House of Seven Gables

[Mark Wright AIA]

Howdy

Rich hypothesized a resemblance of the "Pynchon House" in Springfield
XX to the "Pyncheon House" in Salem MA, the "House of Seven Gables".
Nifty idea, Rich. The cartoon house doesn't look much like the house of
seven gables, really, but it parodies the sort of "Developer
Mock-Tudor" meant to be reminiscent of BOTH the "Stockbroker Tudor"
style of the early 20th century AND (by the nifty expedient of omitting
the costly imitation half-timbering) New England colonial houses of
genuine antiquity such as the House of Seven Gables in Salem, rendered
in the cheapest stucco obtainable. (Associations called up are entirely
dependant on the sophistication of the prospective buyer.) Hallmarks of
this include the "jettied" upper story in selected spots, the little
patch of dark siding in one of the gables and at the porch, and the
"rustic" detailing of the porch railings. Wretched touches that place
this house somewhere in Nassau County on Long Island might include the
hapless configuration of the hip roof pocked with square roof vents,
that tremulous emasculated little excuse for chimney, the orange-ade
colored stucco, and the foundation plantings that make the house look
as if it's been served on a bed of warm lettuce.

The Critic Speaks
Mark


__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free web site building tool. Try it!
http://webhosting.yahoo.com/ps/sb/