3RPGmzWZqMEIRYDkBCklIb01HgYAyAckVme6vcZtmtWOzBAeQpU5cb2G2sRBwfOE6e7cB-wc0uLuz7lZPI283xqkPA_oVWPHpLIFj7x3s/s1600/Random+111.jpg" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Gutters, downspouts, water table and perimeter drains: water caught by the roof and then dispersed safely to ground </b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Of course water collected by the roof still has to be removed
or it cascades over the edge, splattering on the ground and splashing wet organic
matter back onto the building. This might be alright in drier parts of the
country, but here in the Pacific Northwest it would guarantee mossy, damp walls
and develop ideal conditions for rot. Here on our wet coast, gutters and
downspouts are needed to complete the job of moving rainfall safely away.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg774vwetmntwose-x-K2Uvo8usH3ZXs8PCC0LSaD7XwHdx0ag8y2wK4HavmiVtK6Wd3SofQNNSuCY4TIFNYPmqcI69Hu_n1RIsFzf9MNnb2zeIrqNgg4VGI0X4XWdnnqHEhcqMuvrJbgA/s1600/Varied+087.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg774vwetmntwose-x-K2Uvo8usH3ZXs8PCC0LSaD7XwHdx0ag8y2wK4HavmiVtK6Wd3SofQNNSuCY4TIFNYPmqcI69Hu_n1RIsFzf9MNnb2zeIrqNgg4VGI0X4XWdnnqHEhcqMuvrJbgA/s640/Varied+087.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Backsplash: water and organic matter splashed onto walls, here caused by nearby trees</b></span></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">The Savage bungalow is a bit optimistic in the configuration
of valleys and gutters used to carry water away from its substantial roof
forms. Being cross-gabled, valleys happen where roof planes intersect, creating
heavier flows of water. These valleys discharge into small,
narrow gutter runs accessed at sharp angles, which send water to ground via metal
downspouts.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRwmU0MJxpK8UUp0tkSrCd4nwdVnIy35UgiciCCi-Fm3Pg19P4KxZqN9jwjrDRPsRkD-QfDmF4gviPHoZ12cIzEoNAgPSDJaPNH2Y5r7iZRPebHToz9Yq0rjyqzTSRhWmQkLvdYqtStA/s1600/uno+076.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRwmU0MJxpK8UUp0tkSrCd4nwdVnIy35UgiciCCi-Fm3Pg19P4KxZqN9jwjrDRPsRkD-QfDmF4gviPHoZ12cIzEoNAgPSDJaPNH2Y5r7iZRPebHToz9Yq0rjyqzTSRhWmQkLvdYqtStA/s640/uno+076.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Valleys debouch into narrow gutters and small diameter downspouts: a weakness in conception</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Because this bungalow was built in an oak meadow, there’s a
lot of tree litter moving across the roof that tends to collect where valleys and gutters
intersect. In a downpour, this debris moves suddenly into the gutter, where it tends
to plug the downspouts and cause overflows that run back over the soffits or splash
mud back against the building.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gTu0VqYYJ0IIV7UZQJ-UJ8KI2Zmfa4Ftmknz3wNXNINBHfX9_au1PWffKoayUOV6ngIweZ97g2qxAiqXPPilosoTBw4NhXod7GN3GefUK7YSYGmIz7CyYvz4Dy-UHMOnQZKFly5S5BE/s1600/Feb+2012+016.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gTu0VqYYJ0IIV7UZQJ-UJ8KI2Zmfa4Ftmknz3wNXNINBHfX9_au1PWffKoayUOV6ngIweZ97g2qxAiqXPPilosoTBw4NhXod7GN3GefUK7YSYGmIz7CyYvz4Dy-UHMOnQZKFly5S5BE/s640/Feb+2012+016.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Water collected in valleys easily overruns even modern gutters and downspouts in a downpour</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">There are no exceptions to the implacable laws of physics: water
is either managed systematically downwards to ground and safely dispersed, or it invades crevices and dampens materials. So this all
has to be thought out carefully and methodically as part of design in order to protect the integrity of the house and the dryness of the interior, a process
many designers continue to struggle with.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bMApF15NikbTfTlgik1wJB4_oqXc78MPLssmvNdjVn17qRe_bJ2LP-Sp-XSw4vjr2f-K5Edfz-VQRZWr4ejlapLwptIXJ2A-qIPCgnjnbjRS5d460malLcUyBhmGMUQryEvpuxEJnNo/s1600/Ottawa+2012+100.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bMApF15NikbTfTlgik1wJB4_oqXc78MPLssmvNdjVn17qRe_bJ2LP-Sp-XSw4vjr2f-K5Edfz-VQRZWr4ejlapLwptIXJ2A-qIPCgnjnbjRS5d460malLcUyBhmGMUQryEvpuxEJnNo/s640/Ottawa+2012+100.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Even stone buildings have to have their joints and seams maintained in order to repel moisture</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">A fashion of the pre-WW1 era was to mate narrow wooden gutters
with small diameter downspouts, which looks just fine but makes plugging at the intake
frequent. Periodically then, one finds oneself up on a ladder freeing the downspouts (which is awkward, given the lie of the land, especially
if it's at two in the morning).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZRIYKfqGUjgXwSQWcH206saG_QWjaBDeZMaMzYn9g0owzUsMzDTB9LNV15HvaK2c4jb0zQa2f6Qfv5uOP73lOdhMCtl8G3ZaJJvOJSH0N6WP0ehZiNWs19tk52dtsRjRlVdkOXMLLzw/s1600/Random+133.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZRIYKfqGUjgXwSQWcH206saG_QWjaBDeZMaMzYn9g0owzUsMzDTB9LNV15HvaK2c4jb0zQa2f6Qfv5uOP73lOdhMCtl8G3ZaJJvOJSH0N6WP0ehZiNWs19tk52dtsRjRlVdkOXMLLzw/s640/Random+133.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>One bane of home ownership: regular cleaning of gutters</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Another flaw I’d be facing at home but for this building’s fortunate
placement on a rise, is the lack of infrastructure to conduct water away from
the end of the downspouts. Much of the water collected at the front of the
house is simply left to drain down the slope, which it does quite handily. Unfortunately, it also to some
extent drains under the house due to its placement on the edge of the rise.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVETMOeRHfSZoEnv9WFRiWi6IGIjSiIfAzIj5l0bQ6LnvFnISzSt3v8z9Y2BdCvC3U1Jy_zdbRxqvwkViEHAitabiBUh2JlkDYNIeRiZBAx5f-Tbe58PErhqbe_vVPCevPVq29pWZ34I/s1600/early+April+020.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVETMOeRHfSZoEnv9WFRiWi6IGIjSiIfAzIj5l0bQ6LnvFnISzSt3v8z9Y2BdCvC3U1Jy_zdbRxqvwkViEHAitabiBUh2JlkDYNIeRiZBAx5f-Tbe58PErhqbe_vVPCevPVq29pWZ34I/s640/early+April+020.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Water carried off by the slope and a path mimicking its movement</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">At the rear of the house the conception for dispersal is
a little more sketchy. Here the building sits close to the ground on a minimal crawlspace,
placed over a slight hollow that deepens towards its southeast corner. Here is where water
wants to pool in a downpour during the rainy season. An effort has been
made to drain the area with a pipe aimed down the slope, but unfortunately due to
bedrock it's set too high to be really effective. Roof water at the back of the
house was originally sent into a set of narrow clay perimeter tiles, which of course
clogged quickly with roof debris (don’t they all!). Eventually these were
decoupled and water was simply left to spread onto the ground a foot or so from the wall,
ensuring some of it drained back under the building. One of my early interventions
was to have installed a wide-diameter drain (with a clean-out) to collect the roof runoff and carry it towards
a rock drain where the land slopes away. This helped reduce the pooling
tendency under the building substantially.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKuI_B3OVwXBCYcWUMKLqxoO7GhBX3zYUetmUKrJhW8gBpjS45TDuor49aLe0eBK8hz9vSO5870-BPU3EjqpJwR34x4ZhEa21ipWnVD_qFOuuLANVrIukFqZhIqGWFT6BhoDw1Efq7FU/s1600/end+of+May+018.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKuI_B3OVwXBCYcWUMKLqxoO7GhBX3zYUetmUKrJhW8gBpjS45TDuor49aLe0eBK8hz9vSO5870-BPU3EjqpJwR34x4ZhEa21ipWnVD_qFOuuLANVrIukFqZhIqGWFT6BhoDw1Efq7FU/s640/end+of+May+018.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A building set directly on the land complicates managing water, which has to be effectively removed</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Another intervention saw replacement of the three worn-out
roof layers (two asphalt on top of the original 1913 stained cedar shingles) with a
new cedar-shingle roof. Despite their thinness, seasoned cedar shingles are
superb rain shedders. And if they’re high grade material and properly installed, they can last a fairly long time. Overall, this system of gabled cedar roofs with cedar gutters
and metal downspouts has proven a fairly effective and durable method of
keeping the house dry (with the help of the beveled wooden siding, of course),
and therefore comfortable. On the anniversary of its first century of use, the
Savage house shows no signs of any moisture ever having penetrated its ceilings
or walls (touch wood!).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Houses have always afforded us shelter, but as historian Alan Gowans (The Comfortable House) points
out, before 1890 they were rarely designed with comfort built in.</b> Delivering a
truly comfortable dwelling became an explicit aim of development with the advent of early C-20 bungalow home. Invading dampness is comfort’s persistent enemy, and certain novel features incorporated into bungalow design did a good job of keeping it out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipEr7-aSctrnbkyorRLHEGTVYc8T8aBj57yGUbOTiYLrbqgIO4ZreJQqDbotvJDXiY4ybpFBXVITLWfb_wH3aGbdSC5YJozQ47i2xKWsvcFBaoZaxmQBGjs4qHaBfe46yNz1-ihd6ue3w/s1600/Bungs+and+trains+109.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipEr7-aSctrnbkyorRLHEGTVYc8T8aBj57yGUbOTiYLrbqgIO4ZreJQqDbotvJDXiY4ybpFBXVITLWfb_wH3aGbdSC5YJozQ47i2xKWsvcFBaoZaxmQBGjs4qHaBfe46yNz1-ihd6ue3w/s640/Bungs+and+trains+109.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Water pools on flat roofed buildings, affecting the life-span of the rubber or plastic membrane</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Friends of mine who live in a
much newer dwelling have not, however, been quite so fortunate.</b> They inhabit
a flat-roofed modernist house whose rather drab exterior belies its interesting,
well-lit interior spaces. But that flat roof has caused them no end of trouble,
regularly needing emergency attention for unclogging, draining, patching or
wholesale membrane replacement.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKzdCKEIEPvJpv-hjrofz0PWJlA7_c1rR8w7vkt4AzUHd7bcmyro8QFSftco3X41Ic06qRj8nX6YQhbm0VGa97K5BOTBYQDgqUpdp4KlN81JFEJhAO1cUrM1Rk6gisgoBN4M7n8xn9kk/s1600/March+ment+133.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKzdCKEIEPvJpv-hjrofz0PWJlA7_c1rR8w7vkt4AzUHd7bcmyro8QFSftco3X41Ic06qRj8nX6YQhbm0VGa97K5BOTBYQDgqUpdp4KlN81JFEJhAO1cUrM1Rk6gisgoBN4M7n8xn9kk/s640/March+ment+133.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>We are often unaware of water pooling because a flat roof is only glimpsed from above</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is not a new problem of flat roofs – it has in fact
plagued modernist houses from the outset. It turns out that the public's instinctive preference for gable roofs isn't after all – as the militant modernists would have us believe - mere sentiment. Gabled (inverted vee-shaped) roofs actually make really good engineering sense because their angles cause water to be shed effectively. However, on flat roofs, water's much more prone to hang about, degrading surfaces and damaging seams.</span></div><div style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
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<![endif]--><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" lang="EN-CA">"Like
a river down the gutter roars the rain..." <span style="font-size: large;">Longfellow</span></span></b></span></div><div style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></b></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-SPCFsfI6fCs6c7-ZCfZM0zyTjQrSZQFJx1FsTJzR8n0XZsGWSM_iF5yl478L4bIXXNkWUySkb4H_fSt63I2H2OMs0M3VBCXMM5rjq9CYSQgBm0rSJnYlUYAKqyqDsI4M4kk71Mdblk/s1600/Wood+and+stone+036.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-SPCFsfI6fCs6c7-ZCfZM0zyTjQrSZQFJx1FsTJzR8n0XZsGWSM_iF5yl478L4bIXXNkWUySkb4H_fSt63I2H2OMs0M3VBCXMM5rjq9CYSQgBm0rSJnYlUYAKqyqDsI4M4kk71Mdblk/s320/Wood+and+stone+036.jpg" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>FLW at the Guggenheim</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous flat-roofed buildings often had
problems with leaks, a fact he once dismissed cavalierly by saying “if the roof
doesn’t leak, the architect hasn’t been creative enough”. Le Corbusier, whose first
and most famous flat-roofed house was also plagued by leaks, responded with similar arrogance:
“ Of course it leaks. That's how you know it's a roof.” These two renowned
architects worked at opposite ends of the modernist spectrum, Wright being an
imaginative romantic who embraced nature (albeit at times rather abstractly), Le
Corbusier a clinical minimalist who wanted buildings to be machine-like
and so ignore nature entirely.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">It should be said that there are no inherent reasons for
buildings to leak, only designs that don’t sufficiently respect the
implacable laws of physics. Water invades, by multiple avenues, and its
accesses have to be closed off definitively by design, and through careful sealing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwmBQX6CRz4_ey5AVQZOBTotp9iSzyirm8dbHqPTwDxNy6Q6v0Iu8teS-4rOiCE5jfFSWChuADxB9j58c55FCRUungSIQ04fUPWxen3PxqM3E6V4dhb9UNbCbHqXZZa0AbrGOSIOmsRM/s1600/FW+one.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwmBQX6CRz4_ey5AVQZOBTotp9iSzyirm8dbHqPTwDxNy6Q6v0Iu8teS-4rOiCE5jfFSWChuADxB9j58c55FCRUungSIQ04fUPWxen3PxqM3E6V4dhb9UNbCbHqXZZa0AbrGOSIOmsRM/s640/FW+one.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Fallingwater, placed directly over the falls, so as to fuse building and feature into one</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Wright’s famous masterpiece, Fallingwater, though still revered architecturally, nonetheless had continuing moisture problems. This derived in
part from the building’s eccentric placement directly above a waterfall, a
choice Wright made in order to fuse physical feature and dwelling into a single
organic whole. Aesthetically this arrangement continues to inspire an interest
that borders on obsession, attracting over 150,000 visitors annually (4.5-million-plus
in total since being opened to the public).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQglk9a_HAymsBVxJuhfDyx_-dwK-0S7-j_afigP2mXZfQT3-x9UMR_EackakVh1ClizV9SEWFJ3zgdyPy9V_9gQ5LJvmAdddCgm7LVbjtk5OsrdI9cMUE9jpZx6j7swjubkOgWCsLq-g/s1600/fallingwater-frank-lloyd-wright-bear-run-pa-1971-ezra-stoller.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQglk9a_HAymsBVxJuhfDyx_-dwK-0S7-j_afigP2mXZfQT3-x9UMR_EackakVh1ClizV9SEWFJ3zgdyPy9V_9gQ5LJvmAdddCgm7LVbjtk5OsrdI9cMUE9jpZx6j7swjubkOgWCsLq-g/s640/fallingwater-frank-lloyd-wright-bear-run-pa-1971-ezra-stoller.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Dramatic cantilevers project interior and exterior spaces out from a solid stone core</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Wright’s stepped structure is cantilevered out over the stream,
capturing the sounds of the falls for its occupants in every room. Bringing the
falls inside audibly is one thing. Less desirably, this placement allows them
to enter the building as moisture, in the form of humidity and damp rising constantly
from their action. This moisture infiltrates the building with unintended
negative consequences.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZNNKhjnUb_Ef5d8AL0aguaSYJiUrpEg9v0yvLYOXHJOWybDEeC_6MBTDKJ9Kq_lyu-n0g__AsuVQiPDv6uaPHqkvxhHl9-5XbGbv0Kf3hh7L3OT2rcac0PaNUuVsd8e_guvOhkxHJr5Y/s1600/fw+four.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZNNKhjnUb_Ef5d8AL0aguaSYJiUrpEg9v0yvLYOXHJOWybDEeC_6MBTDKJ9Kq_lyu-n0g__AsuVQiPDv6uaPHqkvxhHl9-5XbGbv0Kf3hh7L3OT2rcac0PaNUuVsd8e_guvOhkxHJr5Y/s640/fw+four.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Wright used stone, glass, wood and fabric to good effect in Fallingwater's interiors</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Built for the wealthy Kaufman family of Pittsburgh as a
recreational villa, Fallingwater suffered so much from dampness that Kaufman-senior
nicknamed it “rising mildew”. The problem of damp invading structure was compounded
by engineering flaws within its dramatic cantilevers of reinforced concrete and
steel, which allowed Wright to step the building down the landform. The
cantilevers break up the massing while gaining space for outdoor living, simultaneously
functioning as roofs for the internal space beneath them. Unfortunately, there were problems with the load carried by
the reinforced concrete, which meant early sagging and worrisome cracks. These fissures
expanded and contracted as humidity levels fluctuated, stressing flashings and opening
avenues for moisture to work its way back inside. Kaufman’s son reports opening
up areas only to discover sopping wood and soaked insulation, fueling mold and
rot.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Modern yet intimate spaces: severity softened with wood, artifacts</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">And when it rained, things got way worse. Fallingwater actively
leaked, even in Kaufman’s treasured study, a fact he informed Wright of with
some impatience - who in turn suggested unhelpfully that he should move his chair and
replace it with a bucket. Thereafter, Kaufman took to calling Fallingwater a
“seven-bucket house”, referring to the seven buckets needed to catch all the
drips any time it rained. It’s said, in fact, that so much moisture collected
in one of the hallways that a drain had to be installed to get rid of it! Despite
its flaws the Kaufmans remained deeply attached to their iconic home, able to
enjoy the views and vistas through ample windows from its cozy interior while
attempting to disregard its moisture challenges as best they could.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<![endif]--><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" lang="EN-CA">"And
now the thickened sky like a dark ceiling stood; down rushed the rain impetuous" <span style="font-size: large;">Milton</span></span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9ER58CxllrACzlmOAuT76A8vwbO5ptMCvrEKtc62GaA1bfS7Z7Ga_vzhmD8HJb1xSasUuF0OKN5XwFW__h94FsyFVoq9pFvPi7g3M6uo6RSTW9afNK5hKN0Te5QKKvxBahPp9hPndqA/s1600/Wood+and+stone+041.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9ER58CxllrACzlmOAuT76A8vwbO5ptMCvrEKtc62GaA1bfS7Z7Ga_vzhmD8HJb1xSasUuF0OKN5XwFW__h94FsyFVoq9pFvPi7g3M6uo6RSTW9afNK5hKN0Te5QKKvxBahPp9hPndqA/s320/Wood+and+stone+041.jpg" width="209" /></a></b></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Le Corbusier, euro-modernist</b></span></td></tr>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">With regard to Le Corbusier’s iconic modernist house, which
predated Fallingwater by just a few years, things didn’t go nearly so well. Le
Corbusier, who veered modernism towards extremism out of sheer contempt for
prior building knowledge, systematically neglected water management at his infamous
Villa Savoye, the first rendering of his belief that a house should be
conceived as “a machine for living in.” Neither a gifted space planner nor
concerned in any apparent way with human comfort, Le Corbusier achieved novelty in
design by turning his back on the entire history of domestic architecture.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Despite a machine-like appearance and cold, sanitized décor
that make it feel sealed off from the organic world, the flat-roofed Villa
Savoye was an utter sieve from the day it was built. Set on stilts to remove it
from the dampness of the earth, this elevated structure failed to respect the law
of physics that oblige one to design and seal all exposed joints properly in
order to keep water from infiltrating. In this regard, Villa Savoye was grossly
deficient, indeed a total flop that would ultimately be abandoned
by the couple it was built for! Like Fallingwater, Villa Savoye provided large outdoor spaces
that simultaneously served as roofs for rooms beneath, with similar yet even more
dire consequences.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_G5gSayjB_l3avOvLWBbJ7iQFvmf_scD1w_nnb4WQVfFQp-goo8vUVwV0BZuRrBIHi0ElNBwPbLH9Fv_MYmsahIA7_v_rYf1aJ0Ma4fLsi3ZVmf12BeOjpH1wd-y_FgMtBXL-XGnVhXk/s1600/vs+three.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_G5gSayjB_l3avOvLWBbJ7iQFvmf_scD1w_nnb4WQVfFQp-goo8vUVwV0BZuRrBIHi0ElNBwPbLH9Fv_MYmsahIA7_v_rYf1aJ0Ma4fLsi3ZVmf12BeOjpH1wd-y_FgMtBXL-XGnVhXk/s640/vs+three.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Villa Savoye: like a gigantic appliance or an industrial air filtration unit, with strip windows </b></span></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Indeed, so bad was Villa Savoye that its wealthy occupants
complained bitterly to the architect about its failings from the outset: “It is raining in the hall, it’s raining on the ramp and
the wall of the garage is absolutely soaked [….] it’s still raining in my
bathroom, which floods in bad weather, as the water comes in through the
skylight.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAblelNDMR9Hcw4OrfPbo8a3nb5GhAvZI5cEK77qu15kVj4EVIxV6Lfm9VUEjUbn1muHAK5RGVDEmGggRD6RyBCZqca98iFKTaEAjxAAIoZQ8i-8sQaBobeqz18eXASD8zLAPLvQ2aWeg/s1600/VS+nine.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAblelNDMR9Hcw4OrfPbo8a3nb5GhAvZI5cEK77qu15kVj4EVIxV6Lfm9VUEjUbn1muHAK5RGVDEmGggRD6RyBCZqca98iFKTaEAjxAAIoZQ8i-8sQaBobeqz18eXASD8zLAPLvQ2aWeg/s640/VS+nine.jpg" width="510" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Le Corb's ideal bog: a machine for washing in that flooded during rainfalls</b></span></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Le Corbusier felt houses should be isolated as much as
possible from the organic ground plane (rather the opposite of arts and crafts
thinking) so he set his villa on pipe-stilts called ‘pilotis’. Architecturally,
this contributed markedly to the building’s ungainly looks, making it appear
like some sort of weird armature or a modular appliance of unknown purpose.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEvL-T96c3m7VTKzLNd3xf0ALUffhFr5peLLF1jki2hbl4CVbWV60JjRuQ4ZdsOW6vaSE3hAKE1dB2wA5Gqj1hnKG99ockqYpeZGMT7hoXwBNXJKB5fEKAkFISVIRACJ4Y-BdxWJuioko/s1600/VS+one.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEvL-T96c3m7VTKzLNd3xf0ALUffhFr5peLLF1jki2hbl4CVbWV60JjRuQ4ZdsOW6vaSE3hAKE1dB2wA5Gqj1hnKG99ockqYpeZGMT7hoXwBNXJKB5fEKAkFISVIRACJ4Y-BdxWJuioko/s640/VS+one.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Austere living spaces lacking natural materials (no wood, fabric) with plate glass interior walls.</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Shunning contact with the earth does not obviate the need to
deal with weather effects – a truth le Corbusier simply chose to ignore
(ignoring inconvenient realities seems a hallmark of both his urban planning
and architectural ventures). He introduced vast areas of plate glass, which
certainly allowed loads of light inside, but which also (because unventilated) caused
the house to overheat badly in summer and (because uninsulated) caused it to be
hard to heat in winter. Comfort was just not on his radar.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtZTcjNuCcTu_bfg5YcLpDCDhMHFGSjz8FvZVYtWONRGKRHP1b2sdHTvDkO6s9Msn_9ahA-6X9HzHd49rjnVxBsHMDKMiaU421BC5WUpnpF-IzPLsQ2_nbl9aS1UyUDhU9NZyLuQoHpw/s1600/VS+six.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtZTcjNuCcTu_bfg5YcLpDCDhMHFGSjz8FvZVYtWONRGKRHP1b2sdHTvDkO6s9Msn_9ahA-6X9HzHd49rjnVxBsHMDKMiaU421BC5WUpnpF-IzPLsQ2_nbl9aS1UyUDhU9NZyLuQoHpw/s640/VS+six.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>No sense of entry attempted or needed in this machine for living in</b></span>!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Le Corbusier’s greatest failing however was his abject
disregard of rain effects. It quickly became so uncomfortable living in the
house that the owners sent him this curt note: “After innumerable demands you have finally accepted that
this house which you built in 1929 is uninhabitable…. Please render it
inhabitable immediately.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFlgVVlaNcsWfsrn3qFF49ITmdKccm3FpbTXCARyXKMGa8qHmtk4RFiI4U9h9AY39xBf0lKGoUDLs3vu1abH8azD1txGzr7F-uzfW3DO9uhoV6MzjZT44d3BUM6L4e0AcaCp3SBDRjxe4/s1600/vs+eighteen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFlgVVlaNcsWfsrn3qFF49ITmdKccm3FpbTXCARyXKMGa8qHmtk4RFiI4U9h9AY39xBf0lKGoUDLs3vu1abH8azD1txGzr7F-uzfW3DO9uhoV6MzjZT44d3BUM6L4e0AcaCp3SBDRjxe4/s640/vs+eighteen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Abandoned by its owners, commandeered by armies, left to molder prior to restoration</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">He
ignored all these requests (of course), and shortly thereafter the owners abandoned the
building on the grounds that it was defective beyond repair (they were also
fleeing the blitz-kreiging Nazis). During the war, it was commandeered for military use and
emerged abused and in semi-ruin. Le Corbusier himself would eventually go to
bat for his prize dwelling, however, and succeeded in having it designated and restored as a monument
to his personal greatness (or folly, depending on your point of view). Would-be modernists
and gawkers visit it in droves every year.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5kEbJtC3CfnrdfPWWCQGu6-yQ7hnoVgm_yo1ne5ApSmbgVWYszU3OeGr13xARn9wOg7qrng9YAN0zAEvtjKWwemIM58onizACKecZUOu-Ul60fxY8Gn4tdKUMNSqqVYdZuJXQrI1A00E/s1600/Late+Octoober+063.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5kEbJtC3CfnrdfPWWCQGu6-yQ7hnoVgm_yo1ne5ApSmbgVWYszU3OeGr13xARn9wOg7qrng9YAN0zAEvtjKWwemIM58onizACKecZUOu-Ul60fxY8Gn4tdKUMNSqqVYdZuJXQrI1A00E/s640/Late+Octoober+063.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The shroud signals a rotting exterior is being replaced</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">This indifference
towards the invasive force of water continues in the minimalist camp of
modernism to this very day. When contractors fabricate structures with poorly
sealed stucco walls, metal framed windows lacking trim boards, exposed roof
membranes, and eaves that don’t project over walls in buildings whose walls
contain vapour barriers that prevent drying out – the net result is buildings
that develop molds and begin to rot within a few years. We’ve seen a spate of
this in condominiums and apartments over the past two decades here on our wet west coast
(the phenomenon is described euphemistically as ‘premature building envelope
failure’ PBEF). We don’t know how many families endure living in moldy environments
as a result of PBEF, but it’s not a small number.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXk6WSpxYRSC_hZh1DHdwTcIEaRRiPHy5GZHDDnNJRP0D__nOS8NKtUUUWBICp3fuhE0aal8NxAvhB1KLAnSd2QqHYd1S1AB9eKZt6KZBu7RWwlmuf1xc2diQkBZB1aU7j6asi1KUrg0/s1600/Sundry+012.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXk6WSpxYRSC_hZh1DHdwTcIEaRRiPHy5GZHDDnNJRP0D__nOS8NKtUUUWBICp3fuhE0aal8NxAvhB1KLAnSd2QqHYd1S1AB9eKZt6KZBu7RWwlmuf1xc2diQkBZB1aU7j6asi1KUrg0/s640/Sundry+012.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The basic idea of a gable roof is akin to that of an umbrella: a device for shedding water</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">The
goal in all design and building is weather-tightness, though I would argue not
air tightness, which bumps one right up against the ideology – oops, theory –
of the modern vapour barrier. But that’s another matter for another time,
perhaps. Fact is, at one hundred years of age, my bungalow remains dry and
sound, sans flat roof, untrimmed windows, stucco walls or vapour barriers – and
therefore it continues to serve as a truly comfortable house.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ_BoIJSvM08FlQdRyRfvZvda6XZ7hzdqIqBf7y7NjjJ-8RdbDzTK01Et3mJuSPhSC7oaN5GnJfgR-O2zCq6T5dXlt6e2h-NcbEFT_CiJk70zvCgoF599VN7Autj_xbl3Bb7QUgTuNzfs/s1600/early+April+152.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ_BoIJSvM08FlQdRyRfvZvda6XZ7hzdqIqBf7y7NjjJ-8RdbDzTK01Et3mJuSPhSC7oaN5GnJfgR-O2zCq6T5dXlt6e2h-NcbEFT_CiJk70zvCgoF599VN7Autj_xbl3Bb7QUgTuNzfs/s640/early+April+152.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>They may find dampness funny, but homeowners don't!</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-312659385452241782013-10-20T08:54:00.003-07:002021-03-08T17:51:14.853-08:00Allusive Architecture<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>An eclectic mix of allusions (swiss chalet, timber frame, oriental) create an intriguing facade</b></span>.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>If you live in a house built before WWII, chances are it came with some sort of ornamental detailing that ‘alludes’ to other eras in the history of buildings.</b> By ‘alludes’, I mean that the detailing refers to, recalls or echoes something that was common in a prior time. Sometimes these details mimic groupings of features from a specific period, but more often, as with bungalows, they are an eclectic mix drawn from various times and places that a designer felt imparted a convincing look to a building. While such details may seem no more than arbitrary choices, how they work together with the form of your house is what gives it distinctive character.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Slender turned-wood pillars gracefully supporting this verandah allude to Roman antiquity.</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Playful or serious, simple or grand, added-on or integral to structure, ornament that alludes to prior periods abounds on and inside older homes. Take those columns holding up the verandah roof – they might be turned wood in proportions reminiscent of the sleek Tuscan pillars of Roman antiquity, themselves allusions to stone pillars from ancient Greek temples.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Massive chamfered posts support a heavy roofline</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Or perhaps they’re solid but stylishly chamfered posts that distantly recall the art of timber-frame carpentry.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A sleeping porch with scroll-sawn balusters indirectly referring to a Swiss chalet balcony</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>These lovely sawn balusters seem to refer more to the design of a classic table leg, upside-down</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">The verandah’s railings might have delicate scroll-sawn balusters referring indirectly to an elegant table leg (upside down), or the roof over the verandah might lift slightly at the peak and tips in a vaguely oriental manner (below)...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>This roof has an oriental lift at its edges, for visual effect</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">or its shingles may be rolled over the edges in vague recollection of a thatch-roofed cottage....</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzh5qTo4sLw7DzgjL4UGKOCUMsx0KoKCRjNa5u9NhGQgN0s8FYSkfqT7C-OIqrubv9Oc27nTAeIgNZ4q8cPvH0BUZLbBifQQf2mnudk5B6ZWMxlD9cgr5YZeHESm4PVEZnz5n2kGgv7I/s1600/Random+094.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzh5qTo4sLw7DzgjL4UGKOCUMsx0KoKCRjNa5u9NhGQgN0s8FYSkfqT7C-OIqrubv9Oc27nTAeIgNZ4q8cPvH0BUZLbBifQQf2mnudk5B6ZWMxlD9cgr5YZeHESm4PVEZnz5n2kGgv7I/s640/Random+094.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A roof rolled over its edges that alludes to the look of a thatch-roofed cottage</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">or if by chance Craftsman-influenced, it may come with knee-braces, an allusion to post-and-beam carpentry.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Stylized knee-braces alluding to post and beam carpentry</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">All of these references are to things that worked in their time, that the eye liked generally and that felt like they belonged where placed. Architects chose and assembled them to impart distinctive character to individual buildings, in an era when how a house looked to the world mattered more than it does today.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>This pretty Queen Anne cottage comes with allusions galore, but perhaps too many colours?</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Some buildings come with so many allusions that the eye sees a jumble, which can lack integration (a criticism leveled at Victorian-era buildings by modernists, with some reason). Other houses, like those of the bungalow era, are more chaste in their effect because the designers governed their choice with greater restraint (even though it was eclectic). </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Hints of Tudor, Craftsman, and traditional timber frame, solidly and plainly achieved in a modern house<br /></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Craftsman-style houses were consciously designed to eliminate excess detailing, preferring a focus on proportioning, structural expression, and the drawing-out of effects from the inherent properties of finishing materials (like the wooden shingles alternated artfully below in a refurbished Vancouver home). </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivxHJJG9CH_zc6OuDzeVeUABqcqt3ku5KTMuMRs1TeoXk1rAtYAeTlO3tfr6AISZ99BiB6b8AebvyarPcVEB1cT-nHTa43HrNcOPvvv9ueeQ2JbmKtmHSF85l9sqGxJIcWpBe5odwy5Nk/s1600/uno+080.