"Plas Mawr"

Progress, Volume IX, Issue 6, 1 February 1914, Page 895

"Plas Mawr"

In looking at such work as is here illustrated one naturally asks what are the motives and ideas which lead to such a type of work. The thoughtless condemn it at once, but a little consideration will show that it has at least some points of undoubted superiority. For instance, it is built of the best and most durable materials, put together in the best and strongest way. Such a house is cool in summer and warm in winter. It is entirely free from draughts and there are no hollow spaces for dust to collect in. The walls are of brick, the floors of concrete flags, with small red tiles at the corners. The ceilings are plastered between and above the beams, so that no dust can come through. The roof is slated. The woodwork is of jarrah, adze-hewn, oiled and waxed. The walls inside are whitewashed direct on the brick, and roughcast outside to keep them dry. All necessary conven-

iences are provided in the best and completest manner. All this can be had in the ordinary type of design and finish quite as easily as in the one here illustrated. Why then do we go out of our way to use an adze when a planing machine is at hand? Why do we use small sheets of glass when we can make large sheets? Why do we not plaster over our walls or paper them as is usually done? Such questions are perfectly reasonable and can be faced squarely and answered, though it is not possible to do them justice in the small space now available. Indeed, the convictions leading up to such designs as the one in question take years of study and deep seeking to develop. House-building generally is a "trade," but it can and should be an "art." As Mr. Baillie-Scott has well said: "A house should be 'a dream come true.' It must express the highest ideals we have. Its construction must be first of all strictly truthful, but it must be more than that; it must be expressive of good and beautiful thought." Planing machines and printing machines cannot express thought to anything like the extent that a man working with simple tools can.

So by increasing the amount of hand work, _ and decreasing the amount of machine work and limiting it to what must of necessity be purely mechanical, we increase the craftsman's opportunities for expression and so our ornament may become living, beautiful, full of ensouling ideas instead of dull meaningless repetitions as in machine-made decoration. What is the use of ornament or indeed of any work if it does not help us to understand the mysteries of life ? The craftsman fixes in wood and stone, thoughts and ideas which help to unveil the deep and hidden things, nor does he think it essential that his work should be finished in one generation. Such buildings as we are now speaking of are always beautiful. They do not depend upon fashion. They may be added to and decorated by future generations as opportunity offers. Whitewashed brick walls may be beautifully decorated when an artist's services are available, meanwhile they do not offend by cheap imitation and vulgar

simulation of merits they do not really possess. Windows exercise as subtle an influence over a house as eyes do in the human face. Large sheets of glass may be likened to the eye holes in a skull, blank and staring. Light looks in and intelligence looks out through the eyes, yet the eyes do not look like holes in the head. So should it be with windows. They must never be allowed to become mere holes in the walls. The art of building is so subtle because it has to do with human moods and should influence them for the better. Are we dull? white walls cheer us. Are we fearful? thick walls and high set windows guard us. Do our hearts feel cold? A generous fireplace and red curtains warm our spirits to a glow again. Sentiment attaches itself to permanent homes and around them patriotism and public spirit grow and thrive. Temporary building breeds selfishness. Successful architectural design involves at least an intuitional knowledge of psychology. The test of all art is that under its influence men grow better than they were. J. W. CHAPMAN-TAYLOR.