HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 4a - Applicant Presentation9/26/2022 Item 4a Applicant Presentation
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The Thomas & May Brecheen House
Redux
Response to the CHC’s query:
uniqueness and importance of the house
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Methodology of the response: Statistical analysis of a
data set of all 57 Old Town Historic District
Contributing List Colonial Revival bungalows
Anecdotal arguments run the risk of cherry-picking
examples that agree with the thesis.
Statistical analysis of a random or complete data set
allows an objective standard.
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The goal is to go back in time to answer the
question:
What were the designers thinking?
The remarkable answer here is:
they were thinking of 2 iconographic features
with 7 variants of combinations.
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The iconographic features are (1) columned porch,
and (2) pedimented, dormered, irimoya, or plain hip
roof.
The 7 variants are
1. Asymmetric pedimented porch
2. Asymmetric pedimented window bay
3. Symmetric pedimented porch
4. Unpedimented full-width porch
5. Asymmetric and unpedimented with centered
pyramidal dormer
6. Asymmetric and unpedimented without dormer
7. Asymmetric with irimoya roof
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Houses with these character-defining features
embody the Colonial Revival bungalow. Features
like the Tuscan order (in 59% of the data set) are
indicative but neither necessary nor sufficient.
A Japanese irimoya roof may seem like a
disqualifying feature for Colonial Revival, but
common Colonial features like pediments and
Tuscan-columned porches establish the connection.
Pagoda-like bellcast
roofs suggest a further
Colonial-Japoniste
connection
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So, within this remarkable consistency of San Luis
Obispo’s Colonial Revival bungalows, does the
Brecheen House succeed in achieving uniqueness?
And what was the designer thinking?
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11% of the data set are the Brecheen House’s most minimalist
type: asymmetric and unpedimented without dormer—rare but
not unique.
5% have the Brecheen House’s minimal 12% roof pitch—rare
but not unique.
21% have the Brecheen House’s bellcast roof—rare but not
unique.
The combination of these 3 features is, however, unique.
Additionally, the eaves extend significantly farther in
proportion to the wall height than any other bungalow in the
data set—possibly from Prairie Style influence, possibly from
Japanese influence, as the irimoya roofs come closest to this
extravagant eave extension.
All 4 features combine for a
unique minimalism and elongation.
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9% of the data set have flush triple windows—rare but not
unique.
5% have center windows twice the width of the side
windows—rare but not unique.
7% have rectangular lights—rare but not unique.
The Brecheen House is, however, unique in having
a single porch window repeating in proportion and size the center
window of its triple bay window—and repeating in width the wall
space on either side of both windows
lights repeating the proportions of porch and center bay windows
muntined sashes half the height of the plate glass
achieving a uniquely sophisticated, subconsciously pleasing rhythm
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9% of the data set have single-column porches—rare but not
unique.
7% have invisible side-facing doors—rare but not unique.
The Brecheen House is, however, unique in employing a wide
sitting porch rather than narrow entry porch with side-facing
door and supported by a single column:
framing its centered, rhythmically echoing porch window with
minimalism, elongation, and asymmetric deconstruction of
columnar design.
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11% of the data set have a façade-wide architrave—rare but
not unique
3% have frieze, architrave, base, and corner board—very rare
but not unique.
The Brecheen House is, however, unique in employing the
same width for architrave, corner boards, base, and window
casings, creating a uniquely rhythmic and minimalist unity.
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Do these unique executions of roof, windows, porch,
and moldings raise the Brecheen House to the level of
importance?
To the extent that they demonstrate the most defined
and refined architectural consciousness in Colonial
Revival bungalow design in San Luis Obispo …
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in furtherance of the new, fin de siècle concept of
streamlining inherent in Colonial Revival— achieved
through rhythm …
asymmetry and deconstruction …
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minimalism …
elongation, and …
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a Japanese aesthetic—
these unique characteristics do raise the
Brecheen House to among the most important
structures in the city—an exquisitely thought-out
standout in Colonial Revival bungalow architecture.
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Despite—or perhaps because of—the constraints of its
modest size and suburban location, it is the stylistic
peer of the afore-pictured Van Buren, Wayburn, Low,
Bradley (Airplane), and Worcester Houses.
3 of those 5 house have been lost. The achievement of
our unique and important Brecheen House—with its
high level of integrity—should be honored and
protected with Master List status.
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