Friday, March 25, 2011

Notes from the Library #14

The Library contains much more than books.  An archive relating to the building of the house and the gardens is also kept here.   These two images from the archive show phases in the creation of  the Main Courtyard and the axis that runs through it.  

The first image from 1998 shows the architect's rough concept sketch for the underground Wine Cellar and the "Tempietto" at the head of the axis. The overall concept was inspired by a visit to Potsdam in 1998, where, like Kaiser Friedrich William IV and his architect Schinkel  we experienced an acute "Italiensehnsucht."  Thirteen years later it now looks a bit too grand and something much lighter might be better. 

The second image, from early 2005,  shows the early stages of construction.  Earthworks for The Hill Gardens and The Main Courtyard had just been completed by then  and the white markers showed where the main Solar Axis would be aligned from the High Pergola at the centre of the house to the Wine Cellar and the Hill Gardens.  It is interesting to compare this with the recent photo posted here on Tuesday 23 March.




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