A comparative analysis in residence design in early American traditional and one of the current revolutionary styles

I wish to state here and now that it is not in the purpose of this thesis to conclude that one style or approach in residence design is superior to another. The question of style is philosophical and deeply interrelated with the workings of the human mind in all its abstractions. Even if there existed some set of basic criteria by which we could properly evaluate the modern house in relation to its neo-colonial neighbor, then what? Idealism? Idealism in architecture is as extramundane as idealism in social systems. Sentiment is as essential to architecture as it is to literature, music or art. The danger lies in sentimentality or sentiment carried to the extreme, which should be avoided, as exemplified by period design. A reaction against this sentimentality, along with developments of new materials and processes, gave rise to the completely diametric approach to architecture called modern. There are those who offer the argument that theory always runs ahead of practice, that today's departures are tomorrow's commonplaces. This is true in some cases but not always, for numerous blind alleys have been entered and run to a dead end as in the case of the "Art Nouveaux" in Europe around 1880. Today we have everything in architecture: modern, variations of traditional styles, "modern" houses with traditional plans, and traditional houses of modern plans. It has truthfully been said that that in a time of change there can be no unanimity. Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that architecture is a reflection of its time, and the one outstanding characteristic of the present is change and, with it, uncertainty. The advocates of advanced ideas should not become impatient and exasperated with the slowness of public acceptance, for the inertia of the masses is against change. Out of these conditions should develop an architecture which combines old forms with new. They offer the possibility of an indigenous, workable, and completely livable architecture for America. It is the purpose of this document to compare analytically a house design based on traditional designs, drawing admittedly from the past but without the constraints of "period” design, and a house design based on the newer theory that tradition should be consciously avoided to free the architecture completely from the restrictions of past styles. The conclusion will not be a choice, but an understanding of each with regard to living needs of today and tomorrow.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Architectural Engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Architectural Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute

Year dc:date.issued

1942

Author dc:creator

• Holladay, Wallace F.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/53404

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/53404