A mid-20th century architectural rendering for urban renewal

“E xcept man, nobody lies. A rosebush cannot lie. It has to produce roses; it cannot produce marigolds — it cannot deceive. It is not possible for it to be otherwise than it is. Except man the whole existence lives in truth. Truth is the religion of the whole existence — except man. And the moment a man also decides to become part of existence, truth becomes his religion.”   -Indian Mystic, Osho

Architectural Forensics is a term to describe how it is that the ‘built environment’ perfectly expresses the intrinsic quality of any society’s sociological, economic, and political nature. In the search for truth, the parsing of concepts, deliberation of ideas, or the use rhetorical analysis to glean the essence of our reality pales in comparison to the truth at it is revealed by the world which we have wrought; and with this fact, there can be no mistake or equivocation. fine arts magazine

Boston City Hall (KM&K Arch.,1962-67). Blocks of Boston's West End neighborhoods were torn down to make way for sprawling plazas and Brutalist-style I.M. Pei-inspired architecture

Architects and urban designers are renowned for their ability to define concepts by employing formal constructs and then to argue the merits of their design as is expedient to gain favor for their proposal. The completed projects however are rarely given the proper scrutiny to gauge the product against the initial arguments upon which the physical expressions are based; and when they are, it is clear that the idea rarely matches reality. Western Civilization’s fundamental philosophical postulation to reason can readily facilitate the contamination of the truth by infusing ulterior motives into its meaning; whether or not consciously intended in order to advocate a pre-conceived objective; the resulting built-landscape purveyed as a litany of conjecture in which we continually bear the consequences of real structures and places.

Once clear about our intent, there can be no equivocation about our perception. If the discovery of truth is our objective, then it exists all around us; ready to reveal the unassailable reality that will guide our course of action and indicate the direction of our pursuit. For example, one may argue the merits of permitting a modern glass and steel tower to occupy an infill site within the context of early 20th century, pre-war masonry apartment buildings on Park Avenue in New York City. The architect or developer may cite the benefits of infusing a contemporary architectural expressions to an otherwise tired streetscape; the visual benefits of contrasting transparent forms to masonry facades; the wonderful addition of a brutally honest structure to the dated historical formalism so prevalent in the neighborhood; and even argue the merits of including modern and ‘relevant’ forms of expression within an historic context… all which sound like cogent arguments at the front end of the process when the project strives to gain approval. Yet the simple reality of such an experiment has indicated quite a different legacy; one that has only served to erode a wholesome identity often caused by economic initiatives that are conveyed by architectural seductions. We know this to be true not as a consequence of clarity derived from the initial conceptual debate, but we know this truth to be evident because we can walk the streets and see and feel the physical evidence of our actions as one misguided seduction leads to others until integrity of the place has been thoroughly compromised.

Rendering of Le Corbusier's 'Ville Radieuse', his concept of 'machines for living' (1923).

When the initial arguments were made for the ‘Urban Renewal’ of the lower east side in Manhattan as the dereliction of these neighborhoods was considered to be unsustainable, theory usurped observation and the consequences were swift and dramatic. A wave of gentrification prompted the previous generation of immigrants to move further uptown and to occupy larger homes and more spacious neighborhoods. As soon as the migration had gained momentum degradation was swift even though the urban fabric remained in-tact and might have been resurrected. Concepts abounded for what to do with the tenement structures that lined the lower east side of downtown Manhattan. The prevailing notion that won favor conveniently employed Le Corbusier’s concepts of urbanism as described in his diatribe Toward an Architecture (1923). The concept that large, densely-populated towers, these ‘machines for living’, would be set within rectangular park-like green spaces and permit its residents a gasp of nature if they so dared to venture onto that barren land seemed like quite a good idea. Unfortunately for idealism; reality presented a far different picture; stark in its contrast where crime followed the anonymity of these faceless towers, while the utter segregation of an impoverished socio-economic class of the population was clearly defined by these piles of masonry blight. Traditional neighborhoods where migrants flowed into this nation and then graduated to another existence gave way to these new, urbanly-renewed ghettoes that held its inhabitants largely captive to the now very familiar architectural stereotype that defines public housing. We know this to be true because we see and witness the effects of this reality. There can be no argument to the expression of the world that we’ve built as is indicated by the construction as it exists, and the effects that are consequential to our built environment.

A typical New England 18th c. era village center- church, commerce and homes facing the town green

The truth as revealed by architectural forensics. We are the detectives who observe, investigate, and reveal unassailable realities as expressed by the physical world. The aim: to provide clarity as to the purpose and understanding of the consequences for that which we’ve created. What does the ‘village green’ tell us about 18th Century New England colonial society? That the church dominates the essential position of power, authority, and honor is no accident. Other homes that surround the ‘green’ are generally of similar if not identical shape, size, materials, and coloring to each other and they surround a very regular and ordered pastoral setting around which the townsfolk gather, share, provide, and protect one another from the threats of savages and secularism. The yearning for freedom, for equality amongst one’s brethren; to conform, to live humbly and yet with determination; to control their environment and yet with a clear respect that society persists or perishes at the whim of what nature issues forth, as conveyed by God’s will… All of these attributes are qualities gleaned from observation with just a modicum of written history that serves to temper the inclination one might have to go too far astray. The truth about this society, as immortalized by the wood frames and clapboards of their construction—what remains in our time and that which has long since disappeared due to our delinquency, obstinacy, ignorance, and willful intent—are quite simply more evidence that provides clarity of the society as conveyed by its architecture.

Andrea Palladio’s Villa Rotonda (1591)

Andrea Palladio’s Villa Rotonda (1591), serene, powerful, perfectly symmetrical in plan, the rotunda and cupola elements that terminate the center of the Greek cross plan; the point of focus to the entire composition, the universe where man is at its center, controlling of his destiny as expressed by this creation… the art which adorns the walls, ceiling, each and every nook and crevasse of this palatial home; the saturation of form and attention to each surface whether it be adorned or left spare as an intended repose; the owner’s clarity of purpose, no hesitation, willful, wonton, desirous, thoroughly committed in its expression of erudition; that art is the consummate expression of beauty; that beauty is both the point of departure and realization to what mankind can aspire in this life, perhaps the only life; as if that remains the sole vestige of his paradise and salvation. To observe any subject building; allowing it to speak through its form is a certitude upon which we can rely, because it is unassailable. We are witness to these realities; and only that awareness can provide clarity and meaning.

If Charles Darwin spent months on the Beagle floating up the Hudson River instead of off the coast of the Galapagos Islands, having sequestered his observations in an investigation entitled Conclusions of our Civilization instead of The Origin of Species, would we be any less impressed with the veracity of what he’d witnessed and assessments drawn accordingly? Society is, in fact, the expression of the environment that it has inherited coupled with the built environment that it has created. Our society has become overly seduced with the “what-ifs”, and no longer cares to acknowledge the “has-beens”; and yet we live in a world that we’ve made; there can be no dispute about that.

I’ve often thought that it is a fool’s errand that architectural publications and journals evaluate built projects shortly after their completion. There is hardly a message to be conveyed about a newly minted project that couldn’t be have already been reviewed when it was merely a conception on either the drawing board or in the fancy of one’s mind. A building or urban landscape can only be truly evaluated after it has existed for some substantial period of time; after when it has been burnished by the elements; trodden upon; been used and abused; becomes part of a fabric or recognized as a carcinogen that has assaulted the world already extant.

My position is quite simply to observe that which we’ve created in order to know the truth. The built environment is the perfect mirror in that it tells us everything about ourselves and perfectly expresses who we are; with utter disregard for propaganda or innuendo.

Architectural forensics is the tool to gain this understanding. They are clear and ingenuous; forensics discover the reality that gives birth to form and makes eminently clear the choices that may not have been initially understood because they were not yet expressed physically and could have been subject to willful or even unintended deception. We as employers of this powerful tool need know nothing about architecture or urban planning in order to draw our conclusions. In fact, we will no longer be seduced by the critical experts of architectural proposals as we become more confident that words cannot be used as a substitution for the reality of what buildings tells us through their forms and physical presence. We now possess the tools to have a clear understanding to the meaning of that which was destroyed in order to make way for the existence of a new structure; or even how a street, city, or forest may have benefited or suffered as a consequence of the new physical landscape . Truth gained in this manner of observation and description is unassailable.

Thus is the power and potential of Architectural Forensics- a force for truth and meaning.

By William Green, Contributing Writer

William Green holds a fine arts degree from Tufts University.  He continued his studies with a year at the University of Copenhagen, Royal Academy of Architecture; proceeding to the University of Colorado in pursuit of his Master of Architecture degree. This was followed by an internship at the prestigious Studio Coppola in Milan, Italy. After several years of practice and a number of awards, the opportunity to design offices for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Inc., in New York City, provided the impetus to establish his own firm in 1986.

William has served on the faculty of the New York School of Interior Design and has lectured at various universities and numerous design symposiums.

His firm can be reached at: www.wgaarchitects.net

‘The richness of textile traditions link people the world over, for fabrics are a non-verbal language that tell us the cultural history of a people, their place in the world and even their beliefs.’ (Dhamija 2006:266).

Meaning is encoded in cultural objects in many different ways and is never static. Objects continuously travel in and out of categories of meaning, particularly when the objects themselves also travel physically. Trade goods are the focus of this research paper, which will examine the Dr. Thomas J. Hudak collection of textiles, purchased in Indonesia. The textiles in Dr. Hudak’s collection resemble the Indian textiles found at the center of enormous trade markets in the 1600s. Dr. Hudak’s stunning collection was on display at the Arizona State University Museum of Anthropology in 2010 as part of the exhibit, Trading Cloth and Culture. Examined through the four themes of Technique, Trade, Aesthetics, and Cultural Significance, the textiles in this collection present us with the opportunity to study the nature of objects that have traveled great distances. “Textiles are an important medium in cultural studies because of their universality and mobility. They circulate within specific cultural milieus and also serve as a vehicle for the transmission of ideas between cultures” (Guy 1998:7). From Dr. Hudak’s collection, we can see the ways in which objects are given meaning and how these meanings constantly shift and evolve.

