The subject of the current building competition.
For the current Club of Anchor Friends building competition, I was asked to select an "American" building. Sure, I could have selected a more traditional Anchor building, like a church. But I think that America's main contribution to architecture is residential architecture. Anyone who has lived around the world will probably agree that American houses are the most comfortable and livable.
This four bedroom, 4½ bath, house is in the Federal style. This style, a modification of the British Georgian style, was developed after the Revolutionary War (American War, for you Brits), from 1785 to 1820. This house, built in 1990, is styled after Homewood, of Baltimore, which was built between 1801 and 1803 at a cost of $40,000.
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The rear of the house. Federal style emphasizes symmetry. The house is large: 5,083 sq. ft. (472 sq. meters), of which 4,104 sq. ft. is on the first floor. The basement adds another 2,690 sq. ft. (240 s. meters).
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Of course the original 1800 house did not have a garage. This wing, which balances the master bedroom on the other wing of the house, contains the garage and a guest room and bath.
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A close up view of the front entrance. It was not easy to achieve this correct look. No compromise was made in the diameter of the columns, the thickness of the porch or the roof.
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A few of you may wonder what
I look like. Here is a picture from Christmas of 1996. This picture
is about as good as they get.
For those who are really interested in Anchor stones, I have written a book about them. (I just got tired of either looking up the same information again and again, or trusting my memory on specific details such as dates and names.) It is expensive, $70 (or 100 DM) ppd, because I print it myself on my PC and color ink is expensive. The book undoubtedly contains far more information about Anchor stones and sets, the Richter company, etc. than you'll ever want to read. This book is a lot of work to print (I print about a dozen at a time, in either English or German), so please don't think I am urging you to buy one.
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