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivxHJJG9CH_zc6OuDzeVeUABqcqt3ku5KTMuMRs1TeoXk1rAtYAeTlO3tfr6AISZ99BiB6b8AebvyarPcVEB1cT-nHTa43HrNcOPvvv9ueeQ2JbmKtmHSF85l9sqGxJIcWpBe5odwy5Nk/s640/uno+080.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Wooden shingles used to create an interesting pattern, above an allusion to timber framing</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Often designers were very indirect in their use of allusion, burying their choices at several removes from any literal interpretation. A distant original served to inspire a novel interpretation without any attempt at literal replication.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vZdz0P3Hcw_FFDdXmb9rTGoH5KllzZCbnJhcudn2i6Jogpc_dZ_KSnxMAE69GTuKnrbm_oBImzEmVWgbZ7DBqZ9gA1QMXDnxxBGDDxc2Wii98a2l4c4GT8I4C8YHqNzMH_p_kfu5HK0/s1600/March+the+lamb+005.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vZdz0P3Hcw_FFDdXmb9rTGoH5KllzZCbnJhcudn2i6Jogpc_dZ_KSnxMAE69GTuKnrbm_oBImzEmVWgbZ7DBqZ9gA1QMXDnxxBGDDxc2Wii98a2l4c4GT8I4C8YHqNzMH_p_kfu5HK0/s640/March+the+lamb+005.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>This Maclure feels like it's alluding to something, but what isn't clear</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Or, if designing for themselves, they deploy the allusions so indirectly that perhaps only they actually realize they exist.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRCb172zX_lpmSXe4EUkgz3kpZACCsmMPW5TpYNm1gtXNygM_gsOduT2wo-x7QoZKUoTkIUgZFdKcPG0fwek4B9ydHZ9WZXQWBUD5wu_rBHSD7Ho84aO_64rQ3DcXU3PR7OUwgqKH-Xk/s1600/farnsworth_house_gmad06_3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRCb172zX_lpmSXe4EUkgz3kpZACCsmMPW5TpYNm1gtXNygM_gsOduT2wo-x7QoZKUoTkIUgZFdKcPG0fwek4B9ydHZ9WZXQWBUD5wu_rBHSD7Ho84aO_64rQ3DcXU3PR7OUwgqKH-Xk/s640/farnsworth_house_gmad06_3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Modernism was anti-allusion until it developed conventions, to which subsequent homes allude</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And of course modernist architecture believes it doesn’t allude to anything but its creator's intentions, making it entirely pure and self-referential and thus hoping to avoid the 'problem' of being derivative.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GvseNxabEIuAw-qZZGaQkc_n5EwRctHwS0-p3cvXcN-66HvlEjPDncP4O9wb5Fpl9tEYY_YJJ1Gv3A9U-NeUbsUL_x5amU2EQeK5cCWsrOjqwmQ3FmXUwizS1-n-zGH2GS_tOwrODc8/s1600/Varied+093.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GvseNxabEIuAw-qZZGaQkc_n5EwRctHwS0-p3cvXcN-66HvlEjPDncP4O9wb5Fpl9tEYY_YJJ1Gv3A9U-NeUbsUL_x5amU2EQeK5cCWsrOjqwmQ3FmXUwizS1-n-zGH2GS_tOwrODc8/s640/Varied+093.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Mixing allusions for effect: Tudor boards, exposed beams and braces, dimpled stucco panels</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Hubert Savage bungalow came with a variety of allusions added to its distinctly California-influenced design</b> (the bungalow form itself is laden with allusion to its origins in Bengal, India and its subsequent evolution as colonial architecture). As befits a design developed in 1913 Victoria – then a very English sort of place – this scheme refers overtly to Tudor-era buildings, as shown by its cross-gabled façade and decorative boards in the gable ends. A combination of boards and plaster panels in the gables hints at the wooden half-timbers and wattle-and-daub infill of Tudor-era walls, whose distinctive appearance still characterizes living buildings from that epoch. But they only hint, they don’t replicate.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6eYrk72OM9WI9ClfA3If2iwBoNc_ycijBOiMsW1yoqx3YLyiMV-oBAILJpgDOWgA18EKkygD5HyXqlE9bxtBjdGl_J-kJjgr-VyVwAtaBEDlcI8FIAwHA_SgxtRlP612YhyfS5lDoaps/s1600/uno+061.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6eYrk72OM9WI9ClfA3If2iwBoNc_ycijBOiMsW1yoqx3YLyiMV-oBAILJpgDOWgA18EKkygD5HyXqlE9bxtBjdGl_J-kJjgr-VyVwAtaBEDlcI8FIAwHA_SgxtRlP612YhyfS5lDoaps/s640/uno+061.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Tudor boards in the gable ends - a distant reference to a bygone era, used for effect</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Savage sprinkled Tudor references throughout his bungalow, as in the delicate arches above inset shelves built into the kitchen and dining room walls (photo below). This distinctive form of arch, albeit selectable on purely aesthetic grounds, suggests a desire for continuity with the English cultural past.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjshWfokmw3-ZE50xs3jszM4fNKU7S4GJYGrFzJOBf2ja77o60NRll-xsS9VeqL2xgB_cOXVucdgnW1Pa3Vj9i_ltKG-AzzfpgFEkJ8zwIIrdCSnV2XZa8BvefAJK0fN03WnLO0YsJzE00/s1600/various+136.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjshWfokmw3-ZE50xs3jszM4fNKU7S4GJYGrFzJOBf2ja77o60NRll-xsS9VeqL2xgB_cOXVucdgnW1Pa3Vj9i_ltKG-AzzfpgFEkJ8zwIIrdCSnV2XZa8BvefAJK0fN03WnLO0YsJzE00/s640/various+136.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The arched inset shelving alludes to the Tudor era.</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But Savage employed it as a motif to enrich the built-in décor of a then-modern house, not structurally as it was in Tudor times. This style of arch is unique in that its crown is flattened, similar to a Persian or Islamic arch from which it may have derived, and contrasting strongly with the pointed Gothic arches common in its day.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUr9mR-ihyKThbbRRixm6_6HHkiKjmV1Ux7Oofry4u4c781_OfHM3g54ec4z0QcGQrL17TiKHufSZHLm5oKYF9NF_L_rpcWCkcBdY3EU2jCl3U9rqqB_UN2tWlstp-lUEffI_q0u7vE0/s1600/March+ment+074.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUr9mR-ihyKThbbRRixm6_6HHkiKjmV1Ux7Oofry4u4c781_OfHM3g54ec4z0QcGQrL17TiKHufSZHLm5oKYF9NF_L_rpcWCkcBdY3EU2jCl3U9rqqB_UN2tWlstp-lUEffI_q0u7vE0/s640/March+ment+074.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Allusions to Tudor: boxed beams, wainscotting, and Tudor-style arches over inset-shelves</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Other Tudor references common to many bungalows are the boxed beams in the living and dining room ceilings, recalling the exposed beams of Tudor ceilings, and the wood-panelling that lends a feeling of built-in furniture to the walls. Designers used these details not because they wanted an expressly Tudor look, but because they found them effective for the appearance and furnishing of their principal rooms.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPh0upKOUB1DMKLRzm5KjXLf0S1yDorh1bfTMDi2UaaI8oH1U_5B_UovXBWYe_fQoiVySJvTL09HOs19Y1goQlkk1TaTTabYTb-xZ4X1VotsvBTNdDyz-E27LUKrouQ_d2XiTkPt5Srw/s1600/April+showers+133.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPh0upKOUB1DMKLRzm5KjXLf0S1yDorh1bfTMDi2UaaI8oH1U_5B_UovXBWYe_fQoiVySJvTL09HOs19Y1goQlkk1TaTTabYTb-xZ4X1VotsvBTNdDyz-E27LUKrouQ_d2XiTkPt5Srw/s640/April+showers+133.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Honeycomb-pattern window alludes to the Tudor fascination with leaded glass</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Savage’s bungalow also comes with an array of leaded glass windows, in rectangular, diamond-paned and even a honey-comb pattern, which is consistent with Tudor enthusiasm for small-paned, multi-faceted windows. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWH5ig93GSPzcC9fS2GAffM83SYgg0ZIzoPJJd4jYFLXoEIM_xdmf9aAalZky-oiXq26yfpiYB15vDVkVT5L_AlsNata07p9_xdVy5-a_hCTwvr-9Vv66X8L0huOGnf2XGtRY4lakP_pk/s1600/Gore+plus+004.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWH5ig93GSPzcC9fS2GAffM83SYgg0ZIzoPJJd4jYFLXoEIM_xdmf9aAalZky-oiXq26yfpiYB15vDVkVT5L_AlsNata07p9_xdVy5-a_hCTwvr-9Vv66X8L0huOGnf2XGtRY4lakP_pk/s640/Gore+plus+004.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Tudor boards combined with exposed rafter tails by Maclure for this colonial bungalow </b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Tudor allusions were widespread in Victoria houses of the day, a trend established by style-defining architects like Samuel Maclure, who deftly used them to render buildings expressing a comforting continuity with an apparently familiar past. Yet even in grand houses built for the uber-wealthy, these allusions were not an attempt to literally replicate, but rather an effective way of symbolizing continuity while gaining a desirable look and feeling for living spaces. Maclure’s expressive use of Tudor detailing produced striking buildings that remain convincing works of art to this day.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5HMHH8jfFutcp8cBnw-C2NvxoV77PS_pWE4Q0S4Iy7MFMa4H1NE1Jd6SqA0L561nqCFOG4Xw2Hm2MwdLxWhA-iZ6hooRKu_DvxxJ55hjthIuFtlXp1sq0VMyfdopI4_vj4WNyKCy1o0/s1600/First+bungs+017.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5HMHH8jfFutcp8cBnw-C2NvxoV77PS_pWE4Q0S4Iy7MFMa4H1NE1Jd6SqA0L561nqCFOG4Xw2Hm2MwdLxWhA-iZ6hooRKu_DvxxJ55hjthIuFtlXp1sq0VMyfdopI4_vj4WNyKCy1o0/s640/First+bungs+017.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Tudor boards in the gable, with a signature decorative finial, in a modest Maclure bungalow</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Not all of the Savage bungalow’s allusions are to Tudor. Nor are they all manifest or obvious, some being masked and inviting speculation. One that I recognized some years after moving in is a ‘face’ that’s clearly visible in the design of the brick fireplace. Once you make out this unusual feature, it’s obviously intentional, but typically it passes unnoticed because the eye simply doesn’t resolve the pattern in the brickwork. I used the room for years before mine picked it out against the background, but then it was inescapable. Heritage building consultant Stuart Stark, on the other hand, picked it up immediately with his detective-like eye.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Once your eye discerns it, the face in the fireplace was obviously a conscious choice</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">But just what does this face allude to? There I’m afraid I’m going on hunches alone, simply because it’s not a literal reference. One possibility is that it’s just anthropomorphic, which is an ungainly term for the incorporation of human features into a building.</span><span style="font-size: large;">This choice is akin to animism, whereby humans project a living spirit onto natural forces or animals, except that here it’s the human face rendered in the inanimate. But I don’t really think that this is likely, as there are no other indications in the building that I can detect.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Moderately anthropomorphic garage at a splendidly maintained Maclure mansion in Rockland</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Another line of speculation might interpret it around the primacy of the fireplace in the ideology of the bungalow, and the focal role it plays in the room where much of family life unfolded. Control of fire for cooking and heating is at the core of human cultural evolution and is celebrated in all familial life in settled communities (until lately, at least). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8SzMUN84E4OP0gMH7IboMK5kGhRHnvV3rtL3Y73plfbdB0szsd0WzZtDNcasB4eppkXqM4aic03F-Uy9BZSKYTaDJ089zibBimIfi1yWjL2A8jz2J1sR39BcmQj4swFM5xkNXJ8XMMxM/s1600/567+Skara+Brae%252C+Mainland+Orkney.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8SzMUN84E4OP0gMH7IboMK5kGhRHnvV3rtL3Y73plfbdB0szsd0WzZtDNcasB4eppkXqM4aic03F-Uy9BZSKYTaDJ089zibBimIfi1yWjL2A8jz2J1sR39BcmQj4swFM5xkNXJ8XMMxM/s640/567+Skara+Brae%252C+Mainland+Orkney.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Skara Brae: a neolithic site showing the centrality of the hearth in early human settlements</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">The fireplace and hearth remain potent symbols of our mastery of the elements and of the sense of domestic haven this control affords. In Greek antiquity (the crucible of western civilization), the hearth itself symbolized both family and domesticity, and was important enough to have its own Goddess, named Hestia, who oversaw the sacred place where fire was kept.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Vase painting of Hestia, Greek hearth goddess</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hestia was among the primary gods of ancient Greece, venerated in temples where virgins apparently maintained sacred flames. She was also the primary goddess of domestic life, “the giver of all domestic happiness and blessings” and was deemed to be present in each individual dwelling. The bungalow’s prioritization of family life in a room anchored by a focal fireplace expresses continuity with these ancient domestic ways. So my hunch is simply that the face worked into the fireplace bricks is an indirect reference to an ancient hearth goddess who inspirited individual homes – a remote pagan allusion in a modern Anglican household. The thought that this face distantly refers to Hestia is reinforced by the fact that Hubert Savage was an architect building a hearth-centred home for his own family, and that Hestia is also credited in lore with having taught men the art of building houses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I feel more certain of the meaning of another deeply buried allusion I think I’ve unearthed, in the form of a barrel-ceilinged back room that Savage tucked in under a roof extension.</b> Designed as a summer tea room (as shown on plan), a British variant of the open sleeping porches often found in early bungalows, this tiny room serves many purposes integral to the home’s operation (back entry, hallway, utility hub, cooling cupboard, garden room, and more.) It can only work because of its barrel-vaulted ceiling, which scoops out just enough height to enable it to become functional. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5FcF2mPNRpf64OHrHlBtpcRGy_WdQXyICRSsHpfZ1UM95HJOKz9HwfN1_yzGxUZvoc1Xfhw7w1XXnnnhfmwLaF4cT9OG1nRly3n7WfW_VEUi-y8EoRKubDi9YfkutrSd8kh1wpq3FTg/s1600/March+ment+195.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5FcF2mPNRpf64OHrHlBtpcRGy_WdQXyICRSsHpfZ1UM95HJOKz9HwfN1_yzGxUZvoc1Xfhw7w1XXnnnhfmwLaF4cT9OG1nRly3n7WfW_VEUi-y8EoRKubDi9YfkutrSd8kh1wpq3FTg/s640/March+ment+195.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A curious curved ceiling that may allude to a railway carriage</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">I was attracted to the unusual curve of that ceiling the moment I first saw it (it gives the room a snug and cosy feeling), yet I had no inkling that it might be an allusion until many years on. It was while perusing Anthony King’s engaging history of the bungalow as the first global house form that I had an ‘aha’ moment. King relates the early twentieth century linkage of the bungalow with things bohemian and artistic in England, an association that arose from their popularity with theatre types who escaped to seaside locations where these recreational homes served as getaways. These resorts developed a bit of a racy reputation as enabling individual freedoms and looser styles of living, making them controversial in stuffy old England but emblematic of freedom for those more concerned to be hip. One community in particular, a resort named Shoreham by Sea, had clusters of these permissive bungalows in an area that came to be known as Bungalow Town.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">I was fascinated to learn that it was common at the time to use surplus rail-passenger cars as ready-made bungalows – often two or three of these would be attached and turned into serviceable recreational housing. (Railways were huge in England and fifty years after their first flourishing, there were a great many surplus rail passenger cars that were cheap to acquire). Pictures in Anthony King’s book illustrate a distinctive curve and banding pattern to the ceilings of these cars, some of which continue to serve as houses to this day. The curved ceiling in our back room is highly reminiscent of these early railway passenger cars. I can’t help but think that Hubert Savage, a newly expatriate British architect, building his own home bungalow-style near the seaside, took the opportunity to bury an allusion to these ready-made rail-car bungalows in his native England. And that, by extension, he reinforced an association of his modern bungalow with the ‘free and easy living’ that was being marketed as part and parcel of the bungalow lifestyle across North America.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Three railway carriages strung together into a makeshift bungalow, still in active daily use</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Like most allusions in architecture, this is no more than an indirect reference to something past and unlikely to be seen as such by those who inhabit or use the building over time. Nor is it necessary to see it in order to use and enjoy the building. Yet these details comprise the building’s living character, and their particular combinations help create its distinct personality. I have to admit to a certain satisfaction in being able to recognize especially the buried references – it’s rather like being let in on a private entertainment.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-85326252071959432842013-09-08T07:31:00.003-07:002023-07-11T19:58:27.905-07:00Finishing Touches<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<h2>
<b>"Painting: the art of protecting flat surfaces from the weather and exposing them to the critic."</b> <span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary, 1911</i></span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i> </i></span></h2>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0a7p-bodPxDzBI5-313Dm5iSu3itTpJjmqW7XVCgiSQn0CbYFtYYLZ4hE_G3Ba83oENRq0vG7xYMW5swuS6T2nibdohu65pw5EE2TTGBGpt8ACPLEuPrIC_vSL5nE_E690W3_4XXO78w/s1600/more+Gore+061.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0a7p-bodPxDzBI5-313Dm5iSu3itTpJjmqW7XVCgiSQn0CbYFtYYLZ4hE_G3Ba83oENRq0vG7xYMW5swuS6T2nibdohu65pw5EE2TTGBGpt8ACPLEuPrIC_vSL5nE_E690W3_4XXO78w/s640/more+Gore+061.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>An arts and crafts house whose colours express its design elements graphically.</b></span></td></tr>
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<b> </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Perhaps the most exuberant moment in returning an older house
to a state of good repair is watching the paint finally go on.</b> This is when all
the disparate repairs that add up to renewal disappear into an integrated
whole, giving the building an entirely new look. This is when
that old paint scheme, badly faded if not worn out, maybe an eyesore if poorly chosen,
finally disappears for good. This is also when your new colour choices either turn out
to be fitting, possibly inspired, or not so much. The act of repainting the house is thus an uncertain moment for an owner, with much of the outcome riding on the skill,
experience and attentiveness the painters bring to the humble art of applying colour.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">
A paint job that's exposed year-round to the insistent force
of the elements will only last so long. Just how long depends on what goes into
the work. Professional estimates I’ve seen range from a ridiculously short 4 –
6 years (if it's too cheap to be true, then it probably is) to a more-frequent yet still disquietingly
short 7 – 10 years. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m pleased to say
that my first experience lasted fifteen years and would
have gone longer still had major repairs not made repainting a necessity.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbln5IGUHFZv1iqfqJVM_wmkdKHbj_2tyTPn4V3-OkrmLKPJqZg8LJ_4Thc-_QJPgSY2SZZ4zyjO6fwzYoq9BtCuz1e16TVWrfJHfe1qCgSKUyJ-Zgs_cZQwnB3UJjimJ7lRqL_zqRPxU/s1600/vary+050.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbln5IGUHFZv1iqfqJVM_wmkdKHbj_2tyTPn4V3-OkrmLKPJqZg8LJ_4Thc-_QJPgSY2SZZ4zyjO6fwzYoq9BtCuz1e16TVWrfJHfe1qCgSKUyJ-Zgs_cZQwnB3UJjimJ7lRqL_zqRPxU/s640/vary+050.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Looking a little bruised from all the scraping and sanding</b></span></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Everyone who knows anything about painting stresses that a
lot depends on the quality of the preparation you do, but in fact a good outcome
depends on knowledge and quality being applied at each and every stage. Painting and decorating is a Red Seal trade in British Columbia, but it's safe to say that most people who do exterior painting don't have a trade certificate. So, much depends on the painting contractor and his level of knowledge and commitment to doing good work that will last. Good work costs, both in hours of additional labour before the exacting job of applying finishes, and in the quality of the materials used. My advice is to buy demonstrated skills and be prepared to pay for good preparation. Prep is the step we’re most likely to try to cheat on, as it’s labour-intensive
and can run up the costs considerably. But, as with other things, you ultimately
get what you pay for, and if your wooden building has gone a long time without care and attention, or had a lot of paint jobs of varying quality, expect to do a lot more prep.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2Urz4aFJOSSnLBLdV848oecqOqk5tSOQcayIIrrM4WaMF6hYaXL_qSKZZkAS_4K94MEPjU6Ds11iITluqrwvjShBxpDyFgeJtE6MMSnWgz3h-9Qh2LRG6UksKmuLWWTcW-vJ3mHlIu8/s1600/vary+075.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2Urz4aFJOSSnLBLdV848oecqOqk5tSOQcayIIrrM4WaMF6hYaXL_qSKZZkAS_4K94MEPjU6Ds11iITluqrwvjShBxpDyFgeJtE6MMSnWgz3h-9Qh2LRG6UksKmuLWWTcW-vJ3mHlIu8/s640/vary+075.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Prep: finicky work high up on a ladder. A lot of care needs to be taken not to damage delicate mouldings</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Before anything else happens, the building has to be cleaned down
with a power washer using a mild soap – skill at this stage keeps the building
from getting soaked and needing a long period of drying out before work
continues. Cleaning removes the dust and grime of years of exposure, as well as
stripping off any really loose paint. Go for an inferior painter and this step
is skipped or skimped on, resulting in poorer surface adhesion and paint that
bubbles and cracks as moisture penetrates wood unevenly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHW7_UsqYJEQ9USEsLUbkfmgPq24VKkOyQYuETxCnF0DmvAAT3lO6LAI6VDVUJpE_uRw-pazUH5pjLgwoMOjvJdqYlbDMvwipGRzwezjy0rVUjrJUhxBJ6y1HZbkxiKWmcVpWez0XdJJw/s1600/Colquitz+plus+221.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHW7_UsqYJEQ9USEsLUbkfmgPq24VKkOyQYuETxCnF0DmvAAT3lO6LAI6VDVUJpE_uRw-pazUH5pjLgwoMOjvJdqYlbDMvwipGRzwezjy0rVUjrJUhxBJ6y1HZbkxiKWmcVpWez0XdJJw/s640/Colquitz+plus+221.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A Queen Anne cottage scraped and sanded to remove more than a century's paint buildup</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Once the cleaning is done, scraping of surfaces begins in earnest in
order to get rid of loose paint, followed by sanding as needed.</b> An amateur with
a scraper can do a lot of damage to wooden components, marring surfaces and mouldings to an
extent that will show through the new paint job. Sanding is used to regain profile
where many layers of paint have built up – but it can wind up costing you profile
if pursued too aggressively with machine sanders. Sanding is also useful in feathering out the edges
wherever old paint has cracked or chipped, resulting in a better bond and a less
bumpy surface. Like the house-repair process itself, of which painting is
just the final stage, there’s a long period of time where the asset appears
scruffier and less kempt by the day. Patience is required during this period – eye candy
is on its way, but during this process it can feel like things are moving in the other direction.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1NMLFon6_0qBTATprSa4OEYn1utPMT2PCfXHYX0XEGIZ2Ykt43GnoV6Wa-5VViymCrqbcRCeN3RCPjn96VWCpY3VitlhXe5le8IQhw7H9fm4GltuewZ_KGxh5PbGVKUObQrWEpXEZeE/s1600/Colquitz+plus+219.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1NMLFon6_0qBTATprSa4OEYn1utPMT2PCfXHYX0XEGIZ2Ykt43GnoV6Wa-5VViymCrqbcRCeN3RCPjn96VWCpY3VitlhXe5le8IQhw7H9fm4GltuewZ_KGxh5PbGVKUObQrWEpXEZeE/s640/Colquitz+plus+219.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Aggressive sanding with machines easily damages old wood and leaves traces in the finish</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">For buildings like this with beveled siding,
caulking of gaps between the runs follows sanding. Caulking can be a big job on a south-facing wall that
takes a daily beating from the sun and rain. There’s an art to placing caulk durably,
especially when one is up a ladder and using one arm to operate the caulk gun. Typically
window sills that are subject to water and UV damage are patched up at this point too.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgiXzvi5gfosDSKaI3iq7PhsG9D3Sph2spCEQj-vB6k9huLfsWGbpheziM91MYA6hP5uRIII1afDSYW5jotjUOaHf2ijZ9N9wAitZ03vMmnLmSUKxwlYRVpMBONJ5cy-0kixSziwtl5o/s1600/vary+061.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgiXzvi5gfosDSKaI3iq7PhsG9D3Sph2spCEQj-vB6k9huLfsWGbpheziM91MYA6hP5uRIII1afDSYW5jotjUOaHf2ijZ9N9wAitZ03vMmnLmSUKxwlYRVpMBONJ5cy-0kixSziwtl5o/s640/vary+061.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Caulking with one arm while holding onto a ladder: not for the faint of heart</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Once scraped, sanded and caulked, exposed areas are
undercoated with white primer, in preparation for the main event. Then finally,
sometimes after a good many days of labour in hot sun, the finishing colours
begin to go up. It’s at this point that the chosen colour scheme starts to come to life,
with its precise disposition on the various architectural elements (siding,
trim boards, belly band and water table, gutters and downspouts, soffits, fascia
boards, windows and doors). If the disposition is done artfully, the components will appear to be in harmony; if done poorly, the overall look may be disjointed or busy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIIGU3QhvE0sIg_8QJJjP5m2mwlOe0W7jreiTjTMSQGF0KGkRd2RePUCuQPP-oi8wURC_bRPIcf8oDk5qsTgwYYSSygaKL_WvkxAS55y7180OgLe2qhD_0mvA0LaZL-hkBTHhN1kdCcMg/s1600/vary+108.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIIGU3QhvE0sIg_8QJJjP5m2mwlOe0W7jreiTjTMSQGF0KGkRd2RePUCuQPP-oi8wURC_bRPIcf8oDk5qsTgwYYSSygaKL_WvkxAS55y7180OgLe2qhD_0mvA0LaZL-hkBTHhN1kdCcMg/s640/vary+108.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The yellow field colour finally going up on the south wall</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">It takes real skill, good judgment and a refined
sense of taste to achieve a colour scheme that really makes a building pop. This is not
a matter of choosing loud colours, rather one of exploring relationships among colour hues
and shades, and placing them sensibly on specific building components.
The disposition of colour is not work for amateurs, especially on a character home
(why get on such a steep learning curve when choice has such finality?). As painting
consultant John Crosby Freeman says of arts and crafts era homes, “only when
you select and correctly place different hues and shades can paint bring out
the architectural logic of these homes.” Put a little differently, a good paint job
expresses the underlying logic of the architecture itself – it expresses,
rather than contradicts or minimizes, the continuities and contrasts of
elements intended by the designer.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixCiTx739o7aT0pITCumh9-fJ_slaqpdwnUEP1EBLpqXjeoewP2nD59det9t81wwKgoJvsP9KOkusxI5dZRN1jXjbj5fngh6XyPZjN8R1ph87651nx3D1NnmfaE3ozq9yDaZ9UE76Q66Q/s1600/vary+113.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixCiTx739o7aT0pITCumh9-fJ_slaqpdwnUEP1EBLpqXjeoewP2nD59det9t81wwKgoJvsP9KOkusxI5dZRN1jXjbj5fngh6XyPZjN8R1ph87651nx3D1NnmfaE3ozq9yDaZ9UE76Q66Q/s640/vary+113.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Only the bargeboards and attic window await their black finish</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I admit that I sought help with colour (no shame there) because I could not have done it myself without missing opportunities and making lasting mistakes. Heritage building consultant Stuart Stark, vastly knowledgeable, did
microscopic colour analysis of the paint history of the house before proposing
a new scheme. I can’t claim that today’s colours are an exact
replication of the original colours, but they do feel appropriate for the specific
building. In the end Stuart settled on something consistent with Tudor-era buildings (a motif chosen for this rendering of the bungalow form by its original designer), pairing
black and yellow with an off-white tint for the soffits and gable panels. </span></div><span style="font-size: large;">
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Stuart not only specked the colours, but also provided a
rendering to give an impression of how these would look once placed. This
made it much easier to say ‘yes’. The scheme was certainly bold – black is not
a frequent arts and crafts colour, but it is consistent with the Tudor features
apparent in such elements as the boards embedded in the gable ends. Over
time, black became the traditional colour of the wooden members on Tudor
buildings (derived it's said from the tar with which they were sometimes daubed to
protect them against rot). Yellow is also consistent with a minority of Tudor
buildings in certain English counties, plus it was a frequently used colour
on California bungalows.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1h07WDsoalmd_aKemJVgtrlb31GPYcx1MuRIMh7qi5_cCj8st6f7Vk0Q8hF_TWd9ulj3HQLgO0sb-pyn1M8KlpoiMLThT2vCtCKIFaAcVusaSPKQ5jE8Y61gnMRFsJRElpxTKMQJKrkIO3QcT8_91lrBn0AwyFgO6lzrv25TEl_5MwlLDp5_-v4pJUc/s2048/Tudor%20yellow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1h07WDsoalmd_aKemJVgtrlb31GPYcx1MuRIMh7qi5_cCj8st6f7Vk0Q8hF_TWd9ulj3HQLgO0sb-pyn1M8KlpoiMLThT2vCtCKIFaAcVusaSPKQ5jE8Y61gnMRFsJRElpxTKMQJKrkIO3QcT8_91lrBn0AwyFgO6lzrv25TEl_5MwlLDp5_-v4pJUc/w480-h640/Tudor%20yellow.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Yellow used on original Tudor buildings in England</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <br />
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In addition to the colour scheme, there are also opportunities that present themselves in the course of the painting process if the contractor is paying attention and is creative. As an example from the first house repainting, we needed to disguise a poor choice of plywood as a replacement for original materials in the panels in the gables. On a truly Tudor building, this material would be some form of plaster, reprising the authentic wattle-and-daub surface. Our challenge was to mask the unwanted graining and the visible patches (the plywood was good-one-side, and some dummy had placed the patched side on the outside, which showed through the fading paint!) The solution proposed by my contractor, Mike Abernethy of Double A Painting, was to stir fine sand into a specially formulated paint, and then layer it on to give a finished look that effectively mimics plaster. That's experience at work!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>On a bay window under a gable, it's all details, all the time</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">It was the discerning application of colour to the
architectural components as much as the colours themselves that sold me on Stuart's scheme – I
would never have gotten that right working alone. By 2013, the house’s centennial
year, this colour scheme had endured the weather for fifteen long years. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Its original lustre may have been long gone, but </span>I continued to find the overall effect convincing
and was keen to see it emerge anew from a state of visible repair. That magic was applied by Mike's team
at Double A Painting, well known in heritage circles around Victoria and the
same firm that did the original job. Mike deployed two trusted hands to
undertake the job – Dan Penney and Matt Beaulieu - conscientious painters who appreciated the value of the
house and treated the building with respect.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The ensemble of features is dramatized by the placing of this three-colour scheme</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Renewed again, the old look freshened, its horizontal and vertical lines re-emphasized</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Bungalow style involves emphasizing design elements, as texture, line and contrast</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When the colours went on this time around, there were no surprises - yet the overall impact on the building was still remarkable.