Above: Weaver in Mahasarakham Province, Northeast Thailand. photo by H.Leedom Lefforts  fine arts magazine

Technique

A batik worker with a wax stamp in a batik factory near Tasikmalaya, Indonesia (c.1930) Collection Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam

Before examining the widespread textile trade and the far-reaching impacts of this economic endeavor, it is important to first understa nd what these Indian cloths are, and what made them so immensely desirable in Indonesia and Southeast Asia as a whole. When the textile trade began, cloths were already being woven in Indonesian traditions using the natural resources available there. In Indonesia, “despite having an ancient and highly developed weaving tradition of its own, there was considerable demand for imported textiles, especially from India” (Barnes 2006:99). Differences in natural resource availability between India and Indonesia resulted in very distinct weaving and dying traditions, and created a significant difference in products. “The Indian subcontinent has been blessed with abundant supplies of the materials necessary for the production of cotton and silk textiles and of the dye-stuffs for their decoration” (Guy 1998:19), whereas Indonesian weavers perceived their available resources as less brilliant and exotic. “The delicate fabrics and dazzling colors of these Indian textiles would have contrasted dramatically with the local cloths of heavy cotton and the somber blue that seems once to have been Indonesia’s major dye” (Gittinger 1979:45). These exotic textiles, unable to be replicated in Indonesia and made more valuable by their scarcity, became strongly desired trade goods in the islands.

Dyers in Kalasin Province, Northeast Thailand, 1986. photo by H.Leedom Lefforts

In particular, the dye plants available on the Indian subcontinent were unrivaled in brilliance compared to the colors provided by Indonesian flora. Dyes were derived from raw plants, which would be chopped, soaked, squeezed, and boiled. A variety of plants were available to provide bold colors. The principal dyes used for Indian textiles were in digo (blue), chay and madder (red), but black, violet, green, and yellow could also be derived from Indian plants or imported from the Middle East. Dyeing also required a fixative agent, or mordant, to adhere the dyes to fibers. Mordants came from a variety of sources, such as urine, salt, or lime. Alum and iron were also favored mordants for trade textiles, and the mordants interacted with dyes to produce unique colors.

One of the most highly sought after textile exports from India was patola, a silk double-ikat from Gujarat, where both warp and weft were dyed before weaving into the desired patterns. In layman’s terms, the threads for weaving were tied together and dyed selectively. Making patola was “an extremely complicated process developed over the centuries [that] represents the acme of the weaver’s skill” (Sarabhai 1988:11). Mastery of this skill was highly guarded and many secrets were kept to prevent the profitable practice from spreading too widely. Textile patterns were also made through combinations of resist-dyeing and block-printing methods. In resist-dying, molten wax or moist mud was applied to areas of the cloth which were not intended to accept dye, and the cloth as a whole was dyed leaving behind a negative pattern. Wooden blocks or qalam pens were also used to print patterns onto textiles. Overall, the process of creating textiles for trade was very time-consuming and a cloth of 5-6 meters could take up to 6 months to make. “Cloth was spun and woven in one place, where there was raw cotton and labor, and then transported for painting and dyeing to an area with abundant supplies of clean water essential to the patterning process. The finished textile was finally taken to a collection point for grading, stamping, and marketing” (Guy 1998:21). This complex process for textile production added value to the cloths, making them highly sought-after trade goods for which the makers were well-compensated. However, the scheme under which these textiles were traded was more complicated than monetary exchange. The triangular market in which Indian trade textiles played a crucial role will be discussed in the following section.

Trade

Women stamping patterns on cloth in Indionesia (c. 1860-1900) Collection Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam

Although dating back as far the 5th century, the trade of Indian textiles to Southeast Asia peaked in intensity in the early 1600s. Many factors influenced the character and magnitude of textiles’ production in India and purchase in Indonesia. Trade is complex; “the path to achieve [trade] meanders through political factors, economic changes, business methods and relationships, not to mention individual propensities” (Kahlenberg 2006:35). Resource availability and cultural practices also become tied up in trade routes, and trading partners are never left unchanged by their encounters. “Textiles were traded from one part of the world to the other, linking people and transferring technologies, ideas, concepts, and philosophies” (Dhamija 2006:263). The impacts of the textile trade were far-reaching, deeply influencing the people and the objects involved in this economic endeavor.

As part of a triangular market, European merchants exchanged capital for textiles in India, later to trade these textiles for spices in Southeast Asia. Different spices were indigenous to various regions in Indonesia. In particular, pepper, cloves, nutmeg, and mace were top sellers and of highest demand in Europe, the Mediterranean, and China. An enormous volume of European merchants traveled to Indian ports, obtaining the spectacular cloths, and continued on to Indonesia where demand for these textiles was strong. As described by Duarte Barbosa, a traveling merchant,

‘[Indian cloths] are held in great value here, and every man toils to hold a great pile of them that when they are folded and laid on the ground one on the other, they form a pile as high as himself. Who so possess this holds himself to be free and alive, for if he be taken captive he cannot be ransomed save for so great a pile of cloth’ (Gittinger 1979:15)

Merchant Ship of the Dutch East India Company (1782), Nagasaki School, published by Toshimaya, hand- coloured woodblock print

While capital was used to obtain textiles in India, selling prices of spices in Southeast Asia were expressed in terms of textiles. Cloth was accepted as “the most common form of currency. The reason that Indian textiles were used in this manner was because they were sufficiently scarce as well as standardized in size and their coloration set them apart from those produced locally” (Kahlenberg 2006:145). At the height of the textile and spice trade, one Indian cloth sold for as much as 40 pounds of nutmeg (Gittinger 1979:15).

The triangular trade was huge and sustained over many centuries. Weavers began responding to particular demands from merchants, as each region in the spice trade had specific desires for textile patterns. The market gradually became more formalized as export volume grew. While European merchants were primarily concerned with obtaining spices at the advent of the spice trade, it soon became obvious that great profit could be made by obtaining Indian textiles in exchange for spices in Southeast Asia. As the trade progressed, European trading companies exerted greater control over commercial activities of weavers, painters, and dyers. By mid 1600s the Dutch had forcibly secured control over the textile trade after recognizing its commercial potential, and made efforts to control trade in Indonesia based on a system of licenses and stamps for all imports. Although the enormous trade market lasted for centuries, textile currency was eventually driven off the market by coins after 1680. “Like Indian textiles, [coins] were scarce and standardized, but they were not perishable like textiles” (Kahlenberg 2006:148).

Textiles were a particularly convenient unit of exchange for merchants traveling long distances. Textiles are unique in their “convenient portability; while in the long term considered fragile, textiles are initially far more durable and easier to transport than, e.g., glass and ceramics. They were, therefore, primary sources of cross-cultural influences” (Barnes 2006:113). The impacts of the textile and spice trade are far-reaching and much deeper than economics. Trade has the potential to shape history, and “it was a direct result of these cloths, and the international hunger for spices that they helped satisfy, that much of the history of Asia, and indeed Europe, was shaped” (Guy 1998:16). Cultural impacts were also great; along with this trade came the spread of Islam to India and Southeast Asia, as well as influences on local artistic styles. The following sections will examine non-economic impacts of trade goods, first from the standpoint of art and aesthetics, and later through the lens of cultural significance.

Aesthetics

Indian fabric showing Chinese influence (contemporary weaving), courtesy ASU Museum of Anthropology

“Textiles have been—and still are—a major transmitter of design and technology, and they tend to convey considerable social meaning” (Barnes 2006:111). Trade objects have great communicative value, and the symbols and patterns found in trade textiles speak volumes about the producers as well as intended recipients. Textiles made in India for trade to Southeast Asia were distinct in appearance with a great deal of variation. Overall, the aesthetic was a mix of Indian designs as well as symbols and aesthetic elements desired by the recipient region. “Printed Indian [cloths] had been specifically adapted to suit each geographic, national, or cultural area” (Kahlenberg 2006:135) being traded to; the market strategy was to design for the taste of the client. While marked by regional difference, the typical composition of a trade cloth included a large center design bordered by a sharp sawtooth pattern on either end.

Indian fabric showing Persian influence (contemporary weaving), courtesy ASU Museum of Anthropology

As a result of the long-lasting textile trade, aesthetic elements were constantly traveling and being altered from both ends of the trade routes. “Traffic in imagery between the cultures [of India and Southeast Asia] must have been continuous, creating a melting pot of design elements formed and reformed through time” (Guy 1998:17). Designs from imported textiles were adopted in Indonesia; “cloths were so prevalent in cultural lives that motifs and designs became integrated into locally woven cloths” (Guy 1998:10). The impacts of aesthetic influence traveled in both directions; not only did Southeast Asian cultures adopt the patterns found in their imported textiles, but the designs dyed in Indian export textiles over time “adapted to [Southeast Asian] religious beliefs [and] aesthetics” (Kahlenberg 2006:148).

However, the adoption of foreign patterns into local aesthetics was not done without local cultural influence. “Indonesia accepted and absorbed elements of Indian culture in a selective manner and transformed them, through its own ethos and genius, into something uniquely Indonesian” (Sarabhai 1988:10). Indeed, through sustained international trade, “Indonesia could scarcely avoid massive foreign impact on its art forms, including its textile arts. Many of these influences were adopted, but usually on terms that recast them to fit a local aesthetic. What has emerged is an Indonesian expression that is both artistically rich and culturally meaningful” (Gittinger 1979:49). The cultural impacts of trade do not stop in the aesthetic realm, but many other cultural factors were impacted by the import of textiles to Southeast Asia.

Cultural Significance

Women in a small batik workshop in Java (c.1915) Collection Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam

The trade market for textiles in Southeast Asia was driven by demand for cultural needs related to textiles, such as social, ceremonial, and ritual uses. Typically, three main functions of Indian textiles could be seen in Southeast Asia: clothing (daily and ceremonial), ritual (ceremonial decorations, gift exchange, and rites of passage), and stored wealth (objects of inheritance and status symbols). Originally, upon the arrival of these trade cloths, they were most valued for their “glowing colors, complex designs, and exotic silk material. However, when their status was augmented by time and use, they acquired a sacred character as well” (Gittinger 1979:29).

