- Adirondack Architecture
Adirondack Architecture refers to the architectural style generally associated with the
Great Camps within theAdirondack Mountains area inNew York . The builders of these camps used native building materials and sited their buildings within an irregular wooded landscape. These camps were built to provide a primitive, rustic appearance. Elements such as whole, split, or peeled logs, bark, roots, andburl s, along with nativegranite fieldstone , were used to build interior and exterior components. Massivefireplace s andchimney s built of cut stone are also common within the Great Camp architecture. The use of native building materials was not only for promoting a natural appearance, but also to avoid the expense of transporting conventional building materials into a remote location.cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/multiples/64000555.pdf|title=National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Great Camps of the Adirondacks Thematic Resources|date=September 24 ,1986 |accessdate=2007-04-25]The style drew upon Swiss
chalet architecture, which had been introduced to America byAndrew Jackson Downing around 1850. Log construction was popularized by Downing's protege,Calvert Vaux , in his pattern book "Villas and Cottages" in 1857. Downing's design principles emphasized utility, structural expression, and conformity to natural surroundings. The building form was influenced by Stick style, but using log framing instead of dimensional lumber to express the structural system of the buildings.Charles Eastlake 's book "Hints on Household Taste in Furniture, Upholstery and other Details" also influenced the Adirondack rustic style. Interior decorations such as rustic and Mission Style furniture, mounted trophies of fish and game, Japanese fans and screens, and American Indian artifacts were influenced by Eastlake's ideas.The Adirondacks building were recognized for their rugged finish and outstanding craftsmanship especially by the wealthy natives. The Adirondacks style of architecture can be specialized into custom homes, rugged roofing, log cabins, boat houses, rustic furnishing, rustic kitchen, birch and cedar furniture, log and
twig work s.This style of architecture is found most prominently in and around the area of
Adirondack Park , the largest state park in theUnited States . With 6.1 million acres (25,000 km²), it is roughly the size of the entire state ofMassachusetts . 42% of the land is public, with the remaining amount of land consisting of several villages and hamlets.References
External links
* [http://www.aarch.org/ Adirondack Architectural Heritage]
ee also
*
Great Camps
*Sagamore Camp
*Santanoni Preserve
*Adirondack Park
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