My eye had gotten used to not looking closely at the gables and soffits, because they’d
had white undercoat on them for more than a year. Watching the architectural
elements emerge from a state of indistinctness into clear, bold relief is, to me at
least, a special kind of magic. Two weeks after beginning, the finishing touches are now fully in place. It feels satisfying to have brought this piece of the puzzle to
closure just in time for the Saanich fall heritage tour, arriving next Sunday. Now, can I get the windows cleaned before the crowd arrives and turns a critic's eye on these coloured surfaces?</span></div><span style="font-size: large;">
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<i><b>There are any number of good books on period paint schemes for bungalows and arts-and-crafts houses. Also very insightful are these articles by John Crosby Freeman (the Color Doctor):</b></i><br />
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http://artsandcraftshomes.com/exterior-color-schemes-for-foursquares-bungalows-and-tudors/<br />
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http://www.americanbungalow.com/design-with-color/<br />
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http://development.columbus.gov/uploadedFiles/Development/Planning_Division/Historic_Preservation/Historic_Resources_Commission/Heavenly%20Kissers%20-%20A%20Color%20Guide%20For%20Bungalows.pdf<br />
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David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-21330488275208648872013-08-10T09:23:00.001-07:002021-03-23T16:49:50.207-07:00A Shed Of My Own<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lrV1nFkJes6Dz4mp_kUL2oS1xxF3ePv2RsyleHRveWVLuQx2UAswIJWANAaleFVINzblRxQ6rJhrtFgpFv7HcRcdSYg2bLoBz1YPqvTXttWl6mpOgdN0vmkjtwnw5YReWwZrmosGx2A/s1600/Campaign+Too+322.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lrV1nFkJes6Dz4mp_kUL2oS1xxF3ePv2RsyleHRveWVLuQx2UAswIJWANAaleFVINzblRxQ6rJhrtFgpFv7HcRcdSYg2bLoBz1YPqvTXttWl6mpOgdN0vmkjtwnw5YReWwZrmosGx2A/s640/Campaign+Too+322.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif"><b>There was never any question the old backyard shed that came with the house would be torn down, only a matter of when.</b> It was ramshackle, its floor rotting from sitting directly on wet ground. Worse, a low sloping roof rendered it dysfunctional for storage (its sole purpose), and in the end it was just too makeshift and far gone to consider fixing. I will admit to being taken with small buildings whenever they are designed to be seen as well as for use, so it was rather disappointing that my first-ever small building had neither charm nor functionality going for it. But this lack of positive attributes did open the door to a fresh start. A functional shed of some sort was essential for storage of garden and other tools, especially as the house itself came without a basement and only a difficult-to-access attic. And, even a small building would figure large in the garden setting I intended to surround the house with, so something more harmonious than the existing clunker was desirable.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1988, the day after purchasing the house, on a sagging seat on my ramshackle shed</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">‘When’ came around in 1999, eleven years on and right after restoration of the house's exterior, with the long interval used to sort out just what would replace it. The question of what to build gradually resolved itself into one of how to build compatibly in the existing context, in this case a 1913 bungalow with unique personality. While most garden sheds are primarily functional objects, my small building's proximity to a well-dressed residence suggested it should have an equally worthy look - and if possible, be a garden eye-catcher too. Figuring out how to make new and old compatible led me to develop a more explicit understanding of the design of the main house.</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif"></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A building so dilapidated that the decision to start fresh was uncomplicated</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">Thinking more concertedly about shed design was preceded by some impulsive acts of collecting that unintentionally contributed to the shed's look, like the leaded glass casement windows I bought at a local auction for a song. Their sturdy wood frames and diamond-shaped panes - and the passing thought that they could always go into the shed if no other use presented itself - served as a pretext to rescue them. I was struck by the absurdity of anyone chucking such fine objects (likely in favour of vinyl-framed replacements with mock leading) that I began keeping an eye on the auction. Not long afterwards I scored two small stained-glass windows in a deco flower pattern – perfect symbols for a garden building I thought! Suddenly recycling used windows was becoming a primary function of my still-undesigned shed!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>One of a pair of stained glass windows that would be recycled in the new garden shed</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">I resolved to stop this random window-rescue and for a time actually did, at least until I happened upon a striking transom window in a classic fan pattern that proved irresistible. One of a stack of windows in an Ontario antique shop awaiting conversion to mirror glass (a fad at the time), this classy fanlight called out for a better future than winding up as hallway décor in a big-city condo. No one would ever have designed a mirror to look that way in any case, so I gave in to my urge to rescue once more, bought it and shipped it back to Victoria by bus.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A fan-shaped transom in a typical arrangement brings elegance and light to this entrance</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">As shown above, a transom window often crowns a front doorway and is frequently completed by vertical panels of small-paned or leaded glass windows that book-end the door. This arrangement creates a distinguished entryway for a substantial home while admitting light to the vestibule beyond the door. Unpacking my antique fan transom back at home, I tried to imagine what sort of building it came from and how it may originally have looked.Then the thought occurred that the leaded glass casement windows might just fit beneath it, so I dragged three of them out of the attic and laid them out on the lawn. Using two by fours to roughly space the casements, it was evident that a bank of them would leave just enough room for a frame and trim boards. It appeared I might just have a design for the garden facade of my shed, so I took a photograph of the layout for future reference. This picture was destined to be the sole construction 'drawing' for the entire building.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZmmPL2oC-yV_ZmpHqjZWZHzZ3CeoFiMuDjXR9zGiPqH2qe3RWU6g9vZ-WBnpO0h3SQPhTHtmtccFjEPxOV6nEJtgUuM7HfLPnsXTun9dRDHi1AsJj6N_B2bMg8ulSI3sCqs3bEhQpRg/s640/lineup+030.jpg" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The shed's garden facade in embryo, the day the possible layout first came to mind</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">A collection of recycled windows does not, however, an eye-catching building make. It’s much more complicated than that if one cares to delve into it, and I discovered I was tempted to. I’d been doing some reading to prepare myself to oversee the eventual exterior repair of my heritage bungalow, a process recorded in my June <b><i>Century Bungalow</i></b> post, when Michael Pollan’s fascinating <i><b>A Place Of My Own </b></i>fell into my hands. Pollan's account of creating a writing shed for himself reveals the inherent complexities of even the most simple building process. It taught me that the acts of design and building, while inherently linked, require a continual drawing together and interpreting during the physical process of construction. This may seem obvious, but design is always modified during the act of construction, as ideas on paper are translated from abstractions into material forms. The designer needs to have a presence throughout construction in order to be part of this interpretive process, or the building will be reshaped significantly by the sequence of choices made along the way by others. This was an insight that helped me guide the repair of the main building when its day came, but it also began preparing me to play a role in shaping new construction. I was (at most) an amateur designer who’d have to learn to work through skilled hands in order to achieve intended outcomes. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OkY2clgv5ZAnG3nngs3hqPWCwzLrIPyQcBP06A2YAcFi0SwEPg1RAo7pnX42HjOyaTwp_kYcXSy_B7uG2ZEECyo49DSOCJxGs871cYkCvSImIVG_oNRkZpjTxdhlwOvPFIzPUexrnKw/s1600/Late+Octoober+104.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OkY2clgv5ZAnG3nngs3hqPWCwzLrIPyQcBP06A2YAcFi0SwEPg1RAo7pnX42HjOyaTwp_kYcXSy_B7uG2ZEECyo49DSOCJxGs871cYkCvSImIVG_oNRkZpjTxdhlwOvPFIzPUexrnKw/s640/Late+Octoober+104.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>This tiny diamond paned window was a choice made during the process of construction</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">My research also led me to Witold Rybczinsky’s <i><b>The Most Beautiful House in The World</b></i>, a great read about a Canadian architect’s efforts to fashion a boathouse that would be both functional and compatible with its rural context. Rybczinsky's boathouse could have taken any form he chose to give it, but after a long process of investigation he opted to make it compatible with the traditional forms of rural buildings in his Quebec township. One idea that stayed with me was the notion that each building speaks a distinct language, and that comprehending its design-vocabulary furnishes the tools for designing other structures compatibly. This is a simple thought but one that's frequently disregarded when new buildings appear next to old and the setting is treated as a blank slate. A more fitting goal, certainly in a heritage context, is to try to establish a respectful dialogue between entities that results in a harmonious ensemble. Armed with this idea, I decided to approach the exterior design of my shed by basing it on the key design-elements of the house it would live alongside. This didn’t mean it couldn’t have novel or even exotic aspects like the transom and stained-glass windows, rather that these elements would be fitted into a fabric common to both buildings.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Every building has a design vocabulary that can be employed to create compatible structures</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">Siting the new building was an interesting process in its own right, even though the structure was small and had the simplest of footprints. I already knew pretty well where it was going to fit, which was close to where the existing shed sat in the northwest corner of the lot. The old shed, now demolished, had apparently been dragged there from a nearby locale and plunked down rather haphazardly. However, tweaking this rather random placement would allow the new shed to effectively mask a compost heap and other garden operations taking place in the north corner of the lot. So to begin with, the new placement was indicated by prior choice.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvdOb5Ipgbmp9PYExfTFD572uNzmVghWYBEs2KXLcGvEBUFYb07tNJAhkIw8SWnkur66eOMyHTXTnQEdNE9u5UEMa-Yl07YDrs-wflz4qhB1NO8Oj6MOkdXOl5lHPMemoRjT5H5I6BSok/s640/next+to+last+025.jpg" width="424" /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">Yet there remained things to consider and small adjustments to be made: foremost the goal of optimizing the view of the shed through the kitchen windows. I wanted to ensure it would serve as a focal point that drew the eye and, once the building was electrified, offer a way of illuminating the garden at night. This was a matter of inching the building along its proposed axis and tilting it a few degrees more towards the rear fence. Also important was fitting it comfortably into the oak meadow in a manner consistent with how the land forms and trees run together. I began the process by pegging out a prospective placement with corner stakes, then outlining the rectangle with string, and finally adjusting its dimensions to meet bylaw requirements. I used step-ladders and two-by-fours to guage the impact of various building heights. Finally I dragged out my proposed windows and arranged them in possible walls, so I could visualize outcomes. Consistent with the main house, side windows would descend from horizontal trim bands, while end windows would float freely in siding space. My transom window layout also defined a minimum height and width for an end wall (so it could float in space, just) while setback requirements and maximum square footage under bylaws in turn defined the shed's length.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxU-K014mYXrXKDHlHaaG3mLoSNZ9Bod-dLGr9M1RruCqZM0VvNWu1VLtNJsf3A5y82ydZrvdY7hhFXWF-0sX6Vy1YHG-QwtSBaO-cJDVANSmPSrd7BKsA1d3s0T4TBFPiNcDKjqoCOs/s1600/Feb+2013+023.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxU-K014mYXrXKDHlHaaG3mLoSNZ9Bod-dLGr9M1RruCqZM0VvNWu1VLtNJsf3A5y82ydZrvdY7hhFXWF-0sX6Vy1YHG-QwtSBaO-cJDVANSmPSrd7BKsA1d3s0T4TBFPiNcDKjqoCOs/s640/Feb+2013+023.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The new shed sits at an oblique angle to the lot's perimeter and to the main house</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">The end result of this siting exercise was unusual in a rectilinear suburban world, because the shed as envisaged would angle obliquely towards the fences defining the property’s perimeter (at more or less a forty-five degree angle). Our eyes are habituated to oblongs aligned at sharp right angles, so this choice risked looking a bit eccentric. But not, I rationalized, out of place or in obvious error, as the shed’s consistency with features of the old house would make it feel as though it really belonged. If anything, it would look as though the current rectangular lot had been foisted on a pre-existing layout on more expansive grounds, which had in fact happened when the current lot was subdivided from the original holding!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">By employing the bungalow’s design vocabulary, other elements of the shed literally fell into place. The same elegant bevelled siding would define its exterior, while dimensional trim boards would frame its wall panels, corners, and the transitions between windows, doors and soffits. Scaling the trim boards involved choices, ultimately resolved with guidance from an expert carpenter, David Helland, and with close reference to a small addition Hubert Savage had made to the original house. In order to provide a walk-in closet off the main bedroom, he’d simply nestled a half-shed-form up against the rear wall of the main building. Interpreting Savage's leads on trim scaling and adopting the roof angle he’d given his half-gable further defined the shed’s exterior. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_VJpgXYVfgaw816cHcbblS94F-C6TZGao5JIvUK22xUHDmSQ6wzWBLCf8rbcp3UB3p_zmA-FATZ7Zaz6evoC0Iw71KUm73-hybl_vKpdt6gOJvFXOtm_8Umgs1FBr_PJdxYi-o01Y9OA/s1600/March+ment+080.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_VJpgXYVfgaw816cHcbblS94F-C6TZGao5JIvUK22xUHDmSQ6wzWBLCf8rbcp3UB3p_zmA-FATZ7Zaz6evoC0Iw71KUm73-hybl_vKpdt6gOJvFXOtm_8Umgs1FBr_PJdxYi-o01Y9OA/s640/March+ment+080.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A half-gable leaned against an end wall provided a template</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">There was never any doubt in my mind that my garden shed should sit as close to the ground as possible. That would make it functional for trucking things, like a lawnmower and bikes, in and out, rather than schlepping them up steps or over a sill to enter. In this location runoff wasn’t going to be a problem, so neither was setting the building close to the ground. My neighbor’s house, a no-step cottage on a pad placed where a grass tennis court had once been, showed just how functional this design could be (minus the sunken living room, which was below grade and filled up when a neighbour's above-ground pool burst!). Also, a building sitting at grade was consistent with the design ethos of early bungalows, reflected in my own home’s garden façade. The simplest, most durable (and most expensive) way to do this would be to pour a concrete pad on the ground and erect the structure on it. This technique, sometimes called slab-on-grade, was often utilized by architects like Frank Lloyd Wright to reinforce horizontality and make buildings appear to rise directly out of the earth.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Running the skirting board just above ground level makes the shed seem to rise from it</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">When it came time to construct the shed, I informed my accommodating builder (who fashioned most of the materials we would use) that I wanted it framed with two-by-fours consistent with the era of the main house, not today’s second-growth lumber-yard sticks. There being no such beast available off the shelf, David furnished a supply by ripping two-by-sixteen joists from a demolished Victoria warehouse into two-by-fours. This wood was so dense that it dulled table-saw blades rapidly, and in some instances had to be drilled before a nail could be pounded into it. But as framing material, it lent the emerging structure an incredibly chunky and solid feeling, still evident inside as the walls remain unfinished to this day (it is after all a shed). It also gave it bones of old growth fir sawn early in the twentieth century, while taking wood recycling to a higher level.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7uSe41sIczlXB7-HUDsdsGEX8b2nklyzMaZQ2DYuOYF75jXA0XiaJR3pAQm0PN1a3SWQM-ff5mukAWcxOSizCNN6pB8XdR2jcmUt9nGMvyEZWPdEFMlLBPTULf2PxJqHMmsQrrzvToM/s1600/var+017.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7uSe41sIczlXB7-HUDsdsGEX8b2nklyzMaZQ2DYuOYF75jXA0XiaJR3pAQm0PN1a3SWQM-ff5mukAWcxOSizCNN6pB8XdR2jcmUt9nGMvyEZWPdEFMlLBPTULf2PxJqHMmsQrrzvToM/s640/var+017.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Recycled wood from a demolished warehouse gives the shed a very solid skeleton</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">Construction started with the erection of forms to contain the concrete slab foundation. Rebar that would strengthen the concrete was placed on a compacted gravel base that had been capped with a vapour barrier. The forms were raised around the edges, creating a lift to which the shed’s wooden sill plate would be bolted. David built the forms and placed the rebar over several days, and then one afternoon two cement finishers arrived on the job. Shortly afterwards a small cement truck with a mini-pumper began transferring a few yards of wet concrete to the tiny pad. This was a remarkable operation that avoided the huge mess of mixing and wheel-barrowing concrete in a developed back garden. It was fascinating watching these highly skilled finishers draw a firm shape out of the slurry that oozed from the pipe.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjt1dJpQ8rT5vFe3NcewbG1vHpb8R7iYF7u3U6QMTJ87gGMD8Y1ymanVVBpimxSjIxDOF-WsBiOdoE6nG3Ros_Wen4rQyPkSZVYbBrtq-VjnB3c17JJttJuQA6k6QYDn7PuZD8OJR220/s1600/lineup+011.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjt1dJpQ8rT5vFe3NcewbG1vHpb8R7iYF7u3U6QMTJ87gGMD8Y1ymanVVBpimxSjIxDOF-WsBiOdoE6nG3Ros_Wen4rQyPkSZVYbBrtq-VjnB3c17JJttJuQA6k6QYDn7PuZD8OJR220/s640/lineup+011.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">It took some time for the concrete pad to set and strengthen, during which time it was filled with water to slow its curing and ultimately increase its strength. As it was autumn, this pond quickly accumulated fallen oak leaves that turned it the colour of long-steeped tea (leaving me to wonder if the floor would be stained that colour, which it was not). It was during this interval that many final design details were agreed between David and me, there being no design or construction drawings to work from apart from the picture of the proposed transom layout. One important detail was a design for the shed's door, to be placed on the wall most visible from the main house.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjefBsItrhmP5Riij0CXzo5wgiCz_VjpMz70RkqOr5hMvcojJax83PmntM4PXXA3zk4ge8Bfn_6P4X4DK_pNCmt-pqvsCGpzh59IDBgUpLIqSe7OfJg5BXv5MJInd8kmzN2uMaw0f4iEHA/s1600/Late+Octoober+103.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjefBsItrhmP5Riij0CXzo5wgiCz_VjpMz70RkqOr5hMvcojJax83PmntM4PXXA3zk4ge8Bfn_6P4X4DK_pNCmt-pqvsCGpzh59IDBgUpLIqSe7OfJg5BXv5MJInd8kmzN2uMaw0f4iEHA/s640/Late+Octoober+103.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">Here I opted to reinforce the visual connection to the main house by having David copy its rear door. Of course it had to be rescaled for the new building, but its features were reproduced. Twinning the back door further catalyzed the dialogue we were hoping to establish between the two buildings. It also seemed entirely fitting to reproduce it, as it appears to be an original design (perhaps devised by Savage himself) making it a novelty in an era when doors were typically factory-made. This door is unusual in having a slim interior compartment that serves to contain alternating glazed or screened panels – a clever idea that enables ventilation without having to keep the door open or add a screen door, which is highly desirable in a country place where the mice want to come inside. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaffeK0fqYMbfmPrLqsPrjURMszMjs5cpjvm7LeoQ1lBzPLv9ukqh3uYjKdKFJklknHlubUy6sJl_8JiqWjUUMgGUhpIs7ZJfB0xo1WibvqZHEKOqVyj5HSwGpnIRI_RrIJXtsQVIlVqA/s1600/Maybe+221.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaffeK0fqYMbfmPrLqsPrjURMszMjs5cpjvm7LeoQ1lBzPLv9ukqh3uYjKdKFJklknHlubUy6sJl_8JiqWjUUMgGUhpIs7ZJfB0xo1WibvqZHEKOqVyj5HSwGpnIRI_RrIJXtsQVIlVqA/s640/Maybe+221.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Casement windows enable ventilation on hotter days and animate the garden facade</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">Once the concrete was fully set, construction of the structure could begin in earnest. Placing the windows in real time involved some precise decisions about trim, most of which I’m very satisfied with to this day. However, if I could go back and do it over again, I’d probably modify the arch above the transom to make it follow the window’s elliptical shape more closely – but that’s a fine point and the choice in place is not discordant. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QLLe1hn2N7C4-kRK2xgsIxjT7qvXmPbDKlBiKARblbBYSIDyccW6WPIdnzIYmlrwdFCMdRf64lWR-9-DjrDrf0kgLak7qe75Xn9Pclq3RqlebtcOnFJ33ZozK0cFye0vPHmzbiYGiBs/s1600/Maybe+155.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QLLe1hn2N7C4-kRK2xgsIxjT7qvXmPbDKlBiKARblbBYSIDyccW6WPIdnzIYmlrwdFCMdRf64lWR-9-DjrDrf0kgLak7qe75Xn9Pclq3RqlebtcOnFJ33ZozK0cFye0vPHmzbiYGiBs/s640/Maybe+155.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Trim over the transom could have echoed its line more closely</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">During the framing process, I asked David to inch the stained glass windows southwards along the side wall, so the one facing the kitchen wouldn’t be hidden by the massive oak standing beside the shed. This allowed their pretty flower pattern to show fully at night when backlit by an interior light. Finally, after all the walls had been framed but before the siding went up, I found myself asking David to incorporate a small diamond-paned window into the rear wall, which until then had been left blank. This was an architectural whim, perhaps a bit much in a shed with windows on three sides already, but I happened to have just the tiny diamond-paned window for the location, and it added disproportionately to the building’s emerging personality.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPTNAEasj8C5sdP3WPF50ulBHw4CquBwLrk9SU6zYdR2den1V2P6wTOwnsDovfS1RpywEfD7XswuqqBEaHe-Iwn12qvCvvZrr_dKWpQPnC5_Z1NvUUIOZurlI2oJ59GEiqphvk8Fr1-o/s1600/var+032.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPTNAEasj8C5sdP3WPF50ulBHw4CquBwLrk9SU6zYdR2den1V2P6wTOwnsDovfS1RpywEfD7XswuqqBEaHe-Iwn12qvCvvZrr_dKWpQPnC5_Z1NvUUIOZurlI2oJ59GEiqphvk8Fr1-o/s640/var+032.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The framing shows this window was added as an after-thought</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">The siding went up over a few days, an act that truly marked the transition from an assemblage of materials to built object. Finally the new door appeared and was hung with a drip ledge attached to it to cast moisture away from the building. Construction drew to a close with the installation of a shingle roof, wooden gutters and metal downspouts. For a time the new shed sat starkly in the garden, dressed severely in its white undercoating, with only a tiny hint of the prior lives of its windows still visible in their divergent colours. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiT6eFFi89Xl_wEMYRqhx9BPCTieHmcsMdAGf0tBgSriAVhYwUAKO59o1ty0_VuLKuC-IxJILXJo1WGhBi1FCKCSz8lvuQGmLndj_ZZ2IwaYuETKgWG8gZzcKoBnQRVKW97K5uhCiJICQ/s1600/lineup+016.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiT6eFFi89Xl_wEMYRqhx9BPCTieHmcsMdAGf0tBgSriAVhYwUAKO59o1ty0_VuLKuC-IxJILXJo1WGhBi1FCKCSz8lvuQGmLndj_ZZ2IwaYuETKgWG8gZzcKoBnQRVKW97K5uhCiJICQ/s640/lineup+016.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The door has just been hung, the building now awaits the painter's finishing touches</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">Shortly afterwards it was painted identically to the main house, and magically the little structure appeared to have always been where it now sits, a close relation of the original building. Today it serves as a beautiful ornament anchoring the garden composition while providing a focal point for daily views from the kitchen, which is certainly the most-used room in the house. It also serves storage functions capably, being high enough to allow tall people to move around inside without bumping their heads. This little building that’s done up like a much bigger one elicits no end of positive comment from viewers, and to me it brings real delight. Creating this small structure was an entirely satisfying personal process, in large part because of the skilled people who worked so enthusiastically on it and invested so much care in its construction. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBZcMpkv_6rtNPadMSqjFNi2NkhHIhDYZaNalFvqn39BgcOq9VIFpnfWBJYX2_hZGBXIG87p9TdYWwrPmSobOBCptb3pyj3uhNccheBX5OB5c4SAaGL4foVgyQuu_leqgorAfHaSztI8c/s1600/Maybe+056.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBZcMpkv_6rtNPadMSqjFNi2NkhHIhDYZaNalFvqn39BgcOq9VIFpnfWBJYX2_hZGBXIG87p9TdYWwrPmSobOBCptb3pyj3uhNccheBX5OB5c4SAaGL4foVgyQuu_leqgorAfHaSztI8c/s640/Maybe+056.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Sitting in the landscape like it's always been part of the scene</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">Later I took the opportunity created by the new building to meet the need for garden lighting by recycling a couple of outside lights originally on the main building. These were simple moulded glass shades from a prior era that I’d chosen to replace with a couple of the more elegant metal lanterns available today. These inexpensive shades fit perfectly under the corner eaves on the garden façade, providing welcome illumination of landscape contours at night. This adds real dimension to the evening from within the house, and it provided a further opportunity to reuse a piece of the site's past.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjcZBhWPgUI89oUen-ACpl1QCGNNz97Payg3Q1tcy_8OQCTqpEWyOeHWlXjidPO_0DRdwO2LPnwZrrCXB46VMKvGQR_fJ1txvMBYH3bRecJJLohvJ3EFFMlZ7DQkjVE9ooP_dKpDkK9Fg/s1600/var+028.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjcZBhWPgUI89oUen-ACpl1QCGNNz97Payg3Q1tcy_8OQCTqpEWyOeHWlXjidPO_0DRdwO2LPnwZrrCXB46VMKvGQR_fJ1txvMBYH3bRecJJLohvJ3EFFMlZ7DQkjVE9ooP_dKpDkK9Fg/s640/var+028.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A glass shade recycled from the old house lends authenticity</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">To me, this shed represents a sincere attempt to build respectfully in a heritage context, something I'd adopted as a kind of mantra after becoming involved in heritage advocacy around Victoria. At one level, the problem of preserving heritage buildings is simply that of keeping them in good repair, and failing that, of restoring them when they've deteriorated so that the interventions are imperceptible. I was having the experience of returning an older building to a state of good repair with the 1913 bungalow, but the prospect of adding a new building to the setting represented an opportunity to address another heritage dilemma. When adding to an historic context, the challenge is one of ensuring that new construction doesn't compete with what preceded it. This is more difficult today than may be thought, because western societies have given the modernist mainstream permission to erect new buildings next to old, or additions to them, that either confront or outright contradict them. Novelty and statement tend to trump respect and dialogue. There is the further challenge of working through a modern building culture whose unexamined assumptions can skew the outcome one is seeking.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZneEF429k_y3VpNnVH4Yh77ef_yzPDzkyxTNHprf3XrGuwsP_qoZVYpGgCSuln2Zfxt8qD3OnizkD0sHrzFxXvtVkhWJTfuz32m28cHfXFTn_XyugwlfvNr_EkAN8PcLlOM-RPbhEa0c/s1600/var+078.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZneEF429k_y3VpNnVH4Yh77ef_yzPDzkyxTNHprf3XrGuwsP_qoZVYpGgCSuln2Zfxt8qD3OnizkD0sHrzFxXvtVkhWJTfuz32m28cHfXFTn_XyugwlfvNr_EkAN8PcLlOM-RPbhEa0c/s640/var+078.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A stone apron gives the entry way a bit of a rustic look</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">Failure to respect the design parameters of individual landmarks or ensembles of existing structures can quickly do a disservice to the past. In the case of my shed, an honest functional structure could have been inserted without detracting much from the whole - but attempting to render this shed compatibly was an experience I personally wanted to have. I was acutely aware that the main building was one of a kind, so making an addition to the site fit in with it seemed appropriate. I'm personally very satisfied with the results. Once put into the same colour scheme as the main dwelling, my little eye-catcher immediately began conversing amiably with its surroundings. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ZfW1hHJuWzDfSNb38re6b9ezSnMGZrtwlnaqdETPqROLxkmMoqTZ-xyufQ2UpwkO7i4qL07NT88TERBIO6fIHK1l5CAyNGDjcKofHN89ZLpCzcgyJQULFKQIK9IDoKeAbY-mOcazZ0Y/s1600/Maybe+261.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ZfW1hHJuWzDfSNb38re6b9ezSnMGZrtwlnaqdETPqROLxkmMoqTZ-xyufQ2UpwkO7i4qL07NT88TERBIO6fIHK1l5CAyNGDjcKofHN89ZLpCzcgyJQULFKQIK9IDoKeAbY-mOcazZ0Y/s640/Maybe+261.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Mowing the lawn in spring's lush growth refreshes the landscape around the building</b></span></td></tr>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">After more than a decade of glimpsing this shed in every season and in all weathers, while working around it or from inside the house, I am still enamoured by the way it models the changing light of the moment in its seasonal moods. Here are a few samples of that varying play of light on structure:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLgg4AoxDj0Rwm7xaGhMpJsyhuYDrrVRiHNoOVMKgxqCxy1gDmTfCS4KEkwcZdr1UFJB2vthQeAwQ7k6Tc9CIWVJfwelOjV1cETyKMmMXa_dQskzz5NqC-4eMYs4RU6tLd-0HAnlZf8S8/s1600/House+and+garden+006.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLgg4AoxDj0Rwm7xaGhMpJsyhuYDrrVRiHNoOVMKgxqCxy1gDmTfCS4KEkwcZdr1UFJB2vthQeAwQ7k6Tc9CIWVJfwelOjV1cETyKMmMXa_dQskzz5NqC-4eMYs4RU6tLd-0HAnlZf8S8/s640/House+and+garden+006.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Especially lovely in a light carpet of snow illuminated by warm winter light</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1FJtO5UxtALzouzXvYh5UKaoTLLheFGrdRxsB-CPflDiiicCrvAjaNjOm4IJMOL5VoeBCWKNv15jLXVkWJXjTtjpUp-vI1Pg3E0TjV7jIwaMw_q2pF-mr7EE04i9cRCR4bWYt7Q9fvQ/s1600/late+November+2012+004.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1FJtO5UxtALzouzXvYh5UKaoTLLheFGrdRxsB-CPflDiiicCrvAjaNjOm4IJMOL5VoeBCWKNv15jLXVkWJXjTtjpUp-vI1Pg3E0TjV7jIwaMw_q2pF-mr7EE04i9cRCR4bWYt7Q9fvQ/s640/late+November+2012+004.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A break in November's blahs returns the sunlight, soaked up by lichen on a sodden roof </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Serving as a focal point from the north side path, made lovelier with fresh snow</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Western light reflects from diamond paned windows in May</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Austere but encouraging late January sun, towards the end of day</b></span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqgJ_KVg8WOJel3pKBKjpSdvH6EAGhFaSbTMl4i1vq47EzBJDiZ8OQac4DjiMWeLUvi7jbnsvCYpeXTnqrNIWnOw5tUKiNjvqXjwYIXoeM1YlrBH_j9jHlaU0rIifCHQ8pCGQ1v9bm3ks/s1600/Octoober+085.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqgJ_KVg8WOJel3pKBKjpSdvH6EAGhFaSbTMl4i1vq47EzBJDiZ8OQac4DjiMWeLUvi7jbnsvCYpeXTnqrNIWnOw5tUKiNjvqXjwYIXoeM1YlrBH_j9jHlaU0rIifCHQ8pCGQ1v9bm3ks/s640/Octoober+085.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>October adds a carpet of fallen oak leaves to the greening landscape</b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-77435738140447648972013-06-25T06:38:00.008-07:002023-05-05T07:31:01.267-07:00Sourcing Craft Skills For Heritage Restoration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<![endif]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="font-size: x-large;">“Hiring someone else
to do things has its own set of problems. For one thing, most contractors are
set in their ways, and a lot of them don’t understand old houses. And even
people in the trades have bought into the ‘no-maintenance’ crap to some extent,
and like many people they are motivated by money, so the guy you hire to clean
the gutters will try to talk you into replacing them instead (more money for
him) or whoever you call to fix the windows will try to sell you replacement
windows (also more money for them.) And people just seem to have gotten out of
the habit of fixing things. …In either case, it’s important to educate
yourself, whether you plan to do any work yourself or not. Armed with
information about the way things used to be done, or ought to be done, in the
house will be useful when you are told “nobody does that any more” or “nobody
makes those now- you need to get X.”<b> Jane Powell, noteworthy bungalow author</b></span> </span></span></div>
<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiBNHDDFcfad-xMSnIG7_lb4L7_ixWC5fQWRkGUBbuFZ0Q0mIDY-JOJa9ussPiuvPbMOJ2Zp0bTEw4wyjCtyVGTzQEzkNDNTstfWis-9z_j3ChPyuICAV_cm2hT1ZOBWavLwFr8PLCPG0/s1600/Sourcing+004.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiBNHDDFcfad-xMSnIG7_lb4L7_ixWC5fQWRkGUBbuFZ0Q0mIDY-JOJa9ussPiuvPbMOJ2Zp0bTEw4wyjCtyVGTzQEzkNDNTstfWis-9z_j3ChPyuICAV_cm2hT1ZOBWavLwFr8PLCPG0/s640/Sourcing+004.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><b>Summer of 88: house and grounds as they appeared in the year of purchase</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<br />
<span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>Many factors work against heritage homes keeping their original
look and feeling, foremost a lack of awareness on the part of homeowners and poor
craft skills among contractors.</b> Few of us today are even handy, let alone knowledgeable
about heritage carpentry or the mysteries of knob and tube wiring. The easiest, quickest choice is to agree to have it torn out and replaced by contemporary models. After all, our contractors
work in the idiom of the day, prizing speed of execution and invariably using the cheapest materials. But you
simply can’t keep faith with the details of an older house if your starting
point is current materials and skills. On bungalows, accurate proportioning and
appropriate materials largely constitute the details.</span></div>
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<span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">When I bought the Hubert Savage bungalow back in 1988, I had no inkling there were special skills needed to repair something in the spirit
of original work. All I knew was that the house itself had character, inside and out,
and that I was determined to keep it intact. This was a brave choice, as it
always is, somewhat foolhardy and definitely (as I would soon learn) not for the faint of heart! My
choice of a 75-year-old wooden house positioned me to learn the hard way about
the modern building culture’s disregard for the special needs of older houses. Fortunately
for mine, I didn’t get too far down that path before correcting course – but it
could so easily have been otherwise!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><b>1999: 11 years on, exterior repair is finally under way</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>I’d been seeking a house with a pedigree, what’s called ‘a
character home’ in local parlance: meaning exposed wood, a fireplace in a generous
living room, some built-ins and maybe a window seat.</b> Also, in my awareness, a house whose appearance beguiled
the eye rather than flipping it the bird, as so many stucco boxes do. I didn’t
know this often meant 'arts-and-crafts,' yet. But when I first saw the Savage bungalow at
an open house in the week it came on the market, I knew it was for me before I had even made it through the front door. I was seduced by its distinctive cross-gabled
façade and its welcoming verandah with heavy timbers and high stone piers. Perched high on a
rocky, treed site, it oozed curb appeal (even though there were then no curbs,
this being original suburbia) and charm: a small, artistic house in a picturesque setting. The would-be gardener in me was also thoroughly taken with the possibilities of the site, which appeared inexhaustible.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><b>Rotten trim boards and siding close to the ground need replacing nearly ninety years on<br /></b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Touring the inside with a gaggle of potential buyers, I quickly
noted some of the incongruous updating that had put me off quickly in other
character homes. Typically such ‘remuddlings’ (as Jane Powell puts it so aptly) vie baldly with the original building program,
inducing feelings of pessimism about ever trying to put it all right. If you find
yourself doubting the money and effort it would take to undo some garrish twist of new decor,
the message is that you likely aren’t really sold on the underlying structure. In this
case I felt strangely indifferent to the mistakes, cavalier even about putting
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><b>Stripped down, ready to receive the newly made bits: a scary point in restoration</b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><b>Trim, skirting, water table and siding replaced, the new shingle roof finally going up</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Of course, kitchen and bathroom had been redone on the cheap (Cubbon Home Centre quality),
with some jarring faux effects: remember ‘cultured marble’ countertops, that
unlovely amalgam of cement and glossy plastic finish? Shower tub (no shower in sight). Errors of judgment (wall-to-wall shag carpets in the rear of the house),
crude alterations (wall ripped out, scars unhealed) and tacky repairs (plywood panel in the Craftsman
front door) rounded out the accumulating sins casually visited on an innocent older
house. And there was, of course, long-deferred maintenance inside and out, with
ominous unknowns like a missing crawlspace door. I winced at these challenges but wasn’t put off, because the
house had such great bones and so much of its original detailing was intact. Despite manifold affronts to its character, I saw an aesthetic whole worthy of restoring to an original
glory. Throwing caution to the winds, I made an offer that evening.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><b>Thirteen years later, the reno and new paint job are aging well - or so we thought at the time!</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>Lack of experience with older buildings – really, with buildings
of any kind – meant I hadn’t a clue what I was getting into</b>, <b>almost guaranteeing
that initial efforts would go amiss. </b>And they did! Optimistically, I hired a
man who advertised himself as a ‘retired craftsman’ to fix a few things at the outset of my tenure,
like the crumbling firebox in the living room. He turned out to be a complete
imposter, and I had to send him away and then quickly try to undo the impressive
damage he’d wreaked in just a few hours on the job (like slathering grey woodstove cement all over
loose firebox bricks and their decorative cheeks, for example). </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><b>Trouble in paradise: drooping soffit signals that some hidden rot was missed on the first foray</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><b>A sinking feeling accompanies this new journey into the unknown - it's worse than imagined</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">One thing I did understand from the outset was that water had
to be kept out of the building, so my second foray in renewal was getting the rotted
gutters and missing downspouts at the rear of the house fixed before the rainy season. I resolved to use
more-qualified personel this time. Rejecting metal replacements – a latent purist
from the start! – I opted instead to source clear cedar guttering from Vintage Woodworks. Watching a
European carpenter put them up in what appeared to be a professional manner, I began
to realize just how much finesse it takes to install custom historic components. It
would turn out though, a few years on, that even this bona fide carpenter lacked
some of the finer points of installing wooden guttering (like treating the
inside with pitch to protect it from rot, and aligning angles perfectly to
avoid standing water). These failings would lead slowly but surely to the premature
replacement of some components, a half century sooner than should have been necessary.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><b>Master carpenter Vern Krahn, equipped to make/place wooden components with precision</b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">
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<span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>The (European-trained) carpenter who fixed my rear gutters also repaired a crude wall opening replacing a cooling cupboard screen with
a cat door, affording easy access to the local tomcats.</b> This required sourcing some
of the elegant beveled siding that reinforces the Savage bungalow's classy horizontal lines.