Not surprisingly, textiles obtained through trade were often used as clothing. “In many parts of Southeast Asia, patolas were used for garments—waistcloths, trousers, shawls, scarves, and belts…[and] the ancient heritage of India has been wonderfully woven into the fabric of their own cultures” (Sarabhai 1988:14). However, numerous significances were applied to these textiles above their utilitarian use as clothing items, and

an Indian export textile acquired an acculturated Southeast Asian meaning quite distinct from that intended by the producer. The cultural boundaries in which it operated were very often localized and specific. The importance of the non-utilitarian uses to which Indian textiles were put in Southeast Asian societies is underscored by the sheer volume of the trade, which far exceeded the needs of the region, given that much of the clothing of the people was provided by inexpensive locally woven goods (Guy 1998:9-10).

A woman weaving while a child closely watches, Kalasin Province, Northeast Thailand, 1986. photo by H.Leedom Lefforts

In different regions of Southeast Asia, Indian textiles were put to culturally-specific uses. Each culture that encountered the trade items integrated these textiles into existing cultural practices in unique ways. For example,

in Java [textiles] are esteemed as garb for weddings and the rites marking other transitions in life, and at one time certain motifs were reserved for private use by the royalty in Central Java…On Bali patola are hung in the temples, and in times of illness small fragments of the textile are burnt for the patient to inhale or to put his feet into the smoke. On Sumba possession of certain patola remained the exclusive prerogative of the highest class, who had the designs copied into their own textiles, which were used together with imported pieces at royal funerals an important occasions…One could cite many other examples of past and present customs regarding patola in the islands of Indonesia to confirm the exalted position this particular Indian cloth held there (Gittinger 1982:153).

Indian fabrics showing global influence (contemporary weavings), courtesy ASU Museum of Anthropology

Trade textiles were adopted throughout Southeast Asia and became essential in daily life. Cloths “play a central role in the ceremonial and ritual life of most Asian societies, as signifiers of rank and as bearers of other social messages” (Guy 1998:7). The importance of textiles in Southeast Asian societies has been expressed even recently by an Indonesian weaver, with the strong statement “’without cloth we cannot marry,’ and one may add, nor die and be buried in a respectable manner” (Barnes 2006:102). Textiles have become so integral to cultural practices in Southeast Asia that the foreign character is all but lost; when accepting these trade items, each piece of cloth becomes an object of the recipient’s culture.

Another commonly found reaction towards Indian textiles in Southeast Asia was revering the cloths as wealth, which is logical considering they were items received through exchange. Textiles were elite and conspicuous consumption goods in Southeast Asia. Exotic goods, such as textiles, tangibly demonstrated rulers’ wealth as proof of access to international sources. Textiles literally came to embody the supernatural authority of rulers and were symbols of status and wealth. “Textiles are transcendental wealth, but they are real wealth too, and their display affirms possession of both to the society as a whole” (Gittinger 1979:39). Clearly, Indian textiles were given enormous value in Southeast Asia aside from the more obvious utilitarian values. Textiles literally wove together the cultural lives of people throughout Southeast Asia.

Traveling Objects

Young boy sleeps in front of a loom in Kalasin Province, Northeast Thailand, 1986. photo by H.Leedom Lefforts

As illustrated by the widespread exchange of textiles, spices, and currency in the 1600s, trade of objects has the immense capacity to transform those objects and the cultures that encounter them. Cross-cultural influences result from the transfer of objects. The objects, as well, are profoundly altered through trade. Objects are given meaning in culturally- and context- specific ways, and as the objects change hands they also change meanings. What served as a form of currency for European traders functioned as valuable cultural objects in Southeast Asia, capable of deeply affecting cultural practices and norms.

However, objects such as Indian textiles do not stop their journey of meaning upon their initial trade. The meanings of these textiles would continue to be altered as they were passed from person to person, throughout time and across the world. The textiles in Dr. Hudak’s collection have been ascribed new meanings when purchased by a collector and put on display in a museum. The meanings of these cloths are not finished changing, and one can only predict where they will travel to next. As illustrated by the textiles in Dr. Hudak’s collection, objects literally “travel” through spheres of meaning, and carry with them a great deal of baggage that is continuously being transformed.

by Hannah Kusinitz, Contributing Writer

Visit the collection of tropical artifacts at: www.tropenmuseum.nl

Read Part I of a series on weaving traditions, by Judy Newland in the ARTES, August, 2010 Archive 

_______________________________________________

Works Cited:

Barnes, Ruth. 2006. Indian Textiles for Island Taste: The Trade to Eastern Indonesia. In Krill, Rosemary (ed). Textiles from India: The Global Trade. Papers Presented at a Conference on the Indian Textile Trade, Kolkata, 12-14 October 2003. Calcutta: Seagull Books.

Dhamija, Jasleen. 2006. The Geography of Texitles. In Krill, Rosemary (ed). Textiles from India: The Global Trade. Papers Presented at a Conference on the Indian Textile Trade, Kolkata, 12-14 October 2003. Calcutta: Seagull Books.

Gittinger, Mattiebelle. 1979. Splendid Symbols: Textiles and Tradition in Indonesia. Washington, D.C.: Textile Museum.

Gittinger, Mattiebelle. 1982. Master Dyers to the World: Technique and Trade in Early Indian Dyed Cotton Textiles. Washington, D.C.: Textile Museum.

Guy, John. 1998. Woven Cargoes: Indian Textiles in the East. New York: Thames and Hudson.

Kahlenberg, Mary Hunt. 2006. Who Influenced Whom? The Indian Textile Trade to Sumatra and Java. In Krill, Rosemary (ed). Textiles from India: The Global Trade. Papers Presented at a Conference on the Indian Textile Trade, Kolkata, 12-14 October 2003. Calcutta: Seagull Books.

Sarabhai, Mrinalini. 1988. Patolas and Resist-Dyed Fabrics of India. Ahmedabad: Mapin Publishers.

Works Cited

Barnes, Ruth. 2006. Indian Textiles for Island Taste: The Trade to Eastern Indonesia. In Krill, Rosemary (ed). Textiles from India: The Global Trade. Papers Presented at a Conference on the Indian Textile Trade, Kolkata, 12-14 October 2003. Calcutta: Seagull Books.

Dhamija, Jasleen. 2006. The Geography of Texitles. In Krill, Rosemary (ed). Textiles from India: The Global Trade. Papers Presented at a Conference on the Indian Textile Trade, Kolkata, 12-14 October 2003. Calcutta: Seagull Books.

Gittinger, Mattiebelle. 1979. Splendid Symbols: Textiles and Tradition in Indonesia. Washington, D.C.: Textile Museum.

Gittinger, Mattiebelle. 1982. Master Dyers to the World: Technique and Trade in Early Indian Dyed Cotton Textiles. Washington, D.C.: Textile Museum.

Guy, John. 1998. Woven Cargoes: Indian Textiles in the East. New York: Thames and Hudson.

Kahlenberg, Mary Hunt. 2006. Who Influenced Whom? The Indian Textile Trade to Sumatra and Java. In Krill, Rosemary (ed). Textiles from India: The Global Trade. Papers Presented at a Conference on the Indian Textile Trade, Kolkata, 12-14 October 2003. Calcutta: Seagull Books.

Sarabhai, Mrinalini. 1988. Patolas and Resist-Dyed Fabrics of India. Ahmedabad: Mapin Publis

A

Above: Alex Maclean, Las Vegas, Housing subdivision built out in the desert, from his solo exhibition, ‘Vegas-Venice’  

Alex Maclean's, 'Vegas-Venice' at ERES-Stiftung, Munich, Germany

  Having traveled through much of the United States and parts of Europe, Maclean documents the changing landscape with stunning aerial images, traversing historical, as well as physical boundaries. He has earned a reputation by perceptively documenting the changing nature of the landscapes below him—from agricultural rows to city grids. The images he gathers serve as symbols for a larger matrix of ideas. On a superficial level, Maclean’s photos are spell-binding studies in geometric shapes and patterns. They might be initially dismissed as studies in form over context. But the power of the image and a more detailed analysis of his subjects draws the viewer back to read, inquire, and interpret the altered landscape more carefully. Only then does the viewer encounter the leit motif of Maclean’s work: the impact of the hand of man on his three-dimensional surroundings over the course of a fourth dimension, time.  

Alex Maclean, 'Vegas-Venice', Dense island settlement inside the lagoon is connected to the mainland by causeways

  Using the sun to cast light and shadow, Maclean captures the changes brought about by both human intervention and natural events, far below him. While hovering over a site in his fuel efficient Flight Design CT light sport aircraft, Maclean says his methodology is actually circular, rather than a linear approach to history. “My strategy with a subject is to rotate around it, while taking in the regional and cultural context. I then shoot at four different angles—vertical, oblique, horizontal and bird’s eye view,” says Maclean. “Different angles and shifting lighting can produce very different results when shooting the same subject, exposing years of stories.”  

It is human nature to take a chance; the American dream was built on it. Today, under the ominous cloud of global economic crisis and a wide range of environmental disasters, the dream seems more a mirage, not only in the U.S., but in every corner of the world. Maclean asks us to consider whether las Vegas and Venice, cities built by serendipity in unlikely and hospitable environments, (and staking their reputations on the game of chance), are destined to collapse in much the same way?  

Alex Maclean, 'Vegas-Venice', Las Vegas, single-use residential subdivision block devoid of any urban amenities

 The oldest casino in the world was established in Venice, the city of masks. Casinos once served as centers of gambling, dance, and decadence–a perpetual carnivale, as it were, where aristocrats and merchant classes alike were known to mingle. A similar portrait can now be painted of America’s, Las Vegas, the city of sin. Removed from reality, whether by desert or lagoon, both Venice and Vegas are suffering the consequences of excess and neglect of precious resources. Climate change is causing sea levels to rise world-wide, while Venice, sitting for centuries on its crumbling sub-structure of ancient foundations and pilings, is slowly sagging into the Adriatic Sea. Preservationists are taking measures to preserve the protective wetlands that surround the city, as well as to conserve some of the most beautiful art and architecture in the world. Vegas’ lights, too, are dimming, as real estate markets go bust and excessive water use to irrigate golf courses and maintain green lawns in a desert climate, is literally drying up the most precious of the city’s resources.  

