Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 309, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 December 1915 — ATTRACTIVE APPEARANCE OF BUILDINGS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ATTRACTIVE APPEARANCE OF BUILDINGS

(By D. A CLARK.)

At the present time farm buildings, in common with most of our American structures,, offer but little evidence that serious thought has been bestowed upon their character or their disposition. In a general way, buildings are frequently proportioned to meet their needs and are rather conveniently placed in their relationship to one another. Yet, in respect to architectural character, they are almost without exception, very bad, if we disregard the few that have come down to us from colonial days. Even the very books which treat of farm buildings, while discussing matters of economy and convenience and details of construction, fail to give consideration to artistic excellence. In fact, maify of their illustrations depict buildings as faulty in this respect as those on the most despicable farm. Their hard lines stand out boldly, while nature tends to soften the bad lines of the real. In discussing this matter of a fitting farm architecture, it will be well to consider the following broad aspects: Materials of construction and the factors determining their use; style of architecture and the influences controlling it; the elements that should give it character; the designing of the principal farm buildings; the relationship of the buildings to one another; and the methods to be employed in accomplishing this betterment. The material which is used in the construction of any given set of farm buildings will depend upon a number of factors. Yet in weighing these, we should never overlook the desirability of giving the buildings a local color and of having them harmonize with their native surroundings.

There should be developed a general style of architecture which could in the main be adapted to the different farm buildings. It should straightforwardly meet the needs to be served and should be dignified and pleasing in form and line. The material to be used will react upon the style in no small degree, for it is evident that a stone or concrete structure is functionally different from one built of wood. With regard to the barn, the needs are not fixed, but widely varying. In certain forms of farming, it may exist chiefly for storage, while in other cases it may serve mainly for housing the animals. Whatever its needs, it should look the part of the barn, and not that of a country school or church. It should be proportioned and fitted to meet the internal needs for which it is built. Since the barn and the house are the nucleuse~ of the farm group, it is well at this point to consider briefly the arrangement of farm buildings. Certainly the part of architecture is not fulfilled when a given building is designed. Its relation to other buildings both existing and future should be a concern. Usually there is an absence of any logical relationship between the different buildings of the farm. They have been dropped down here and there, as it were, the house here, the barn there, a shop in one place and a shed in another. Indeed of all this there should be a careful grouping. There will be decided advantages in convenience, in economy of construction, and in protection. The esthetic possibilities will be much greater and from the very nature of things, the unattractive features will protrude less prominently and will be much easier of concealment.

Well-Constructed Barn, Adapted to General Farm Use.