After he’d finished, it was apparent that the new pieces were of marginally smaller
dimension than the originals, a fact that tended to broadcast the repair rather
than blending it seamlessly into the background. This misstep forced further learning
on my part: about the necessity of replacing like with like, and the fact that
'like' usually isn’t available off the shelf, and finally by extension, that it
was necessary to find the skillset that enables 'like' to be custom-made to precise scale. This also gradually brought about the realization that all assumptions had to be clarified
carefully in advance of any work occurring.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><b>Vern fits clear fir replacements onto existing barge boards: precise work in a challenging location</b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">
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up a building, trim for finishing (in a word, the modern building culture). It turned out there’s
a third form of carpentry that includes both of these and all the craft that typically goes missing in between
– namely, an ability to exactly fashion replacement components and so replicate original
work, a skill that's sometimes referred to as ‘joinery’. For upkeep and restoration of
older wooden buildings, you simply must have a carpenter with architectural
joinery skills, and that’s a very rare beast (and getting rarer). And s/he ideally also has knowledge
of historic building processes, so is a heritage carpenter to boot, which is
even rarer still.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><b>Re-restored at last: seamless repair ready for the paint that will hide the signs of intervention</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>So began my reflections on the special ways of working with
older buildings</b>. Turns out it takes as much planning and investigating as it does doing. Fortunately
I’d become Council Liaison to the municipal heritage advisory committee, which began my schooling in the mysteries
of renewing and recycling older structures. This led in turn to formal designation of my own bungalow (heritage-listed already) in order to protect it against unilateral
changes by other owners down the road. Designation is in effect a type of zoning that removes the homeowner's ability
to willynilly alter the form of a heritage structure, without seeking approval from the heritage
advirsory committee. This gives some assurance that what's being proposed is more likely to fit with what already exists. Taking this step fortified my personal resolve to gather
the knowledge needed to repair and restore with true fidelity to the art
expressed in the original.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><b>Over some weeks, Vern worked his way along the facade repairing soffits and replacing gutters</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">One thing I discovered by being a member of the local heritage committee was that the City
of Victoria maintained a list of craftspeople qualified to work on restoration
projects. This proved really helpful, as it led me to a seasoned master
carpenter named David Helland. David not only visited the house to assess it, but also brought a photo album of his heritage
projects. This in turn allowed me to review his work at several sites and so reassure me about his
abilities. When the time finally came to tackle the exterior of the bungalow,
David would have the ability to manufacture any and every wooden component required
for restoration, from elegant drop siding to projecting water table. This afforded me confidence that he would be able to bring off the process to a high standard, which he very capably did!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><b>Six gable tips and the runs of guttering around them all needed significant interventions</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><b>Replacing 'like' with 'like' is what quality restoration is all about</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>Of course, there are skills other than joinery that go into
the mix for certain specialized components</b>, <b>like putting up a new cedar shingle
roof</b>. The natural temptation is to think that anyone who shingles can put up a cedar
roof, but that’s a real mistake. Also, that a sawn shingle is a sawn shingle,
which is absolutely not the case (like everything, there are grades). Again I unearthed someone seasoned in the craft with the
help of the Victoria list and solicited a bid – his wasn’t the lowest by a long shot, but
opting for low bid usually leads straight to a corner-cutting contractor and a
cheap and nasty job! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><b>A U-shaped run of wood guttering being readied for placement</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><b>Talk about a difficult worksite - a drawback of picturesque siting</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Master roofer Bill Haley brought his lifetime of experience
to the project and did an ace job of overseeing the return of the roof to its
original look. Bill had the presence of mind to photograph certain fine details
before stripping the accumulated layers of old roofing off (there were three layers, including the original shingles), gaining a precise record of things
like the tiny lift blocks at the bargeboard ends, for example. This proved invaluable,
because when three layers of roofing masking an underlying structure are removed, such
details easily disappear with them. Without the pictures, one might have rebuilt
them without the riser blocks and lost the slightly oriental shift they impart to the Tudor
look – a distinctive regional arts-and-crafts touch consistent with west coast
bungalow design.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><b>Tweaking the job: a slightly warped bargeboard is coaxed back into position using a clamp</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>A similar find was needed in order to deal with chimney
repairs, and later with rebuilding of the firebox (the fireplace’s inner
hearth)</b>. There were spalling bricks (chunks of the face popping off), some
inconsistent repointing and brick replacing, and as is often the case, earlier repairs
had clearly come at the expense of chimney details, in the form of corbelling that was simply
removed (quite likely because it costs more and takes more skill to step
brickwork decoratively). Fortunately my second master carpenter, Vern Krahn,
referred me to Udo Heineman, a master mason, who even approaching eighty years
of age was able to take the chimney down to the roofline and then rebuild it to
its original glory, working solo!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><b>Chimney details restored after the roof has been replaced</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">There are challenges particular to specific trades that at
times may seem insurmountable. Like electricians, who have a tendency to rip open wall
surfaces to facilitate the rewiring of older houses. This can do significant damage to interior heritage details, without really careful oversight. The alternative is a person willing to take more time and develop real creativity. I was most fortunate to find retired electrician
Monty Gill, who was truly inventive at pulling wires without destroying walls, but this it turns out is a
rarity.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><b>Good restoration entails protecting all original details, duplicating precisely and only as needed</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>I could go on and on about the process and skills that go
into good restoration work.</b> The point, however, is that it’s not anything like regular
construction, or renovating a house where conserving the original look,
footprint and floorplan don’t figure into the equation. Bungalows (and heritage homes of all eras) require a much
more discerning approach based on applying the right skills, along with quality materials (old growth fir) and a lot of care and patience in execution. And a worthy outcome requires really good
communication as the project advances.</span><br />
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<span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><i>As Canadian architectural critic Witold Rybczynksi says, every building speaks a distinct language, so those who work on it need to master that language in order that what they repair be fully consistent with it.</i> To do that effectively, they have to be able to read the original language. This is also the discipline in which careful work roots any innovation that extends the original structure.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14xaM3A7FqSwfNqfAHmEWv-hFWFIOHWrpqAKb6WzEC_M1RcyY_h4tsZKwfvyxbXx7q1JnR2LLjJEifAE75ZHCWKdHXfTaS6plgoKmftp6vnfMAFHNu6Zyqbu-GeXvAo0nrtnijz2hSls/s1600/Feb+2012+093.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14xaM3A7FqSwfNqfAHmEWv-hFWFIOHWrpqAKb6WzEC_M1RcyY_h4tsZKwfvyxbXx7q1JnR2LLjJEifAE75ZHCWKdHXfTaS6plgoKmftp6vnfMAFHNu6Zyqbu-GeXvAo0nrtnijz2hSls/s200/Feb+2012+093.jpg" width="132" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Here are some simple rules that increase the likelihood of attaining compatible results:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <i> </i></span><i>Resist
the temptation to do it all at once, as desirable as that outcome may seem. </i>Hurrying to get it all done leads to mistakes you’ll come to regret, and to less than optimal
outcomes. Biting off more than you can chew deprives you of the advantages of 'the learning effect', which leads directly to mental indigestion. <i>So learn from
each step,</i> because you’ll nearly always see things you missed afterwards, and that will
affect how you approach whatever you tackle next. <i>Find that heritage list of skilled artisans and review the actual working record of the names on it</i>; try to pick
someone who cares about heritage, and understands that your building’s
restoration matters to you and to the broader community.</span><br />
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<span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><i>Read about successful projects and look at any you have access to.</i> Study the details of your own place and document them with photographs (like Bill Haley did). <i>Recognize that the homeowner is in fact the
general contractor, and that a general contractor oversees the entire process and assures that each step happens in the proper sequence. </i>There is much to be gained from the choices that are made in the course of the job - but if you aren't around for them, they'll be made by others and the results may not be optimal. Put more positively, if you stay with the job as it progresses, you'll get to shape it in motion. If you aren't paying attention to it, you need to have a great deal of confidence in the person who is!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRLqfgRkhOPTXcf4O85u4nt4mlyxUY8BlAwffxarehKj24Xpik4_CcctA1H1U-NPtltSnfa0p3z4Rn053AV7weZ6eMDqCFbvyKuBLx-uuZ-7zTr0x5Sh2u37TxNNJkAcbW-0cPUQ6ZdU/s1600/James+Bay+067.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRLqfgRkhOPTXcf4O85u4nt4mlyxUY8BlAwffxarehKj24Xpik4_CcctA1H1U-NPtltSnfa0p3z4Rn053AV7weZ6eMDqCFbvyKuBLx-uuZ-7zTr0x5Sh2u37TxNNJkAcbW-0cPUQ6ZdU/s200/James+Bay+067.jpg" width="132" /></a><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>My experience over the past twenty-five years has been a
good one.</b> Though some may have marveled at my ability to tolerate an incomplete
state of affairs, the waiting and delay have more often than not led to better
outcomes, as projects are more thoughtfully worked through in advance of
execution. <i>Patience is certainly an important ingredient. Openness to learning
is another.</i> This is a big step for people who are not raised to be skilled, or
even competent, in working with wood and other housing materials. It involves
recovery of a relationship to building and the culture of building, and along the way, if we are open to growth and a journey, we may
surprise ourselves with the quality of work we can achieve. </span></div>
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David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-44405150492608357722013-05-26T09:58:00.025-07:002023-02-27T21:54:06.300-08:00A Printed Frieze By British Illustrator Lawson Wood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>My first encounter with artist Lawson Wood came unexpectedly with the discovery that a piece of his handiwork was affixed to my living room walls</b>. It was spring 1988, I had just bought a 1913 'character home' that turned out to be a bungalow, and I was still canvassing its unique details when I happened to notice that the frieze in the living room was actually signed 'Lawson Wood. 1921'. It’s not uncommon for bungalows to sport a frieze panel of some sort in the living room (a frieze is a horizontal band carrying a unique surface treatment, often a distinctive wallpaper or a textured surface)
but it is less usual for it to be signed artwork.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I had assumed that the series of agrarian scenes adorning my new living room was a print of some sort, an eye-catching
copy perhaps of an original illustration. Charming and unusual depictions of people and animals at
work on farmsteads ran half way around the room just beneath the beamed ceiling, punctuated into distinct panels by windows and bays rising high in the walls. It was while perusing a pastoral scene of sheep grazing near an old-fashioned windmill that I came upon the distinctive signature block shown above, making the frieze - like the house itself - potentially one
of a kind. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wHmldpzZcWlkRDyeac8H7vTpjt8T9di0VEkDtsrMh2aUqq1DbD1ricJG8TjhNYvh7U3nspmJoD6jnY3LjytlN7qOX9Ad21DU8lkUbIPPC8APyDRAiNIKmFxXSB5aLc61OjhN88eXo7k/s1600/First+tripods+004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wHmldpzZcWlkRDyeac8H7vTpjt8T9di0VEkDtsrMh2aUqq1DbD1ricJG8TjhNYvh7U3nspmJoD6jnY3LjytlN7qOX9Ad21DU8lkUbIPPC8APyDRAiNIKmFxXSB5aLc61OjhN88eXo7k/s640/First+tripods+004.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The frieze band, though occupying only a thin strip in a room with numerous wooden features, caught my eye the moment I entered it</b>. I happened to be among a crowd of
prospective buyers at a realtor's open house, all of us busily tallying the place's assets and liabilities according to our varying priorities. The frieze's unusual colour scheme and variety of farm scenes added to the uniqueness of a room
whose complex character was one of the reasons I would find myself making an offer to purchase later that afternoon. Habituated to modern rooms with unadorned walls and unrelieved volumes, I found one so loaded
with wooden wainscotting, beamed ceilings and a colourful frieze to be irresistibly atmospheric.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The friezes decorating bungalow living rooms tend to be horizontal bands of printed wallpaper with some sort of repeating pattern. This in turn is framed by a wooden rail or ledge, so it feels built into</b><b> the room's woodwork</b>. Friezes were in use prior to the bungalow era (running from roughly 1905 - 25) but those in bungalows tend towards motifs that are typically more spare than their Victorian precursors. Some bungalow friezes are simply comprised of textured materials, like grass matting or even burlap, applied directly to a backing panel. These decorative touches hark back to the bungalow's early use as a lodge or cottage-like structure in remote locations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Wallpaper friezes serve to soften the extensive but decoratively chaste use of wood characteristic of the principal rooms in bungalows (almost as if the walls were being treated as furniture, a la Gustav Stickley). Less
often, a frieze will come with an element of original work, like hand-stencilling, but
only rarely is one a continuous, non-repeating illustration. I couldn't help but wonder how the art had come to be on these walls, apparently fitted to the size of the room? Could it have been developed as an actual mural on site, I wondered early on? But that was an idea that would not withstand closer scrutiny.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Discovery of the stylized signature block piqued my curiosity about Lawson
Wood as an artist (I had never heard of him before) so I visited the library to see
what could be unearthed.</b> I didn't learn much except that he had enjoyed great commercial success as a caricaturist, in England and in North America, in the first half of the twentieth
century. This didn't explain a lot to me because my frieze certainly wasn't caricature per se, more like stylized illustration. Years later, with
the advent of the Internet, and then Google's search engine, a good deal more emerged about Lawson Wood, who turned out
to be a third generation artist who worked as an illustrator in many media, from magazines to commercial posters and even postcards. And, he was amazingly prolific.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The very first images to surface were of a popular, well-drawn (but to me, disappointingly silly)
series of cartoons featuring monkeys, one in particular called Gran’pop (see above) that
Wood’s British audience apparently found highly amusing, who subsequently became wildly popular in America too. Next there were samples of
covers he executed for Colliers (a successful mass circulation American magazine for four decades, with four million readers at its height) illustrations of striking quality, often involving animals, but mostly without any monkey-humour. Since then, more of the sophisticated side
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>But it was a conversation with Victoria artist Rosemary James Cross,
daughter of famous architect Percy Leonard James, that first lodged the
thought that Lawson Wood may also have illustrated children’s story books. </b>Rosemary knew
the Savage bungalow well from her youth, having attended many social functions there with her father
and her uncle, Douglas James, both friends and colleagues of architect Hubert Savage. She recalled
her fascination as a child with the frieze, whose figures she characterized as being "like something from a child’s story book". This conjecture turned out to be a great clue
to the varied talents and interests of its creator. While the frieze's scenes idealize a
settled agrarian way of life evoking adult nostalgia for a
disappearing past, the colours and styling of the farmers and animals reaches back to a tradition dating from the era of classic
storybook illustration (cf. Walter Crane and Kate Greenaway, circa 1890s). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The colourful illustrated strips of paper gracing the living room walls have only been seen by those who have lived here, and their guests,
over the course of nearly a century now. </b>So these pictures of the frieze likely represent the first publication of their details as found today. I think you will agree these farm scenes are absolutely delightful vignettes, conveying remarkable detail through simplified patches of distinct colours. Seeing them in situ is best, but unless one happens upon them at a moment when sunlight fills the room with the full force of its indirect light, the whole tableau tends to be taken in at a glance and the details
remain elusive. Placed so as not to have light fall directly upon them, many of the panels are semi-obscured due to the light-draining qualities of the room’s darkened
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>As to the painting's contents: all the scenes depicted here concern farm chores
and operations that are evidently set in the British, rather than in the British Columbia,
countryside.</b> They all appear to embody a kind of steady cooperation between animals and
humans that's more typical of husbandry in the pre-industrial era of mixed
farming, before the advent of specialization and 'production agriculture'. Figures, animals and scenery are presented in a manner that is rather quaint, but not at all whimsical (a quality that often prevails in Wood's cartooning).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>To a North American, the farmers here appear rather formally dressed
for the exertive nature of their work</b> <b>(which remained the way in traditional English
farming long after 1921).</b> But what jumps to my eye is Wood’s profound empathy for the farm animals, who
are here depicted with dignity and purpose (his control of animal proportions and movements is remarkable!). They are lifelike, well-cared-for and above
all possessed of a trusting innocence that relates to a distinct form of husbandry, all of which appears through Wood's simplified technique of rendering colours in patches and blocks. Had I possessed more knowledge of art techniques, I would have grasped that this implied they were designed as prints to be drawn from a master engraving.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Motive power on this farmstead is supplied by the massive Clydesdale-like
horses relied on prior to the advent of tractors</b>,<b> an era that persisted well into
the twentieth century in England.</b> At the time these rural scenes were depicted,
farming in North America was already far more mechanized (having deployed steam-tractors to break the land, it was now beginning the move into gas-powered tractors) and well on its way to becoming
truly industrial in nature. (Mass manufacturer Henry Ford introduced the wildly popular Fordson gas-powered tractor in 1917).<br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The date on these illustrations (1921) also places the work just three years
after a European war that saw the advent of fully mechanized slaughter, involving horrific carnage
of lives to no tactical purpose. The war also enveloped the cavalry steeds and the army of dray horses used to lug materiel around the
battlefields.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> As an enlisted man, Lawson Wood would have seen these horrifying scenes firsthand (he served as a spotter and was decorated by the French for valour shown at Vimy Ridge) and with his manifest sympathy for animals, must have been sorely affected by the cruelty inflicted on helpless working
horses by such intense, pointless warfare.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>However his sympathy for animals originated, Wood held a lifetime interest in the
plight of domesticated animals and was sensitive to their potential suffering
at the hands of humans.</b> Obviously he was keenly interested in them as subjects
too, and as the lifelike images in the frieze attest, he must have spent a lot of time closely observing their ways. While the array of colours sported by his dray
horses, steers or even his chickens is fanciful, his renderings of other creatures,
like crows and sheep, are depicted more sparely and even abstractly in simple black and buff
tones. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>So how did this decidedly British country scenery come to grace
a bungalow wall on Canada’s west coast?</b> My original surmise was that it was commissioned for the house, likely because
artist and architect knew each other, perhaps as friends from Savage's upbringing in London. This may have been no more than speculative thinking on my part, but the arrangement did appear to my naieve eye to have been commissioned for the locale. I even wondered whether Wood had visited the house after the war, and seen the room for himself before defining the work, but I have since come to realize that almost certainly Savage framed some pre-existing frieze panels to fit the space available. I have recently confirmed that the individual panels were cut from larger, continuous strips, having been shown an original print of the threshing scene (second photo, at the top) that in fact is far wider! And so I can confirm that Wood in fact must have run a copy of work he had already designed, colouring it to serve as a frieze expressly for the Savage bungalow.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I’ve found little recorded about Lawson Wood’s actual history
with animal welfare, but it was apparently extensive. A current Wikipedia
article reports that he eventually “established his own sanctuary for aging
animals,” and that in 1934 he was “awarded a fellowship of the Royal Zoological
Society for his work with animals and his concerns with their welfare”. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Animal sympathies notwithstanding, Lawson Wood obviously wasn’t against commercializing
their images for humour in order to make a living</b>. He’s known to have done very well from his popular
monkey series, going so far as merchandising them</span><span style="font-size: large;"> with a line of wooden children’s
toys known as the Lawson Woodies! There was even a contract to turn some of it into a Hollywood film production, but that was nipped in the bud by the advent of the second world war. Yet despite his commercial success with comedic art, Wood remained a serious
artist-illustrator whose brilliance shone through perhaps particularly in his print illustrations, including many delightful pieces for children’s
fairy tales and stories.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today Lawson Wood is enjoying something of a renaissance among the international community of illustrators. His work spans the period from the Gilded Age right up to the advent of the Cold War, and even illustrators working in domains he may have found foreign are inspired by his creative technique and sheer mastery of drawing and illustration. Sadly, the lion's share of images in circulation today still involve the monkey cartoons, which are nevertheless very well drawn.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Savage frieze clearly romanticizes a human-animal
partnership characteristic of an earlier phase of the British agricultural landscape. </b>It depicts it as purposefully arranged, mechanized but not motorized, and
decidedly not industrial in scale or technology. Animals retain a real dignity
even if their ultimate raison d’etre is to provide or become food. In this
sense the frieze’s contents fit well with bungalow (and Progressive)
era themes, harking back to earlier, simpler times that manifest a better balance
between the human and natural realms. This was a disappearing reality at the
dawn of mass production in fast-growing urban settings across North America. There is a certain irony in its appearance on a wall in a suburban home, itself a reaction against the rapid massing and mixing of peoples of all types in the urban realm.</span></p><p>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1DtCmBfpu_-9ASNF5g0ibGebDhPaXTnexpdDnQKVUtJ_qXNX1nu-7a6l2mz4BU9m437fOR7SobOg23YrYPhAZUuH4uMLZv2oiWOhmqoMuL024xDhkeoYnWYXv8w4JRfq9IB3sVYCJvpY/s2048/Wood+one.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1DtCmBfpu_-9ASNF5g0ibGebDhPaXTnexpdDnQKVUtJ_qXNX1nu-7a6l2mz4BU9m437fOR7SobOg23YrYPhAZUuH4uMLZv2oiWOhmqoMuL024xDhkeoYnWYXv8w4JRfq9IB3sVYCJvpY/w640-h426/Wood+one.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Modelling an ideal of
agrarian balance is perhaps intended to serve as a star to steer the little ship of family by</b>,<b>
as well as a way of capturing some of that innocent delight that accompanies the best of storybook illustration</b>. I
take the message to be one of enduring respect for agrarian and pastoral
endeavour, idealized here as mutually beneficial cooperation between man and
animal in a world where animals are treated with respect and
enjoy their own place. People and animals working alongside each other, in purposeful, caring relations. As we now know in a world of poultry batteries and CAFOs, this was not to be the case for much longer.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Having an artful representation as permanent décor brings some unique
challenges as regards conservation.</b> There is some damage to a couple of the
panels, one context piece above a doorway seems not to be part of the original work (or to have been rather crudely added), and there’s the unavoidable buildup
of grime from a century of use that included a smoky fireplace (and some unknown incidence of tobacco smoke). I foresee a paper
conservator being invited to recommend actions at some point in the
future. There’s also the thorny question of lighting the panels for better
viewing – whether and how to do it effectively but unobtrusively, so that their content
can be better enjoyed when the room is in social use.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">As I've noted before in previous posts, stewardship of an older building is a long road and the tasks are many and challenging. I'm approaching the point where maintenance and repair of the frieze is creeping onto my agenda, if I can actually source the appropriate skills. Sourcing the right skill set, perhaps the biggest challenge facing owners of heritage homes who value authenticity, forms the basis of my next post.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">For additional information about Lawson Wood, visit these sites:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/guide/draw-me-a-story-story-time-at-the-frick-center/</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you would like to get in touch with me, I'm at cubbs@telus.net</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-46721735214184787192013-04-20T08:17:00.131-07:002022-08-27T14:02:45.732-07:00Outside In: Designing With nature<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"When both inside and outside work hand in hand, the result is a home that extends far beyond its actual walls."</span><b> </b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Sarah Susanka, Home By Design</i></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMGTvLWaSDvH_sclIktA00eR4Tb4lkFKQX9ulUgAO_dnmesHOEguBud4Qvp6p9kuPfaGqlMqLkCTiPEeduDVbBGAKcm41XGXW1wy3bVjEQWxBv8X3GQVJwlFtBnJFbrrV4d2BzFJ9f0Ac/s1600/First+Nikon+Download+092.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMGTvLWaSDvH_sclIktA00eR4Tb4lkFKQX9ulUgAO_dnmesHOEguBud4Qvp6p9kuPfaGqlMqLkCTiPEeduDVbBGAKcm41XGXW1wy3bVjEQWxBv8X3GQVJwlFtBnJFbrrV4d2BzFJ9f0Ac/s640/First+Nikon+Download+092.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Small variations in wall planes extend the building into the landscape, helping unify both</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The idea that the inside and the exterior of a house could be unified with the building's immediate surroundings was a staple of arts-and-crafts thinking on both sides of the Atlantic.</b> Design parameters were needed in order to achieve this synthesis, and in North America the popular vehicle for these turned out to be the bungalow, especially as conceived for life in sunny southern California. This feat took place systematically in Los Angeles, where a genial climate and sustained in-migration saw modern subdivision-style development appear on a massive scale (between 1900 and 1910, LA nearly tripled in size; between 1910 and 1920, it nearly doubled). Many of the new subdivision homes bought by newcomers were bungalows, a building type already in vogue as recreational housing, many designed by architects despite being marketed as housing for the middle class. Essentially, a bungalow is a one-storey building with the principal rooms gathered under a massive gabled roof, but artful designers sometimes clustered these internal spaces under a collection of roof forms. Sometimes the attic was also used for additional space, by means of a shallow dormer; often the predominant roofline, pushed well out over its walls for sheltering effect, also sported subsidiary gables projecting over important spaces like verandahs and bay windows. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdm2D11IJtna-bCkNCgEATatDZUopLnYmIuSlHvbLLAimzrAReN3_11yDJ2Xhc5tGl3O-TC_IvSFl81xX4cjWeVT3EW0I0eHtgCjs6rWXGU5xJF_xpkEiuIkqud7M0wreqvKjCTXSGcEc/s2048/Calbung+Two.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdm2D11IJtna-bCkNCgEATatDZUopLnYmIuSlHvbLLAimzrAReN3_11yDJ2Xhc5tGl3O-TC_IvSFl81xX4cjWeVT3EW0I0eHtgCjs6rWXGU5xJF_xpkEiuIkqud7M0wreqvKjCTXSGcEc/w640-h426/Calbung+Two.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>California-style bungalow in Victoria, beckoning front verandah, set relatively close to the ground</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The modern west coast version of the bungalow grew from an earlier British adaptation of a rural Bengali house for colonial administrators and officers. Bungalows of all eras share certain defining features, like being cottagey, sitting close to the ground and, especially when architect-designed, rambling out into the landscape with cross-gables or projections - all features conferring a marked horizontal effect in contrast to multi-storied houses. Bungalows also came equipped with all the amenities of their day, in order to better meet first European, and later American, expectations of domestic comfort. The typical California-style bungalow sported a shallow-pitched gable roof (there were no snow loads to deal with) and was set on a concrete pad placed directly on grade (or in the case of the Savage bungalow, over a low crawlspace) making the house feel as if glued to the ground. Another singular feature is that no matter how small the overall footprint (and they could be diminutive), the bungalow always came with a substantial verandah employed so as to give it a distinctive look (there are hints of Japanese-temple woodwork in the California idiom). Over time the look adopted for bungalows would become synonymous in the public mind with the very idea of 'home' itself. The welcoming front verandah, combined with smart-looking exterior features like wooden siding and substantial sash windows, helped evoke cozy feelings among prospective buyers. What these engaging small buildings did with remarkable flair was to actively beckon to their clientele - people saw them and immediately wanted to inhabit one! <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQSHAbs-5ipu6z8Dt5EXvkFL02XzbOa9Jw5Tf601vLIoxE5pwqWjhA4aQdUEA9W43lTrNBQsvduhBplI1N0npVRZXDdwbMHgzVUfk3lb2AbMsf5GkodMxaDFBtwRmfn_sjHSNveLZ1x8/s2048/Calbung+Three.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQSHAbs-5ipu6z8Dt5EXvkFL02XzbOa9Jw5Tf601vLIoxE5pwqWjhA4aQdUEA9W43lTrNBQsvduhBplI1N0npVRZXDdwbMHgzVUfk3lb2AbMsf5GkodMxaDFBtwRmfn_sjHSNveLZ1x8/w640-h426/Calbung+Three.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Another California-style bungalow in Victoria, timbered verandah set across the entire width of the front</b> <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The bungalow as a housing type was exported from India to a number of Britain's other colonies in the nineteenth century, including Australia and what would later become Canada's westernmost province, British Columbia. From British Columbia, the house type likely migrated, by unknown routes, down the west coast before being re-imagined in Los Angeles. Here, it turned out, bungalows were being adapted for all modern North American cities. From the start, they were designed to embody a vision of 'the good life', which the design of the house was to provide for its residents. This vision anchored itself in feelings of coziness, smartness and up-to-dateness, in a house furnished with artistic wood finishes, built-ins like window seats, and all the latest domestic contrivances. One idea central to the vision was that the occupants aspired to enjoy an enhanced relationship with their immediate natural surroundings, which began with the way the house was intimately connected with them. Architects achieved this by featuring natural materials in construction, often with some rustic touches to intensify an arts-and-crafts effect. This was especially true of the use of local stone, often employed for foundations and for the massive piers supporting a typically impressive front verandah. Rustic effects were further magnified if the stone was actually gathered onsite or brought in from nearby. A lot of milled old growth wood was used as well, both outside and in, reinforcing the bungalow claim to naturalness. The shot below reveals the use of rounded river rock for foundation, chimney and piers, along with exposed timbers and planks on the exterior. Notice how this architect-designed bungalow appears to ramble outwards from its core.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuadpWiaO2DxthTzyZdzHX443ikEgWX1L3XkCC38UuG7XJaZ150Wc0Xi3AdBv_hgUmSDRxlG_PYsUaszAI9lti4uyGgcWSynTO8h_WGcmGbtwAusaXTwzkzcB1BnvKgPSfk_gnEkPl6Tg/s475/Parsons+House+berkeley.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="246" data-original-width="475" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuadpWiaO2DxthTzyZdzHX443ikEgWX1L3XkCC38UuG7XJaZ150Wc0Xi3AdBv_hgUmSDRxlG_PYsUaszAI9lti4uyGgcWSynTO8h_WGcmGbtwAusaXTwzkzcB1BnvKgPSfk_gnEkPl6Tg/w640-h333/Parsons+House+berkeley.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>1912 California bungalow with timbered, swooping porch roof set on massive stone piers of local arroyo stone</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Bungalows were marketed as a kind of stylized cottage in a gardened setting, an allusion their designers strove to maintain even as they crammed more and more of them onto uniformly platted streets. These homes came equipped with the latest in modern conveniences, which quickly included electricity and lighting, hot and cold running water, modern bathrooms and kitchens, and central heating (at least in parts of North America that needed it, which was nearly everywhere outside of southern California). Mechanical refrigeration wouldn't become widespread until the 1930s, but bungalow designers inventively incorporated a nifty feature known as a cooling cupboard into kitchens and pantries to help in preserving food. This device took advantage of something known as the 'stack effect', based on hot air's tendency to rise and, if provided with an escape in the form of a vent, its effect of pulling cooler air in behind it through a lower vent. These cooling cupboards were widespread in the era before refrigeration (especially on the coast), and necessary until such time as the icebox (and weekly ice delivery service) reached customers. