Swiss Chalet Book by William S B Dana

Swiss Chalet Book by William S B Dana

Author:William S B Dana
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Published: 2012-08-20T04:00:00+00:00


GABLE CORNERS AT LAUENEN AND MERINGEN

Gladbach’s “Characteristische Holzbauten der Schweiz”

GROUP OF BLOCKHOUSES IN BERNESE OBERLAND

Gladbach’s “Characteristische Holzbauten der Schweiz”

A ROOMY GENEVAN CHLET OF TODAY

Spring Frères

IN THE ENVIRONS OF GENEVA

Spring Frères

AN UNFINISHED CHLET

Spring Frères

A CHLET NEAR THE BASE OF THE JURA

Spring Frères

CHAPTER IV

Balcony and Gable Construction; Doors, Windows; Some Classic and Modern Châlets

THE framework, or shell, of the châlet is the basis of the two previous chapters. The essential structural motives, together with a reference to the ornamentation with relation to the construction, and the analysis of actual examples, form their principal subject matter.

It is doubtful if the present moment could be improved upon for the exposition of two cardinal features of châlet design, which are in themselves structural, and yet are not necessary to the main construction, being really “by-products” of it—the balconies and gables. These dominate the design to such an extent that, in the case of the former, they often encircle the building, and in the latter instance they sweep beyond the walls at the front a distance of ten feet or more, and at the sides, sometimes down to within a few feet of the ground. Decoratively, they are of the utmost importance, because of the depths of shade and shadow which they cause—and also because they are generally chosen as the points for the greatest richness and intricacy of detail. In the case of balconies, this is especially true of the wooden “lace-work” of their balustrades and the graceful rib- and bracket-work of their under portions. In the case of gables, there are the picturesque curvings and mouldings of their great consoles, and the reflected shadows of these, and the rib-work of the gable’s under portion. The Λ-shaped gable wall and its treatment with relation to the whole design are dealt with in chapters five and six.

A common starting point in the study of these secondary structural elements is essential. If we suppose, then, that a floor-beam, or cross-wall beam, at any story will be made to protrude through the outer wall a few feet, we will have the basis of balcony construction. Two of these beams, the proper distance apart, with boards or planks laid across them, are, crudely, a balcony—minus the means of protection from falling; thus, figure 15. A three-foot post standing on each outer corner form the points of support for the low protecting walls along the front, and at the two end edges, as in figure 16. A front rail and two end rails, connecting the tops of the posts with the main wall, complete the protecting frame; upright boards, placed tightly, edge to edge, and running from floor-edge to rail, finish the enclosing wall. If, for the sake of design and appearance, as well as construction, a greater number of beam-ends and a much longer row of them are desired, in addition to a lateral beam supporting their outer ends—which itself in turn supported by diagonal braces, or on the ends of consoles—the diagram in figure 17 will represent the result.



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