GISBORNE ARCHITECTURE

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2477, 16 April 1909, Page 4

GISBORNE ARCHITECTURE

When the municipality has done its part to make Gisborne beautiful by locking the two rivers, improving the streets, providing recreation grounds, and establishing public gardens there will still be ample scope for the individual residents of the place to make or mar the whole artistic idea. At the present time it must bo recognised by anyone who gives the matter a moment’s consideration that the residences of Gisborne are, taken as a whole, neither convenient in design nor attractive in appearance. The same remark would be justified in regard to many New Zealand towns, but for the plainness, and in many cases squalidness, of its houses, Gisborne occupies a particularly unenviable position. This is all the more surprising when we remember that no community in the Dominion is more prosperous or better able to afford presentable homes. There are, of course, some charming villas in different parts oi the town and suburbs, but a really well-de-signed house, with suitable, artistic surroundings is a rarity, and when one does corao across such the effect is usually marred by the unwelcome proximity of some dirty-looking ramshackle shanty. This is not altogether a question of money,'although pounds, shillings and pence naturally enter into the Rroblem of housebuilding at all times. Hie average person m arranging for the building of a house were really to bear in mind two factors, convenience and tastefulness, and entirely ig” we the example of neighbors, much better results would be attained. It does not cost more to build a really artistic house than one which may aptly bo described as “simply horrid”; indeed, the simpler the design the more effective the result is likely to be. Unfortunately, the craze for gables, nooks, and multitudinous angles seems to have taken complete, possession of the people, and nowadays few think of erecting a house in which one or more gables are not included. These features can, under an experienced architect, be made both convenient and highly effective, more particularly in the ease of twostoried or large single storied buildings, but to utilise them in the average five or six-roomed house is merely to introduce complications which t... make an artistic result almost impossible. Thus we .sometimes end a four or five-roomed house quite overburdened with ail immense gable, which is not merely ugly but appears to bo in grave danger from falling from its perch on to the footpath in front. For the average householder who i.s intending to spend £oOQ or £6OO on a house it would be much preferable to give up all idea of using gables or fancy work of any description. The first things to be eonsi tiered are the internal necessities, and the ground plan having provided for the necessary number of rooms, including a commodious scullery, pantry and bathroom, the architect should be asked to furnish a suitable design which will embody the owner’s requirements. If left to himself lie will probably submit a simple luit effective scheme which will be well within the capacity of his client’s purse. Unfortunately, the average person desirous of building a house is far too prone to copying the ideas of his neighbors. Mrs Brown has two gables and an oriel wimlowsin her new house, and Mrs Jones deems it an absolute necessity that she .shall have at least as many of these additions to the plain outline of a house. But a feature which graces one particular style of building will appear positively hideous upon another, a fact that the eternal copyist rarely takes into account. The architect finds it easier to agree with his client than to argue with her, and accordingly plans the hotisfe according to the owner’s wishes, though very frequently against his own judgment. The resiilt of all this is simply chaos and ugliness where there should be harmony and beauty, and even in the case of newly settled localities we find that residences planned in all manner of. incongruous designs are being erected. One would imagine, that .a, good deal of educative work could bo'done in this matter by the local architects if they would lake up the question seriously and by combined nc-

tion introduce something kko system into the arrangements of homes. One matter in which tho municipality might take a keen interest is in regard to the internal construction of private residences. It is difficult to make tho proper provision for sanitary methods in old houses, hut it seems to us that in granting permits for new dwelling houses the Council would be adopting a sound course by stipulating not only that all living rooms shall he. commodious and well-lighted, but that every house shall be provided with a scullery, apart from the kitchen, and a convenient bathroom. One has only to travel to other parte of the Dominion and see the rosidcncee of the working classes in Jhristchurch and Wellington to realise how much room for improvement there is locally. In the foregoing remarks wo have, touched mainly upon the actual design of houses, but quite as Important is the wisdom,of suiiounding residences with lawns and well-kept gardens. Gisborne has one of the most favorable climates that can he conceived, and it is a matter for regret that the residents do not take a fuller advantage of tho ease with which flowers and foliage of all kinds can be utilised to make their homes attractive.