CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2661, 28 August 1871, Page 2

CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

The numerous large and well-built private residences which have sprung up of late years in this city, bid fair to render Dunedin in due course, if not a city of palaces, at least one which may claim to take a position in the front rank of Colonial cities for her buildings. As yet, and necessarily so from her comparative youth, the edifices which call for special notice, either for their extent, the beauty of their design, or thur stately proportions, are few ; but as time progresses there is gradually growing up a dess of buildings which for their architectural merits, the excellence of their finish, both within and without, and their suitability to meet the requirement i of the comfort, not to say the luxury, of modern life, may fairly compete with any in the Australian Colonies. One of th j-e edifices has just approached completion, and a brief description of it, and more particularly of the many improvements and conveniences it contains, may not be uninteresting, nor without benefit to those who are intending erecting houses of like capacity. We refer to the house just built by our fellow-townsman Mr George Duncan, on the piece of hilly ground at the corner of II xttray and Mount streets, and opposite the High School. All old residents in Dunedin will remember the hill, which was for years a barren waste, apparently almost unavailable for practical use, a place of refuge for stray goats, and a kind of alp for adventurous schoolboys, Certainly it looked a most unlikely place to chose for a residence, and, but that the re* sources of science and skill, backed by energy and enterprise, were brought to bear upon it, might have continued to look so for years to come. The difficulty has, however, been removed, the inconvenience overcome, and the residence of Mr Duncan, surrounded by bis own admirably laid out grounds, crowns |tho height—a stately and striking object from almost all parts of the city. The grounds comprise three-quarters of an acre of laud, two-thirds of which is laid out as an ornamental garden on three sides of the house. The grounds lie in made terraces from the street level upwards, the faces of the terraces being composed of bluestone rubble walling. Tortuous asphalt* cd walks, with steps at the rises of the ter* races, lead from the entrance gate in Rat* tray-street to the front of the house* whilst a broad carriage drive, with an exten* sive sweep, leads to the other. The main approach has an ornamental iron gate, with cemented capped pillars, and a handsome capped balustrade on each side of it, and a bluestoue wall extends all round the front and side of the property. The house itself covers 65 feet by 52 feet of land, the shorter being the main front. It is of two storeys, built in the Italian style of architecture, of bluestone, the general massiveness of desi ;n and sombreness of hue being agreeably relieved and effectively lightened by orna-neu-tal corners and facings of white cement. The exterior height of the building is 26 feet from the basement and the roof is of slates finished with lead. The Mount-street front is 65 feet in length, having two entrance doors and three windows in the lower, and the like number of windows in the upper story, presents a bold, solid, and eminently massive aspect. The main front, facing Rattraystreet, whilst equally massive in character, is eminently more elegant in appearance, being enriched with a balcony and a verandah, and an oriel window reaching from top to bottom of the left or eastern wing of the house. This window is of novel construction, having been planned by Mr Duncan himself, ami whilst standing boldly and prom'uent’y forward, is symmetrical in all its proportions. It forms a portion of the drawing room within, and also of the bedroom above it. The main doorway is in this front and is deep and roomy, glazed on each side, and has a semi-circular top of diaphanie in rich colours, which contrast well with the dark hue of the surrounding stone. Along tho front and extending from the drawing* room to the end is a verandah and balcony five feet wide floored witli cement. These are supported by oak pillars placed in pairq and enriched with elliptical arches and carved work. The verandah and balcony are guarded, tho former by a balcony wall the latter by an open pillared balustrade, both in immitation of stone work. Joining to the verandah and running round the right or west end of the building is a large and very handsome conservatory, glazed through* out, and placed so as to catch the sun rising to setting; it is 30 feet long, and has an average width of 9 feet. The main entrance opens into a spacious hall leading to the breakfast room and kitchen, and diverging at a right angle to a aide entrance. It is 44 feet in

ngth and 9 feet wide. From it to the left pans the drawing room, a really elegant apartment, 16 feet by 22 in area, and having a height of 13 feet 6 inches, the height of all the rooms on the basement story. It is lighted by two large windows, one being the oriel, which has the appearance of being let in to the body of the room through an ornamental elliptical archway, supported by pillars ; and which facing nearly north has the advantage of almost continual sunshine through the day, in fine weather. The ceiling is enriched by a very handsome centrcflowcr and by a triple cornice, the two principal portions of which represent clusters of grapes, tigs, vine-leaves, and tendrils. On the right of the entrance-hall is the diningroom, which is 26 feet long by 18 feet wide, and opens into the hreakfast-r< om by wide folding doors |thc two forming, when ircessar- a lino ball room, U feot m length, and of air average width of 23 feet. The diningroom is lighted by two large windows and hv the diaphonous door leading into the conservatory. The breakfast room is 20 feet by 16 feet, and is also lighted by two windows. Passing through some minor rooms we eome to the kitchen, which is a double one, consisting of a kitchen proper, opening b\ folding doors into a large scullery, and thence into a wash-house and coal cellar. The kitchen range is constructed on an entirely novel principle, intended, and working successfully, to get rid of the smell and hot air generated by cooking, by means of rentlation and without the risk of soot falling. This is accomplished by the range being place! outside the chimneys, which has a double Hue, 'and by the ventilation being conducted by the draft of hot air along a pipe leading from the top of the range into of iho dues, and the plan works so well, that no matter what amount of heat may bo required for culinary purposes, the kitchen itself can always be kept at a moderate temperature by a stream of fresh air being conducted through it without interfering with the heat in the range itself. The romaimng room on the basement story is the library, an apartment in a quiet nook of the house, measuring 14 feet by 13 feet, and close to the side entrance. Leading from the inner corner of the angle in the hall, is a wide staircase, leading to the upstairs apartment and guarded by a handsome open ironwork balustrade, with a polished wooden rail. The front bedroom, which is immediately over the drawing room, and is of the same dimensions, is an elegantly fitted room, havingfrom both windows magnificent views, which extend from Maori Hill, Fine Hill, across the bav, and along the ocean to the Caversham hills. Besides this there are eight other bedrooms on this floor, a library ftc. What strikes one most in connection with the interior of the house, is the thorough air of harmony in all its puds, and the abundance of light diffused through every apartment*. Next is the solidity of the material, the excellence of the workmanship, and the evident attention to detail even in the smallest and most trivial matters In conclu sion wc may state that Mr Duncan was bis own architect, having had the house built according to his own design, and under his own supervision. The contractors were, for the mason work, Messrs Darkness and Ititchie ; for the carpenter’s work, M Ivechnicand Ib id ; for the plastering, Pctherw.ck and Eston ; for the plumbing, Mr touston ; and for the decorations, Mr Gilchrist. The entire structure reflects the highest credit on all concerned, and, in line, Mr Duncan has succeeded in making Ins house exactly what a gentlemans house should be, no meretricious gingerbread and filagree trumpery, 1 ut sound, solid, substantial work ; a house hendsome, light, airy, spacious, and pre-eminently comfortable.