File photo of debris at an abandoned Las Vegas construction site after economic down-turn

After photographing Las Vegas and Venice from the air, Maclean discovered in his studio that he had difficulty sorting the photos, noting that, “there were some images where even I had difficulty distinguishing which city was which. I started to see how the cities were coming undone. Side-by-side, I saw ‘waves’ of water and sand, serpentine canals and paved roadways, all emerging from fragmented lands. How can two such distant landscapes and cultures seem practically identical? I love land and am witnessing how history makes things valuable; how places are becoming memories; how we’ve become environmental refugees seeking shelter. I can’t walk away without taking a chance and hoping that what I do matters.”  

Maclean’s solo exhibit, Vegas-Venice, set to open at ERES-Stiftung in Munich, Germany, on September 7th, 2010, is an exploration of two very distinct landscapes in distress, the similar patterns that emerge, and how time changes our perception of what truly exists.  ERES-Stiftung is a non-profit organization that encourages a collaboration of the arts and sciences to better understand and communicate in an increasingly complex world. Rather than simply asking questions, ERES-Stiftung emboldens society to be part of the solution. www.eres-stiftung.de  

by Michelina Docimo, CSBA, Contributing Writer  

Michelina Docimo is a certified sustainable building advisor and writer. Her focus is on sustainable or “green” architecture, landscape, design, and the representation of nature in art. Her writings have appeared in ARTES Magazine, CT Green Scene, D’Art International, and other industry publications.  

Visit her blog http://michelinadocimo.com/myartobiography  

Over the past 33 years, Alex Maclean has exhibited his work in galleries all over the United States, as well as Canada, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, and Germany. He has been the recipient of: the CORINE International Book Award: For OVER: The American Landscape at the Tipping Point, 2009; Boston Society of Landscape Architects: Award of Excellence, 2006; American Academy in Rome: Awarded the Rome Prize in Landscape Architecture for 2003-2004; The American Institute of Architects: Citation for Excellence awarded to “Taking Measures Across the American Landscape,” 1997; The American Society of Landscape Architects: Honor Award in Communications bestowed upon “Taking Measures Across the American Landscape,” 1997; National Endowment for the Arts: Design Grant, 1990-1992; among a host of other honors. Some of his public collectors include: Banque Nationale de Paris, Centre Pompidou, DeCordova Museum, Chase Manhattan Bank, Bank of America, Citibank, Fidelity Investments, Goldman Sachs, Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago, and J.P. Morgan.  

Alex Maclean  

www.alexmaclean.com

C

“Sustainability is a topic of our time,” Sophia Gevas, SHU’s gallery director, says with conviction. “We can no longer ignore the environmental challenges our world is facing. These problems are real and there are real solutions that are both beautiful and quantifiably which can make a difference in our quality of life.”  

above: Exterior Facade & Courtyard of the General Theological Seminary, NYC
Architect: Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners. Photo Credit: Fed Charles
  

Follies Kinetic Sculpture Design for the Stepping Stones Children's Museum, Norwalk, CTArchitect: Beinfield Architecture PC

 The exhibition contains hand sketches, plans, photos, and video of four architecture and planning firms making strides in sustainability: Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners of New York City; Beinfield Architecture of Norwalk, CT; Centerbrook Architects and Planners of Centerbrook, CT and Faesy-Smith Architects of Wilton, CT. The selected projects encompass all types of architecture styles and uses–from living space, to educational, worship, and recreational projects. The common thread is brilliant sustainability.  

“Architects are most proud of their finished works, but I wanted to include their hand drawings to show how an idea is born and fleshed out. Everyday we see, live in, and walk through the finished product. The thinking that goes on behind the design is just as impressive,” says Gevas. “When we have a group of local school children come in, view the works, and participate in an analysis, it is important to help them understand where to start – with an idea. Something connects with the brain-to-hand-to-paper movement that can lead to brilliance.”  

The hand sketches show site analysis, sun angle studies, an inventory of deciduous and evergreen trees, slope of the land, and locations of bodies of water. Sustainable design is a discovery process that engages the architect to think about resources that already exist on the site, how the space is used, and imagine solutions that are resourceful, functional, and beautiful.  

Fountain, Exterior Courtyard, Lock Building, Beinfield Architects. photo: R. Benson

 Beinfield Architecture PC, for example, has designed three kinetically-moving, musical sculptures for the proposed renovations of the Stepping Stones Children’s Museum in Norwalk, CT. Elements of sun, water, and wind energies are illustrated through whimsical sight and delightful sound, teaching children how these natural resources are harnessed and converted into power, where society can live more harmoniously with nature in a built environment. The Stepping Stones project is scheduled to be completed in December 2010 and attain LEED Gold status.  

Exterior Courtyard of the Lock Building, Norwalk, CT Architect: Beinfield Architecture PC. Photo Credit: Robert Benson

 Before U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) program existed and became the organizational protocol system of qualifying sustainability standards, there were movements by architects and designers to design with the environment in mind. Another of Beinfield’s projects, the Lock Building of South Norwalk (an historic lock factory constructed in 1856) was condemned and destined to be replaced with a parking garage. Built in response to the industrial revolution, then abandoned after the lock factory closed its doors, it was then converted into studio spaces and inhabited by local artists. As artists moved in, so did chic cafés and boutiques. But, the building remained in derelict conditions, an eyesore within sight of profitable, waterfront development. Saved from the wrecking ball by public action the building was later purchased by a private buyer. The Beinfield architectural group was then contracted to redesign the existing building. Lofts were converted into office spaces, but the original brick walls and some of the original factory furnaces and other equipment were restored in place to become sculptural forms that enhanced the assigned conference room areas. Beinfield used existing copper pipes and smokestacks to create water fountains in the exterior courtyard.  

“Artists are pioneers in neighborhoods needing attention,” says Bruce Beinfield. “Real estate developers often follow artists’ migratory paths to scout areas for their risky business ventures. The Lock Building is an example of this. As technology evolves, it alters the way we can live and use space and, in turn, changes the appearance of the New England industrial cityscape.” Over the course of its history, this building has had three distinctive uses. New materials and technology allows us to re-purpose older spaces to accommodate changing lifestyles and activities within a space.  

Technological innovation is also critical in the search for new ways to create energy. Both Beyer Blinder Belle and Faesy-Smith Architects exhibit projects in which innovative technologies were employed to analyze the application of geothermal and solar energy, resulting in smaller carbon footprints for both urban and residential environments. However, all the architects in the exhibit stress the importance of a super-insulated building envelope to make these technologies more functional and cost effective.  

Beyer Blinder Belle, a firm renowned for its historic preservation of sites like the Empire State Building, the Beacon Theater, and Grand Central Station, emphasizes both sustainability and aesthetics as the core of their mission to curate the restoration of iconic buildings of important social value. Architect, Maxwell Pau, explains the specific issue of historical preservation in retrofitting existing buildings to be more energy efficient: “Every project’s focus it to provide people with an environment of beauty and comfort, of contemporary relevance and timeless endurance. We look first at a building’s current condition and uses. Then we think, how can we make this better, not only for the singular structure and its occupants, but for society as a whole and for those that will use the existing building long after we are not here.”  

Exterior of Historical Wilton Home, Wilton, CT. Architect: Faesy-Smith. photo:Pam Ronleau

 One of Beyer Blinder Belle’s projects on exhibit, the General Theological Seminary, in Chelsea, NY, is a 260,000 square foot building that spans an entire city block. A new geothermal heating and cooling system will reduce the building’s carbon emissions by more than 14,000 tons. The 850-ton geothermal system is one of the largest geothermal projects in the Northeast. Three years of engineering studies were necessary in determining optimal well locations and system size. Immediate energy solutions included improving the insulation factor and integrity of the gothic windows.  

Paper Airplane Metal Awning for Shade, Centerbrook Studio,Architect: Centerbrook Architects & Planners. photo: Jeff Goldberg

 Faesy-Smith Architects took a similar approach when retrofitting historical homes on a smaller scale. Projects on display include the Weston Historical Society’s Archival and Exhibition Space, a private residence in a historical Wilton neighborhood, and a new house construction in Southern Vermont located in a historical neighborhood. “The median house age is 35 years, built in the early 1970s before energy codes. This leaves tremendous opportunity to bring the existing housing stock to higher standards,” says architect, Thomas Smith. “Just as agencies monitor conservation of wetlands and other native forests, energy conservation can be enforced without compromising unique design.”  

Michel Pariseau of Centerbrook Architects and Planners believes that the most sustainable action we can take is to build a structure that will last. “Of course, we should use technology in our designs, but even the most technical solutions won’t endure human indifference.” Centerbrook designed the Wolf Law School of the University of Colorado, Boulder, in an “L” form. Constructed of local sandstone and limestone façade with a red terracotta roof, the building’s long, narrow form take advantage of Colorado’s sunny days for light and warmth. Simply by orientation, daylighting, and window placement, Centerbrook was able to reduce heating and electricity needs by 40%. “The shape, not technology, was involved in making this building sustainable and comfortable.”  

Energy efficiency, material selection, community interaction, and aesthetic relevance are a few factors taken into consideration when creating sustainable spaces. “The complexity of being green requires a collaborative approach,” says Gevas. There is more than one right answer when aesthetics come into play. The Art of Sustainable Architecture is an introduction to sustainable imagination, the possibilities that exist in facing and responding to some of the most difficult issues of our times.  

by: Michelina Docimo, Contributing Writer  

The Art of Sustainable Architecture runs through March 4, 2010.  

Sacred Heart University: The Gallery of Contemporary Art, 5151 Park Avenue, Fairfield, CT 06825  

Gallery Hours: Monday – Thursday, 12 – 5 pm & Sunday, 12 – 4 pm, Telephone: (203) 365-7650  

http://artgallery.sacredheart.edu  

Beyer Blinder Belle, 41 East 11th Street, New York, NY 10003, Telephone: (212) 777-7800  

www.beyerblinderbelle.com  

Beinfield Architecture PC, 1 Marshall Street, Norwalk, CT 06854, Telephone: (203) 838-5789  

www.beinfield.com  

Centerbrook Architects and Planners, 67 Main Street, Centerbrook, CT 06409, Telephone: (860) 767-0175  

www.centerbrook.com  

Faesy-Smith Architects, 523 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897, Telephone: (203) 834-2724  

www.faesy-smith.com

Grain Storage Huts in Nigeria. photo courtesy Patricia Thrane

“It takes a village to raise a child,” is the oft quoted ancient African proverb when discussing education and building community. Partners for Architecture, an architecture firm in Stamford, CT, that bases its mission on this core value, flew into action when approached by UNICEF (the United Nations Children’s Fund) in October 2008 to create one master plan for eighty schools to be built across the borders of four civil-war ravaged African countries: Republique de Guinea, Côte D’Ivoire, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The LAB4LAB (Learning Along Borders for Living Across Boundaries) project objective is to ease conflict by creating safe places of community education and social activity to stimulate development and interdependence between the countries. A goal easier said than done, Partners for Architecture’s role was to translate this utopian concept into a real, physical solution within six weeks time.

