martinhouseclr

141 3 // EXISTING CONDITIONS as perceptibly distinctive, separated by a much higher grade than what appears from a distance. The terrace also has a distinct relationship with the Unit Room of the main house, acting as an extension of the long axis view from the library, through the living and dining rooms. The Barton House defines the northern limits of the property and encloses the ‘complex’ at the north end. Views from the Jewett corner, across the Floricycle and Summit Lawn to the north, are dominated by the south façade of the house and its verandah. The Barton House landscape area includes a small sized front yard that is comparable to others within the neighborhood and is only distinctive by the current absence of plant material and, of course, the architectural style prominently displayed to the street. Much like the Martin House, the Barton House projects into the front yard while the entry from the street seems to take a submissive, if not partially hidden, role to that of the house. With the exception of the Gardener’s Cottage on Woodward Avenue, the small front yard and comparatively tall-seeming front façade of the Barton House provide it with the most intimate relationship to an adjacent street. Views along the northern façade of the Barton House are heavily influenced by the adjacent parking lot, of which there is no visual or physical separation to the historic core landscape. The rear yard of the Barton House (including the adjacent Paddock) seems heavily associated with the adjacent parking land use. This openness also manifests itself from the Summit Lawn and Summit Terrace (including from within the Unit Room) due to the clear void visible beyond the Barton House wall. The borrowed views in these spaces are primarily of the residential structure north of the Barton House. The Courtyard is a well-defined space and is almost entirely hidden from view from the public frontages. The Courtyard is spatially defined by the complex itself, being surrounded on three sides by the Martin House, the pergola, the Conservatory and the Garage. It is only the western boundary that is fully open to view from places off-property and this view, in to the site from outside, has been committed to use by the adjacent visitor center area – allowing a panoramic outward-in display of the courtyard and associated façades. The Courtyard itself is spatially divided, with the fountain wall concealing the small auto court area from the main courtyard and garden areas. The courtyard is axial in nature, with the garage footprint and façade detailing, the fountain wall, the fountain, the interior courtyard garden, the clothes poles and associated perennial plantings all composed on a central axis. The southern termination of this axis is the north façade of the house. However, unlike the garage, the architecture features of the Martin House (including windows) seem to bear no relationship to this axis. There are clear views from the kitchen out to the courtyard, and the courtyard’s garden path, as well as the garden spaces on either side, are prominently visible from this view. Due to the height and mass of the fountain wall, the small auto court area in front of the garage Fig. 135, bottom Barton House front yard. Fig. 134, top View across Floricycle area and Summit lawn to Barton House.