| Howard Building, Downing College, Cambridge. 1985 - 1989. |
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| This building provides a lecture theatre for 200 people and stage on the first floor with reception rooms on the ground floor. It is used for musical and dramatic performances by the university. The building is constructed in solid masonry using Portland stone for all the architectural elements including the pedestal, columns, entablature, door surrounds and finials. The walling is made in Ketton stone. There is therefore a polychrome effect similar to the Thenford summerhouse, which was part of the influence in the design. The mathematical proportion is controlled by the bottom diameter of the columns and the spacing and the modillions. The intercolumniation is three at the ends, four at the sides and five in the centre; with the columns ten diameters, entablature two diameters and the modillion spacing half a diameter. The central doorcase was influenced by Longhena's door case in S Giorgio, Venice and combined with a Baroque doorcase measured in Zaragossa, Spain. It was felt that the severe Greek classicism of Wilkins called for a more lubricious Roman Baroque building dedicated to the theatre and the performing arts. |
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