Compose suitable word combinations. Explain their meaning

11. Read the text. Make conclusion what means: 1) styling of a house; 2)designing elevation

I. Styling of a House.—When a house is to be built there are a number of things which should be given careful thought before the work is started and even before the plans for the building are drawn.

Among these may be mentioned the selection of the lot on which the dwelling is to be built, the position of the house and garage on the lot with reference to the streets and the position of the different rooms with reference to the four points of the compass—North, South, East and West. At the same time when these things are being considered, another point must be kept in mind, that is the " style" in which the building is to be planned or, in other words, its exte­rior appearance. This decision should be made before plans for the house are started. The important question is also how much money can be spent on the building.

II. Designing Elevations. — An elevation is a drawing showing one side of a building. Since most houses are rectangular in plan, there will usually be four elevations. All the door or window openings and other features of construc­tion which occur on the outside surfaces of the exterior walls can be shown on the elevations in their true dimension (to scale) as regards width and height. The elevations are practical working drawings, the purpose of which is to give to the workmen the information necessary in order that they may first set a price on the work to be done and then carry it out properly after the contract has been awarded.

The floor plans are also prepared for this purpose. The elevations must agree with the plans in giving the general dimensions of the house and the location and width of the door and window openings on each floor and other features such as balconies, porches, terraces, bay-windows, etc. Taken together the plans and elevations give the length, width, and height of every part of the house in such a way that when the various parts are built to these dimensions, they will form the completed building just as the designer saw it in his mind when he was making the drawings.

The choice of style of elevation depends upon several factors. Some are guided primarily by cost, others by desire for a certain style. Most people are concerned with the ar­rangement of rooms—the floor plan—and will let the exterior of the house be modified as necessary to conform to the floor plan selected. Elevations for houses in the Modernistic Style are entirely different from those for traditional houses. They usually have extremely large window areas, extending to and around the corners of the building. This with the flat roof, makes almost box-like appearance, which seems strange to one accustomed to the traditional style.

Material for Elevation.—The choice of material is governed by the style and by the cost. Many styles can be worked out in any several materials or in combinations of two or three. Brick and siding, shingles and siding, brick and stucco, wood, plaster, stone and concrete—all can be handled in interesting fashion. The materials used for roofs are shin­gles, slate or tile. Tile and shingles are inmost cases the most expensive roof materials, slate is less costly. For wall con­struction, brick is cheaper than siding, and brick cheaper than stone, in most localities.

The elevations show the heights of all openings in the outside walls and the height of the window and door sills above the finished levels of the different floors. Exterior doors are apt to be 2 feet 8 inches or 2 feet 10 inches wide and 6 feet 8 inches or 6 feet 10 inches high. The larger sizes are to be applicable to the front entrance door and the smaller sizes to the rear entrance door. There is a danger in making exterior doorway too narrow, because furniture and other things must be carried through them. The front entrance door should be of a good design in keeping with the style of the house.

Window openings can be of various sizes to suit the ideas of the designer. There are two kinds of windows used in hous­es. There are the double-hung and casement windows. The first consists of two counterweighted sashes sliding up and.down; the second has one or two sashes hinged at the side and swinging horizontally in or out. There is also a bay window which is seldom seen today. Wooden shutters or blinds are often used on some of the windows of a house. Sometimes they are solid and sometimes slatted. An up-todate house must contain one or more bedrooms for sleeping, a kitchen for preparing the meals, a dining room, a utility room for laundry and storage, and a living room for reading, writing, entertaining visitors and so forth. In addition to these rooms every present-day house contains a bathroom and may include a recreation room in the basement, and a den or study.

Tasks after reading:

12. Do you agree with the following statements characterizing the main idea of the points “ Styling of a house” and “ Designing elevations”

1. Some points must be kept in mind before building any structure: surrounding medium and exterior appearance of future construction.

2. The choice of style elevation depends upon several factors: cost, desire, arrangement of rooms, building materials.

13. Answer these questions. Using them as a plan speak briefly about “Architecture of a house”

1. What kind of things should be given careful thought before the plans for the building are drawn? Why?

2. What means an elevation?

3. What kind of dimensions can be shown on the elevation?

4. What is the purpose of elevation?

5. What for the floor plans are prepared?

6. What do the plans and elevations give taken together?

7. What factors does the choice of style of elevation depend upon?

8. What is the choice of materials governed by?

9. What materials used for roofs? Walls?

10. What size should the door be? What are differences between front and rear doors? Why?

11. How many kinds of windows used in houses? What are they?

12. What means an up-to-date house?

Tasks before reading: