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Pool House

DESCRIPTION

SQUASH COURT

Plum Orchard Index

Plum Orchard February 2007

Pool House Forward

Pool House Introduction

Pool House General Description

Pool House Hunting Lodge

Pool House Dressing Rooms

Pool House Pool Chamber

Pool House Squash Court

Pool House Game Rooms

Pool House Utilities

Pool House Surroundings

Pool House Drawings

Pool House Photographs

[Also note the squash court at Plum Orchard.]

This element, 34' long x 18'-2" x 25'-6" high differs from those previously described in two subtle but important respects. The brick foundation wall is a continuous structure rather than isolated piers as in the other elements. Also the roof slope is different, 12/12 which is lower than the pool chamber and dressing rooms. These two details are shared by the game room, supporting the view that they were built together and probably at a later time as previously stated.

The court is approached via the gym through an irregular shaped anteroom with windows on three sides. This little space forms an interesting transition between the larger volumes on either side. It was also used to store sports equipment. The rear wall of the court includes a wire screen l0'-l0" wide, 5'-0" above the floor and 10'-9" high for use by spectators. Finish is natural finish yellow pine beaded boards as in the pool chamber.

The squash court, 32'-5" long x 16'-5" wide and 24'-10" to the roof ridge is interesting as a ,space and in its details. At both the northwest and southeast sides are two sets of three windows each, the sills ll'-4" above the floor, the windows 5'-0" high. Below the windows is a fascia continuing around three sides of the room; at the head is a 2,-0lf high flattened cornice at all four sides. Top of the cornice is at the plate level about 16'-4" above the floor.

The most striking details are the steel window operators running continuously down the long sides, which also control the dual skylights flanking the ridge. These devices are a rare and happy find in the present- day use of air conditioning. Between the windows and forming similar panels along the back wall are regularly spaced miniature pilasters. The panels and identical ones separating the window banks are finished with diagonal beaded boards: the same boards reappear above the cornice in the areas between the rafters, which in a nice design integration are centered on the pilasters below.

Walls below the window fascia are plaster, painted white as is all woodwork except the floor, which is dark stained as elsewhere in the building. Spanning the width of the room at the cornice level are two curved metal baffles used to reflect electric light on the northeast playing wall. The lamp sockets and lamps are missing.

[This information and accompanying photographs are from a National Parks Service Document. ]

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