The Anniversary House

part 3

Arhitecture

There are good reasons the classical language has endured and flowered again and again in American domestic architecture, be it Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, or the variations often described as Mediterranean. It is ageless. It has serenity. And, though guided by rules, it proves quite adaptable.

Just how adaptable can be seen in the elevations and plan developed by architect Larry E. Boerder for the Anniversary House in Dallas. Inspired by Italian villas notable for their tower forms and often rambling character, the principal facade is anchored by a strong, vertical pavilion with wings extending asymmetrically to each side, producing an image both stately and animated.

"We envisioned the house as an original formal block with deep, arched arcades that had been added to over time," says Boerder. "We were thus able to use pavilions and extensions to animate the exterior and create interesting interior spaces. With a large house like this, the pavilions are important to give it a more appealing scale." The commanding front pavilion contains the dining room on the main level and a bedroom above. The master bedroom, its adjoining bath, the porte cochere, and the garage were all designed around the central mass as additions.

A loose plan may seem effortless, but it isn't. "Doing a symmetrical plan is actually easier," says Boerder. "In a design like this, you draw a line through the middle of each elevation and work toward a good balance. There are certain rules to help, but success relies on the designer's intuition."

This evolved layout also responds to characteristics of the site. The front tower favors the corner of the lot, making the most of the exposure. The garage wing extends parallel to the side street, assuring privacy for a highly developed outside living space at the rear.

The barrel-tile roof with deep eaves and exposed rafter ends carries the Italian classical theme, its lightly articulated overhangs contrasting with weighty stuccoed walls. These substantial materials, stucco masonry produces shadow and substance you don't find in the foam panel versions of Stucco," Boerder explains.

The entrance is not through the dominant pavilion, as might be expected, but under the first of three arches on one side. "I wanted this key pavilion to have a certain scale and proportion set by the engaged columns and entablature," Boerder says. "When you try to make something like this an entry, other kinds of demands compromise the design." This location also reinforces the idea of the central block as the original house.

Open the arched glass-and-wood doors and the classical ordering of the interior unfolds. Rather than just rooms after rooms, so often encountered today, there is a strong hierarchy of spaces with axial perspectives. The dominant one is immediately encountered. Along the unobstructed foyer, the view passes through arched openings to the pool, and ends in the pavilion, which dominates the rear garden. The Italian villa always includes rich interplay between house and setting, a concept fully realized here.