Nigerian Children by Adobe Hut. photo: P. Thrane

Stephen Grasso and Rainer Schrom, co-principals of Partners for Architecture, Grasso invited me to tour their newly-renovated, sustainable studio space. Once a factory plant that manufactured shims for tanks during World War II, the studio’s smaller conference room was originally a vault that stored sensitive paperwork. Now, the original weathered brick walls display the firm’s current drawing board sketches and construction documents, ranging from country clubs, to high rises, to cultural art centers. The sleek work space is a pangaea of openness and light, allowing for a liberal exchange of ideas among the seven architects.

“There are two types of people in the world,” says Grasso, offering an espresso, “the Oppressed and the Oppressor. As a group of architects of different backgrounds in this office, we like to believe that how we design, creates positive cultural effects. We realize our actions and the choices we make have consequences, not only on the local natural environment, but on the psychological landscape on a global scale.” As architects and creative thinkers, Partners for Architecture did not associate with either the oppressed or the oppressor; they served to bridge the gap with a vision and a leap of faith into a cultural darkness. Design, as they had known good design to be, was thrown out the window and they welcomed this freedom-to-reinvent as a breath of fresh air. Inspiration, they believe, comes from no preconceived notion.

Students traditionally sit in a circle, a design element in the new building. photo courtesy UNICEF

Faced with many challenges of designing schools in the heart of the African jungle, it took one to two weeks to fully understand the task at hand, recalls Schrom. “Any of our sophisticated construction methods that involve machinery simply would not work. We learned to build literally with our hands. There was no running water, no sanitary system, no electricity, no paved roads.” These were their limitations and it was liberating.

Perhaps the most critical realization for the firm was the fact that Africans live outside; their lives revolve around the landscape and they see architecture as shelter from the sun. African architectural images tend to consist of adobe-walled, circular grass-thatched humble huts, camouflaging into the earth’s brownness. A history riddled in poverty and war, for centuries Africa has succumbed to western and eastern influences in religion, politics, economics and architecture. Most devastatingly, though, has been the recent civil war–creating tension between brothers, alienating neighboring countries and leaving millions of indigenous peoples uprooted and oppressed. Diverse landscapes of tropical rainforests, open grass plains, and thick mangroves have been destroyed through the actions of paramilitary, slash and burn practices. Rich in diamonds, gold, minerals, iron ore, cocoa, and coffee, these countries’ lands have been mined and exploited and left barren.

Partners for Architecture’s design for a master plan school community was to assist UNICEF in lifting the oppression. Given a plan that prepared the site by clearing trees, Partners for Architecture rejected it, saying they would not contribute to a design that further encouraged deforestation. Instead, they developed a beehive-like layout of hexagonal shaped pods dispersed between the trees, allowing for a flexible plan that could be adapted to different locations and easily expanded upon.

Students using exterior hallways. photo courtesy UNICEF

“We have designed the pods to consist of three sections. Safety was a critical design issue. The first access area is the most publicly-used space. Then, we move further into school administrative offices and the computer labs, and finally the most private classroom areas, with the youngest group of children are sheltered by the inner-most circular space. Africans tend to teach their children in circles rather than rows. The hexagon shape leaves an opportunity to build community and share borders,” explains Schrom.

All the hallways are open-air exterior spaces. The building materials are native wood, metal, and adobe. The roofs are solar equipment-ready, so that panels can be installed and wired to provide the electricity for the computer lab. Rather than covering the classroom ceilings with a metal roof, Partners for Architecture proposed incorporating vibrantly colored hand-woven African fabrics strewn over the rafters that evoke an unspoken history.

Both Grasso and Schrom agree that dialogue with the African people was critical in planning the design. “We welcomed their opinions and needed their knowledge just as much as they wanted ours. We worked with a local African architect who was able to explain the simple building method to the labor force. The locals participated in all phases of the project from the conceptual to the physical construction.”

The finished school uses local materials, labor and is designed with climate condition of the country as a principle consideration. photo courtesy UNICEF

In addition to the physical structure and aesthetics, Partners for Architecture strategized how the buildings would function. Because there was no running water or sanitary sewer system available, dry latrines were proposed to avoid disease. A hybrid of two design ideas, the lavatories are located in dark interior spaces. Screen covered chimneys allow for light but prevent flies from entering. The human waste is then collected, composted, and used as fertilizer to re-introduce nutrients into the soil. In a most basic sense, even the design of the latrines is a system of giving back and making the soil fertile again.

“As architects, we are trained to look at negative or void spaces that buildings leave behind and we attempt to carve out a special place. We believe that positive buildings in communities won’t be vandalized because their function is clear. We find satisfaction in designing public buildings because they have a larger impact on community and society. In our corner of America, what is most important is the real estate market and property value. People build homes for the next buyer rather than tailoring their homes around their lives. A home should be an investment in life rather than the market. Everyday is a struggle to find a meeting place of cultural differences. We think where the sun meets the horizon is our common ground,” reflects Schrom.

by Michelina Docimo, Contributing Writer

Construction on the schools began in February 2009 and continues to progress. Currently, five schools in the Republique de Guinea have been completed, providing safe havens of education and communication to promote peace, a process that never ceases.

Partners for Architecture is located at 48 Union Street, Stamford, CT 06906.  For inquiries regarding design, planning, LEED certification, cost feasibility analysis, and corporate or community lecture opportunities on sustainable design, please call (203) 708-0047 or visit www.pfarch.net

———–

Kathleen Patricia Thrane is a painter, documentary photographer, avocational archaeologist, and activist. Trained at the New School of Social Research Parson’s School of Design, Thrane has lived in Africa, the Far East, Asia, and Europe documenting poverty, discrimination, politics, and culture. Thrane’s biography and sample works can be viewed at: www.alexideas/website/kpthrane/artist.html  email: thrane@optonline.net

.

Custom adjustable picture lights by Phoenix Day Company subtly offer additional illumination for the paintings by Marianne Kolb. The box beams visually float down from the ceiling to allow indirect light for the room

As more people select high-rise living in cities across the country, they are facing the tremendous challenge of how to get lighting where they want it, when the construction is primarily concrete. Often they are given a few junction boxes from which to draw power for their lighting needs. Sometimes they don’t even have that.

For example, the dining room in this luxurious 52nd story condominium at the Millennium Tower in San Francisco had little for the lighting designer, Randall Whitehead and interior designer, Michael Merrill to work with. Even though they had ten foot ceilings there wasn’t even a junction box in the ceiling for a power source.

The two designers worked together to come up with a solution that provided both ambient light and accent light for the space. They decided on the concept of fabricating of a series of box beams. The only power source they had to work with was a power feed for motor controlled blinds located in the upper corner of one wall near the ceiling line. A soffit was created along the wall to allow power to be run seamlessly from one beam to the next. The new soffit also helped balance the boxed-in HVAC ducting on the opposite wall.

Two stone figures from the Philippines draw focus towards the view of downtown San Francisco. The richly colored wall help minimize the reflections in the glass. White walls would have obstructed the view.

The beams are open at the top and float down from the ceiling six inches. This space allows two parallel runs of LED strip lighting by Edge Lighting to bounce illumination off the ceiling. This adds a layer of gentle fill light for the space, softening the shadows in the room and gently drawing visual attention to the high ceiling. Normal beams, installed flush to the ceiling, would have made the ceiling feel lower.

These beams also house recessed adjustable low voltage fixtures made by Lucifer Lighting that provide focus for the art, art objects and the table settings. These luminaires are using dimmable LED MR16 lamps, available through Focus Industries. The warm color temperature of both of these sources gives the feel of incandescent light from an energy efficient, low maintenance source.

The two paintings by Marianne Kolb were further enhanced with a pair of custom picture lights fabricated by Phoenix Day Company. The electrical contractor, Schulkamp Electric, used a radio controlled dimming system by Lutron to dim the lighting. Whitehead notes the lighting strategies that help complete the look of the room: ” Silver Candelabras by George Jensen from the 1930’s and a table lamp create the illusion of providing the room’s illumination. Recesses adjustable fixtures help to highlight the table setting and console.”

The end result is both architectural and subtly alluring. Guests are drawn into the room by the juxtaposition of the modern art and antiques. The illusion is that that the candles are creating the ambience, while in fact it is the well integrated lighting that paints the room with lush illumination.

by Randall Whitehead, IALD, Contributing Editor

Credits:

Lighting Design: Randall Whitehead IALD, Randall Whitehead Lighting Inc

Interior Design: Michael Merrill ASID, Michael Merrill Design Studio

General Contractor: Muratore Corporation

Electrical Contractor: Schulkamp Electric

Exterior: Traditional homes reap benefits from energy conscious. Here, exterior lanterns use two 8 watt CCFL by Litetronics, providing 45 watts of light, lasting 25,000 hrs. Resembling standard household bulbs, they dim with a standard incandescent dimmer.

Our California-based lighting expert explains a remodeling project in dramatic before/after images that is both earth friendly and cost effective

People are constantly being hit over the head with green design. In these hard economic times homeowners are not moving into the next bigger house but are instead staying put and investing their hard-earned…if somewhat deflated…equity into upgrading their present residences. Energy efficient lighting plays a big role, especially here in California where Title 24 requires the use of high efficacy lighting in kitchens, bathrooms and outdoor areas.

Design magazines looking to remain current offer up contemporary architectural layouts and stark, eye-catching interiors. While it’s true that futuristic design and green design seem to go hand-in-hand, it’s not for everyone. How does the owner of a more traditionally styled house make use of today’s earth friendly lighting and interior design techniques? Can progressive lighting design be applied to non-cutting edge spaces to enhance the sense of warmth and comfort that these cozy interiors inspire? Absolutely!

