The Homewood

The Homewood

The Homewood is a modernist house in Esher, Surrey, England. Designed by architect Patrick Gwynne for his parents, The Homewood was given by Gwynne to the National Trust in 1992.

Origins

The family demolished the original rambling Victorian house called "The Homewood", to make way for the house on stilts (pilotis) their son Patrick Gwynne would design and build to replace it, at the age of 24. The family sold off property in Wales to finance the project which cost £10,000 at the time, exceeding the original estimate.

Influences and structure

The Homewood was Gwynne's first house project and his lasting favourite. His influences included Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe, fathers of the modernist International Style that took hold in the 1920s. Like Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright before him, he designed everything including the furniture and fittings, even the grounds. But unlike Wright, he emphasised the grounds being arranged for the house rather than the house built for the grounds. He created two models of measurement used throughout to regulate proportions. The vertical model was 20 inches and multiples of this would delineate everything upright, for example, from window ledges, to window and ceiling heights.

The new Homewood was structured so that bedrooms and offices were on one side and on the other, living and utility areas. At one end is the servants' quarters. Below are the car spaces and entrance.

tyle

The elevated house with its lean modernist lines and industrial materials, is open plan with the spaces signified by furniture arrangement. It is spare, spacious and functional, yet comfortable. The concrete interior staircase is lit by a sunken uplight. Décor includes signature wall papers, innovations such as mechanised blinds over the floor to ceiling windows, convertible work desks, multipurpose cabinets (some with interior lighting), concealed storage and bedroom ensuites. There were originally five bedrooms, later four, and the colour scheme is neutral ranging from cream or white, shades of brown to chocolate and black with some sky blue accessories. In contrast, there is one lavish bespoke glass chandelier on the landing. The Homewood served as Gwynne's living portfolio to clients and students, exhibiting his designs from architecture to furniture, finishes and fittings, as well as attention to detail and complete design control.

As post-War years meant no staff, Gwynne installed a pool and converted the servants' quarters to an entertainment/relaxation centre which relocated this function from the roof (rooftop entertaining being a 1930's custom that favoured flat roofs) to the grounds, making access easier for the purpose.

Since each member of the family had a car, the stilts provided space for four cars. The entrance was approached by driving in completely under cover. Gwynne's blue-green Aston Martin remains at The Homewood.

When Patrick, his sister and father enlisted or joined the war effort, the house was tenanted until they returned. Both parents died of natural causes before the end of World War II and did not survive to live in the final result. Patrick lived alone in the house for 46 years. In his later years he lived in the former servants' quarters while working with the National Trust to restore it to the original.

The property is not open to the public, as the National Trust is searching for a tenant to inhabit it and show it to visitors.

References

*"National Trust: National Treasures : Homewood/ Willow Road" — 2005 TV Documentary showing fine homes across Britain and Northern Ireland, shown ABC TV January 25, 2006

External links

* [http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-thehomewood/ The Homewood information at the National Trust]
*IoE|286928


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • The Homewood Suites by Hilton Ithaca — (Итака,США) Категория отеля: 3 звездочный отель Адрес: 36 Cinema Drive, И …   Каталог отелей

  • Homewood Campus of Johns Hopkins University — The Homewood campus is the main academic and administrative center of the Johns Hopkins University. It is located at 3400 North Charles Street in Baltimore, Maryland. Although Hopkins has several campuses, the Homewood campus and medical campus… …   Wikipedia

  • Homewood (Pittsburgh) — The Homewood Branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh located at 7101 Hamilton Avenue in the Homewood South neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Homewood is a predominantly African American neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,… …   Wikipedia

  • Homewood campus — The Homewood campus is the main academic and administrative center of the Johns Hopkins University. It is located at 3400 North Charles Street in Baltimore, Maryland. Among Hopkins has several campuses of the Johns Hopkins University, the… …   Wikipedia

  • Homewood — may refer to:Places in the United States*Homewood, Alabama *Homewood, California *Homewood, Illinois *Homewood, Pennsylvania *Homewood (Pittsburgh), three neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaOther*Homewood campus, the main campus of Johns… …   Wikipedia

  • Homewood Suites by Hilton — is a national chain of all suite residential style hotels trademarked by the Hilton Hotels Corporation. As of August 2008, the chain consists of 242 hotels and another 135 under development. The brand, launched in 1989, primarily caters toward… …   Wikipedia

  • Homewood Hotel — (Homewood,США) Категория отеля: 2 звездочный отель Адрес: 17400 South Halsted Street, Homewood, IL 60430, США …   Каталог отелей

  • Homewood Suites by Hilton Reno — (Рено,США) Категория отеля: 3 звездочный отель Адрес: 5450 Kietzke Lane, Рено …   Каталог отелей

  • Homewood Suites by Hilton Rockville- Gaithersburg — (Роквилл,США) Категория отеля: 2 звездочный отель Адрес: 149 …   Каталог отелей

  • Homewood Suites by Hilton St. Louis Riverport- Airport West — (Мэриленд Хайтс,США) Категория отеля: 3 звездочный отель Ад …   Каталог отелей

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”