APRIL 2007 » book review

Still Practical

Modern Practical Masonry
By Edmund George Warland
B. T. Batsford, Ltd., London, 1929
Reprint 2006 Donhead Publishing Ltd, Dorset, UK
368 pp.; hardcover; 600 illus.; $85
ISBN 1-873394-76-4

Reviewed by Walter S. Arnold

In the 1950s, the cornice was scorned; it was viewed as frivolous. Architects built clean, rectangular buildings, which stood in defiance of the elements. Older forms, on the other hand, easily shed rain and resisted the onslaught of snow and frost. During the same era, deteriorating cornices were stripped from buildings in many northern cities; they had become a liability, as bits and pieces occasionally fell on pedestrians below.

A few decades later, Postmodern architects began to reintroduce cornices, but as aesthetic rather than functional elements. These new designs were often stilted and self-conscious, which would be forgivable if they fulfilled their primary role of protecting the building from the weather. However, that was not the case. A gap of several generations in the training of architects had created a disconnect; traditional knowledge had not been passed down, and the new practitioners were reinventing the wheel.

Fortunately, that traditional knowledge did not disappear. It sat hidden away in dusty tomes, one of which as now been reprinted. The role of Modern Practical Masonry is not to celebrate the cornice, but rather to train architects, builders, masons, stonecutters and contractors in how to incorporate traditional forms, such as the cornice, and to incorporate traditional logic with modern construction methods. The modern construction method in this case is the steel-frame construction of the 1920s, but the general principals are more widely applicable.

In showing how to properly combine traditional masonry and design with modern construction, the book conveys an understanding of the underlying principles of Classical architectural forms. Every element was developed for a reason. The profile of a cornice and the drip slots under a window sill helped a building survive the elements; the arrangement of joints between stone blocks in an arch transferred the weight properly through the wall to the foundations. The ribs in a Gothic ceiling solved an engineering problem that plagued Romanesque buildings. The understanding of these principles gives a perspective on traditional architecture that can be essential, as well as an eye opener, for practitioners of any style. As it states in the chapter on the principles of stonecutting, "The surfacing described in this section may seem superfluous to those engaged in modern masonry works, but it must be remembered that it is essential for the young craftsman to have an intimate knowledge of the principles described."

While this book draws extensively on the earlier Practical Masonry (William R. Purchase, Lookwood & Son, London, 1895), the addition of the word "Modern" to the title emphasizes the great difference. The earlier volume is more extensive in its coverage of such things as the layout of individual stones making up different types of vaults and domes, and the designing of tracery windows, but it does not acknowledge the effects of the Industrial Revolution. It dwells in a past era, whereas the newer book spans the old and the new.

Written nearly 80 years ago, Modern Practical Masonry points out that the use of machinery and modern technology does not eliminate the need for the traditional skills and knowledge embodied in skilled craftsmen. Instead, by auto-mating the simpler activities, the new methods let the craftsmen focus on the more complex tasks. The author states that "All operations necessary for the completion of the stone by the mason, after the machines have fulfilled the purpose for which they have been installed, are dependent upon the mason's knowledge of these fundamental principles."

The successful completion is also dependent on the architect's, the contractor's, and the materials suppliers' knowledge of the fundamental principles. The rational approach of this book can be a tool in solving any construction problems.

Hundreds of beautifully detailed drawings and related photos show the stages of constructing a masonry-clad stone building. All the steps taken by the masons are set out clearly. The specifics here will be helpful in the restoration of historic buildings; the drawings give x-ray vision to understand what is going on behind the wall. The actual methods shown are rarely used anymore, but the principles described in the accompanying text can help provide a reasonable approach to methods and materials. The chapter on hoisting and handling stone and the extensive section on stonecutting are of very specialized interest. Not many people need to know the sequence of steps in cutting a pilaster base from a block of stone, but for those of us who do need to know, this is a rare treasure.

While there is a great deal of discussion of design and construction techniques to minimize moisture penetration, I was disappointed with the limited discussion on the effect of rust on the durability of buildings. The subject was only touched on, with no strong warnings or conclusions. Some of the techniques demonstrated for supporting stone directly on steel contributed to major structural problems in many buildings just 50 years after the publication of this book, when that steelwork rusted, fracturing the stonework. The detailed construction drawings are helpful to those engaged in the restoration of such buildings, but the solutions will need to be found elsewhere.

The chapter on building stones starts with a large section outlining the most common available materials of the time. This is helpful in identifying and matching materials in historic structures, but is of limited use in learning about the range of stones in the contemporary marketplace.

This is followed by an important discussion that does have great relevancy. This part looks at the durability of building stones, and at how to choose which stone to use. Factors such as how the color will change over time, how good and consistent a supply is available, and whether the stone will hold up in the intended application are timeless considerations, and are all too often overlooked. Our choices of materials as well as construction technology are much broader now, which can be both a blessing and a curse. It becomes much easier to overlook the basics and just do plug-and-play construction with interchangeable pieces, and it is very tempting to select materials strictly for their beauty or appropriate visual characteristics. When dealing with natural materials in particular, this approach can lead to failure.

You can visit a stone shop and see slabs of hundreds of varieties of marble and granite, and the salespeople will let you select any one, no matter where or how you are using it. As the author states, "A stone may be suitable in structure under certain conditions, but quite unsuitable with regard to colour, so that building stones are often chosen from the aesthetic point of view rather than with respect to their weather-resisting qualities." The discussion in this chapter of damage due to mechanical and chemical effects (i.e. abrasion from wind or traffic, temperature changes and atmospheric conditions) can help you sort through the modern choices. This common-sense approach is applicable not just to stone, but also to the full range of materials selection for construction.

A large section of this book is devoted to the geometry of masonry, and focuses on drafting and design work. Detailed drawings and templates are used when complex pieces of stone are cut in the shop and fitted in a building. Now this is all done on computer rather than by hand, but many of the old drafting techniques still apply to doing CAD layouts.

In my experience, it is easier to get the feel of the flow, form and weight of an arch or column when working with a pencil than it is working with a mouse, and so my drawings move back and forth from the screen to the drafting table. I see too many cases where the convenience of the computer, combined with the awkwardness of drawing with a mouse, led to awkward or clunky designs or to the omission of basic information from drawings. A clear understanding of the proper construction of Classic forms is essential for successful computer design.

The penultimate section of the book, "Masonry Costing and Estimating," is filled with templates on calculating the cost of every aspect of masonry construction. While materials pricing and labor costs are entirely different now, and many of the activities included have been replaced by quite unrelated methods, the structure of these templates can be helpful. They could easily be converted into spreadsheets and used to price and organize projects.

The book concludes with an extensive glossary of stone and architectural terms, many of which are rarely encountered any more. This is one more factor making this a useful part of any architectural or preservation reference library. Words included in the glossary are italicized whenever they appear in the text, which helps make this book user-friendly.

Many of the recent architectural trends draw heavily upon the past. A solid grasp of the rationale of traditional forms is essential to organically translate them into present-day applications. To our modern ear, the style of this book is somewhat pedantic and stilted. It can take a bit of effort to dig through it, but that effort is well rewarded in the gems uncovered. This book was arranged as a course book for a four-year training program, so after first reading through, it will become a valuable reference for anyone involved in stonework, architecture or preservation. TB

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