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzf8OOZYht3W77b0-Bk-G71TnemjCH36AlR2dFCSeofsx6O5zUTESvpu0idbJHw2M9rOPuAoofnOVmVRUnUkuYcWIrZwjPgiizIMRueMuUYp_l3E2H9bVnzvWai5se69wXj9IuoFwlWS0/s833/California+cooling+cupboard.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="833" data-original-width="564" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzf8OOZYht3W77b0-Bk-G71TnemjCH36AlR2dFCSeofsx6O5zUTESvpu0idbJHw2M9rOPuAoofnOVmVRUnUkuYcWIrZwjPgiizIMRueMuUYp_l3E2H9bVnzvWai5se69wXj9IuoFwlWS0/w434-h640/California+cooling+cupboard.jpg" width="434" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Suburban buildings from the outset, bungalows were regularly built on the outskirts of settlements and readily became ideal subdivision housing. The ubiquitous front verandah, championed as a virtue by the progressive movement in America, was fancifully elaborated in order to dramatically announce house to street. This really clicked as an architectural device, so monumental styling of verandahs quickly came to define the building's look in ways that allowed designers to individualize it for the market. Personality was expressed via the porch. Always roofed, often projecting from or settled into the principal gable, sometimes running across the entire front face of the building, always advancing and declaring itself in no uncertain terms, the verandah's commanding presence quickly came to stand for the bungalow itself. No matter how small the house, the front verandah was intended to make a statement and leave a lasting impression. And they really did! The verandah-as-signature-feature could be Japanesque, with piled timbers supported on chunky vertical posts resting on tapered piers of stone or brick. But it could also be framed up and set on tapered piers too. This combination of solid framing, heavy posts, and tapered stone piers, capped by an emphatically sheltering roof form, successfully caught the eye of most everyone who saw them. The example below, from north of Indianapolis, combines exposed rafter tails with timbered knee braces set on tapered brick piers. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhAW2nffPvMKb159n-5lFQVPveeAH2q90gvpp0rduU0P9dy8jSA_m6yka2Ne-3i6Qpg-oWCQE4PAbQL4zxte1fsgDtTPCeY0cjZ9gyIQdAZwqR6QiyQGJSQOiwuL5QH1LRi_wR5UFPsk/s1008/North+of+Indiann+one.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1008" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhAW2nffPvMKb159n-5lFQVPveeAH2q90gvpp0rduU0P9dy8jSA_m6yka2Ne-3i6Qpg-oWCQE4PAbQL4zxte1fsgDtTPCeY0cjZ9gyIQdAZwqR6QiyQGJSQOiwuL5QH1LRi_wR5UFPsk/w640-h480/North+of+Indiann+one.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A verandah, fancifully conceived, was the key to bungalow character, here an eclectic, effective mix of features</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"><b> <br /></b></span><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>As rendered architecturally, the North American version of the bungalow</b> <b>reinforced the links between building and surroundings, by design.</b> Sometimes existing landscape features were built around, exaggerating the built-in look; more often, materials extracted from the site or from nearby were allowed to inform the look. Both techniques gave the impression the building derived from the site itself.<b> </b>Architects typically planned these bungalows within the limits of a smallish space envelope, offsetting lack of size by adding artistic interior features like wainscotting and exposed beams and exploiting technical devices in order to intensify or moderate climatic effects. The capture of light in the layout of rooms, of breezes out on the spacious verandah and inside via numerous opening windows, the access to glimpses of nature and garden from inside the rooms - all these elements were consciously explored in order to more intimately connect inside to outside. By design, bungalows intended to relate their occupants visually and experientially to both their surroundings and the possibilities of local climate. There were, it was felt back then, numerous benefits to bringing nature closer to the family in controllable ways. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZWWAzTTYEOtVY7ZfFISgq6KKfJdcwnDud_qTPNu6osi3yoeNxvGLfdjj86JXEBXmFMpf7L8gqRhluGlbMqAS3gO8RR2j7Cf_peS6eZWoHIe0BmM_WRg7d2qLxApvcmn8LgCszh8xsmo/s1024/St+Franc+Ct.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="1024" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZWWAzTTYEOtVY7ZfFISgq6KKfJdcwnDud_qTPNu6osi3yoeNxvGLfdjj86JXEBXmFMpf7L8gqRhluGlbMqAS3gO8RR2j7Cf_peS6eZWoHIe0BmM_WRg7d2qLxApvcmn8LgCszh8xsmo/w640-h462/St+Franc+Ct.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>St. Francis Court, Sylvanus Marston, Pasadena, 1909: tapered stone piers, exposed joinery, wood shingles</b>.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Southern California's moderate climate had a lot to do with launching the overall design direction for bungalows, but architectural responses derived in this benign climate somehow migrated wherever bungalows came to be built (which, over time, was pretty much everywhere!). The lightness of California construction required insulating and heating as the building moved northwards and winters became more severe; the desirability of central heating and weather-proofing led to them being built over full basements, which in turn pushed them further out of the ground in the Pacific Northwest (as well as making them more expensive to build). However, the<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: large;">spirit<span style="font-size: large;"> of visual openness to surroundings, along with controlled connection to nature and seasons, was absorbed into the building's DNA, and these features show up even in more-rigid<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> suburban layouts on subdivision streets<span style="font-size: large;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>In what follows, I try to illustrate how Victoria architect Hubert Savage went about bringing the outside into his house on the outskirts of Victoria back in 1913, and how he managed to keep this sense of connection to nature and surroundings alive throughout his home without sacrificing creature comforts or a sense of security against the elements. Also, I reveal how he took advantage of certain natural processes, like the stack effect, to more readily ventilate the house from heat buildup in the dog days of summer. As both cli<span style="font-size: large;">ent and architect</span>, Savage enjoyed unparalleled freedom to experiment with designs blending artfulness, natural materials, relationships to surroundings and controlled exposure to <span style="font-size: large;">the </span>elements<span style="font-size: large;">. With his arts-and-crafts tendencies and formal RIBA training, he seized the opportunity before him to lay out his own house and to place it picturesquely in a pristine landscape. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGADBuMS4ThvYKBCPORwuXS-sPRrpW4hY3BX6HhweSOaFgP2aJH0HG9sWnhYsFyz4_JHz8h2dSO_2gIEAlprTY5Zb4teV1YK6ns1xB0_EYtgD0poOXRPzKCKWpCs15SdM3LsREuv8KQI/s2048/porch+seven.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGADBuMS4ThvYKBCPORwuXS-sPRrpW4hY3BX6HhweSOaFgP2aJH0HG9sWnhYsFyz4_JHz8h2dSO_2gIEAlprTY5Zb4teV1YK6ns1xB0_EYtgD0poOXRPzKCKWpCs15SdM3LsREuv8KQI/w640-h426/porch+seven.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>No stone piers, but heavy timber posts chamfered to give a more refined look to this elegant Victoria bungalow</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Early California bungalows were often built as recreational retreats, setting a fashion for siting them in pretty country locales where unspoiled nature provided both setting and views. </b>In San Francisco and its environs, where natural landscapes ran together with residential enclaves, such dwellings were seen to afford escape into calmer, more artistic worlds, situated in healthier, more natural environments. By design, these bungalows encouraged families to experience the air, light, season and natural surroundings more fully, yet always in carefully controlled ways. One familiar example is the fashion for impressive wood-burning fireplaces, often made of fieldstone or sometimes of brick, done up decoratively with wooden surrounds and a massive wooden mantle piece. All this elaboration was not intended for heat advantage (in fact, the fireplace was often inefficient as a source of heat), but rather to prompt a relationship with fire as an elemental force - one that could be safely and pleasurably consumed in comfortable settings, drawing people together around a hearth that served as a natural family focal point. Even modest bungalows came with at least one grand fireplace, typically designed as the centrepiece of the living room, often accompanied by built-in bookshelves, with a tiled apron set into the floor in front of it. The crackle of a wood fire in the grate was thought to imbue family life with meaning, hearkening to earlier times in human history where our collective character was formed by telling tales around a blazing fire. This interest in building-in controlled forms of exposure to elemental forces and the seasons differs markedly from contemporary housing design, which prioritizes withdrawal and cocooning in interior worlds that are more fully insulated from, and less linked to, nature and climate. Arts-and-crafts designers were seeking precisely the opposite effect.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /></p>
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<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilP0FAT6P1ovaRyE7eXQYbLopu22dWSnaYAtjoP7Ubem-IJlEALPtPVsF52b8YS-VDDIB7jG-n-RvIdYGe2_x34IMttwLqmw4IHDCGOUqJWdoEwcIATh7MvPMh5W7CEQ2_x1GRoI3Ohik/s2048/Grange+context+seven.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilP0FAT6P1ovaRyE7eXQYbLopu22dWSnaYAtjoP7Ubem-IJlEALPtPVsF52b8YS-VDDIB7jG-n-RvIdYGe2_x34IMttwLqmw4IHDCGOUqJWdoEwcIATh7MvPMh5W7CEQ2_x1GRoI3Ohik/w640-h426/Grange+context+seven.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Placed in a landscape of oaks and other native species, crowning a rise, a bungalow ensconced in nature</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Early bungalows were often placed in a landscape setting of picturesque scenery, which on the Savages' half acre involved an upland cluster of gnarly Garry oaks. </b>Dramatically elevated by placement on a rocky outcrop, the house rises directly from the ground it sits on. A prominent gabled verandah flanked by projecting gabled bays lends upward movement to the building's ground-hugging facade. The landscape setting around it envelops the house, which in turn feels fitted-into its surroundings on the arts-and-crafts model. A low stone foundation, rising dramatically up into tall tapered piers that support a substantial verandah on trios of thick timber posts, imparts a certain grandeur to what is in fact a relatively modest footprint (perhaps 1350 square feet all in).</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> The trio of upthrusting gables echo the shapes of trees in the tall fir forest fringing the oak meadows at back. The result is a lessening of the stark contrast between house and surroundings that appears rather unusual to eyes habituated to much blunter spatial appropriation.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p></p><p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCW7kjPalA3nxFR2iz3pwXlhJBiXOKIybqha6HMuaZXWEGY23CRcI0i7lKkQA5_IsDP04o4on4PqafZreY0CQeHTKqyxdrmGAIlkYLbgQ8XaKB0H3hhm9epRVZp3GELTj6DHd9wOj1RPU/s1600/Marching+on+006.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCW7kjPalA3nxFR2iz3pwXlhJBiXOKIybqha6HMuaZXWEGY23CRcI0i7lKkQA5_IsDP04o4on4PqafZreY0CQeHTKqyxdrmGAIlkYLbgQ8XaKB0H3hhm9epRVZp3GELTj6DHd9wOj1RPU/w426-h640/Marching+on+006.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A curving stone path<span style="font-size: small;"> rises gently</span> up to the verandah</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Up on its rise, this bungalow is approached from below along a gently sloped stone path</b> <b>with a sequence of steps and landings that reach the front door in a circuitous manner.</b> Likely suggested as a route by the glaciated rock folds it traverses, the path leads visitors along the entire facade before reaching the front door. This indirectness further cements the impression of a house snugged into its surroundings, combining formality in appearance with a certain rusticity of placement in the landscape. The horizontal plane of the building's length is dramatized by the trio of cross gables, advancing from the main roof-line towards visitors and offering eye-catching details to anyone walking by. This is a house designed not just to be glimpsed on the way to the door, but to be enjoyed as an experience for the entire journey.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdhRrjzfxrbh05zIznhDRDuCy-GhzlCznjm4jW4165dgZvLxhhAVzbjyGf_n9uZYlimvoc7m7n1XTvvC9wk1s95xRAnc-Mdt_UnN1MQf1ky_G7zgDuC1UVNL6Cu2GlA37pd7pmRvf9Qc/s2048/verandah+gable.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1362" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdhRrjzfxrbh05zIznhDRDuCy-GhzlCznjm4jW4165dgZvLxhhAVzbjyGf_n9uZYlimvoc7m7n1XTvvC9wk1s95xRAnc-Mdt_UnN1MQf1ky_G7zgDuC1UVNL6Cu2GlA37pd7pmRvf9Qc/w426-h640/verandah+gable.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A prominent, sheltered verandah with tapered stone columns</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Rustic use of local stone for the foundation and piers has the effect of making the building feel more a piece of its landscape</b>. While obviously man-made, the bungalow declares its oneness with nature by displaying natural materials and allowing their worked character to ultimately frame its composition. This technique further blurs distinctions between outside and inside, an objective of both the English and American strands of the arts-and-crafts movement. Often the use of stone for foundations was continued inside into an elaborate stone fireplace, sometimes paired with a stone chimney (especially if the chimney is placed on an outside wall), strengthening the partnership between man and native materials. Bungalows were also often built with tapered or even squared piers made of brick, sometimes clinkered (over-fired), which could be fashioned as supports for an imposing front gable. Savage opted for a more rustic look with his stone foundation and piers.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjly15YOY3FUIR581BKECxu_ZaaIaFTpz2Mv0o0wZHSm40rCrxp7yWW0B4I-4jWhIs-agUN951VuuzDq67T0FLL5qMGmK5z699J5auykjxvXiMC7OAsUF3cTDygMlx6LAzTA4iZNniZmMc/s2048/Grange+feature+six.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjly15YOY3FUIR581BKECxu_ZaaIaFTpz2Mv0o0wZHSm40rCrxp7yWW0B4I-4jWhIs-agUN951VuuzDq67T0FLL5qMGmK5z699J5auykjxvXiMC7OAsUF3cTDygMlx6LAzTA4iZNniZmMc/w640-h426/Grange+feature+six.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Rustic stone piers and foundation help fuse building and landform into a unity<br /></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>An expressive, beckoning verandah defines the California style of bungalow, serving to create a dynamic first impression and lending a truly inviting sense of entry to even quite modest structures. </b>While verandahs may be less extensive on the American style of bungalow than on their colonial predecessors (where they would sometimes wrap around the entire building), they are nevertheless strikingly elaborated so as to play a defining role that strengthens street-presence. The verandah was integral to both the look and the function of the house, calibrated to present an overall feeling of welcome coziness along with safe refuge. While the fashion for porches was common in America before bungalows, these buildings presented an entirely novel version of the verandah that gave the building some serious pizzazz. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju2xaj0i8EKGcvKeOtmqH7WpQVZvSfeAHtyuqNSQLujCcF-iYJCG8WP6ldx50LjOfwaYfTypTaGmEQGYMFvwwKV1vQQzjoSGY5bqnKsMbAHxvS4-BLFG5DTQu4jTlZ32GiYeUTpFhTQk8/s2048/Calbung+Four.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju2xaj0i8EKGcvKeOtmqH7WpQVZvSfeAHtyuqNSQLujCcF-iYJCG8WP6ldx50LjOfwaYfTypTaGmEQGYMFvwwKV1vQQzjoSGY5bqnKsMbAHxvS4-BLFG5DTQu4jTlZ32GiYeUTpFhTQk8/w640-h426/Calbung+Four.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tapered piers of clinkered bricks, low railings, solid construction of a refined verandah with knee braces</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Back in the day absolutely everyone wanted one of these, and looking at these structures nowadays, it's not hard to see why that was. Often elaborately furnished with over-scaled, stacked timbering, a sheltered verandah on solid piers came to define the bungalow look. The verandah Savage designed not only offers shelter from the elements, it also creates a t</span><span style="font-size: large;">ransitional space that's handy and needed in Victoria's long wet winter. At the same time, this space functions as an outdoor room that is shaded and breezy in spring, summer and fall. Verandahs like these also convey an intimate welcome to nature's realm, bringing it closer to the house by extending a sitting space out into it. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKcbP_POnuLW-e3NHqJUcEUhyYSE9gQ2a7ipjBUsBi93hhc6xfMSJIpsc5dFEIm8n8g49htgYd_wrckBePZwUJdAtAWYuwXOOXOvYKrNZhpR-RGpyegD0yFHmqItXr8Jnbhw0Tu83iZVk/s2048/Grange+feature+seven.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1362" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKcbP_POnuLW-e3NHqJUcEUhyYSE9gQ2a7ipjBUsBi93hhc6xfMSJIpsc5dFEIm8n8g49htgYd_wrckBePZwUJdAtAWYuwXOOXOvYKrNZhpR-RGpyegD0yFHmqItXr8Jnbhw0Tu83iZVk/w426-h640/Grange+feature+seven.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Stone steps leading up to an elegant outdoor room</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDGSFIKYupVO5_5OtBaaMRUSpPdZaa93nbQM8XYSpKNWOFR_DJc01eVGmWlNxT6ihiv7kSVmIQGmhPh3QWvXNpqx65DI2G_HCxdcvaCUZdj9VdaZcpVsI0xv_M3-d439CzXLaMUEzK5I/s1600/April+showers+140.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDGSFIKYupVO5_5OtBaaMRUSpPdZaa93nbQM8XYSpKNWOFR_DJc01eVGmWlNxT6ihiv7kSVmIQGmhPh3QWvXNpqx65DI2G_HCxdcvaCUZdj9VdaZcpVsI0xv_M3-d439CzXLaMUEzK5I/s640/April+showers+140.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Well-removed from the roadway below, this verandah offers <span style="font-size: small;">an</span> inviting perch<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">on an <span style="font-size: small;">early spring </span>day</span></span></b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavGVPYQjXd1A67YFSp0ssoSBvWIYhISIk-0SJ35v4bryhusdmpUDmBqbvAF2V8p5hVjykT997uJcJAuH-pRKJloT3L76YABSKrCjR5LNpUdK3DM9TQPJ2oNJ5IdFF_h61t3ipUn9ZwF4/s1600/Spring+2009+274.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavGVPYQjXd1A67YFSp0ssoSBvWIYhISIk-0SJ35v4bryhusdmpUDmBqbvAF2V8p5hVjykT997uJcJAuH-pRKJloT3L76YABSKrCjR5LNpUdK3DM9TQPJ2oNJ5IdFF_h61t3ipUn9ZwF4/s640/Spring+2009+274.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The temptation to enjoy a seat (and a book, a coffee, and the morning) in the surroundings is <span style="font-size: small;">built in</span> </b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Verandahs provided both indoor and outdoor space, sheltered yet connected to the world at large, functional yet invitingly social and intimate, transitional yet inviting one to linger. You can be both in the setting enjoying the daylight and whatever gentle breeze there might be, and slightly removed from the outdoors and protected if need be. Prospect-and-refuge theory tells us that environments of this kind appeal deeply to humans at unconscious levels, especially when positioned well away from the roadway below. Here, high up on the rocky outcrop, the verandah feels like an aerie that's comfortably removed from the passing world. Low railings with a timbered look (above) define the enclosed space while also serving as informal seating for guests, offering an inviting perch from which nature may be unobtrusively observed. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwi6EqPfzjE7i1NIfa1TDDP9vN7Z-J5bCIX6dJg-9ZpvWqj0r3UMvxSHZMYpLympUfnr0oFAwntS9CIwAS35nsvNccrtzMriiWHKOnd11q7pkwVAJ9mv1Q3dUAbcKEecLv39mBCRDIRNc/s1600/various+144.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwi6EqPfzjE7i1NIfa1TDDP9vN7Z-J5bCIX6dJg-9ZpvWqj0r3UMvxSHZMYpLympUfnr0oFAwntS9CIwAS35nsvNccrtzMriiWHKOnd11q7pkwVAJ9mv1Q3dUAbcKEecLv39mBCRDIRNc/s640/various+144.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>East light fills the vestibule, offsetting original dark wood panelling</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The simplest and most direct way to bring the outside into a house is to ensure that light penetrates deep into its recesses.</b> One way to do this is by placing it on a rise and running its length from north to south, so its long walls face east and west, which is how Savage placed his bungalow. Another is to give it ample windows to let the light in. Pictured above, a large, low window on an east-facing wall admits morning light to the core of the house, offsetting the darkened wood interior (an original feature). The use of exposed wood inside the house makes the building feel like an expression of native materials, while the illumination of interior space with natural light brings these materials to life. Here the designer has been able to capture light through windows despite the verandah roof shading the front doorway; this is because the building's elevated placement in turn affects sun angles, which lets daylight reach deeper into the rooms as the sun works its way around the house. This bungalow is also just two rooms and a hallway deep, so there is penetration of the interior by light throughout the year. Blinds are desirable especially in summer because at various times of day direct light can actually be too intense! <br /></span></p><p>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A window used to frame views of nature and building</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Buildings that are planned to optimize interior light effects while simultaneously capturing exterior views have a certain magic to them</b>. There's a lightness to the rooms despite the weight of the extensive darkened wood paneling (see below). Glimpses of exterior elements of the house from inside the building also increase the impression of spaciousness in layout, a vital ingredient in more-compact dwellings. Visual links to the exterior extend a sense of intimacy with immediate surroundings, causing an engaging impression that was skillfully worked up by its designer. A variety of large opening windows, courtesy of easy-to-operate sash design, makes it possible to bring the day's elements right into the house, both as light and in the form of ventilation. In the living room pictured below, compact venetian-style blinds (a contemporary adaptation) afford much-needed solar control whenever sun angles send invasive quantities of energy into the room. In this setting, the immediacy of trees, especially some substantial firs down slope, provide an agreeable partial screen for direct sunlight. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1aEWUAsEO69yOSu8D39-geSMN0cniK5X8Lpdf66Bc-oiRQQ-MYHInkaqZyLnNHsOXT8zEt8qvF_St-4PzRn6fRLdJ47f6UZdlk8ALwtO0YyVZew42kBTf4cdUUwLfo6tunjaFV-dumE/s2048/LR+Window.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1aEWUAsEO69yOSu8D39-geSMN0cniK5X8Lpdf66Bc-oiRQQ-MYHInkaqZyLnNHsOXT8zEt8qvF_St-4PzRn6fRLdJ47f6UZdlk8ALwtO0YyVZew42kBTf4cdUUwLfo6tunjaFV-dumE/w640-h426/LR+Window.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ample windows allow light in while affording views, shown here in the living room</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsaCEK7OeSf-1DocZsjplalZVTm-dl7rOfa5HXCc_nPLID6g3vz8cnUqN7rCOJlu78mA21pDpkWGhNRTnGEc2NuH05Gt9z7znQ4lABDy8XlCA_Yo8IRkmAuFKYVLsU5Okx_hK_6NoAro8/s1600/Living+room+light+003.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsaCEK7OeSf-1DocZsjplalZVTm-dl7rOfa5HXCc_nPLID6g3vz8cnUqN7rCOJlu78mA21pDpkWGhNRTnGEc2NuH05Gt9z7znQ4lABDy8XlCA_Yo8IRkmAuFKYVLsU5Okx_hK_6NoAro8/s640/Living+room+light+003.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">A trio of w</span>indows in a projecting bay extends the building into the landscape while capturing views</b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_aSr4uoe6cK25sPlcyLTENWLREHbScbdDDSSbJZ1e6TfX7G3Z_bKOTnZ6zA378HxHt6Ahhsw2K_dJ4hqbOjpw4H8BshyNHZWy2YMomW8d9aIfb73oVmG4HmMebuVTiTfLP-D5xQLK_E/s1600/House+and+garden+068.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_aSr4uoe6cK25sPlcyLTENWLREHbScbdDDSSbJZ1e6TfX7G3Z_bKOTnZ6zA378HxHt6Ahhsw2K_dJ4hqbOjpw4H8BshyNHZWy2YMomW8d9aIfb73oVmG4HmMebuVTiTfLP-D5xQLK_E/s640/House+and+garden+068.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Light from south facing windows blasts into the living room, warming it visually in a long winter</b></span>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bungalows use built-in furnishings to make efficient use of limited interior spaces, as these encroach less into space than free-standing furniture</b>. Some people think this makes a virtue of necessity in what is, by modern standards, a spatially limited environment, but the fact is, it actually works. Built-ins are one of the many schemes bungalow designers deployed to optimize the functionality of compact spaces while amplifying their perceived spaciousness. The literature of the era is replete with humour about the mildly obsessive use of every square inch of interior space for some sort of built-in or other, from inglenooks to sideboards and even ironing boards. The analogy with how space is turned to account in yacht design is perhaps not inapt. But built-ins can also work to help make rooms feel cozier while adding the visual interest of high quality finishing materials to designs. One highly pleasing form of built-in is the window seat - literally a seat fitted into a small bay or nook that projects out into the world, if only just slightly. This not only effects jogs in exterior walls, which makes the building feel more fitted into its physical surroundings, it also adds charm and convenience to interiors. Window seats serve as intimate, much-loved spaces for sitting, reading and sipping coffee, or conversing with another person, all of which happens in what feels like a gardened or landscaped setting. In this sense, window seats function as an outdoor room in miniature.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpF6_JRe8T2q2LdajWNh0doyey6Bm2JrJeKMQFVdHdVjYdppYUMULCq_Wy9e5Twn3xzak0Dr9uDouVk4gw7durA0tlpqXRy3c8JwLi1dT2jiWv4jzeJ5y-ZIlbSXwDAKJsqmU0aI4c-g/s1600/miscellaneous+020.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpF6_JRe8T2q2LdajWNh0doyey6Bm2JrJeKMQFVdHdVjYdppYUMULCq_Wy9e5Twn3xzak0Dr9uDouVk4gw7durA0tlpqXRy3c8JwLi1dT2jiWv4jzeJ5y-ZIlbSXwDAKJsqmU0aI4c-g/s640/miscellaneous+020.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">A window seat with leaded glass<span style="font-size: small;"> casements<span style="font-size: small;"> draws<span style="font-size: small;"> nature nearer</span></span></span></span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwHE7oIL7soiUMYvC32a2Jk4Sb_Ygz9fSq72l_JRn0QAOuZ14OBcNgKejEV9JnfadH7uOXO4SPzdsmXkFvh-aiw5McoNAgahtxL8fuUceVDOQS-FYuKApaKU31yB5d0PJivFP3OXs4uw/s1600/March+ment+104.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwHE7oIL7soiUMYvC32a2Jk4Sb_Ygz9fSq72l_JRn0QAOuZ14OBcNgKejEV9JnfadH7uOXO4SPzdsmXkFvh-aiw5McoNAgahtxL8fuUceVDOQS-FYuKApaKU31yB5d0PJivFP3OXs4uw/s640/March+ment+104.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Indirect <span style="font-size: small;">m</span>orning light admitted by casement windows expands the apparent size of a modest dining room</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">As Sarah Susanka, author of <b>The Not So Big House</b> and other works on home design, points out, a seat built into a window can also serve as a device to capture additional light for the room. Above, a leaded-glass transom window and wood-panelled sidewalls admit and reflect more light than a standard window casing, functioning as a kind of light fixture that's framed right into the wall. The source of light is external and obeys its own commands rather than those of a switch, but the glazing and the layered surfaces admit this found-light deep into the room. The effect is to make it feel both more inviting and larger than if it were less well illuminated.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Originally open to the elements, now a sun room with a built-in seat</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Rooms with excellent sun access, generous window space and built-in seating not only invite us to nestle right into the view</b>,<b> they also bring the view dramatically closer to us, sometimes right up to the windows</b>. This makes it easier to remain in touch with the day and with seasonal effects while staying inside the house. Light and season guarantee a continually changing scene, from day to day and month to month. The room pictured above, designed as a summer tea room that was once open to the elements, was eventually enclosed, re-muddled abusively, and stayed that way until steps were taken to set it right. The leaded-glass casements and built-in window seat now combine with the original barrel-vaulted ceiling to create an inviting space that feels as though it's a piece of the garden itself.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Windows framing views that change with the season, this in autumn</b></span></b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span> <br /></b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Same window, different season, this time revealing a lush early spring garden scene</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>In the Hubert Savage bungalow, all of the windows have been treated as opportunities to capture views, admit light and air, and relieve the heaviness of blank walls.</b> By connecting inside to outside visually on three sides, the house itself becomes a vehicle for capturing views. It succeeds in tapping into what the Japanese call 'borrowed scenery', in essence framing the natural surroundings to be seen as views from within. Many of the windows also open, both top and bottom, optimizing opportunities for ventilation of individual rooms (again allowing hot air out at the top, pulling cooler air in down below). Ambient light is caused to penetrate the building's interior by dint of its long east-west walls.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Late <span style="font-size: small;">a</span>fternoon western light in summer reaches deep into the kitchen, imparting a warm glow</span></b></td></tr>
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<b> </b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Above, generous sash windows set low in the wall plane invite sunlight deep into the interior</b>, <b>visually warming the rooms and connecting occupants directly to the day while drawing the eye out into surrounding greenery. </b>Even in the weaker light of winter there's considerable solar gain and the interiors are visually warmed into a cozy, inviting space (heat is however still very much required!). These large, vertical windows are set a mere thirty inches from the floor, strengthening visual access to the sheltered garden beyond. Pictured below is our tiny central corridor, an intermediate space that gives access to no fewer than seven doorways! The door at the end of the hallway accesses our attic space, which in turn has a small north-facing window that opens. If on a sultry summer evening we open windows downstairs, then open the attic door and the attic window, hot air rushes out of the main floor space up into the attic and then flows out of the attic window. This is, once again, a conscious use of the stack effect to cool space, exploiting hot air's tendency to rise and pull cooler air in behind it. This effect is so strong that if you stand in the doorway to the attic when it's happening, you can feel the airflow moving swiftly through the opening. This form of ventilating to overcome excessive heat was expressly designed into these buildings. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4pzkgmL8Gne5bX9EGqjxKzaRFi_MwKAHkq4CDwDU52U1cZ1dc28HEzUvi_qWPUgxyS-Rpwaq8LDoBgvedGoEDQTJ2rPiAaQvwrzBXZMqp3P1Ch9CYjNkCqKAhN_JyLp0SV3ICa6JCEJI/s2048/Central+hallway+too.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1362" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4pzkgmL8Gne5bX9EGqjxKzaRFi_MwKAHkq4CDwDU52U1cZ1dc28HEzUvi_qWPUgxyS-Rpwaq8LDoBgvedGoEDQTJ2rPiAaQvwrzBXZMqp3P1Ch9CYjNkCqKAhN_JyLp0SV3ICa6JCEJI/w426-h640/Central+hallway+too.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Light reaches into the central hallway, attic door ajar to better ventilate</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Connection between inside and outside is further reinforced by setting the floor plate of the house very close to the earth</b>. The original Anglo-Indian bungalow mimicked its indigenous forebears in sitting on a low plinth or platform placed near or directly upon the ground. The trend-setting California bungalow was similarly set near to, or in some cases right on, the land, a practice that gives<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>a distinctive look while further fusing these buildings with their immediate surroundings. This was less likely to be done in Victoria, however, where it was the practice from early on to put a full basement under a house. Whether Hubert Savage's placement of his own bungalow <span style="font-size: large;">close to </span>ground level at the back reflected his English arts and crafts training or, perhaps more likely, the then-California fashion for placing a bungalow directly on grade, is hard to say. However, one does detect numerous features with California/Craftsman influences in the overall design of the house, and certainly enough to know that he was paying attention to the flow of design-ideas coming from California.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ6PsXDHpAx3w2a68K-D16B2nDMcOuUQCLMQAesIsF5dcga2JjyA22AVFJ8XPkiYFzJVL2tlyXIpkdmuu4q7xe9KsalI5sjmAZ0znDL7FcRhZNFqBB8TnHWmaO6PgqwEro4waARG1xPVY/s1600/Spring+2009+259.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ6PsXDHpAx3w2a68K-D16B2nDMcOuUQCLMQAesIsF5dcga2JjyA22AVFJ8XPkiYFzJVL2tlyXIpkdmuu4q7xe9KsalI5sjmAZ0znDL7FcRhZNFqBB8TnHWmaO6PgqwEro4waARG1xPVY/s640/Spring+2009+259.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Bumping portions of t<span style="font-size: small;">he </span>wall planes outwards serves to <span style="font-size: small;">spread</span> the building out into the landscape</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6d8jarzuarEJ9m8SrKcyC_MyUa0ZNxAqY_ou32E54_LS8f30Gf90T9vWLgDfQuKazPI48vM7Wdex1tG-BKKZTfr5PtwgpCZ9M_pWR_EZmCU3WgP2m18Pb_1p9OqOljDV8l6UtsdUNmI/s1600/Lambrick+House+016.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6d8jarzuarEJ9m8SrKcyC_MyUa0ZNxAqY_ou32E54_LS8f30Gf90T9vWLgDfQuKazPI48vM7Wdex1tG-BKKZTfr5PtwgpCZ9M_pWR_EZmCU3WgP2m18Pb_1p9OqOljDV8l6UtsdUNmI/s640/Lambrick+House+016.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Seeing the exterior <span style="font-size: small;">f</span></span></span>rom inside also reinforces a sense of connection</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bungalows have been described as 'rambling' because they can project out into the landscape by means of bumpouts and roof lifts</b>. Projecting bays and other roofed devices used to vary the surface of wall planes serve to counter the sense of boxiness that can accompany a house. Architectural projections link the building more directly to its landscape, allowing it to feel fitted around the land's contours; this may in turn create opportunities to step the building up or down the land. Another device used successfully by arts-and-crafts architects involves intentionally catching glimpses of the exterior of the building from within the house. Because the Savage bungalow's footprint was made irregular by design and its roof line is pushed well out over its walls, opportunities for such exterior glimpses abound. Above, kitchen windows afford views of a glazed door to the back porch, which advances out into the garden while offering a snug rear entry to the home. Below, a walk-in closet added years after the main building was erected is gained by projecting the rear wall outwards as a half-cabin and stepping it up a rising landform.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8XXstmzN441oJJi8S-B_TSX4NyWdP7wMOtLH0c69Evuat9AeU1vaNifFPSe034j0ne95vZqA4L6vEn-hPgWq3ux-TFRVVYfnwp1l2AekBQEUkGumC4doriNn2g2_pfJcHMNybu5Ag5c/s1600/end+of+May+018.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8XXstmzN441oJJi8S-B_TSX4NyWdP7wMOtLH0c69Evuat9AeU1vaNifFPSe034j0ne95vZqA4L6vEn-hPgWq3ux-TFRVVYfnwp1l2AekBQEUkGumC4doriNn2g2_pfJcHMNybu5Ag5c/s640/end+of+May+018.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Setting the building directly on the land has the effect of making it appear to<span style="font-size: small;"> grow out of<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">the ground</span></span></span></span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hubert Savage chose to set a corner of the rear wall of his bungalow directly on the landform it crowns, further gluing it to the site (photo above). </b>This cements the impression that building and landscape are one, making the house feel like it belongs just where it was built. At the back of the house, this placement gives access to a private garden realm entered almost imperceptibly from the main floor level (a drop of about fifteen inches). This in turn, visually, allows central living spaces <span style="font-size: large;">to feel continuous with the</span> gardened setting, emphasizing directly the sense of connection. Placement near ground level serves to pull the building downwards, so its entire mass feels accessible and more intimate at the back. In this way feelings of harmony between nature and dwelling are set in motion (picture below). Today this rock would likely be b<span style="font-size: large;">lasted out</span>, the building pad leveled and extended for ease of construction, and the pre-existing relationships formed by retreating glaciers and advancing vegetation obliterated to allow construction of an over-scale home.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDkcSggpsKkHGGtQRW3uq1iRuwNqOmtGIZY_ph9Rcvp9YuTRBAoup-KYSb7_FZkoEbS2ziPqbEXbPrWRNwReJTATpgDzFgPYoPFDQAsqZIe3S0VI7MrM-3CFuqAqcy20UncdURSi_t7Y/s1600/Late+Octoober+105.