Design Proposals: Plan for Dovetailed Houses, with Square Hall

In 1885 Paul Ogden qualified by examination and was elected ARIBA the same year. The proposed design scheme for two interlocking “L” shaped houses illustrated in the British Architect may thus have been prepared as a “student piece.”  The design owes much to his 1882 designs for Villa Residences, Hilton Lane Prestwich (qv).

 The main feature claimed for these plans is that the hall space usually devoted to front and back passage is brought to dimensions so as to form a third entertaining room. The kitchen and offices are placed in the semi-basement. Passage and staircase area is reduced to a minimum. Each gable end has windows from passages and staircase only overlooking adjoining pair. These windows would, of course, be glazed with stained glass.

SEMI-BASEMENT - The level of this floor will be about 2ft. 9 in. below the general level of the land, and the earth banked np and back to suit the windows, areas, etc., and would be planted with shrubs, flowers, etc., at the back. In the front the earth would be thrown up to the level of the terrace. The accommodation provided is kitchen, scullery, pantry, larder, beer cellar, and washing cellar. This last is cut off entirely from the remainder of the floor by two doors and short passage, so that steam, etc., may not penetrate to the house or adjoining apartments. The rooms are convenient to one another, and to the ground floor, and to this floor side entrance is provided. A hoist is shown, as a suggestion to save the trouble of carrying up and down stairs. It runs up from the pantry to the serving door of the dining room, which is at the head of the cellar stairs. The hoist might run still higher; in fact, it would be convenient for all floors. It is not shown in the perspective, as it was entirely an "after-thought." Of course, it is necessary to have two persons to work a hoist, and it is a matter for a tenant with one servant to decide whether it be a convenience or not, and not a matter which an architect could decide. However, I believe it to be a convenience. I have never tested it or seen one in a house of this class. The side entrance is about half-way up the flight of stairs, having a landing formed so as to provide a small inner porch or vestibule. As the majority of callers would use this door, a great saving of time would result it being placed in close proximity with the kitchen, and is moreover equally so with the ground floor, the door of the hall being at the head of the stairs, close up to the serving door of the dining room.

GROUND FLOOR- The accommodation provided is dining room, sitting room, and square hall, which is so arranged as to be suitable for a third entertaining room. It will be seen on referring to the plan that the serving communication is entirely severed from the hall, so that crossing and recrossing of the hall (which is usually, the case) is entirely done away with. The serving communication is equally convenient to the hall, which could be used as a tea room. The hall, sitting, and dining room it may be said are en suite. The main entrance is provided with a porch, and a cloak or hat room is shown leading from the hall, which could be fitted with a small wash-hand basin, cabinet, etc. The windows and fireplace in the dining room are recessed, so as to gain as much floor area as possible and create an architectural feature. The treatment of the hall would be similar to that published in the British Architect of July 25th, 1884.

FIRST FLOOR. - The accommodation provided upon this floor is two bed rooms and baby's crib room, bath room, w.c., and lavatory. The bedroom over the hall would be furnished with a small hob grate, so that the room might be used as an infant's room, the position being most convenient to the stairs — the advantage of such an arrangement will be obvious without me dwelling upon it.

ATTIC FLOOR - The accommodation upon this floor is large attic (cross- ventilated), suitable for a night or day nursery and a servants' bedroom; in addition, bath, w.c, and lavatory, etc.

Houses of this description would accommodate a family of six persons, two servants, and leave a guests' room for one or two persons. The houses to be built of common bricks, red brick dressings, cemented above ceiling line of ground- floor, and half-timber used above the wall plate, roofed with red tiles, and finished internally as houses of this description are usually finished.