DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XX.
Variation of Former Plan.—This plate shows the development and variation of the inside houses of the block of four shown on Plate xiv., with a superior arrangement of larder, and with projecting coals. The long sloping roof has been hipped back to give a pleasing line, especially in perspective.
The Long Sloping Roof.—The long sloping roof, a feature frequently introduced at Bournville, has several advantages. If it were not employed, and the front walls were carried up level with the ceiling line of the bedroom, the proportions of the elevation would not be so happy, while an additional expense would be incurred by the extra brickwork. Such a height, moreover, would be wholly unnecessary. In the case of cottages with the long sloping roof the height of bedrooms to the point of intersection of roof and wall need only be 5 ft. 6 ins. Ample ventilation is obtained by the simple insertion of a 9 in. by 7 in. air-brick on the outside wall, and a Sheringham ventilator or Tobin tube within, about 5 ft. 6 ins. from the floor, the cost of the latter being about 3s., and of the former a little more. The long sloping roof can rarely be treated tastefully without boldly projecting the eaves. The projection gives a verandah in front of the house which affords a pleasant shelter. Wooden posts may be used as supports, and by training climbing plants up them, and allowing them to festoon, a really delightful summer bower may be formed. As the roof is broad, pantiles may be used with safety so far as good taste is concerned: bold roof, bold covering. By omitting the gutters at the dormer eaves a pleasing effect is gained, and gutters are quite unnecessary with an eaves projection. The cheeks of the dormers should be dressed with lead. The cottages in question are whitewashed, and have a tarred plinth of about 2 ft. to prevent the unsightliness of mud splashes.
The Large Living Room.—In view of the gain to health of one spacious living room over the parlour plan, a number of these cottages has been built in varying design at Bournville, and no difficulty has been found in letting them. There has been, however, considerable discussion with regard to their convenience to the artisan in other districts where they have been introduced. Although cottages in the past had no third room, there having been, as here, one large comfortable room (often with the ingle nook) and a small kitchen at the back—all the accommodation really required—yet at the present time many artisans are not content without the useless parlour, which they appear to think adds dignity to the house, but which is used by them chiefly as a store-room for gim-cracks. There is, perhaps, a reasonable objection to a single large living room on the part of a particular class who let the front room to a lodger. Nevertheless, for a model village or a garden city it is strongly recommended that the plan should be adopted freely, and the preference for the useless front room in small cottages discouraged.
Total cost of the example given, including all extras, £268 per cottage.
Laying out of gardens, £10 each.
Cubical contents, 28,587 ft., at 4½d. per foot cube, £536, or £268 per cottage.
Instances of the last two types of cottages dealt with appear in the view given on Plate iv.