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDkcSggpsKkHGGtQRW3uq1iRuwNqOmtGIZY_ph9Rcvp9YuTRBAoup-KYSb7_FZkoEbS2ziPqbEXbPrWRNwReJTATpgDzFgPYoPFDQAsqZIe3S0VI7MrM-3CFuqAqcy20UncdURSi_t7Y/s640/Late+Octoober+105.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Here the building actually steps up the landform, knitting<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>architecture and <span style="font-size: small;">outcrop</span>s together</b></span></b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span> <br /></b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzlpGIR2yXPKWlLBmIEcO4zCYVSWIHoRXUcd9teRAvI6qMwastT7d_nHKE6rxCBwH1mXTiToIc_ukb8epAp-MKbpU-J5j-IolMlpqd7IR2t4clhmxXuOgKMEJTOdDlKgiXTUIknEqILcc/s1600/early+April+014.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzlpGIR2yXPKWlLBmIEcO4zCYVSWIHoRXUcd9teRAvI6qMwastT7d_nHKE6rxCBwH1mXTiToIc_ukb8epAp-MKbpU-J5j-IolMlpqd7IR2t4clhmxXuOgKMEJTOdDlKgiXTUIknEqILcc/s640/early+April+014.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Left, a <span style="font-size: small;">b</span>arge board brought so close<span style="font-size: small;"> to</span> ground its <span style="font-size: small;">tail </span>had to be clipped for residents' safety</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Setting the building into the landscape as opposed to remaking the site for convenience demonstrates respect, bordering on reverence, for the natural surroundings</b>. It also anchors the feeling that nature and garden run right up to the house, reinforcing the sense of synthesis and complicity between the two. In this conception, nature isn't simply a distant glimpse of what lies outside. Of course this gives the illusion that one is somehow in the garden while still inside the house, a feeling that is encompassing by design.Whether inside gazing outwards, standing in an intermediate space like a verandah, or standing outside in the garden, perhaps looking back towards the building, nature is always present and defining.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRAX3979tfZTRoaRv4A2vHrv1l79-4ClxSgPMU9xvHjJcgKTv1dGron6S9HTIiOBupk98Tl4IJOTME6lOeS34nIz72PPilCZU0Zqx5gYoLvfVcl_r1Eq0RhxRvDOCWXwxOveUKOjYFuHY/s1600/Lana+goose+057.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRAX3979tfZTRoaRv4A2vHrv1l79-4ClxSgPMU9xvHjJcgKTv1dGron6S9HTIiOBupk98Tl4IJOTME6lOeS34nIz72PPilCZU0Zqx5gYoLvfVcl_r1Eq0RhxRvDOCWXwxOveUKOjYFuHY/s640/Lana+goose+057.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The garden contrived as an enclave that extends the habitable world outwards as a series of outdoor rooms.<br /></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>While the house is designed as an architectural object in a garden and the garden developed as a context for the house</b>, <b>both are designed to exist in harmony with the broader landscape setting</b>. The Garry Oaks, native shrubs and flowers, and glaciated rocky outcrops retain elements of an original landscape setting for both house and garden (magically, many remnants of native landscape survived subdivision of an originally much larger lot). One way of furthering the explicit connection between building and surroundings is to contrive the garden as an informal series of outdoor rooms, linked together by paths. If these garden rooms are implied rather than bluntly stated, it's possible to achieve a subtle extension of architecture into surroundings that provides orientation for human use without reducing nature to a sequence of activity spaces. This form of composition, known traditionally<span style="font-size: large;"> a</span>s picturesque landscaping, is also a lens through which the building's siting can be seen more accurately.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj45E7LvEfBhD692sbk_kGiPWP8xkLp2PhDGNcu0fnOL-tABCvqJa4M6h3Q79wMF_x5By9GYmnPajohyQT25dyKHTvyQ5bPLBd3adQ6_bZfiZCFOt3YZFiGZlEHgXoHXA8THhEQlhDmha0/s1600/Relies+Visit+001.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj45E7LvEfBhD692sbk_kGiPWP8xkLp2PhDGNcu0fnOL-tABCvqJa4M6h3Q79wMF_x5By9GYmnPajohyQT25dyKHTvyQ5bPLBd3adQ6_bZfiZCFOt3YZFiGZlEHgXoHXA8THhEQlhDmha0/s640/Relies+Visit+001.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A patio 'room' of oblong pavers marks the transition from building to garden </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusUt-bgL-5Sn5unnA-Q_I5gXayXcAGp8Q5YrOvM1EZwY4-6ecLuJs5cJ3kA8NpaCAg7g7GWuHTYlnC2CqgIVUK-XG89WrU7vajUeGUdUuC4tEe3f4uX51I3ZShgyfflGO5q6yYQkmlN8/s1600/DSC_0001.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusUt-bgL-5Sn5unnA-Q_I5gXayXcAGp8Q5YrOvM1EZwY4-6ecLuJs5cJ3kA8NpaCAg7g7GWuHTYlnC2CqgIVUK-XG89WrU7vajUeGUdUuC4tEe3f4uX51I3ZShgyfflGO5q6yYQkmlN8/s640/DSC_0001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Informal outdoor rooms arrange garden space and invite human enjoyment of day and season </b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Outdoor rooms, or compartments, have long been used successfully by artist-gardeners to blend house and garden into a unified whole. </b>Bungalows lend themselves to this sort of treatment, both by dint of their history of being built in gardened compounds, and their architectural use of bump-outs and ancillary roof forms to extend irregularly into natural spaces. Also, as historian Alan Gowans remarks (The Comfortable House), early suburban homes of all types, and foremost among them bungalows, were novel in being designed to be seen from all four sides, often coming equipped with side and back doors, additional or wrap-around porches, and circulating pathways. This stands in sharp contrast to more vertical, street-oriented Victorian housing, as well as to modern planned suburbia, which often presents double garage doors and an undistinguished front door to the street while neglecting side facades in favour of interior spatial gain. All of which leads to a diminished sense of visual connection to the exterior of the house, affecting its potential to galvanize intimacy for its occupants.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Loose arrangement of buildings and sitting spaces integrates with the remnant oak meadow</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Seasonal changes and weather patterns affect the overall mood of the place,</b> <b>but this bungalow is designed to enable occupants to enjoy nature to whatever extent climate and day allow</b>. Winter sleet or spring rains can be equally enjoyable as experience if the nature of the shelter allows us to observe them while keeping ourselves warm and dry. The management of precipitation, as rain or snow, is an important aspect of all house design, and the bungalow with its sheltering roof form affords a sense of security that permits enjoyment of even inclement weathers. The large and frequent window openings also enable the weather to be more agreeably watched, as an event happening around one, yet kept at a safe remove. This can however lose its charm quickly if weather is unchanging and insistent, as it can be in our typically dreary month of November here on southern Vancouver Island!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Even</span> sudden April s<span style="font-size: small;">l</span>eet can serve as an interesting spectacle from <span style="font-size: small;">a</span> perch on a sheltered verandah</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Pale</span> light in winter, falling on natural and built objects, creates a scene of the moment </b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A complex and intimate relationship between a building opened to its surroundings and a natural or gardened setting is now decidedly old-fashioned</b>,<b> something the modern eye has been conditioned not to seek or even to notice should it appear</b>. Subdivision development typically maximizes interior space, leaving only shallow setback strips between houses and paving over much of what might have been front garden for<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>the automobile. Proximity of neighbouring buildings means sidewalls often have few windows and there is rarely a reason to look at or go to the spaces in between buildings, other than to mow whatever lawn exists there. Also, more generous landscape settings around older homes rarely survive generational changes in ownership, as there is simply too much money to be made by raiding the development larder, whether through subdivision or by tearing down the historic structure and then building out the entire bulky cube defined by contemporary setbacks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Remnants of early suburbia displaying a balance between built objects and their surroundings reflect an openness and curiosity that people were, for a time, encouraged to explore in the very way their homes were designed. While this is arguably romanticization of nature (which, as we know, is hardly benign), it has the virtue of opening realms of pleasurable experience that can transform a mere house into a home-in-a-garden. Buildings with these attributes remain suggestive of ways of dwelling that engage us directly in observing and tending our surroundings while exposing us in controlled, hence pleasurable, ways to the variety of nature's moods. <span style="font-size: large;">But<span style="font-size: large;">, <span style="font-size: large;">a</span></span></span>nyone tempted towards this sort of situation had better be interested in gardening, or at least prepared to manage landscape actively, because nature really does want to run right up to the door, and living closer to it is definitely a hands-on experience.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Y</span>ou had better enjoy gardening if you choose a country locale</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b> </b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>This is the third in a series of posts in the centennial year of the Hubert Savage bungalow, intended to celebrate and share the house's history and character with the community. In March we were invited to receive an award of merit from the Victoria Hallmark Heritage Society, in recognition of our efforts to restore and preserve this antique house. I have gratefully accepted this proposal, while remaining all-too-aware that complete restoration of a 100-year-old wooden house is a moving target and a project that might well outrun my own efforts at stewardship. The awards ceremony is the evening of May 7th at St. Ann's Academy in Victoria, B.C.</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Next post: a printed frieze by English artist Lawson Wood adds an artistic touch as a built-in feature in the Savage bungalow's living room.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>This post was amended, edited and updated in early 2021. The author can be reached at cubbs@telus.net . </b></span><br />
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<br /><br /><br />David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-16435007237407714462013-03-04T05:16:00.064-08:002024-03-13T14:36:00.878-07:00Town And Country<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQr4gJLIh7OAmOwea3ae55s9JTnfSly4IKpY5KtyaVVLKGNB9VECz_uMZJHUlCykOYWGjWb47Cj1UHi0JQ4-qg5ea-dT1VhSTUD-eiSHeevuAdoBPFqm74RzvKBNBO-5xuiRHReV21wDY/s1600/Feb+2013+003.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQr4gJLIh7OAmOwea3ae55s9JTnfSly4IKpY5KtyaVVLKGNB9VECz_uMZJHUlCykOYWGjWb47Cj1UHi0JQ4-qg5ea-dT1VhSTUD-eiSHeevuAdoBPFqm74RzvKBNBO-5xuiRHReV21wDY/s640/Feb+2013+003.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Oblana, built in 1916 near Blackwood Station, on the Saanich Interurban line</b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">W</span>hen </b><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hubert Savage chose to build </b><span style="font-size: large;"><b>a country bungalow</b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><b>five kilometres out of town <span style="font-size: large;">back in 1913</span></b>, <span style="font-size: large;"><b>h</b><span style="font-size: large;"><b>is w</b><span style="font-size: large;"><b>as likely the first house on </b><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Blackwood Road and one of only a</b><span style="font-size: large;"><b> handful in that part of Saanich.</b> <span style="font-size: large;">The question is,<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>why did he<span style="font-size: large;"> opt <span style="font-size: large;">to locate</span></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">way o</span>ut in the back of beyond rather than on a more settled street closer to downtown? And, however did he<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>get back and forth in those days<span style="font-size: large;">, given the locale's remoteness <span style="font-size: large;">and the need to commute<span style="font-size: large;"> to a workplace downtown<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">? This all happened before the private automobile was a realistic option. Speculation about<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: large;">the links<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span>betwee<span style="font-size: large;">n a novel<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>form of</span> personal mobility and the early dispersal of subur<span style="font-size: large;">bia into rural lands forms<span style="font-size: large;"> the basis<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>of this post. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">In his classic history of suburbia, <b>Bourgeois Utopias</b>, Robert Fishman recounts how<span style="font-size: large;"> the idea </span>originated<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>with wealthy merchants who opted to build homes in<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span>unspoiled countryside, a move that enabled them to flee the horrors of the industrial city without sacrificing <span style="font-size: large;">urban comforts</span>. The impetus to move home to a rural locale was<span style="font-size: large;"> t</span>he opportunity to breathe cleaner air, gain more space for gardens and outdoor pursuits, and especially, to <span style="font-size: large;">r</span>aise family at a secure distance from the clamorous city. Additionally, rural land was dirt cheap to acquire <span style="font-size: large;">because<span style="font-size: large;">, up to the point of becoming accessible to development, </span></span>it was typically either farmland or bush.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Town in country, house in a gardened setting - the idea behind suburban bungalows</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Fishman<span style="font-size: large;"> says the </span><span style="font-size: large;">wish to flee<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">the pitfalls of urban</span> conditions lies behind<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span>the<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b><b>suburban aspiration</b>, <b><span style="font-size: large;">coupled with a hope of finding </span></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">safer haven</span></span> nestled in nature. </b>Bu<span style="font-size: large;">t for urbanites, choosing to relocate to</span> the country means radical separation of the work and home milieus. This was initiall<span style="font-size: large;">y </span>only feasible for those wealthy enough to finance a means of transport between their remote residence and their place of work<span style="font-size: large;">.</span> The choice only became more widespread with</span><span style="font-size: large;"> the advent of cheaper, more frequent and reliable forms of mobility. Initially, this was prompted by s<span style="font-size: large;">team locomotion, which in the US generated decidedly upper-end suburbs, often at a considerable remove from town. But from the early 1890s, electric-powered streetcars appeared in cities subject to rapid population growth.</span> Street railways provided novel mobility that <span style="font-size: large;">opened </span><span style="font-size: large;">access to large areas of unbuilt land on the immediate periphery of town, and at lower prices than town lots. In<span style="font-size: large;"> Victoria's striking coastal setting, such lands often</span> came with picturesque<span style="font-size: large;"> scenery. So these new electric streetcar systems quickly led to suburban colonization of<span style="font-size: large;"> former farms and hillsides in outlying areas<span style="font-size: large;">.</span> Victoria's <span style="font-size: large;">first streetcar system, the third <span style="font-size: large;">i</span>n <span style="font-size: large;">Canada</span></span><span style="font-size: large;">,<span style="font-size: large;"> quickly <span style="font-size: large;">gave rise to a number of sma<span style="font-size: large;">ll, </span>inner ring suburbs on the outskirts of settled areas</span></span></span>. Convenient access from these new enclaves to the town centre, where jobs and shops clustered, was the vital selling point of the daily real estate adverts flogging both land for investment and newly built houses. The connection between the electric streetcar network and the opening up of zones for development was front-of-mind for those financially backing both schemes.</span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Los Angeles streetcar in 1908, serving dispersed suburban enclaves on a vast scale.</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fishman<span style="font-size: large;"> also reveals that </span>the first full-on suburban developments happened due to settlement proliferating at stops along these electrified corridors. Streetcars thus opened the suburban option to the waves of people then flooding into urban regions looking for new economic opportunities. The f<span style="font-size: large;">orm this more far-flung, rail-based suburbia took differs markedly<span style="font-size: large;"> from the more uniform shape it would assume in the subsequent era of automobile transport. When cars took over from trains, a combination of cheapened house design, greater uniformity of look and lot size, and less-imaginative building placement (due to uniform setback requirements and subdivision-scale planning) would generate more anodyne outcomes.</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> But </span></span>up to<span style="font-size: large;"> at <span style="font-size: large;">least</span> 1920, street railways<span style="font-size: large;"> were the defining vehicle for regional mobility. They not only allowed greater spatial separation of home and work,<span style="font-size: large;"> but also prompted entirely new relationships with regional features and activities beyond the range accessible on foot. The fact that land costs in outlying areas were very low also prompted </span>subdivision patterns that tended to retain more of the look of countryside, resulting in houses set back from the road on lots with residual scenic features.<span style="font-size: large;"> E</span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">arly<span style="font-size: large;"> suburban developers working in Los Angeles actually financed and constructed<span style="font-size: large;"> these street </span>railways in order to facilitate their speculative housing <span style="font-size: large;">projects</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">. The ready supply of newcomers meant rising demand for just such suburban spaces: a comfortable house, within easy commuting distance of work and, courtesy of abundant materials and cheap land, affordable for little more than the cost of renting in town. Anywhere within walking distance of a stop qualified for this new suburban homesteading<span style="font-size: large;">, a feature that in turn 'democratized' residential housing choices.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnP-xoRDG05c7mTvAYDBlU2TZ5ylqHq4nR_Pe6-jDjBxvkaoO0VqFJcsvmbDNscSpWWAzYji6nDqe_DtZJoX4g0Am9cTxb5Yuc_r0TI-wNIW8NMwuvMVWWToGvj6IV5oni7yeoTx9S6nY/s800/Near+Marigold+1920.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="800" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnP-xoRDG05c7mTvAYDBlU2TZ5ylqHq4nR_Pe6-jDjBxvkaoO0VqFJcsvmbDNscSpWWAzYji6nDqe_DtZJoX4g0Am9cTxb5Yuc_r0TI-wNIW8NMwuvMVWWToGvj6IV5oni7yeoTx9S6nY/w640-h364/Near+Marigold+1920.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">Still way out in the back of beyond, rail line near Marigold Junction ca 1920</b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cheap but high-quality building materials, like knot-free old growth Douglas Fir and durable cedar shingles, flew out of custom milling operations in large quantities around Victoria, contributing to the superb value-proposition a new home then represented. The ready availability of quality materials also predisposed contractors to begin erecting housing 'on spec', meaning made for the market without a particular buyer in mind. Another, even more important, factor affecting the value proposition of a house was the sheer cheapness of land on the periphery of town. So the revolution in transport galvanized the settlement of outlying suburbs, enabling home ownership for a rising share of the population. In the long boom that began about 1890 and ran well into 1913, the emerging housing market fueled new heights of speculation in land development - turning it into a party that nearly everyone in town could join! </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7tjMmUG-fta0MvSYrpcMmB3E_pmVAZ1rOfM8AJUAhOxhkHhdwAZVYp1mSqDe_UfjNxdplIziytiyFfOkmAIlI75WqLqssSreMNfvr2WGbgsHnfnlv1YsOCJ5Mmkg_en7R1eOG1x-SdaU/s1413/1911+Garden+City+Suburb+ad.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1413" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7tjMmUG-fta0MvSYrpcMmB3E_pmVAZ1rOfM8AJUAhOxhkHhdwAZVYp1mSqDe_UfjNxdplIziytiyFfOkmAIlI75WqLqssSreMNfvr2WGbgsHnfnlv1YsOCJ5Mmkg_en7R1eOG1x-SdaU/w640-h362/1911+Garden+City+Suburb+ad.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Garden City real estate play occasioned by the Saanich Interurban Railway</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Out in the Garden City suburb, well before train service was up and running, investors were busy marketing quarter-acre blocks of land for between $450 and $600, which in present-day dollars is a pittance. Four hundred and fifty dollars in 1913 equates to about $11,830 today, while $600 is about $15,774. Let those figures sink in for a moment. Then consider that in December 2020, a chunk of raw land designated residential in Strawberry Vale now has an asking price of $599,000. The difference between those two figures indicates how much inflated land-values structure modern prices, and point to what a bargain the 1913 land price represents. The same is true, albeit not nearly as dramatically, for the relative value of buildings back then. In 1913, you could buy a fairly deluxe bungalow near the edge of town, on a full basement, for as little as $3500. Translated into today's dollars, that is roughly the equivalent of $91,000. So a 1400-square-foot smartly dressed house could be had for the equivalent of $91,000 in today's money (including the land it sat on), or a cost of about $65 a square foot. Today a 2300 square foot 'standard' home, not including land, would cost $460,000 to $690,000 to build ($200-300 a square foot), and if it were done up with 'luxury' finishing (ie, up to bungalow standards) it could run as high as $400 per square foot (or six times the 1913 cost in today's dollars). Comparative costs of constructing homes also underscore just how good a deal the house-and-land package was back then. It's absolutely true that the land the building sits on is now ridiculously more costly than it was originally: 38 times more expensive today to buy the development potential of a featureless RS-4 lot on a busy street than it was to purchase a deluxe quarter-acre block in the Garden City suburb. No wonder Hubert Savage was interested!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhflr71ELSJ_pRHpSEpIlCwRFBcmaA2X0vTF3vo8u0QpQxQmzviWj3sPS-CNSY9IuT0xEWM2HBaNAjKKb_lICvxqnc5005MqM-TFr0x75yQQSCbYJCGZUN1jkdEBWq5jvNS2q6wEkhk7-8/s785/1909+Daily+Colonist+ad.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="785" data-original-width="696" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhflr71ELSJ_pRHpSEpIlCwRFBcmaA2X0vTF3vo8u0QpQxQmzviWj3sPS-CNSY9IuT0xEWM2HBaNAjKKb_lICvxqnc5005MqM-TFr0x75yQQSCbYJCGZUN1jkdEBWq5jvNS2q6wEkhk7-8/w568-h640/1909+Daily+Colonist+ad.jpg" width="568" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">Ten minutes from streetcars, three-quarter-acre, $3500 for house and land, 1909 (with views)</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><b><br /></b>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">The advent of e</span>lectric<span style="font-size: large;"> s</span>treet railways triggered <span style="font-size: large;">the growth of </span>rings<span style="font-size: large;"> of </span>suburb</b><span style="font-size: large;"><b>an outskirts</b> <b>around </b><span style="font-size: large;"><b>urban cores in booming cities across</b><b> North America</b>.<span style="font-size: large;"> In Victoria, electric streetcar service resulted in the populating of<span style="font-size: large;"> then-outlying areas like <span style="font-size: large;">Fernwood, Fairfield, Hillside, Oak Ba<span style="font-size: large;">y and finally Burnside/Gorge. <span style="font-size: large;">Towards the<span style="font-size: large;"> end<span style="font-size: large;"> of the</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> first decade of the twentieth century,</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> continuing in-migration fueled a rising<span style="font-size: large;"> demand<span style="font-size: large;"> for <span style="font-size: large;">s</span>uburban housing, creating conditions in which </span>an exciting e<span style="font-size: large;">xtension<span style="font-size: large;"> of the street railroad, known as an</span> <span style="font-size: large;">'i</span>nterurban' line<span style="font-size: large;">, seemed economically feasible. These were faster electric systems <span style="font-size: large;">- </span>essentially precursors of today's light rail transit (LRT) - differing from on-street trams in having exclusive<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span>rights of way</span>. <span style="font-size: large;">S</span>leek and classy additions to existing urban infrastructures, 'interurban' (ie connecting regional centres) rail lines<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>regularly took their host cities by storm, rapidly accelerating the dispersal of people into previously unpopulated areas. This power to disperse for residential purposes while assembling for jobs and shopping excursions worked closely with local real estate interests to market new housing possibilities. By 1913 there was so much impetus in real estate speculation that little Victoria, population about 45,000, had over 300 real estate agencies operating.<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHI-c712ormPyQ15M1oz_9DF4LmzgYiFuRhGFpq1QMWNOoRYU0M43aAZSQrdbwd6dFFgkgcSkOW8z5ItAlK_D-eEr9l330Kafh9N8feDk6BIu2ZBonGlch4YsUYv5O6s7GUa9dPRhIAa8/s2048/streetcar-and-interurban-lines-map-1923-h0004.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1467" data-original-width="2048" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHI-c712ormPyQ15M1oz_9DF4LmzgYiFuRhGFpq1QMWNOoRYU0M43aAZSQrdbwd6dFFgkgcSkOW8z5ItAlK_D-eEr9l330Kafh9N8feDk6BIu2ZBonGlch4YsUYv5O6s7GUa9dPRhIAa8/w640-h458/streetcar-and-interurban-lines-map-1923-h0004.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Map showing the BCERC system in 1923, Saanich Interurban Line in red </span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hubert Savage's chance to live in the country and work in town arose <span style="font-size: large;">precisely because a newly built</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span>interu<span style="font-size: large;">rban</span> line made the commute<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>feasible</b>. As a<span style="font-size: large;"> practicing city</span> architect,<span style="font-size: large;"> he <span style="font-size: large;">needed<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>reliable daily transport from what was then a considerable distance<span style="font-size: large;">. </span></span>A recent ex-London<span style="font-size: large;">er, he was perhaps<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> accustomed to<span style="font-size: large;"> using</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> mass transit to get around<span style="font-size: large;"> a region, a habit that would have helped him view<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">living out along<span style="font-size: large;"> a rail corridor <span style="font-size: large;">as <span style="font-size: large;">a practical choice<span style="font-size: large;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> Articling in London, England<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">,</span></span> he'd also likely been absorbing the growing<span style="font-size: large;"> English </span>fascination with recreational use of the countryside, closely associated with a novel building type known as a 'bungalow', then recently imported from colonial India. Arts-and-crafts archi<span style="font-size: large;">tect R<span style="font-size: large;">.A. Briggs was busy popularizing (among people of means) the idea of locating small, artistic bungalows for recreational use in pristine countryside<span style="font-size: large;">; his <b><i>Bungalows and Country Residences</i></b> preached the benefits</span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> of a new style of 'free and easy living' they made possible in <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">scenic locales but with convenient access to the metropolis. Certainly in England this was a choice <span style="font-size: large;">largely restricted to those with gobs of money, and what Briggs proposed as recreational homes were not exactly 'small' houses. But in spacious, enterprising North America, with an entirely different value proposition on offer, it was a whole other thing.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPk1Y7hcoA5dlqfFUeREySTQHIygbIHxt8wunMNh-yXwpHR_p8RaiJXiC-Y7u2gXlJcgTN8WFEvZ2g-67jPVjWJ3IyEX2RESRNQQzzivXwPlBp9CVtEJM5VpdEoxxSjCjZOAxBOFItMc/s1406/1913_Vancouver_Electric.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="1406" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPk1Y7hcoA5dlqfFUeREySTQHIygbIHxt8wunMNh-yXwpHR_p8RaiJXiC-Y7u2gXlJcgTN8WFEvZ2g-67jPVjWJ3IyEX2RESRNQQzzivXwPlBp9CVtEJM5VpdEoxxSjCjZOAxBOFItMc/w640-h346/1913_Vancouver_Electric.webp" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">BCERC's network in the Lower Mainland, new Saanich line, inset, upper right</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Such factors may have predisposed Savage to feel comfortable choosing a<span style="font-size: large;"> remote</span> building site in then-distant Strawberry Vale, itself part<span style="font-size: large;"> of <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">a</span></span></span></span> recently organized <span style="font-size: large;">di<span style="font-size: large;">strict</span></span> munici<span style="font-size: large;">pality called <span style="font-size: large;">Saanich (1906)</span></span>. Saanich (<span style="font-size: large;">an </span>anglicization of <u>W</u><span style="font-size: large;">SANEC</span><span style="font-size: large;">, the Coast Salish<span style="font-size: large;"> ter<span style="font-size: large;">m for the area) then comprised spar<span style="font-size: large;">sely <span style="font-size: large;">inhabited</span> rural lands that were once part of First Nations' traditional<span style="font-size: large;"> territory</span></span></span></span></span>. At the time, <span style="font-size: large;">and certainly to a town eye, Strawberry Vale and its neighbouring Marigold district </span>weren't much more than a few farms <span style="font-size: large;">ringed by </span>rocky outcrops and stands of native vegetation. One of the area's attractions was surely the low price of land-access, another the opportunity to inhabit<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: large;">some truly picturesque </span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;">landscape on an upland slope. Perhaps that's what led the Savages to purchase a half-acre lot with distinctive landscape advantages.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UgG5gabIESsmf6kkIeQ3WntSYyAzb4NX-pI_m-cQ8_tPHiX1fXzV72bx8nZCr5t7lNYGf1d8bmi-S-K0qHsdbipYV15OZWxdDDQzE4YfDvpBLa_tRTzib_ZuOiMkztJ1Gb0SYS9Ql-E/s1600/late+November+2012+024.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UgG5gabIESsmf6kkIeQ3WntSYyAzb4NX-pI_m-cQ8_tPHiX1fXzV72bx8nZCr5t7lNYGf1d8bmi-S-K0qHsdbipYV15OZWxdDDQzE4YfDvpBLa_tRTzib_ZuOiMkztJ1Gb0SYS9Ql-E/s640/late+November+2012+024.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hubert Savage got to inhabit a picturesque hilltop, courtesy of a new railway line</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">A look around the area's built-out streets today<span style="font-size: large;"> shows</span> <span style="font-size: large;">a collection</span> of mostly modest, <span style="font-size: large;">mainly single-storey</span> houses dating from various eras, a few still located scenically on larger parcels of land<span style="font-size: large;">. Built lo<span style="font-size: large;">osely </span>on a grid pattern but with some culs-de-sac <span style="font-size: large;">courtesy of<span style="font-size: large;"> t</span></span>he steep Wilkinson escarpment, the Garden City suburb still retains a degree of <span style="font-size: large;">natural landscape and native vegetation on its many upland sites.<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span>A glance around suggests its pattern wasn’t co<span style="font-size: large;">ntrived</span> by a single planner or builder, but rather grew<span style="font-size: large;"> gradually from<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span>infill of a more eclectic kind, accelerating in the 1960s boom. Its<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>primary asset<span style="font-size: large;">s today are<span style="font-size: large;"> an<span style="font-size: large;"> u</span></span></span>npretentious mix of housing and residual greenery. Since the early nineties, when Saanich Council opted to stand firm on the idea of urban containment, this area has been undergoing infill development at a fairly rapid rate (often not very compatibly, as below).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5BpDoUd7Q5Z_hyphenhyphenxIoOSB8ow6zXr8OOj4KG7KMrpzxjcIgBVk_CybCqEMTxnS4SY1wWezZivRVPh-yWbTO5NvYyzCi3yllLlN5ly_Fd_BfnFEC0mj5SmfmJ_cLgmom38rydgYnPv-lq90/s1600/late+November+2012+090.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5BpDoUd7Q5Z_hyphenhyphenxIoOSB8ow6zXr8OOj4KG7KMrpzxjcIgBVk_CybCqEMTxnS4SY1wWezZivRVPh-yWbTO5NvYyzCi3yllLlN5ly_Fd_BfnFEC0mj5SmfmJ_cLgmom38rydgYnPv-lq90/s640/late+November+2012+090.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sandwiched between mega-houses that fully occupy a heritage home's former grounds</span></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">One <span style="font-size: large;">does observe too</span> that the <span style="font-size: large;">more recently built the home, <span style="font-size: large;">the </span></span></span>less modest and more mammoth the<span style="font-size: large;"> outcome</span></b> <b>tends to be</b>.<span style="font-size: large;"> Garage doors <span style="font-size: large;">appear and come to define facades,<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> f<span style="font-size: large;">rontages <span style="font-size: large;">come much closer to roads, setbacks are ever-more uniform.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span> The biggest <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">of these new houses fully occupy</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> the smaller </span>lots carve<span style="font-size: large;">d<span style="font-size: large;"> out<span style="font-size: large;"> of ves<span style="font-size: large;">tiges of earlier</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span>suburbia, where buildings <span style="font-size: large;">were sited<span style="font-size: large;"> w</span></span>ell back from the roa<span style="font-size: large;">d</span>, in more generous landscape settings and in greater sympathy with the l<span style="font-size: large;">ie</span> of the land. This idea of a house placed carefully in a distinctive landscape contrasts sharply with the more <span style="font-size: large;">packed<span style="font-size: large;">-in </span></span>and built-up feeling of both the urban core and later auto-oriented suburban development<span style="font-size: large;">.</span> Early layouts of rural suburbs<span style="font-size: large;"> were</span> based on integrating town<span style="font-size: large;"> and country in <span style="font-size: large;">a way that achieved<span style="font-size: large;"> a b<span style="font-size: large;">alance, an objective of the English art<span style="font-size: large;">s-and-crafts movement</span>.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknXpojuTcIdUhSA3f5hTrFH9A6j_1w-1o0A7OemB7L7MVh6SWf38YlzH7bJ3__odEHit2tUxwASHqykHzPKjSyxRgBMoyFvEb4E2hy8EX1fbeBTeiiVM9UtgD0gac5aFVIjnfdAdrUhk/s1600/postcard1472.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknXpojuTcIdUhSA3f5hTrFH9A6j_1w-1o0A7OemB7L7MVh6SWf38YlzH7bJ3__odEHit2tUxwASHqykHzPKjSyxRgBMoyFvEb4E2hy8EX1fbeBTeiiVM9UtgD0gac5aFVIjnfdAdrUhk/s640/postcard1472.