Breakfast Nook: Pendant fixture and sconce use dimmable CFL’s in a flame tip shape by Litetronics. Five watt bulbs provide 30 watts of illumination.

My technique for those clients with a fear of fluorescents is to use what I call stealth energy efficient lighting design. I hide compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL) and light emitting diodes (LED) within traditionally styled fixtures and behind architectural details. If they can’t see a bulb that looks like a softy ice cream then they won’t instantly hate it!

 Many of today’s fluorescents can be dimmed, do not hum or flicker and have a wonderful warm color. The key here is that the best bulbs on the market do not come from the dollar rack at the big box stores. Lighting-wise, I like to think of the decorative fixtures as the architectural jewelry for a home. This allows the chandeliers and table lamps to give the illusion of providing a room’s illumination.

For this modest two-story home I was lucky enough to work with interior designer, Nancy Satterberg. who believes that the trick in a remodeling project is to keep the upgrades subtle so that wall colors, floor finishes and well integrated lighting enhance the existing architecture.

Living room: A pair of alabaster pendants provides decorative and ambient light. Each uses four dimmable CFL’s by Maxlite, with 400 watts/fixture, but consuming only 24 watts worth of power. Track lighting at apex of beam fitted with LED MR16’s bulbs by Philips/color Kinetics-- accent light without harmful UV.

There was nothing more satisfying to the owners than to team up with a collaborative interior designer, lighting designer and contractor (in this case, Forde Mazzola Inc), to update and transform the overall feel of their home without loosing the charm of the existing architecture.

While some homeowners may want their homes restored to their previous splendor, these owners decided to go a different way– creating a feeling of smooth traditionalism with unexpected warmth using innovative lighting. They also relied on Satterberg’s skilled hand to mix contemporary furniture and Asian antiques. The use of much of the owner’s furniture, as well as their treasured artwork and objects, collected from around the world, brings an element of personalized grace to this beautiful home. This was also a big help for a modest design budget. The 9 month-long project updated the look to what Satterberg calls “new millennium traditional”, meaning that the hard-edged look of the home’s 1950′s architecture was now softened with warm wood molding, saturated colors and the contrasting finishes available today.

Dining room: Alabaster pendant by JH Lighting was converted to a hard-wire fluorescent using locking sockets plus GU24 bulbs by Maxlite. Reduced heat output of CFL’s prevents alabaster from discoloring.

The lighting was designed for versatility in all areas, without overpowering the traditional look and feel of the space. We went beyond the requirements of Title 24 and applied energy efficient lighting to all the rooms. The result is dramatic, inviting and warm, while saving on power consumption.

 For example, the flat ceiling of the master bedroom was replaced with a deep coffered detail offering greater height to the room, along with the restful glow of illumination from both indirect LED lighting and decorative CFL pendants. This dramatic yet cost sensitive change blends beautifully with the existing architecture. The whole design stayed within the confines of the existing unused attic space.

Kitchen: Fluorescent pucklights by Tresco provide both task lighting for counter tops and ambient light above cabinets. Warm color blends seamlessly with the incandescents used in other parts of house.

The experience of “juxtaposition” is a prevalent theme throughout. Here, in this project, the use of richer colors and finishes is dramatically different than what is typically used in homes of this period. In the kitchen for example, the existing warm-toned granite countertops are complimented by freshly-painted existing cabinetry, with updated hardware. The kitchen is lit with a combination of 100% fluorescent and LED lighting.

Satterberg took care to choose natural cotton and wool blend upholstery fabrics for their durability, to stand up to constant use by children and pets. The varied textures are complimented by the lighting, both day and night, as well as season to season. The interior designer’s selection of Asian-inspired textiles enriches the owner’s collection of rugs. Satterberg’s decision to refinish, instead of replacing the existing floors, helps unify all the rooms and adds a rich textural quality, while saving a few trees as well!

Bedroom: Raising the flat ceiling added architectural interest to master bedroom. Pendants by Christina Spann have separate LED dimmable CFL’s. The perimeter cove LED lighting is by Dreamscape Lighting

She believes that, when art is introduced in a room, the scheme for the furniture and walls should be stylishly neutral, so not to detract from the more important focus on the art and accessories. My job as the lighting designer was to make sure that the owners and their guests felt welcomed and not overpowered by the other elements. Good lighting draws more attention to what it is being illuminating, rather than focusing attention to the lighting fixtures, themselves. What helps pull all the design elements together at night is a well integrated interior lighting plan and a Dark-Sky-compliant exterior lighting plan.

There are three elements within each space that need lighting: art, architecture and people. Think about lighting the people first – you must humanize the light. A layer of ambient light softens the shadows on people’s faces, as well as softening the otherwise hard edges of the architecture. The addition of accent light can add drama, but should remain subliminal, only attracting attention to objects, artifacts and artwork or other dramatic design details in the room.

Bath & Vanity: Wet location-rated recessed LED fixtures by Progress Lighting illuminate tub. These LED’s rated for 50,000 hours and are dimmable; CFL’s may burn out prematurely when enclosed, as in these sconces by Metro Lighting, but Maxlite makes CFL specified for enclosed fixtures.

The well-integrated layering of decorative, task and accent lighting within each space created a unified and inviting design. For this project, an additional, inviting layer of ambient light created just the right balance. In the living room, indirect dimmable LED lighting is mounted on top of the beams to help bring the gabled ceiling details to life.

There was also an extensive use of adjustable low-voltage LED lighting on this project, to accentuate the artwork throughout. CFL sconces and hidden, linear indirect LED and fluorescent sources were implemented for general illumination. The window coverings were minimized to allow a generous amount of natural light into all areas, while also allowing the subtle, shielded exterior landscape lighting to draw guests outside at night.

 Effective lighting is an integral design element and needs to be planned along with all the other design components at the beginning. Well-done lighting design has to accommodate all the practical and aesthetic needs of the homeowners. Exciting new technological advances in luminaires (light fixtures), lamp sources (bulbs), and controls can make lighting versatile enough to meet any need. In other words, effective lighting is critical to creating the desired in any home, especially at night.

Ultimately though, I see the role of the interior designer as primary. Without an experienced and inventive interior designer there may be little worth lighting. The result of a collaboration between interior designer, lighting designer and contractor is a home, which, when combined with the latest in lighting technology, creates a unique and dramatic kind of understated glamour.

by Randall Whitehead, Conributing Editor

Credits:

Photographer- Dennis Anderson

Interior Designer- Nancy Satterberg, Satterberg Desonier Dumo

Contractor-Forde Mazzola Inc.

Lighting Designer- Randall Whitehead, Randall Whitehead Lighting Inc.

Randall Whitehead is a nationally known lighting designer and author. He has written seven books on lighting, the latest being Residential Lighting- A Practical Guide to Beautiful and Sustainable Design (John Wiley and Sons). For more tips on lighting visit him online at http://www.randallwhitehead.com

He has also has published his first book of photography called, Lost Dolls- The Hidden Lives of Toys. See images from the book and watch a two-minute video at http://www.rwfoundimages.com.

To learn more about Title 24 lighting requirements, go to: www.energy.ca.gov/title24

To learn more about Dark Sky Compliance, go to: www.darksky.org

Lighting Resources noted in captions:

Exterior and Breakfast Nook: www.litetronics.com

Living Room: www.maxlite.com; www.colorkinetics.com

Dining Room: www.jhlighting.com

Kitchen: www.trescointernational.com

Bath: www.progresslighting.com: www.metrolighting.com

Master Bedroom: www.lightspan.com; www.dreamscapelighting.com

At The Bartlett Arboretum, Stamford, Connecticut

October, 2009- January 1, 2010
x
Unlike the other seasons, autumn takes its time in arriving. Almost overnight, spring seems to pop into bloom after the yellow crocus peeks out from under the frost. Summer rushes in, never allowing enough time to fully embrace its warmth and extra long days. Inevitably, winter arrives, as it always must, with a biting wind, and then lingers much too long.

But autumn creeps in on silent paws. Its colors unfolding ever so slowly, shifting from deep greens to flaming, brilliant hues of red, orange and yellow; before the transition to russet, tawny brown and umber signals the end of the season’s long goodbye.

Trees seem to animate on the grounds of the Bartlett Arboretum

Kathy Hirshon’s exhibit, Spirited Trees, opened in early October at the Bartlett Arboretum in Stamford, Connecticut, just as nature cast its splendid veil of color over the New England landscape. Each work shown was a journey to deeper self-discovery for the artist; but more importantly, a celebration of life’s renewal through art and the natural world.

The Bartlett Arboretum has long supported the work of artists, with its annual plein air auction and gallery exhibitions. This year, artist, Kathy Hirshon, was asked to present a one-woman show featuring a group of works inspired by the arboretum setting, itself.

Hirshon responded to the Bartlett’s landscape–the trees and surrounding acreage–but also to the people she saw there. As she reflected on her show, she mused, “This work belongs to everyone, I felt honored to share this message of hope through the Arboretum; a place that understands the science of trees, how to tend to them and how to nurture growth.”

4-panel group, 'Storytelling', pigmented wood

Entering the Bartlett foyer, a collection of small (2-1/2” x 3-1/2”) traditional watercolor and ink paintings grace the walls. They are mostly monochromatic: earthy browns, beiges, taupes, grays, and greens. These smaller pieces should be examined closely so not to miss the dancing, swaying limbs, the skeletal structure of the trees, and the apparent joy in each brushstroke.

'Tending', 12" x 24" pigmented wood panel

Inspired by the Bartlett’s pollarded groves and spectacular Eastern red cedars, London plane trees, and weeping Norway spruces, Hirshon weaves universally-inspired stories, myths, and fairytales into her works. “Our stories”, she says, “should be preserved and disseminated to future generations as part of our collective history.”

