APARTMENT BUILDING TYPE: 3 - Flat
This was a distinct apartment building type that began developing before World War I and lasted until just before the start of WW II; covering roughly the years 1910 to 1940.
These three-story walkup structures had one apartment on each floor. Individual unit layouts typically consisted of: 1 - 4 bedrooms (sometimes a maids room), 1 - 3 bathrooms, a well defined foyer, formal living rooms often with craftsman styled bookcases and gas fireplaces, formal dining rooms often with built-ins, kitchens sized for eating with pantry space, a open or enclosed sunporch, open rear porches for exit and service purposes, interior stairwells for service and exit purposes, .
The position of the building on the site could vary based upon neighborhood factors, setback needs and developer whims. One could therefore find the design used as a free standing building with good yard space in one instance or zero-lot line condition reminiscent of the "tenement cram" with little or no yard space in the other instance.
They were blocky in design form with flat roofs and moderate parapets. A major design element was the use of string brick courses to emphasize their horizontal dimensions. Most Exterior ornamentation details tended to be classical; but watered down revivalist styles were used. There were also occasions when the Art Deco or Modernist style was chosen for the exterior. The buildings were generally constructed of brick in light yellow, tan, dark brown or reddish hues.
Larger structures using the basic 3 - flat design concept were often built in multiples to form 6 - 9 - 12 flats. A example of the 6 Flat configuration is the 5215 s Drexel building in Chicago's Hyde Park community.
The same basic design was also used effectively in the construction of numerous courtyard & corner buildings that were developed during the same time period.
0 comments:
Post a Comment