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Village-like feeling created by design at the first Garden City at Letchworth<br /></span></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span></span>f Marigold's layout now<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>resembles many auto-centric suburbs,<span style="font-size: large;"> it was anything but that back in 1913</span>. Mostly it was bush and stumps, and <span style="font-size: large;">the prospect</span> of it being anything other<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">only arose because </span>an interurban rail line punched its way through the precinct. When plans for this major capital project were revealed, spe<span style="font-size: large;">culators</span><span style="font-size: large;"> quickly bought<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> up<span style="font-size: large;"> land<span style="font-size: large;"> in <span style="font-size: large;">anticipation of <span style="font-size: large;">the rapid development they hoped it would catalyze. It was named </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>the Garden City, in a rather lame attempt to<span style="font-size: large;"> coat-tail</span> Ebenezer Howard’s then-popular idea for self-sufficient garden cities (like Letchworth, pictured above). But beyond naming streets after common flowers like zinnias and hyacinths and lilacs, there's<span style="font-size: large;"> no evidence of<span style="font-size: large;"> any </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">Ho<span style="font-size: large;">ward<span style="font-size: large;">-like thinking behind this real estate play - just the desire to harvest <span style="font-size: large;">a fresh bonanza of real estate froth on the fringes of town. Growth had typically followed rail lines, so the would-be subdividers of the Garden City were confident it was coming<span style="font-size: large;"> their way. It certainly had gone that way all across the Lower Mainland! And the ad below, the bottom section of the one discussed above, shows just how widely the net was cast back in the run-up to the line's opening. Prospective buyers were invited to <i>"get in on the ground floor,"</i> "<i>as the prices now offered will undoubtedly double as soon as the car line is in operation</i>". That was speculation in motion, but solidly based on what had been happening around the region for some time. Indeed, it was the pattern emerging in Victoria wherever streetcars gave people ready access to property. Victoria historian Harry Gregson notes how Fairfield "became one of the most popular residential areas and 60 X 120 foot lots were selling for $5,000 in 1912 compared with $400 six years earlier." One had only to find the wherewithal to buy in, and voila, riches would surely follow.<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0KORbwRFlEs_9D1WQX5ZO1ZtfpTVmuebBKq7Mo5Fs4ewEJVDrJh8u3GRuZkiLA59q9_0hVRqjAPxcgnnW8DFc5qyx2djZmShyphenhyphenKTo23mm_88HWYoJPdIW2xAKWxaG_o3Xv-LOMq7KJuc/s1433/bottom+of+GC+ad+1911.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="1433" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0KORbwRFlEs_9D1WQX5ZO1ZtfpTVmuebBKq7Mo5Fs4ewEJVDrJh8u3GRuZkiLA59q9_0hVRqjAPxcgnnW8DFc5qyx2djZmShyphenhyphenKTo23mm_88HWYoJPdIW2xAKWxaG_o3Xv-LOMq7KJuc/w640-h166/bottom+of+GC+ad+1911.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The privately owned</span> BC Electric Railway <span style="font-size: large;">Company (BCERC)</span> decided to build this chi<span style="font-size: large;">c</span><span style="font-size: large;"> commuter service expressly to</span> open up what they felt would quickly become thriving residential enclaves up and down<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>the west side of the Saanich peninsula. W<span style="font-size: large;">i<span style="font-size: large;">t<span style="font-size: large;">h</span></span></span> a legislated <span style="font-size: large;">monop<span style="font-size: large;">oly to supply power<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>and street-transport services in both Vancouver and Victoria, <span style="font-size: large;">the BCERC</span></span></span> was already enjoying robust success operating <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">i<span style="font-size: large;">nte<span style="font-size: large;">rurban lines across the</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Lower Mainland.<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;">As the operators of <span style="font-size: large;">Victoria's successful tramway system<span style="font-size: large;">,</span> the BCERC brass were<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: large;">convinced</span> that Victoria's hinterlands were similarly poised for takeoff, and they were keen to be catalysts and beneficiaries of this growth. Adaptation of electricity to run lights and devices in residences was also just then taking off, so the BCERC, sole generator and distributor of electrical power in the region, saw real potential in this emerging market.</span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKPet3cSGzy-CelJoQGadpZplUMMH0UB0ETPbFLrCef-UsOrl7cnvhQItEf-qwoAnqdM0jSNBHZfFYc3ja8aA_pTY-xgcC2IS1GQBzfCrCfsq6dtbPL6cHKCXuZW7ifF6N3cNZi9g1mA/s1600/BCERC+three.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKPet3cSGzy-CelJoQGadpZplUMMH0UB0ETPbFLrCef-UsOrl7cnvhQItEf-qwoAnqdM0jSNBHZfFYc3ja8aA_pTY-xgcC2IS1GQBzfCrCfsq6dtbPL6cHKCXuZW7ifF6N3cNZi9g1mA/s640/BCERC+three.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Interurban railways un<span style="font-size: small;">loc<span style="font-size: small;">ked new<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span>development in North American cities </span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Operating at higher speeds than streetcars, <span style="font-size: large;">e</span>lectric Interurbans<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span>vastly extended the possibility of new settlements setting up in outlying areas.</b> </span><span style="font-size: large;">In Los Angeles,<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: large;">railway</span></span> spurs <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">ra<span style="font-size: large;">d<span style="font-size: large;">iating outwards from a central spine allowed</span></span></span></span> huge masses<span style="font-size: large;"> of p</span>eople to work downtown
while retreating at night to citrus-grove subdivisions dotting a vast metropolitan plain.<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>The same phenomenon spread to other city-regions, also subjec<span style="font-size: large;">t to rapid in-migration, so t</span>here was really no reason to think anything different would happen in then-also-booming Victoria. And the new areas to be opened up were as <span style="font-size: large;">often as prett<span style="font-size: large;">y a<span style="font-size: large;">s po<span style="font-size: large;">stcards,<span style="font-size: large;"> with views to <span style="font-size: large;">fields, inlet<span style="font-size: large;">s, str<span style="font-size: large;">ait<span style="font-size: large;">s, lakes and mountains, so they were doubly marketable<span style="font-size: large;">.</span> <span style="font-size: large;">Y</span></span></span></span></span></span>et</span></span></span></span> in the end, despi<span style="font-size: large;">te <span style="font-size: large;">a few s<span style="font-size: large;">cattered residential starts like the Savage bungalow,</span></span></span> the hoped-for real-estate bonanza from the new interurban line would simply fail to materialize. In 1913, and quite unexpectedly, the economy began tanking badly, everywhere. Then in 1914, world war broke out, and so by 1915, many young Victorians had enlisted in the army in order to fight for their country, dealing a further blow to local demand. For the Savage bungalow, t<span style="font-size: large;">he stalled economy me<span style="font-size: large;">ant<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span>that rat<span style="font-size: large;">her</span></span> than his house <span style="font-size: large;">serv</span>ing as the forerunner of a whole new housing trend (as its designer may have imagined), it became instead a<span style="font-size: large;"> rather distant</span> outlier <span style="font-size: large;">- marooned in<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> a street-car suburbia that never actually came to pass</span></span></span>.<span style="font-size: large;"> For Savage himself, the gravity of the crisis would mean that for a time he worked outside his credentialed profession of architect. As t</span>he Garden City failed to materialize <span style="font-size: large;">a</span>round the rail-line as planned, the rural land it was to be platted from<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>remained mostly cow pasture, rocky outcrops and oak-and-fir-clad hillsides for a good many <span style="font-size: large;">decades to come</span>. The form the neighbourhood took when it <span style="font-size: large;">eventually did fill-<span style="font-size: large;">in<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span>derived more from<span style="font-size: large;"> the</span> p<span style="font-size: large;">rimacy of automobile travel, and the sixties in-migration to Victoria, embodying a far <span style="font-size: large;">l</span>ess romantic, vastly more prosaic, vision of suburbia than than the suddenly outdated idea of 'town in country'.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Extensive streetcar suburbs in early C20 Los Angeles</span></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">None of this would necessarily have detracted from Hubert Savage’s plans to create a rural <span style="font-size: large;">refuge in a pretty place</span>, which came to fruition in tandem with<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>the Saanich Interurban line's con<span style="font-size: large;">struction</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> (an effort costing<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>nearly <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">$1-million back in 1913)</span></span>. <span style="font-size: large;">Some 23 miles long in total, with thirty-one stops and sh<span style="font-size: large;">eltered wooden </span>platforms, this well-engineered<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>electrified line <span style="font-size: large;">enjoyed its own right</span> of way <span style="font-size: large;">north from Tillicum Station junction, continuing all the way out to Deep Bay on the Saanich <span style="font-size: large;">Peninsula</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">. From Tillicum Station inbound, the line <span style="font-size: large;">shared B<span style="font-size: large;">urnside <span style="font-size: large;">Road with the street railway en route to </span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">a co<span style="font-size: large;">nvenient</span></span> downtown terminus located across from City Hall.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQoRcHiHIVVHQPJtymIdvK3PQDRJ7i5Nf59EtKS7KzR0LJXrQQ2Vq6FZ1Z_zmh0opVPbCzzm_jJywCwdlga1KFwIXgdh4yrOk50Lgh94YJONTb7cA1MWci7rV3r3ypQvgA0TPVDZI4msE/s800/CVA+Opening+Ceremonies.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="800" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQoRcHiHIVVHQPJtymIdvK3PQDRJ7i5Nf59EtKS7KzR0LJXrQQ2Vq6FZ1Z_zmh0opVPbCzzm_jJywCwdlga1KFwIXgdh4yrOk50Lgh94YJONTb7cA1MWci7rV3r3ypQvgA0TPVDZI4msE/w640-h548/CVA+Opening+Ceremonies.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><b>Dignitaries awaiting the Saanich Interurban Line's inaugural ride</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9HxDgrku0NOX9Zy52OBaNFp_IuQnfcUPcF_bnVsw4C2GFl9hz4C_ufvXytsyoJvYH8U2OHZsC4D_OJquvr-5nhe46F5mwYG9H20LE3n2h-e3mpmdMCaEndlRn6yEaI7zygcSQZ_v3as/s1600/Prospect+Lake+Station+1923.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9HxDgrku0NOX9Zy52OBaNFp_IuQnfcUPcF_bnVsw4C2GFl9hz4C_ufvXytsyoJvYH8U2OHZsC4D_OJquvr-5nhe46F5mwYG9H20LE3n2h-e3mpmdMCaEndlRn6yEaI7zygcSQZ_v3as/w640-h400/Prospect+Lake+Station+1923.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b>Saanich Interurban, Prospect Station, after moving to single cars with solo drivers<br /></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiW23ekeTK2fRWEq3egSXBe4493A7GN_HXOT941Y5oNekkDX7F8eN2DM_X09I9RmkBtobOvSm4kg35FAKxPOv_jYbWXbU8qB8e340FdsH2X1qK5wFM4qqjV3tmu9EK8RKALJq0XV8iN7RNLeN5gB9fWd520bTW0pyd2R1z-o2f3ghkfG5GtVHNZEf1B=s1920" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1208" data-original-width="1920" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiW23ekeTK2fRWEq3egSXBe4493A7GN_HXOT941Y5oNekkDX7F8eN2DM_X09I9RmkBtobOvSm4kg35FAKxPOv_jYbWXbU8qB8e340FdsH2X1qK5wFM4qqjV3tmu9EK8RKALJq0XV8iN7RNLeN5gB9fWd520bTW0pyd2R1z-o2f3ghkfG5GtVHNZEf1B=w640-h402" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Flitton family photo of the Interurban railway fleet, near City Hall, ca 1920</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">The first of the new rural<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>stops<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>along the <span style="font-size: large;">Saanich line </span>was named Marigold, after Marigold Avenue, less than a kilometer from Savage’s new digs on Blackwood Road (today Grange). Its second stop was B<span style="font-size: large;">lackwood station, a bit<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span>closer to the Savage bungalow but apparently costing a nickel<span style="font-size: large;"> more for passage.<span style="font-size: large;"> I can easily picture a smartly dressed Hubert Savage walking a wee bi<span style="font-size: large;">t </span>further each day in order t<span style="font-size: large;">o effect that significant saving, and feeling pleased with him<span style="font-size: large;">self for</span> getting exercise into the bargain. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"></div> <b></b><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMdL0nKhEIwI3RX3N_jTBcOxr6h_1Cu8eydekMYIsldpmcXJn7Y-UlEnw3YIEn36iuHG9Nh_f4FAgzbB4QU6DWtNHkRyexuRg9rFNcSiCIWsNL6mG4qpQA7NdX28_A2X2eqUyHLToBKQ/s1600/last+spike+Saanich+Line.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMdL0nKhEIwI3RX3N_jTBcOxr6h_1Cu8eydekMYIsldpmcXJn7Y-UlEnw3YIEn36iuHG9Nh_f4FAgzbB4QU6DWtNHkRyexuRg9rFNcSiCIWsNL6mG4qpQA7NdX28_A2X2eqUyHLToBKQ/s640/last+spike+Saanich+Line.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Premier McBride driving the last spike, a set-piece of railway openings</span></span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcGZrZ08qNrLiGpD_ArYFUwe6Wzk2FFxRDsKFvOXLsUP6E48Ts4xSYWS_H85Yqrc8KGGGVQ40PIUlLlyNRCBrkYTc2Nd_4G_vFEz29XamanQpQs18XAUw7vMNWVoShgM5uk-Z9oAlWzQ/s480/Marigold+Road+1922.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="480" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcGZrZ08qNrLiGpD_ArYFUwe6Wzk2FFxRDsKFvOXLsUP6E48Ts4xSYWS_H85Yqrc8KGGGVQ40PIUlLlyNRCBrkYTc2Nd_4G_vFEz29XamanQpQs18XAUw7vMNWVoShgM5uk-Z9oAlWzQ/w640-h448/Marigold+Road+1922.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Commercial cluster, Marigold junction, on the Saanich Interurban line circa 1923</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> <br /></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Construction of the Savage bungalow was
likely in full swing when rail service commenced on June 18, 1913.</b>
There was plenty of regional boosterism around the interurban line's big opening, the train
festooned with ribbons and laden with a cargo of some 100 dignitaries for its
inaugural ride. It even featured a ceremony with Premier McBride symbolically driving a last
spike out at Deep Bay (picture two above), where the BCERC would soon build a chalet-restaurant as a destination to draw
sightseers. The initial service was a two-car train with comfortable seats and
a smoking section, offering many return trips per day. If Savage caught
the 7:30 morning train at Blackwood station, or the 7:32 at Marigold station, he was downtown by
7:50 and could be at his drafting table by eight. The return trip would have been equally
convenient, punctuated perhaps with a stop to purchase groceries or sundries at
one of the country stores located near Marigold junction (pictured above, looking a bit down-at-the-heels, in 1922).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jud Yoho-designed bungalow, built in 1912 for a Victoria realtor, Marigold Station</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is undoubtedly true <span style="font-size: large;">that </span>Savage’s choice of such a remote building site was determined by this convenient method of commuting. Access to town water and electricity may also have played a role<span style="font-size: large;"> (the new number one water main from Sooke Lake <span style="font-size: large;">was buried under nearby Burnside Road, opened as of 1915). The house came equipped with an electrical system (with knob and tube wiring) which initially fed overhead lights and several wall outlets per room, as well as front and back outside lights to illuminate the night. We can be</span></span> <span style="font-size: large;">certain<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span>that just this sort of suburban homesteading was what the <span style="font-size: large;">I</span>nterurban was counting on to generate future demand for electricity (both as passengers on the trains, and as domestic consumers). Embryonic markets for the power it was generating are the sole explanation for the BCERC making<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>such<span style="font-size: large;"> a huge</span> investment in rural passe<span style="font-size: large;">nger service</span>. And, back in the day, <span style="font-size: large;">i</span>t was just the sort of<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>artistic, low-slung bungalow that Savage designed for himself that was proving a highly attractive<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>lifestyle choice to the droves of</span><span style="font-size: large;"> newcomers filling<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>North American cities.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><b>The sort of <span style="font-size: small;">artistic, </span>low-slung bungalow attracting city fol<span style="font-size: small;">k back </span></b><b>in 1913</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>If <span style="font-size: large;">p</span>rivately owned electric railways were contrived for the purpose of opening access to unbelievably cheap rural lands</b>,<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>r</b></span><b>eal estate speculation was central to the equation</b>. Int<span style="font-size: large;">erurbans<span style="font-size: large;"> we</span></span>re <span style="font-size: large;">f</span>aster and more reliable than competitor railroads from the steam era. They were in effect as distinctly contemporary an idea as the low, horizontal houses then finding favour<span style="font-size: large;"> with</span> the newly minted suburbanites. Railway promoters and development interests in fact operated as part of a single development scheme. Where the formula worked out, settlements mushroomed around the stops on patterns of <span style="font-size: large;">convenient walking access to the trains.</span> The Saanich Interurban's effect differed only in degree from patterns set up b<span style="font-size: large;">y<span style="font-size: large;"> the </span></span>downtown streetcar system, which also sparked new neighbourhoods around its stops, <span style="font-size: large;">albeit <span style="font-size: large;">muc<span style="font-size: large;">h more tightly spaced and </span>closer<span style="font-size: large;"> to </span></span></span>the downtown c<span style="font-size: large;">ore</span>. One impact of covering greater distances more rapidly was to in fact physically disperse<span style="font-size: large;"> suburbia<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> much </span></span></span>further outwards. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicenu4G2tPYm44AgWFAFwhGXhsN1b9_PNziXIoRFcqZ-LPf7oLpaVuYJWsvTxMIKxfUAta_Dm0tYSymLH0YpsJFYpzCx_dtVOcbThKOsaZf3DqdJ9nLrDbJlOUhqMj4JmaS3oegdaxUbQ/s800/Opening+day+1913.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="800" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicenu4G2tPYm44AgWFAFwhGXhsN1b9_PNziXIoRFcqZ-LPf7oLpaVuYJWsvTxMIKxfUAta_Dm0tYSymLH0YpsJFYpzCx_dtVOcbThKOsaZf3DqdJ9nLrDbJlOUhqMj4JmaS3oegdaxUbQ/w640-h502/Opening+day+1913.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">Opening day fanfare in anticipation of a real estate bonanza that didn't come</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>However, to the great dismay of its investors, the Saanich Interurban line didn't spur the desired galloping<span style="font-size: large;"> gr<span style="font-size: large;">o<span style="font-size: large;">wt<span style="font-size: large;">h</span></span></span></span>, despite all the investment, fanfare and sustained efforts to market its advantages.</b> And then the<span style="font-size: large;"> economic boom that had been raising all boats for so long fizzled just as </span>competition from rubber-tired <span style="font-size: large;">vehicles began filching the railroad's needed<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> clientele.</span></span></span> And <span style="font-size: large;">picturesque little Victoria, distant from the major<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">movements of goods and people animating larger centres, was not destined to be the people-magnet the port of Vancouver became as Canada's major west-coast trans-shipment <span style="font-size: large;">point. So it would transpire that, </span></span></span></span></span>little more than a decade after its opening, the Sa<span style="font-size: large;">anich line's</span> prospects dimmed to such an extent that it was shut down. Soon after that,<span style="font-size: large;"> its tracks <span style="font-size: large;">and overhead wiring ripped out,<span style="font-size: large;"> it was made to suffer the ultimate</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> indign<span style="font-size: large;">ity of conversion to municipal <span style="font-size: large;">roadway</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> - hence the level quality of the Interurban Road we still use to this day.</span></span></span> The boom that went bust <span style="font-size: large;">after</span> 1913 wouldn’t return to Victoria until well after the Great Depression and a second global war, then still decades away. People who invested in parcels along the line were left holding the bag well into the sixties before there was fresh hope of redemption. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jitney buses appeared suddenly in every city, scooping passengers from street railways</span></span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>In 1913 the<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>immediate threat to the Saanich Interurban<span style="font-size: large;"> line </span>was<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>cut-throat competition</b> <b>from vehicles making free use of the public roads provided by civic tax revenues</b>. If electric<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>railways easily bested <span style="font-size: large;">the</span> older steam railways<span style="font-size: large;">, they </span>in turn were quickly trumped by the introduction of gas-powered automobiles. Soon after the Saanich Interurban <span style="font-size: large;">line</span> opened for business, dozens of ‘jitney’ cabs (or small buses) appeared out of the blue to compete for the rail clientele ('jitney' was slang<span style="font-size: large;"> f</span>or a nic<span style="font-size: large;">kel, the un<span style="font-size: large;">iform</span> price of a ride)</span>. By November 1913, over fifty such jitneys were operating in Victo<span style="font-size: large;">ria. By 1915, there were 150 of them, with an association (Victoria Jitney Association) to fend off municipal regulation.<br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7Rij4FeBiX9Dlco2-0ULwJdRHz9QW6D_R8oBUGlBM2oPW-lp1tIl6yPhe653KyhGAAcLUm1wR14Bl8l3r2HZy3-LukMJHjYRwwsrwPr_7g9m-1hQerz3bdRK7bQa28XdiuNQ8kAE-YA/s1600/1915.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7Rij4FeBiX9Dlco2-0ULwJdRHz9QW6D_R8oBUGlBM2oPW-lp1tIl6yPhe653KyhGAAcLUm1wR14Bl8l3r2HZy3-LukMJHjYRwwsrwPr_7g9m-1hQerz3bdRK7bQa28XdiuNQ8kAE-YA/w640-h640/1915.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Travel choices: Causeway launches, Burnside streetcar, or Gorge Road Jitneys</span></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">W</span>ith low operating costs and the ability to offer <span style="font-size: large;">door-to-door </span>service<span style="font-size: large;">,</span> jitneys posed a running threat to streetcar systems everywhere. Drivers c<span style="font-size: large;">ruised the station<span style="font-size: large;">s in advance of the trains, scooping up riders with cheap fares and the chance <span style="font-size: large;">to </span>experience movement in one of these<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> strange self-propelled</span> contraptions<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">. </span></span></span></span>W</span>idespread <span style="font-size: large;">use of j</span>itneys<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: large;">thus contributed<span style="font-size: large;"> to</span></span></span> the early demise of many <span style="font-size: large;">I</span>nterurban lines, whose relatively high capital and operating costs meant they couldn't compete on fares without virtually bankrupting themselves.<span style="font-size: large;"> Jitneys not only established prot<span style="font-size: large;">otype </span>taxi and bus<span style="font-size: large;"> services, they<span style="font-size: large;"> also helped </span></span>pave the way for the rapid spread<span style="font-size: large;"> of</span> the private automobile, by far<span style="font-size: large;"> the deadliest<span style="font-size: large;"> competitor for any form of mass transit.</span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1915-6 Packard Jitney, similar to those competing for the Interurban's customers</span> </span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">While interurban trains effectively linked regional centres, the new settlement patterns they sponsored were spread at <span style="font-size: large;">broader</span>
intervals along their longer lengths. This pattern of growth leapfrogged a huge amount of
undeveloped residential land much closer<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>to downtown, land that was potentially cheaper to service
and offered shorter commutes once there was an alternative to fixed-link streetcars. <span style="font-size: large;">Steady</span></span></span> extension of paved roads by local municipalities <span style="font-size: large;">made it easier for people to adopt<span style="font-size: large;"> a<span style="font-size: large;">utomobiles<span style="font-size: large;">, which helped in turn open</span></span></span></span> up many unbuilt areas lying between existing streetcar lines at greater than walking distance. These locales<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: large;">came with</span></span> <span style="font-size: large;">rural, hillside and seaside<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span>settings too, giving them<span style="font-size: large;"> a</span> resort-like or country feeling that in Victoria still persists to some extent to this day.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJeqj0ola285zdqUar03mMszu9U6_XyDZW06SlwQHRfh_Bvvu1y3UqyTzBpstNJui5srBuWQSj5kARF-nIYkkfJnx8Di0EqHQvIzCuTEdJOpcvsHPfZvGkQYVIILeVPIvFHeDO3ub_Fw/s2000/Sidney+Museum+and+Archives+1913+last+stop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJeqj0ola285zdqUar03mMszu9U6_XyDZW06SlwQHRfh_Bvvu1y3UqyTzBpstNJui5srBuWQSj5kARF-nIYkkfJnx8Di0EqHQvIzCuTEdJOpcvsHPfZvGkQYVIILeVPIvFHeDO3ub_Fw/s320/Sidney+Museum+and+Archives+1913+last+stop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYLTeLkeBux37epfpN-I_nOSNKRGoLHDvl28ESCbqDwJXM8j7YTi_bZB-P92O97ZQ85ylR3yX9vhjIXPxfW7hosp0N5gVCU4U1e5bTGW6Ed7qoXNry_zy-4rUa6VgnNEPxuD62OB8um4/s1098/Interurban+connection.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="970" data-original-width="1098" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYLTeLkeBux37epfpN-I_nOSNKRGoLHDvl28ESCbqDwJXM8j7YTi_bZB-P92O97ZQ85ylR3yX9vhjIXPxfW7hosp0N5gVCU4U1e5bTGW6Ed7qoXNry_zy-4rUa6VgnNEPxuD62OB8um4/s320/Interurban+connection.jpg" width="320" /></a><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2naHVL-QoG03ppe8azB7z7xbCPP3UJ8BAOJcEyZtEUoirROzpfeH3dP3SHkQ3e-3i2IC4MO-qg11Y827SSWA-gr_DchkgTAtlQ2jEXSanpe_jU1Jy5u0w_PFDP0xJbKNjVRJGbM7lCkE/s733/Interurban+Line.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="464" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2naHVL-QoG03ppe8azB7z7xbCPP3UJ8BAOJcEyZtEUoirROzpfeH3dP3SHkQ3e-3i2IC4MO-qg11Y827SSWA-gr_DchkgTAtlQ2jEXSanpe_jU1Jy5u0w_PFDP0xJbKNjVRJGbM7lCkE/s320/Interurban+Line.jpg" /></a></div><br /></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I</span>f Hubert Savage was<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>counting on a train-based extension of suburbia to readily expand his architectural practice</b>, <b>he was doomed to disappointment. </b><span style="font-size: large;">M</span>y guess, however, is that he chose this locale for<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>its intrinsic merits as much as for business reasons, realizing h<span style="font-size: large;">is own family </span>would enjoy a pretty spot far from the crush of newcomers for a great many years to come. The idea of <span style="font-size: large;">retreating to the country </span>was very much 'in the air' at the time, and architects discovered it could be made practical using the novel housing type called bungalow as the basic building block<span style="font-size: large;">. <span style="font-size: large;">R.A. Brigg's writings advocated finding a pretty country place and simply popping a building onto it, thus enabling the family to enjoy<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> a lifestyle <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">'of r<span style="font-size: large;">usticity and ease'.</span></span></span> Gustav Stickley's The Craftsman magazine advocated the same thing too. And that's pretty much what Hubert and Alys Savage did out in Strawberry Vale. The bungalow, reinvented prosaically in Los Angeles as subdivision housing, would prove<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>the perfect medium for this outward movement all across land-rich North America<span style="font-size: large;">, providing</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> safe haven and creature comforts </span>in gardened settings<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">. It's no surprise that Hubert and Alys wanted this experience for themselves.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5ePPEex_uoJuwwSEfEKSrNRyvmwCV834bg-krKBjD5qp2MHEwAx5qA18Lt5_jCVxF1wS9j41VwPaODCAnI7Y81CDQ6m-vkgZD_fXVM3KDaMNPVPBM9lcxZYE8uS2TraEGnFUHD2_vek/s480/Lake+Hill+Jitney+-+1910s.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="480" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5ePPEex_uoJuwwSEfEKSrNRyvmwCV834bg-krKBjD5qp2MHEwAx5qA18Lt5_jCVxF1wS9j41VwPaODCAnI7Y81CDQ6m-vkgZD_fXVM3KDaMNPVPBM9lcxZYE8uS2TraEGnFUHD2_vek/w640-h396/Lake+Hill+Jitney+-+1910s.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">The Lake Hill jitney bus, one of many such precursors to buses and cabs</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">To return to t<span style="font-size: large;">he rapidly changing <span style="font-size: large;">mobility equation: <span style="font-size: large;">i</span></span></span>f the low fares offered by the jitneys bled the interurban lines, the rapid rise of the private<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>automobile delivered the coup de grace. <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Streetcar historian</span> Henry Ewart <span style="font-size: large;">says that jitneys served to <span style="font-size: large;">introduce people to the idea of car travel while dem<span style="font-size: large;">onstrating its</span> utili<span style="font-size: large;">t<span style="font-size: large;">y</span></span><span style="font-size: large;">. </span></span></span></span>The car's advantages of flexibility<span style="font-size: large;"> (on your own sc<span style="font-size: large;">hedule)</span></span> and convenience (<span style="font-size: large;">weather protected and secure)</span>, coupled with <span style="font-size: large;">its continually f</span>alling price-tag once mass production got rolling, <span style="font-size: large;">made<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>it truly <span style="font-size: large;">unstoppable especially once municipalities got into the business of paving roads</span></span>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Model Ts coming off the world's first moving production line: Ford Nation emerging</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">In an even deeper irony, <span style="font-size: large;">unknown to either electric railway builders or suburban homesteaders</span><span style="font-size: large;"> back in 1913<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">, </span></span></span></span>Henry Ford was at that very moment successfully introducing the moving production line to car <span style="font-size: large;">manufacture</span>.<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: large;">His pioneering</span> leap<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>into automated production cut</span> the time <span style="font-size: large;">needed to build a car chassis</span> from some 12 hours to just 2.5. This innovation dramatically increased his factory's output while in turn lowering the price of its products, guaranteeing growing markets for the private automobile. It also allowed Ford ultimately to introduce the $5 w<span style="font-size: large;">orking </span>day (leading his compet<span style="font-size: large;">itors to ac<span style="font-size: large;">cuse him of being a socialist!)</span></span> which meant<span style="font-size: large;"> his own </span>workers could<span style="font-size: large;"> actually </span>aspire to own the fruits of their own labour. Far from implying a socialist inclination, Ford's wage increase was aimed at improving retention of workers who had to endure the relentless monotony of the moving production line.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Streetcar line still serving the Ford plant, not yet put out of business by car</span></b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">s<br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>We don't know at what point Hubert Savage abandoned the train and began commuting to work by car, but the Interurban option was gone by 1924, just 11 years after starting up.</b> <span style="font-size: large;">E</span>ven the extreme measures taken by Vancouver and Victoria city councils to formally ban jitneys from cruising <span style="font-size: large;">rail stops </span>wouldn’t prove sufficient to save the Saanich Interurban. It was prophetic<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> that Sa</span>anich, home to <span style="font-size: large;">the region's first and only electric Interurban railway, took absolutely no action to curb the use of jitney cabs and buses at stops. <span style="font-size: large;">Perha<span style="font-size: large;">ps the council of the day was early to recognize that automobile travel was the real wave of the future?</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">A remnant of the Saanich line, now part of the Interurban Railtrail<br /></span></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So the owners of the rail-inspired Garden City <span style="font-size: large;">s</span>uburb had little choice but to adapt to automobility from early on. Yet, given its distance from downtown in a now slow-growing city, this relative remoteness meant <span style="font-size: large;">i</span>ncremental rather than rapid build-out, ultimately of a more modest nature than initially envisaged. Of course<span style="font-size: large;">, Savage's</span> bungalow was quite indifferent to how it was accessed, and it certainly didn<span style="font-size: large;">'t <span style="font-size: large;">require a<span style="font-size: large;"> built-up neigh<span style="font-size: large;">bourhood crowding in upon it</span></span></span></span>. Its unique placement on a hilltop in the countryside only necessitated access to some form or other of viab<span style="font-size: large;">le</span> mobility<span style="font-size: large;"> in order to overcome the separations of <span style="font-size: large;">home and<span style="font-size: large;"> jobs and services</span></span></span>. If <span style="font-size: large;">s</span>uburbia <span style="font-size: large;">does</span> involve an element of escape from the crowding of town conditions, its precondition is inevitably some form of<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>convenient<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>mobility. Without it, <span style="font-size: large;">suburbia can't exist.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Suburbia remade for cars: city without the services, country without the landscape</span></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>At the time it was built, the Sav<span style="font-size: large;">age bungalow</span> would have appeared sleekly modern and entirely novel</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> radically horizontal in contrast to its Victorian forbears, </span>forward-looking with its motion-minded kitchen and new electric appliances, isolated geographically but in touch<span style="font-size: large;"> with<span style="font-size: large;"> a</span></span> broader<span style="font-size: large;"> world via telephone initially (</span>services and friends) and then by radio <span style="font-size: large;">(n</span>ews and entertainments). <span style="font-size: large;">While fully modern in its day, in true arts-and-crafts<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>fashion<span style="font-size: large;"> it was consciously styled<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span>to appear<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> firmly</span></span> rooted in <span style="font-size: large;">past</span> tradition, working <span style="font-size: large;">closely with </span>the landform under it, and built entirely from local wooden materials. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yet the bungalow could only embody this novel combination of town and country <span style="font-size: large;">(and secure the emerging suburban lifestyle)<span style="font-size: large;"> because of the</span></span></span> transportation revolution occurring in the first decades of the twentieth century. The scale of this revolution - particularly the advent of the privately owned automobile - would quickly downgrade<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>the vision behind Savage's inspired choice and slowly but steadily alter the look and purpose of suburban housing in new developments. The flair and panache the bungalow movement in general, and Savage in particular in his own home, invested in design, ultimately affecting building placement, proportioning and the use of natural materials, all started going the way of the dodo in the great depression. Exuberance in domestic architecture left town permanently in the more affordable range of dwellings for aspiring middle class families, replaced by far less elaborate options, more meagerly appointed, and rendered in cheaper and increasingly more synthetic materials. Unwittingly, Hub<span style="font-size: large;">ert </span>Savage desi<span style="font-size: large;">gned and built an outlier <span style="font-size: large;">that <span style="font-size: large;">quickly</span></span> became an anomaly rather than a representative form. Today it stands as </span>a rare example of a true country bungalow, built on a suburban model that embraces the integration of town and country, sited to draw the best out of its surroundings, and <span style="font-size: large;">erected just before that model was</span> trumped by the personal automobile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">And the winner is the private automobile: comfort and convenience prove irresistible</span></b></span></td></tr>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">This post is the second in a series celebrating the centennial of Hubert Savage’s arts-and-crafts bungalow, which turned 100 in 2013. Other articles are planned irregularly throughout the year. The ideas are those of David Cubberley (owner since 1988), and speculative to some degree because there is almost no evidence available of Savage family history. The author may be contacted at cubbs@telus.net .</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></i><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>V</b><b>estiges of the Interurban<span style="font-size: x-large;"> line</span></b></span>: <br /></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLaju8GGqf1-4r2pCI_rNXt75XGVniLR9IX13L72ei_fHmSFbXrgdH9eISoN3Or3XEXaQgwcP6rehhPfOniP_tXyOzogTkL2myJ161Tbsr0nFjk83Z8BmqhrG1pxyxpQ2a25tORd59VmI/s960/Alt+interurb+shot+1922.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLaju8GGqf1-4r2pCI_rNXt75XGVniLR9IX13L72ei_fHmSFbXrgdH9eISoN3Or3XEXaQgwcP6rehhPfOniP_tXyOzogTkL2myJ161Tbsr0nFjk83Z8BmqhrG1pxyxpQ2a25tORd59VmI/w640-h480/Alt+interurb+shot+1922.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>On the platform across from City Hall, customers await the inaugural run</b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><b>Commemorative sign near Tillicum Station, where the Saanich Interurban began</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><b>Former head office, BC Electric Railway Company, designed by Rattenbury</b></span></td></tr>