There is a complexity in composition and meaning in Hershon’s works, much like the woodland trails of the Arboretum, themselves. Using various mediums–gold-leaf foil, silk, suede, and linen burlap–she offers a new visual dimension that seems to mimic nature itself. There are intricate wood carvings whose porous surfaces absorb earthy wood stains and subtle streaks of greens, blues and reds, enhancing the material’s naturally-occurring rings and knots. From this melding of color and form, spirited and often quizzical faces begin to emerge. The countenances borne of the swirls of grain seem rounded, elfin and cherubic, creating a sense of calm and peace in an enchanted forest; and some with eyes closed appear to capture a moment of dreaming. One panel for example, was rendered by Hirshon as gentle and unobtrusive, as if to soothe a child whose delicate spirit might be afraid of the dark.

Each piece is named to represent the paths that she, as an artist and, in her view, everyone walks: Receiving, Arriving, Being, Learning, Tending, Thinking, Creating, Holding, and Listening–tales of life and living. “We must realize that society is an ecosystem that relies on the past to define its future. We are a community. My last panel, Listening, at once represents our channel to nature and to ourselves,” she points out. As Hirshon considered her body of work, she recalled what Confucius said: ‘The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.’ “We are all connected;” she points out, “our fate and the fate of the trees are one.”

by Michelina Docimo, Contributing Writer

all photographs by the author

Printmaker, Michael Van der Linden of Stamford will be creating a limited edition series of the title pieces, along with selected other works from this show. These 12”x 24” images will be printed on archival watercolor paper with a porcelain surface using archival ink. They are priced at $150/each. Inquiries should be directed to the Bartlett Arboretum at admin@bartlettarboretum.org or to the artist, Kathy Hirshon, at kathyhirshon@yahoo.com.

With the explosion of the green movement affecting everything from automobiles to furniture, rug importers and manufacturers are taking a fresh look at their production methods only to discover that their industry has essentially been green all along. Others are developing ways to enhance the green credentials of their handmade rugs in terms of dyeing, washing, and recycling the waste generated during the production process. While significant strides have been made by the machine-made carpet industry towards making it more eco-friendly, carpeting is still mainly produced from non-renewable petroleum products which ultimately account for up to an estimated 5 billion tons of discarded product—up to 1% of U.S. landfills—most of which is non-biodegradable.

The Verde Collection, Design, Ve-06 OAT. Courtesy of Momeni, Inc.

While nylon can be recycled, the availability of such facilities is still limited. [2]Moreover, from a health standpoint, carpeting would appear to incur a greater incidence of ‘outgassing’ due to their higher chemical components and irritants namely dust and molds. Most offensive from the green standpoint are carpeting’s chemical treatments and synthetic backing. As for handtufted products, they are dismissed by most industry experts from being green despite their wool content because of their latex backing.    

Vegetable-dyeing Tibetan wool in Nepal. Courtesy of Tamarian Carpets.

In contrast, states Reza Momeni of Momeni, Inc, Carlstadt, NJ: “Oriental and handmade decorative rugs are the greenest products ever made.” As remarks Teddy Sumner of Michaelian & Kolhberg, Summit,NJ, the handmades are generally produced with wool, a renewable fiber, and free from adhesives and petroleum- based products, the latter of which is “the biggest issue in 2008.”

Going back to the basics of handmade rugs, antiques are the most ecological of floor coverings, according to David Basalely of Eliko Oriental Rugs, New York, NY. Indeed, he comments: “They have an almost infinite lifespan as they are used until they’re worn out and still have some life to them…Antique rugs are as green as a handmade product can possibly be.” Their “greenness” is attributed to their being manufactured with ecologically sustainable components, primarily cotton and wool, natural dyes, and with minimal, if any, machinery involved. When questioned about the “greenness” of chemical dyes, including aniline, in antique pieces, Mr. Basalely comments that when used, they were generally applied sparingly particularly when compared to machine-made carpeting and fabrics.

Trimming a finished rug in Nepal. Courtesy of Tamarian Carpets.

Dyed wool drying in eastern Turkey. Courtesy of Woven Legends, Inc.

In addition, antique rugs can literally be recycled as Mr. Basalely observed: “Not only are you reusing the rugs but giving them new life.” Case in point: Eliko has developed a line of Turkish natural wool and hemp flatweaves, produced from recycled raw materials from 60- to 80-year-old grain bags. When assessing antique rugs, tribal pieces are generally the purest, he reports. The pioneers of the vegetable-dyed rug renaissance that began in 1980 with the DOBAG experiment in Turkey under the auspices of chemist Dr. Harald Böhmer are at the forefront of the greenrug movement although not by design. George Jevremovic of Woven Legends, Philadelphia, PA, was one such pioneer who started his vegetable-dyed production in western Turkey in 1982 and moved to eastern Turkey in 1985 where he employed thousands including spinners, dyers, and weavers.

A Folklife carpet woven with handcarded, handspun vegetable-dyed wool in eastern Turkey. Courtesy of Woven Legends, Inc.

In an effort to reverse the commercialization of the production process and recreate the esthetics of antiques, Woven Legends began using hand- or machine-carded handspun wool from eastern Turkey that is hand colored with natural dyes such as indigo, safflower root, and cochineal. “When we started doing these rugs, I was thinking more ‘art’ as opposed to ‘green,’” he comments. According to Mr. Jevremovic, the creation of a green rug depends on respecting the core principles of organic rug making namely handspun wool and natural dyes. However, when a specific look is desired, purism can only go so far. For instance, the wash can range from a neutral soap and water solution to a chlorine- based bleach. “Bleach in itself is not a bad thing,” he adds. “It’s a cleansing agent.

With the renaissance of handmade rug production of the 1980s in India, Pakistan, China, Armenia, Egypt, and Romania, the “greening” of rugs took place long before it was trendy. Indeed, art and green go hand in hand. Comments Mr. Sumner on Michaelian & Kohlberg’s introduction of vegetabledyed rugs from India in 1990: “When I revived natural dyes, I was primarily intent on using dyes native to India and on creating a complexity of color with abrash while paying homage to tradition.” The fact that these rugs happened to be thereby green is an “ancillary” advantage. Today, however, importers are much moreaware of the potential environmental impact of rug making processes. Steve Cibor of Tamarian Carpets, Baltimore, MD, is among those taking steps to production more environmentally friendly in Nepal. For instance, when washing rugs, the discarded water is collected and shipped in trucks and later reused by cement companies for mixing cement for buildings.

Among other interesting recent green initiatives is that of Megerian Brothers Oriental Rugs, Inc., New York, NY, in Armenia where the ecological aspects of production are taken into consideration not only with respect to the rugs themselves but also with the weavers who make them. All components of the rug-making process are local from the natural dyes extracted from roots, flowers, and plants (e.g., pomegranate for the tobacco hue and walnut skin for yellow and brown) to the extra virgin wool free from exposure to toxic materials. Equally important, according to John Megerian, the air at the weaving facilities “is always purified and harsh chemicals and solvents are never used.” Employees are offered milk and yogurt at the end of the day to purify their digestive system of any dust. Meanwhile, new at Michaelian & Kohlberg’s facility in China are adjoining fields whose plants generate all the dyes for their Hamadan Collection.

Weaving a rug in Armenia. Courtesy of Megerian Brothers Oriental Rugs, Inc., New York, NY.

Washing a rug in Nepal. Courtesy of Tamarian Carpets

Moreover, in the countries of origin themselves, attitudes are gradually becoming more vigilant about the proper handling of by-products of dye residue to prevent their filtering into the ground. Experts report that even China, notorious for its environmental record, legislation regarding dyeing facilities is becoming more stringent with respect to the use of non-toxic elements and recycling. Experts also comment that the developing countries’ infrastructure, while improving, still needs more work. “It would help if the producing countries took some initiative,” notes Mr. Jevremovic. There is some controversy regarding the “greenness” of the more widely used chrome dyes. From a strictly purist standpoint, the most organic rugs are of undyed natural fibers, such as wool, nettle, and hemp. “However,” remarks Mr. Cibor, “these rugs are popular because of their look rather than their greenness.” While natural dyes are held in the highest esteem, the imperatives of continuity often dictate that they be combined with chrome dyes or that they be made of chrome only. Tamarian’s manufacturers in Nepal have recently converted to Swiss-made metalfree chrome dyes (Clairnet) which do not “out gas” as one walks over the rugs. “Regular chrome dyes have metal substance,” notes Mr. Cibor. “They are not bad but not great.”

Meanwhile, comments Mr. Momeni who has recently launched the handknotted 100% natural- dyed hemp Verde Collection from the “Naturally…Momeni” group of products: “Chrome dyes have been used for generations without any negative health impact. I think the big advantage of their being present in hand-knotted versus in machinemade rugs is that hand-knotted rugs are washed and sundried thereby limiting any negative chemical impact.” Adds another industry observer: “Having chrome dyes doesn’t make them not green.” Still, continues Mr. Cibor: “Research needs to be done on these to evaluate them more precisely.”

An antique Ferreghan Sarouk handknotted with natural dyes, 4.3×6.5 c. 1900. Courtesy of Eliko Oriental Rugs, Inc.

How aware is the end-buyer of the “greenness” of rugs? Members of the interior design industry – the prime ‘movers and shakers’ of retail sales and increasingly involved in the green building and design movement—see untapped opportunities in the oriental rug industry. “The handmade rug industry could be doing more to educate the public on how rugs are being manufactured,” states interior designer Annette Stelmack of Stelmack & Associates III, Denver, CO, and co-author of Residential Sustainable Interiors. Echoes Judy Swann of Green Interior Consultants, Westport, CT, an ASID interior designer who consults with the design trade on implementing green design: “It is atypical for designers to realize that handwoven rugs are green. This message has not yet reached the public.”

An example of Eliko’s all-natural wool and hemp kilimcollection handwoven in Turkey with recycled materials from 60- to80-year-old grain bags. Courtesy of Eliko Oriental Rugs, Inc.

