Page 313

THE CRAFTSMAN
Vol. IV                 August, 1903                 No. 5
An    Urban     House                         HJIEr ELLIS
                 Number Three of The Craftsman Series
N submitting the site of this house to The Craftsman, the
     owner believed that the only building-plan possible involved
     a sloping terrace with a flight of steep steps and the ungainly
     wooden rail, or life-line, for safety in winter.
         The site is by no means unusual. It is presented in almost
every city in the country: namely, a lot of fifty feet frontage and
one hundred feet deep; elevated eight feet above the street level,
and with practically no variation in height from front to rear.
    In the locality of this special house, there is no provision in
deeds or leases which definitely fixes the position of the houses upon
the lots. But yet, by tacit agreement, the fronts of the larger num-
ber of the residences upon the given side of the street have been
kept back approximately twenty-five feet from the lot lines. At the
same time, there is a decided lack of uniformity in the matter of
porches, bays and other projections; so that any building feature
desired may be introduced, without encroaching upon public
rights, and without disturbing the good will of the neighborhood.
    In obedience therefore to the foregoing easily fulfilled condi-
tions, but with an absolute rejection of the local methods of treat-
ment, the accompanying plans were evolved: the owner simply
stating the requirements of his family; the Craftsman architects
providing for the same by those means which, in their judgment,
seemed best. It may be added that a sufficient and generous, al-
though not extravagant, sum was provided for the thorough execu-
tion of the plans herewith presented.
     By examination of the ground-floor plan, it will be seen that
with the exception of the space taken by the steps leading from the
street and by the motor-way, the entire lot has been reserved for
use: no sacrifice having been made to wasteful terraces, which,
used without tact and artistic sense, stand too often as a confession
of defeat in schemes like the one at present treated.
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