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</div><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqtb9aqgXfpdUWlrp9HxgEFjvJJrS8AMUus56xtfaYHoDgKDmY0a2VOwihUGwUYKsO1MY10Sr2ChtzqsjNTn8pPbbqY7iyN7_JltH40A3cIxmCszR8ONtN6eXmzy12TLWKZUBhMRHJ7w/s1875/Model+Suburb+in+Saanich+by+BCERC.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1875" data-original-width="1837" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqtb9aqgXfpdUWlrp9HxgEFjvJJrS8AMUus56xtfaYHoDgKDmY0a2VOwihUGwUYKsO1MY10Sr2ChtzqsjNTn8pPbbqY7iyN7_JltH40A3cIxmCszR8ONtN6eXmzy12TLWKZUBhMRHJ7w/w628-h640/Model+Suburb+in+Saanich+by+BCERC.jpg" width="628" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">Model suburb, BCERC, indicating the involvement in development</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br /></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cyclist enjoying a ride on the Interurban Railtrail, on the original right of way</span></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Books for Looks</b>:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Story of the BC Electric Railway Company</i></b>, by Henry Ewert, Whitecap Books, 1986.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Victoria's Streetcar Era,</i></b> by Henry Ewert, Sono Nis Press, 1992. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Bourgeois Utopias: The Rise and Fall of Suburbia,</i></b> by Robert Fishman, Basic Books, 1989.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The City of Los Angeles: History of Transportation</i></b>, https://usp100la.weebly.com/history-of-transportation.html</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br /></p>David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458943120217473934.post-87015135933633700322012-11-18T14:53:00.066-08:002022-10-04T15:53:34.294-07:00The Hubert Savage bungalow turns one hundred<p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSTc3sA2U_usfWlgQ7uc-Y28YdIAe4szeDMCqVrpUN4OYEv6ooolowEAnbzurIdPXCSloVdGB08kH1ZnvNuT_dbuSThL_hgyXWs4vV0pXBTkg9FImgUjQX53kFkOIsU_mqL39zSrOUkA/s2048/Grange+early+spring.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSTc3sA2U_usfWlgQ7uc-Y28YdIAe4szeDMCqVrpUN4OYEv6ooolowEAnbzurIdPXCSloVdGB08kH1ZnvNuT_dbuSThL_hgyXWs4vV0pXBTkg9FImgUjQX53kFkOIsU_mqL39zSrOUkA/w640-h426/Grange+early+spring.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>A house made of old growth fir, intact after a hundred years and a succession of owners</span><br /></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p> <span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><b><br /></b></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span><span><b>Our antique bungalow is made almost entirely from the old-growth Douglas fir readily</b> <b>available back in 1913 on Vancouver Island.</b> Its original footprint and exterior cladding were intact when I bought it, although several sections along the base of the building would require replacing when the exterior was finally repaired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, best of all, it turns one hundred in 2013, which is a pretty good go for a wooden artifact and, I feel, should be a cause for celebration.</span></span></span></span><br /></p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">
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<span>A century is a long time for any house to be continuously used and cared for – over three full generations in human terms - and still remain substantially unaltered. Many houses are deemed to be dated and significantly altered within decades of being built. Many are neither functional nor loved as originally built, making it more likely they will be done over. For decades now the demand for ever-more interior space has meant larger houses with less and less exterior expression, effecting growing detachment of owners from the look the house presents to the street. This prioritization of spatial gain has also multiplied the frequency of awkward expansions - let's call them 'unsympathetic additions' - that get tacked onto older homes, sometimes coarsely disfiguring<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>their much classier original looks. If spared demolition by means of expansion, some homes are so completely modified as to become unrecognizable. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span><b>It's not unusual to see a finely detailed bungalow with an architectural carbuncle</b> <b>sprouting from its roofline</b>, one that grabs additional interior space efficiently enough but does so at the expense of the original look of the building. </span></span><span> </span></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The new dormer is utterly out of keeping with this bungalow's original roofline</span> </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: times;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"> <br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4nQqx8JUJZrkNuv4IY3AIjyMY6A0Nz1Bx6nnRjbhyz7kRNC4E7jXg4Adb4eorMsChiZtndUsN0ZYdDaEqtmQbGn3DznP4fLALJw0xDOypwlRaqn_VFKdSUTC3_XfGKmArq2Ik19OGMY/s2048/Carbuncle+two.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4nQqx8JUJZrkNuv4IY3AIjyMY6A0Nz1Bx6nnRjbhyz7kRNC4E7jXg4Adb4eorMsChiZtndUsN0ZYdDaEqtmQbGn3DznP4fLALJw0xDOypwlRaqn_VFKdSUTC3_XfGKmArq2Ik19OGMY/w640-h426/Carbuncle+two.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This one is even more bluntly accomplished, with some cheesy modernist elements added<br /></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWbS8HmELRm2TyuhUeocPg230TR7HwiLBtrEgRSengvCvpqeHdWqY32GOZaC79esp94XK2qAZDxaYiIFMSm1LKE5yUdOcEmC9ZnT6ep2yizo3Ub-gojzfDr66lsj5-vmoytYqg4eAnJHI/s2048/Carbuncle+three.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWbS8HmELRm2TyuhUeocPg230TR7HwiLBtrEgRSengvCvpqeHdWqY32GOZaC79esp94XK2qAZDxaYiIFMSm1LKE5yUdOcEmC9ZnT6ep2yizo3Ub-gojzfDr66lsj5-vmoytYqg4eAnJHI/w640-h426/Carbuncle+three.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Here it's the whole hog (a full two-storey house) with even more discordant windows</span><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span>Other houses are made to suffer lesser but not inconsequential indignities, such as having original wood siding suffocated under layers of stucco icing or covered over with spraytex paint (photo below). You can usually tell if a building is stuccoed-over because its window frames no longer sit proud of the walls (as intended), adding a certain blankness to its rather forlorn look. This one has the added indignity of a lick-and-stick stone base course glued to its lower level - the strange lift under the art-glass window is utterly inexplicable.<br /></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Faux rock foundation, stuc<span>coed<span> walls</span></span>,<span> window frames submerged,</span> detailing minimized</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b> </b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span><b>Still others have had their original old-growth cedar shingle siding entombed under asbestos-cement shingles</b>, <b>or today covered over with vinyl replica siding, despite the original wood being in pristine condition</b> <b>underneath</b>. Some are further injured by having fine double-hung sash windows replaced with thin aluminum sliders or, more recently, vinyl thermapane windows.</span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJ_lTICsVKlgKp8VNG4eg1gxHZ0-y9J-paNpkJeZhxrMzfEqPcR-3O1a_RZIXvw9gLsmJZPs97CYXnttl9cm8UmeoLLF7si9taeK519ch6Mz7Feg_3vLbNVKwrsyinC_pLmOdRgKBc0E/s1600/Centbung+002.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJ_lTICsVKlgKp8VNG4eg1gxHZ0-y9J-paNpkJeZhxrMzfEqPcR-3O1a_RZIXvw9gLsmJZPs97CYXnttl9cm8UmeoLLF7si9taeK519ch6Mz7Feg_3vLbNVKwrsyinC_pLmOdRgKBc0E/s640/Centbung+002.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Buried under asbestos shingles, the original drop siding reappears: caring restoration</span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: times;"><b></b><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">I still feel entirely fortunate, a quarter century on, that back in 1988 when I took possession, our bungalow’s exterior remained intact - after 75 years of continuous use, it may have been rather neglected and in need of renewal paint-wise, but at least it hadn't been monkeyed with. It could so easily have been otherwise!</span></span> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJd5X6HXqbO1m8ikeMLRcGMub-MxYt8zySGdpgqCoLjh_ORJKUoCxTnIL_fr4P5nHaOc924zW_wsk2_wk2OTdMiybemkfznEhbvAvbSU4KPPFlEDXYJX8yDTde4JauAPSGKHvYjoeXGA/s1600/Sanicols+143.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJd5X6HXqbO1m8ikeMLRcGMub-MxYt8zySGdpgqCoLjh_ORJKUoCxTnIL_fr4P5nHaOc924zW_wsk2_wk2OTdMiybemkfznEhbvAvbSU4KPPFlEDXYJX8yDTde4JauAPSGKHvYjoeXGA/s640/Sanicols+143.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Bare as a freshly shorn lamb, this small colonial bungalow awaits a brand new look</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: times;"><b></b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>In fact it’s surprising to me, in light of the Savage bungalow's relatively modest size, that it hadn't been awkwardly expanded<b>, </b>or raised by a storey, or simply bulldozed in favour of the humungous McMansion that could in fact now cover most of the lot under its RS-6 zoning. Nothing would have prevented that outcome before I came along and had the house, which was heritage listed, designated in 1993.<br /></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSpLWwnpLbbb_gq9ywZwHYegkXzHX1RO9kg7ndpWv5Qyh4_RSahBBvfskzwYMXn7PqxvUKoqIAFUiiA1IzB-6HIbIY7sPWpVvXlPAkJViH0aX4j_DNPA5bfDlKPx0kSghyphenhyphenLVqspwn1Jkc/s1600/House+at+dusk,+spring+2012+015.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSpLWwnpLbbb_gq9ywZwHYegkXzHX1RO9kg7ndpWv5Qyh4_RSahBBvfskzwYMXn7PqxvUKoqIAFUiiA1IzB-6HIbIY7sPWpVvXlPAkJViH0aX4j_DNPA5bfDlKPx0kSghyphenhyphenLVqspwn1Jkc/s640/House+at+dusk,+spring+2012+015.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Despite subdivision of its lot, this bungalow retains a sense of rural setting among oaks</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-color: currentcolor; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-style: none; border-top: medium none; border-width: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span><b>There are tons of reasons (or more realistically put, tons of excuses) to tear down older buildings</b>, <b>quite apart from the simple fact that their highly depreciated value in assessment terms, after such long duration, makes them sitting ducks for the wrecker’s ball (or his excavator, which is how the deed is done nowadays).</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For at one hundred years of age, even with considerable upkeep, a modest bungalow could easily be assessed at a mere fraction of its actual replacement costs, which means it could be disposed of (ie sent to the landfill) for a remarkably low 'opportunity cost'. (If the building is worth just over ten percent of its actual replacement costs in assessed terms, then getting rid of it for a fresh start is a tiny fraction of the total costs for land and building, plus the minimal charges for an excavator, a dumpster, and some tipping fees). Today the lot's value is the major component of market value, while back in the day the lot was a fraction of the total cost of the building, which was itself quite low.<br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-color: currentcolor; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-style: none; border-top: medium none; border-width: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span> </span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">
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<span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>In fact, the spectre of demolition haunts buildings from a relatively young age. Canadian author/architect Witold Rybczynksi puts ‘the useful life of a building’ at 20 – 40 years, indicating that it takes 'special features' to double that lifetime or extend it to a century. He’s speaking of commercial and institutional buildings rather than residential structures, which reflect different economics and respond to a narrower range of needs (those of a family rather than of a company). But today almost no one invests in 'special features' for any kind of building, preferring a form of planned obsolescence to any enduring community continuity (atrium entries and three-car garages notwithstanding). In such circumstances demolition remains the primary option by default, and 100 years is now a very long life indeed for a modern structure.</span></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-color: currentcolor; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-style: none; border-top: medium none; border-width: medium;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbyWdUW_bVKzeXQ8SVr6mrxpw6OUvbw1-W8GzktnTIk6sM6b9Ut2KoDrortb3hi2dPJtOprYgvCKHX_lF9rJKJabBo8SVepzSyWCsckMeRzmOhDMxJoFiZHRN9t1BcajFuMkpfClZfkt8/s1600/Sanicols+109.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbyWdUW_bVKzeXQ8SVr6mrxpw6OUvbw1-W8GzktnTIk6sM6b9Ut2KoDrortb3hi2dPJtOprYgvCKHX_lF9rJKJabBo8SVepzSyWCsckMeRzmOhDMxJoFiZHRN9t1BcajFuMkpfClZfkt8/s640/Sanicols+109.jpg" width="640" /></a></b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lack of maintenance and depreciating value reduce chances of survival over the long run</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-color: currentcolor; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-style: none; border-top: medium none; border-width: medium;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span><b> </b></span></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-color: currentcolor; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-style: none; border-top: medium none; border-width: medium;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span><b>One US study of building demolition found three principal reasons given for tearing buildings down</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>area-wide redevelopment (34%), lack of maintenance (24%), and ‘no longer suitable for intended use’ (22%).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For those deemed ‘no longer suitable’, being too small and having antiquated services and systems are handy rationales for knocking it down. Lack of maintenance threatening physical structure is one that municipal councilors hear frequently from those aspiring to tap the many rewards of new construction. But at one hundred years of age, all three of these pressures can combine to place a considerable weight on the future of a house. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And simple accidents of placement – say, where someone deems the freeway interchange should now be built – can be the kiss of death for entire areas. </span></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-color: currentcolor; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-style: none; border-top: medium none; border-width: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>LA's freeways consume colossal spaces, often at the expense of earlier neighbourhoods</span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span><b>Lots of homes (and many buildings of more utilitarian purpose) are gone within fifty years, long before they are in any sense worn out.</b> It’s partly our throwaway culture, which assigns absolutely no value whatsoever to embodied energy, let alone to period aesthetic effects. Collectively we tend not to care whether something is representative of its era, or whether its era holds any significance for the future. Yet today, bungalows enjoy increasing protection because families are once again breathing new life into these often remarkable structures, which embody ideas of home that a modern stucco box simply does not. And bungalows - wooden buildings par excellence here on the west coast where forests abound - survive despite our collective tendency to think of houses made of wood as more fragile and transient than those composed of other materials.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span> </span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">
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<span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span>As I write this, a campaign is under way in Phoenix, Arizona to save a 2500 square foot classic Frank Lloyd Wright house designed for his son David in 1952 - a modular modernist bungalow elevated a storey above ground but without any of those ugly, thin pilotis that Le Corbusier so favoured!.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiARGRkAtFTGrRRZmwSKB4Dyqwgnk2kRb3OG2tHTGOpzrsEMQdf0wYzREwrvsNjU9p12JvLGGcsxpgdl6SvsVoVnUVzW1hlBllcIC_TZJw1cEITM9xxPvuYoyRtenjap9PtwSn42RsWqcw/s1600/925946-121004-phoenix-wright-house.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiARGRkAtFTGrRRZmwSKB4Dyqwgnk2kRb3OG2tHTGOpzrsEMQdf0wYzREwrvsNjU9p12JvLGGcsxpgdl6SvsVoVnUVzW1hlBllcIC_TZJw1cEITM9xxPvuYoyRtenjap9PtwSn42RsWqcw/s640/925946-121004-phoenix-wright-house.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Frank Lloyd Wright playfully incorporated curving lines into this modernist 1952 house</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span><b>The threat to this F.L.Wright design derives from a developer’s desire to divide the lot it sits on in two, simply to realize a capital gain in the housing market</b>. Grabbing the value of two lots requires demolition of the existing structure, which is in easily restorable condition despite some recent neglect. The economics of the situation (ie. the building's depreciated value) mean the developer can disregard this home’s stature as an invaluable work of art the broader community actually values. Fortunately the community does care, and with a public fundraising campaign ongoing, the building is likely to be saved. (<i>It has since been purchased, restored, and is now on the market again, lot intact, thanks to citizen action</i>).<br /></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span> </span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">
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<span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span>Poor building envelope condition, due to neglect of routine maintenance, is a primary excuse given for demolishing both residential and commercial buildings (typically by those who want to redevelop land at higher densities in order to maximize gain). Yet rarely if ever is the implied structural deterioration real, even in houses made substantially of wood. Places are simply allowed to become shabby and neglected to the point of presenting a superficial impression of being structurally unsound. Which in turn establishes a great cover for today's economics to trump yesterday's, making preservation seem almost irrational.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Neglected, maintenance deferred, this house is repairable but it seems increasingly unlikely</span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmM5FfyEohJkipMwZICGbhNKfS_CzMBvMpZ-nWbiiwyQ6hRbex-5vVrBzZNc5vM9E9BS9G9BBenwomtMhDFZFfWfgd5FmaAftiqOAwfkKWBbSY2fpgt8G6BWaxCRJcxxp42mq9lMepH8Q/s2048/Restored.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmM5FfyEohJkipMwZICGbhNKfS_CzMBvMpZ-nWbiiwyQ6hRbex-5vVrBzZNc5vM9E9BS9G9BBenwomtMhDFZFfWfgd5FmaAftiqOAwfkKWBbSY2fpgt8G6BWaxCRJcxxp42mq9lMepH8Q/w640-h426/Restored.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">But if someone cares enough to see the house's potential, anything is possible</span></b><br /></span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></span></b><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span><b>The fact of wood's durability was confirmed to me when renewal of our own bungalow finally got under way</b>. Structurally the building was just fine after 85 years in use, the wood framing solid. There were some rotten spots close to the ground where rainwater had splashed back against walls when downspouts failed (lack of vigilance on the part of occupants), but mostly it just needed loads of prep before full repainting. Oh and there were several small errors of adaptation (like an unsightly cat door skived into the spot where a vent for an original cooling cupboard had been located) standing out like blemishes on a pretty face, but these things, it turned out, were relatively easily corrected.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span> </span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">
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<span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span>One thing predisposing our bungalow’s survival intact was the fact its original inhabitants, who designed it and oversaw its construction, inhabited it for fifty or more years. This was a very good thing for the house, as incompatible changes often come in tandem with new owners who decide to redesign elements without having any experience of inhabiting the building (we have this narcissistic tendency to remake buildings in an image of what we thought we were really looking for). Important details easily get eviscerated in our quest for the new, walls come down for a more open floorplan in an often-mistaken attempt to overcome inherent limitations of space, shiny aluminum sliding patio doors casually disfigure intact facades, and strange carbuncular growths pop incongruously out of roofs (see photos above for examples of this). </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoQY5FntaJgqpo23R8xETLPwNk76E6X0nDAskmHxBP_DSMKSDgFwMtgcIwnFJ0lSskycDK3LOI9YRhEhsQy-E1jGchB0MLFbR9Mu9IxS3qv3VnvIBqkgHVmVQqcIHKUE1ACx-UIhate6E/s1600/pop-top.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="475" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoQY5FntaJgqpo23R8xETLPwNk76E6X0nDAskmHxBP_DSMKSDgFwMtgcIwnFJ0lSskycDK3LOI9YRhEhsQy-E1jGchB0MLFbR9Mu9IxS3qv3VnvIBqkgHVmVQqcIHKUE1ACx-UIhate6E/s640/pop-top.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Neglected and abandoned, this small river rock bungalow is in danger of actually dilapidating</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><b>It was also a lucky thing the Savage bungalow's creators inhabited it for their entire lifetime</b>,<b> tending to its needs while raising a family there and overseeing a single modest alteration of its footprint, in the form of a walk-in closet that was done so as to be compatible with the building's exterior form and to fit into the surrounding landscape.</b> The legacy they bequeathed the community is a bungalow that is architecturally significant and well worthy of conservation: designed by an architect in the era when bungalows were the entire rage, in a relatively pure application of arts and crafts principles, in order to create a setting for his own family's use and enjoyment, while at the same time exploring the idea of a building uniting inside with outside. And, perhaps also in the hopes of creating a compelling calling card for what he hoped would become his future architectural practice?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">
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<span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span>These were the Savages, Hubert and Alys, British immigrants en route to New Zealand in 1912. He was a RIBA-trained London architect who happened to stop in Victoria to visit with a friend (Douglas James, brother of Percy Leonard James, another soon-to-be-famous architect). The James brothers convinced him of the opportunities here (Victoria was in the throes of a real estate boom that saw tons of offshore money careening around, rapid housing growth, and a local population struck by the idea they could buy as cheaply as rent, which was then true) and so they stayed on, and in the boom conditions of the time, Savage managed to secure architectural commissions right away. One of those commissions (he designed a house at 11 Eaton Road, in View Royal, circa 1913) must have made him aware of the Garden City suburb, a major real estate play that was well-positioned to benefit from the building of a brand new Interurban electric railway line, and the cheapness of lots that far out of town on what was still largely agricultural land and bush. Somehow, by early 1913, the Savages had managed to acquire a pretty building spot on a picturesque half-acre well beyond the city’s edge. On it they had constructed a small artistic bungalow of Savage's design, a new dwelling type then spreading all across North America from its suburban epicentre in Los Angeles. Interestingly, this house appears to be one of the rare occasions when Savage opted to design in a predominantly American arts-and-crafts style (despite the Tudor detailing and the obvious influence of local arts-and-crafts style, as expressed by the enclosed soffits). In his later professional practice, his designs were often variants of English arts-and-crafts buildings (likely more marketable to middle-class Victorians in the post-war era) and upmarket to boot.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sash windows, honey-comb leaded glass, fir paneling, frieze: the hallmarks of a Cascadian bungalow</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b> </b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span><b>Coming from dense, hectic London England, landing immediately in a home of their own in such a pretty spot (if way out in the tulies by the standards of the day) must have felt like a magical turn of events</b>, <b>a dream suddenly come true</b>. Home ownership was a rarity in England at that time – less than ten percent of the entire population then enjoyed the status of owning their own homes (cf. A. D. King, <b>The Bungalow: The Production Of A Global Culture</b>). Such sudden independence in a new house in pastoral countryside with few other people around must have been transformative. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span> </span></span><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span>The Savages were lucky enough to land in Victoria at the apex of an economic boom, then affecting all North American cities - a time when demand for architects abounded even in a place as small as Victoria (population 45,699 in 1911). Expectations of surging growth, on the nearby-Vancouver model, spread like wildfire, and speculation in land was rampant. There were over 300 real estate agencies operating in Victoria in circa 1913, and everyone was invited to join the party because hordes of newcomers were coming! However, within a year of occupying their new digs in the back of beyond, the Savage's access to the benefits of growth and prosperity would quickly evaporate, as an economic slump that dried up commissions arrived hand in hand with the advent of global warfare.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span> </span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">
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<span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span>Part of the Savages’ grand good fortune must have been the sheer cheapness of suburban land on the distant periphery. Rural lands around cities, opened up by new transportation technologies like electric streetcar systems, were by then on offer to former renters who were looking to buy and build. And bungalows, echoing the Los Angeles experience with land assembly and tract building, were being marketed as affordable housing, which they actually were at that time due to the relative cheapness of construction materials and rural lands. “Why pay rent?” was the pointed question posed by the Los Angeles Investment Company on one of its many brochures, “when you can own your own home as cheaply as renting” its snappy response. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Surrounded by gardens, intimately linking indoors and out-of-doors</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b> </b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span><b>Due to the expanding reach of downtown trams and regional trains, which made building lots affordable, and the ready availability of cheap but top-quality wooden building materials</b>, <b>a newly arrived middle-class family could literally step off the boat into home ownership while paying no more for it than it cost to rent in town</b>. However it actually happened, the Savages set up house on a picturesque hillside overlooking a dairy farm and the blue waters of Portage Inlet, with distant views across the Juan de Fuca straits towards the majestic Olympic mountains. And with no immediate neighbours, which was actually a selling point in those days!</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span> </span></span><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span>Fate, luck and timing landed the Savages on their upland parcel on the edge of an area known then as Strawberry Vale, while skill, artistry and the magic of old growth timber (rendered dimensionally in local Victoria mills) helped create the building. It was lucky too that the few owners prior to my buying the house in 1988, on a Friday afternoon in early March, hadn’t altered the footprint or ‘upgraded’ the look of the exterior. For the ensuing quarter century I’ve been engaged in stewarding this heritage resource, gradually correcting some errors of decor (1980s kitchen, Cubbon Home Centre bog with cultured marble countertop and shower tub sans shower, back porch with a wall summarily ripped out to accommodate overscale appliances, and damaged built-ins like the tile apron in front of the LR fireplace) while enjoying the many artistic features of a house skillfully contrived to be intimate with its setting.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Intimate with its surroundings in arts-and-crafts style </span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b></b><span style="font-family: times;"><span><b>Houses built on rural lands subsequently overtaken by development run the risk</b> <b>of further subdivision</b>,<b> an arbitrary process of infill gridding that typically takes no account of landscape features</b>. Subdivision is exactly what happened when the Savage bungalow (on its original half-acre lot) passed to the next generation: the larger <br /></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Retaining wall for a two-house infill development - an 'engineered' solution leaving much to be desired<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span> </span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span>original holding was subdivided into three separate parcels, with two new houses settled onto what was once enjoyed as a single landscape. Fortunately these homes came to be built at the same scale as the original Savage homestead, so they don't visually encroach on the original dwelling and, as a result, now amicably share the landform they're all built on.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><br />
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<span>I sometimes try to visualize what it would have been like out here without a built-up neighbourhood around it. But I always end up thinking that it was a miracle that just enough land remained around the original homestead to retain the sense of a house placed comfortably in a natural setting, a rare and unusual attribute in today's more closely built suburbs. Many an historic house has had its entire landscape context filched from it by insensitive infill development. The Savage bungalow got lucky, again (thanks to daughter Joy and her husband Albert, who cared enough about 'the old place' she grew up in to see that it wasn't mangled by subdivision).</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">V<span style="font-size: medium;">egetation helps heal an edge created by panhandling the original lot with a driveway</span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span><b>I feel very privileged to be on the verge of seeing this special building through its century year</b>. I wish I could say that it will be fully restored to its original glory in time for the centennial party we intend to hold, but I know from experience now that ‘fully restored’ is a moving target. In effect, with an older building like this, there will always be things to do, in order to meet William Morris's insightful maxim of watchful stewardship and timely repair.<br /></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><span> </span></span><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span>I hope to use the <b>Century Bungalow</b> blog to share my experience with maintenance and restoration of an older wooden house, to place it in relation to the broader bungalow phenomenon in order to understand its character better, to inquire further into the intentions of its designer and the influences swirling around and through him, and also to sing its many praises, all the while creating a record of its condition as it turns 100. All of which I hope will improve, however slightly, its prospects for survival as it embarks on its second century. As well as allowing me to share it with all of you. </span></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">
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<span>I hope you enjoy it – I have been for more than a quarter century now!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span>Books for looks: Anthony D. King, <b>The Bungalow: The Production Of A Global Culture</b>.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><b>Postscript</b>: in January 2022, this house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright was placed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places (saved by citizen action in the service of preserving heritage).<br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEik5GgtWzOEe3HQrHWVEduVwpkTlaOqlkCisjyh7YXorsStGI7qMwJWKvr0ObSkNSWd8E5p66agoEZdgty0RrV7T50b6lACMhB5ZFN9gX7DaMD40uT1VUosM3FFSKtn3d0xcaJ3WfBlbyJAK3aUO0tivAL19BpVBZUrkJz1zSOvL_oy-ntVJsKjjPhy=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1368" data-original-width="2048" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEik5GgtWzOEe3HQrHWVEduVwpkTlaOqlkCisjyh7YXorsStGI7qMwJWKvr0ObSkNSWd8E5p66agoEZdgty0RrV7T50b6lACMhB5ZFN9gX7DaMD40uT1VUosM3FFSKtn3d0xcaJ3WfBlbyJAK3aUO0tivAL19BpVBZUrkJz1zSOvL_oy-ntVJsKjjPhy=w640-h428" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span><br />
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David Cubberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17743956859172204514noreply@blogger.com0