Yet, despite her green background, this former Marketing/Business Development Manager at DuPont who was key in developing the company’s textile division’s recycling program in the 1990s, admits that esthetic considerations pre-empt green concerns, i.e., she might opt for a machinemade over a handmade product if esthetically it better suited the project. Like most members of the design trade, she is not yet fully aware of the “greener” attributes of handmade products; clearly, there is a need for the industry to better communicate the green advantages of handmade rugs. Adds Michael Mandapati of Warp & Weft, New York, NY, which primarily services the design community: “If clients don’t like a rug esthetically, they won’t buy it whether it’s deemed green or not.” Still, Ms. Stelmack comments that clients would veer toward green rugs adding: “The education level of designers on the green value of handmade rugs will evolve. However, it is really up to the manufacturers to educate them.”

by Alix Perrachon, Contributing Editor

Recommended reading: Foster, Kari, Stelmack, Annette, and Hindman, Debbie. Sustainable Residential Interiors. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2007.  They note that Oriental and decorative rugs are unparalleled in their ‘green’ properties, when compared to their machinemade counterparts. Indeed, there is “a wider selection of styles and fibers to choose from that fit eco-friendly specifications in area rugs than with wall-to-wall carpet,”

1.Kari, Foster Stelmack, Annette and Hindman, Debbie, Sustainable Residential Interiors (Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.), p. 369.

2.Ibid, p. 223. Reprinted from the Fall 2008 of AREA Magazine courtesy of the Oriental Rug Importers Association, Inc.”

'Through the glass, brightly', view of the Lyman Estate, Waltham, Massachusetts

As I pulled up the long drive, lined with sturdy, shag-barked Maple trees, the snow-covered fields and a distant copse of fledgling oaks and birches to my right offered a glimpse of a Boston of long ago. Suburban neighborhoods and office parks now surround this pastoral vista, a gently rolling reminder of what much of this region (and in fact, most of 18th century America) looked like when the Lyman Estate property (“The Vale”) was acquired in 17…

My destination was the non-profit organization, Historic New England, based at the Lyman Estate in Waltham, MA. From there, a small and dedicated staff manages and preserves 36 historic properties in five New England states. Constructed over the course of four centuries (1664-1938), each serves as a small, freestanding museum and cultural milestone along the road of American architecture,

The "Vale" or Lyman Estate, home of the Waltham, MA based Historic New England which manages 36 properties in 5 state

design and everyday living. In addition to their properties, the Otis House Museum, in Boston, houses their collection of over one-million records: historic photographs, architectural drawings, ephemera, manuscripts and other printed material pertaining to life in the region.

It was because of their historical archives and related research that I traveled to meet with Sally Zimmerman, Preservation Specialist, and an authority on historic paint colors throughout the period. Sally has devoted much of her professional life to investigating the composition, uses and fashion trends expressed by both exterior and interior paint in historic New England homes over the years. My goal was to discover how paint colors and technology has changed over the centuries and to learn more about the investigative techniques that are used to uncover this little-understood aspect of our cultural heritage.

Oldest of the properties, the rare 1693 Arnold House, in Lincoln, RI, has a massive south-facing stone facade that stores summer sun's heat and winter fire's warmth

The Walter Gropius Home, in Lincoln, MA, built by this Harvard Architecture faculty member and mid-century modernist in 1938

The American paint story, as it turns out, is a unique one and is affected in no small way by our founding history and the architectural trends that followed in its wake. “With so many properties under management by Historic New England, we have a unique opportunity to be able to catalogue paint and color use over more than a 300 year period,” explains Sally. “From early colonial salt box to a mid-20th century masterpiece by Walter Gropius, the range of architectural styles and the artifacts associated with them becomes vital source material for the research team.”

From the beginning of recorded history, pigmented materials have been used to record the experiences, beliefs and vanities of various cultures and civilizations. The earliest pigments used to tell a story in color were the cave paintings

Detail of the pre-historic cave paintings of Lascaux, France

of Lascaux, France, where earth-toned pigments of ochre, iron oxide (rust) and lamp black were ground and mixed with milk and lime. These were then used to create representations of wild creatures and the Neolithic human form. Soft rocks and soot from torches were literally the first colors employed by humankind to tell a sacred story of the hunt. Their representations of this event on cave walls throughout Europe 35,000 years ago was intended to both document and sanctify their close bond to and dependence on these creatures.

Over the centuries, water or milk-based paints remained in common use. A range of colors could be produced, using by-products such as copper oxide to make shades of green or brown; a rare mineral from Afghanistan, lapus lazuli, to create a brilliant blue; Egyptians were able to fashion shades of red, yellow and orange from pigments in the soil; purple was created from the crushed shells of millions of mollusks. Plato discovered that by blending two different colors together, a different one would result. This increased the range of colors available to the ancients. Some attempts were made to improve permanence in color with the addition of olive oil, egg, animal glue (these applications were called, distemper) and waxes; but most, especially those exposed to the elements remained impermanent, or furtive.

Enthroned in his crimson and ermine robes, Napoleon Bonaparte, a painting by

It was not until the Age of Discovery and the Renaissance that paint technology improved and new colors became available from foreign sources. Attributed to the Dutch painter, Jan van Eyck, in 1410, the addition of boiled linseed oil to paint made for ease of application and a mixture that dried to a hard, permanent surface.

New colors were soon introduced to the artist’s palette. From the Silk Route trade to the East came indigo, derived from plants and the shell of the Phoenician snail. The ships of Spain that plied the trade routes between the New World and Europe frequently carried in their hold millions of insect carcasses, known as the female cochineal beetle. Found only on the Prickly Pear cactus, the crushed remnants of this small insect was well-known to the Aztecs and produced a brilliant red dye, known to the Europeans as crimson. Expensive and rare, it was sought after by royalty for their best finery and soon distinguished them from the less privileged masses. A less glamorous New World import, but one that proved just as useful, was Indian yellow; made from concentrated cow’s urine mixed with mud to be transported to London for refinement. It is clear why royals ‘aspired to the crimson’ and not to the yellow!

Because the formulation of blue pigment had always been difficult and expensive, the 1704 development in Germany of Prussian Blue gave a boost to the world of art and industry alike. Known for its permanence and versatility, it quickly found its way onto the artist’s brush, the burgeoning ceramics industry which sought to recreate, en mass, the newly-discovered Oriental themes and landscapes on plates and other serving pieces and in the drafting field, where it became the accepted color for ‘blueprints’ and other architectural renderings.

This 19th century Japanese print by Utamaro pictures courtesans in their elegant, but deadly white-face makeup

The cruelest color, white, was one that did not emerge on the scene until well into the classical period, when Greek and Roman civilizations flourished. Lead oxide is superior to chalk, zinc and barium for pigmenting various oils to make inks, paints and most ominously, women’s makeup. Widely used in locations throughout the world over the centuries, the powdery dust of lead production, the handling of it in the formulation of products and even its seductive sweet taste, lead would prove fatal to thousands of factory workers, artists, craftsmen and femme fatales (including Geishas, who covered their faces with lead-based cream to stand out in contrast to their darkly-stained teeth). Lead-white paint remained in common use until well into the 20th century and the health effects of lead paint ingestion are still being seen today.

Victorian color choices were influenced by technology advances and color fashion of the time

“So, looking back,” –Sarah raises both hands to suggest an imaginary timeline between her palms– for much of the 17th and 18th centuries in the American colonies and early years of our nationhood, the exterior color choices and color ranges were limited to those that could withstand the elements and protect the wood-clad structures that were being built. Browns, red oxide, zinc white and black predominated. Some light blues and greens can be found, but they were rare. Interior colors were more striking and, mixed with wall papers, could make for a colorful habitat. Wall paper fragments offer us excellent clues as to how colors were used in combination,” she explains, “and some would be considered very bold by today’s standards.”

I asked Sarah to help me understand the sudden explosion of color that came into use during the Victorian period of the 19th century. She explained that this period, “coincided with the introduction of aniline or synthetic dyes.

• The first was mauveine, or mauve, discovered by Henry Perkins in 1856 and hundreds of others were to follow. The impact of artificial colors on the paint and fashion industry was dramatic; [author’s note: dark colors predominated in Victorian fashion and interior design to mask the soot produced by the newly-invented, coal-powered central heating system]

• Cromolithography, or color printing was developed at this time, spurring public interest in new colors;

• Paint tubes and re-sealable paint cans were invented (and the old-fashioned methods of mixing in small batches and storing paint in pig’s bladders was abandoned);

• Manufacturing methods allowed for uniformity and increased durability in paint coloration;

• The railroad allowed for wider distribution of the product to a broader market. After 1860, paint was no longer an artisanal product,” she tells me.

• “Paint packaging spawned a new generation of amateur painters who took up the hobby with enthusiasm;

• Steam-driven mills could turn out uniformly-sized construction material, including the new 2”x4”, in standard lengths, to hasten home construction. Harder woods could also be milled, promoting the development of stains to bring out wood grain.” [note: a boon to the Arts and Crafts movement of the 1890s and later, to Frank Lloyd Wright]

Interior of the Lyman House shows uses of strong color in decor to offset classical appointments

Sarah Zimmerman, Preservation Specialist for Historic New England and an authority on historic paint color

Sarah explains that, “Paint in the 20th century has undergone a range of chemical and technological improvements. Architectural colors, both inside and out, have a longer trend line, i.e.- they last longer. By carefully researching the range of paint colors from the past, we are educating people about the creative possibilities and encouraging them to go back and revisit their color choices on many of the historic properties that can be found in contemporary neighborhoods. When a house is correctly painted, it will speak to its heritage in a much clearer way. The right paint color captures the historic significance of the property and puts it in perspective for people.”

“There is a lot of information out there,” Sarah says, “through the California Paint Company, who committed to work with us to put this line of historic colors together and through the Color Marketing Association, who regularly forecast color trends in the design and construction trades. Painting has been made easy and low-risk. It’s a dramatic and fun-filled project that will enhance your life and doesn’t represent a huge commitment. The best part is that we are here to help. Just call us”

Color me convinced.

________________________________________________________

Historic New England is a non-profit organization. Once known as The Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, it is the oldest, largest and most comprehensive preservation organization in the country. Visit the web site (and their sites!) at www.historicnewengland.org.

Owners and others interested in historic preservation should contact the Stewardship Program, a partnership with property owners at (781) 891-4882, ext 227 to arrange for an on-site meeting to discuss preservation strategies, or go to www.historichomeowner.org

To purchase the historic colors chart ($6.50), go to www.historicnewengland.org, go to ‘museum shop’, then ‘book store and click on ‘Reference/How-To Books’.

To learn more about how English historic colors differ from American, go to www.farrow-ball.com to see their paint and wall paper collection.