Trends in MODERN HOUSING

Cue (NZERS), Issue 18, 28 February 1945, Page 1

Trends in MODERN HOUSING

IN the- tremendous task of post-war ■1 reconstruction in Europe a new architectural and building epoch is certain to be ushered into a world highly receptive to change. Even in the past ten years there have been distinct trends in architecture as applied to modern housing. In coming years it seems likely that these trends in design and construction will become increasingly apparent in New Zealand homes, especially in those built by private enterprise. • . . ;

Modern architecture is realistic and functional. In an age of speed and efficiency, the home cannot be allowed to lag behind the machinery of the day. A considerable portion of a person’s life is spent, within the four walls of a house. Especially for a woman the need for an efficient.. well-planned home is obvious. Consequently, the trends in housing have largely been towards utility and , efficiency. But while the modern house has been evolved largely by such influences, it has achieved a characteristic beauty which is a happy augury for post-war architecture and building.

The modern homo has dropped most or the pretence and artificiality which characterised most of the house designs of the earlier years of this century, in the 18th century, houses were comparatively well-planned and Tnd but from the days of the . uoustrial Revolution architecture deteriorated considerably. Just before to n i war ’ a few' architects tried descent to a mere frowsy still atlOn °f period designs or, worse attrn ?? a combination of the less vari. lve but niore obvious features of Prions periods.

One of the first ’’modern houses” was designed in 1910 by an Austrian, Adolf Loos. Then an American.' Frank Lloyd Wright, introduced new housing ideas, one of which was the open-air conception of a home. He designed houses so that there was the least possible dividing line between house and garden. By 1926, modern ideas had taken firm root in Europe, where such architects as Le Corbusier, in France, Gropius in Germany, and Thomas Tait. Maxwell Fry, and the firm of Connell (a New Zealander). Ward, and Lucas in Britain led the field.

These men felt that architecture, especially in housing, had reached such a low ebb, that -they had to go back to first principles of designand chief of these is function. They planned their houses for the purpose for which they were requiredfor living in—and stripped them of * unnecessary and unsightly trimmings. They had their copyists who introduced many jazzy ideas which far from enhanced the new style. of design and construction. In fact, the contribution of these flashy imitators was not welcomed by either architect, home-owner or aesthete.

The general trend in recent years has certainly been towards efficient and simple planning, but there have been other marked developments. They include structural changes such as the support of the roof on columns rather than on the exterior walls, the employment of new building materials, the increased use of glass, and new stress on orientation, central heating, and labour-saving devices, especially in the kitchen. Gone are the narrow passages, dark rooms, dusty mouldings, z ornate doors, heavy floral wall-papers,' and

dingy, inconvenient kitchens. Comfortable and healthy, attractive and efficient modem homes offer much to the post-war owner.

A likely development. in building in New Zealand is the wider use of concrete for houses, for timber is becoming increasingly scarce, and bricks do not lend themselves- to all types of design. The trend on the Continent when using concrete is that the roof and floors arc supported on indcpcn-

dent columns. Thus there are no weight-carrying outside walls and partitions may be placed as best suits the plan and not the construction. This permits of whole walls of . glass or-glass bricks and internal partitions, such as in the dining-recess, often semi-circular in shape.

The implications bf the transfer' of the - weight of z the roof to ; columns divorced from exterior walls are important. For centuries man ‘sought to achieve his own cellular unitthe house— he has obtained his desire. And it ..is understandable that in this age of speed and noise he should desire a refuge. But having acquired such privacy, there appears to be no great reason why he should divide his house into rigid cells, with strong walls and doors. A trend in the house today is to get away from this rigidity of design by a fluid arrangement of living rooms whereby folding or sliding doors alone can be used to divide living and dining rooms. Thus rooms may be used singly or conjointly as the occasion demand's. Such an arrangement also permits halls and passages to be reduced to a minimum.

The flat roof has been a feature of many modern houses in New Zealand,

but it has not always been entirely 1 successful where used with wood. It has one great' advantage in that it gives freedom of planning. Lay-outs of rooms can be adopted that would not normally be possible with the pitched roof. Used with concrete, it is probable that there will be a wider use of the flat roof in coming years.

Correct r orientation and the wider use of glass go hand in hand. The health value of being able to introduce a generous supply of sunshine into the house is being increasingly realised. Houses are being designed so that the important rooms receive plenty of sun,, and window space is becoming larger all the time. It is now possible to have windows ’ of any size, to the extent of complete glass walls, if desired, so long as the necessary lateral support is provided. z _.

If timber is available in New Zealand in large supplies; after the war it is probable that new uses will be made of it. In recent'years, revolutionary methods of building in wood have been introduced, and after the war waterproof plywoods and similar materials will probably play a big part in construction. Especially will this be so in the pre-fabricated house. It will be interesting to see the part pre-fab-rication will play in postwar housing. It is likely to be used extensively by the State, but whether or not private enterprise will adopt it remains to be seen. Internally, new wall finishes and plastic materials will be used extensively, and should enhance the home generally. Already great strides have been made in improving the kitchen, which, after all, is really the workshop of the housewife. / More and more women in countries affected by th° war have’ been forced to do' all their own cooking and housework, and they have gained a new realisation of what an efficient kitchen can mean in the hie of those who have to run a house. Consequently, many improvements have been effected,, not only in lay-out, but in labour-saving devices, refrigerators. electric dish-washers, ana even automatic washers and ironer are making their appearance at price within reach of the average homebuilder.

One big change that may be expected in New Zealand after the war—cspeciallv in the colder regions—is an increased use of air conditioning and central heating. It seems a rational outlook that houses should be so heated in winter that movement throughout the home is not like a venture into tiny Arctic regions. As it is. now, in most houses the family huddles’round the fire in the living-room, and there is a reluctance to move from the room even to get things that are wanted; The getting of supper is a chilly task, and at bed-times there is a reluctance to go to the cold bedroom. It seems desirable that a house should be evenly heated throughout at a comfortable, but not enervating temperature. Hot water radiators may be used. but an air conditioning plant is at present the more healthy method.

By means of this plant, air. is drawn in, washed, warmed, humidified to the correct degree, and pumped to all parts of the house. Probably such a plant will be completely electric. There is another method by which all the walls of the house contain hot-water pines. In certain districts of Russia and the United States, hot water is laid on to the house like gas,„ the water coming from central boilers. This system seems ideal in certain urban areas, but the expense involved in piping spreadout residential areas in New Zealand would be too great to warrant its adoption. Every d'ay new plans for housing after the war are being put forward, , and new methods of construction and fitting are being introduced. It -behoves the soldier who intends building a house on his return to civilian Tife to keep abreast of modern trends in housing.