41 Construction Technologies

The Rustic Landscape of Rim Village, 1927-1941

 

Recommendations

 

Construction Technologies

Design Principles

  • Manufactured or prefabricated materials are inappropriate to use unless they convey a handcrafted or “primitive” character, feeling, or association.

 

  • Whatever construction technologies are employed in new design, the overall appearance of the landscape should not result in a “finished” or “manicured” quality to the landscape.

 

  • The appearance of paving is “softened” to improve its blending with the landscape by the use of color and material (fine rock).

Although historic construction techniques may be used to attain specific visual or material qualities, the following recommendations do not suggest the specific use of historic construction methods. These recommendations focus on the material and visual qualities that are critical to the design and, in many cases, are the result of specific construction techniques.

STONEWORK

1. Where stone is used in the construction of new buildings, it should be selected to match existing materials in terms of scale, color, texture, and dimensions.

2. In the construction of new walls and the rehabilitation of the existing parapet walls and bays, every effort should be made to maintain the visual quality (form and design) consistent with the original historic wall. Significant characteristics of the stonework to address include:

  • Stone should be selected to match the range of colors, sizes and shapes of existing materials.
  • Stones should be cut and trimmed to match the existing wall.
  • Stones should be placed according to existing patterns, coursing, and stone orientation.
  • Stones should be set with mortar and all mortar should be recessed to enhance the dimension of individual stones to match existing.

3. All curbing along roads and parking areas should be dressed and trimmed to match existing historic curbing throughout Rim Village (see RECOMMENDATIONS: SMALL-SCALE FEATURES, curbing). Curbing should be salvaged and reused whenever possible.