KIPINDI CHA GILDED AGE

Enzi ya ujenzi wa nyumba kubwa jijini New York ilidumu takribani miaka 50, ikianza na kufunguliwa kwa Vanderbilt House mwaka 1882 na, kinadharia, kumalizika katika miaka ya kwanza baada ya Mdororo Mkuu wa Kiuchumi. Hata hivyo, dhana zilizokuwa msingi wa majengo haya ziliendelea kwa muda mrefu zaidi. Hii ilitokana na ukweli kwamba karibu wasanifu wote wakuu wa New York walihudhuria L’École des Beaux-Arts huko Paris, ambako walijifunza jinsi ya kuiga mitindo mbalimbali ya usanifu wa Ulaya.

KAZI BORA YA SANAA KUTOKA KIPINDI CHA GILDED AGE

Jumba hili la kipekee lenye upana wa futi 30 lina jumla ya viwango 8—6 juu ya usawa wa ardhi na 2 chini ya usawa wa ardhi—likiwa na sehemu za ndani zenye ukubwa wa zaidi ya futi za mraba 16,000 na maeneo manne ya nje yaliyowekwa kwa ustadi, yenye kuongeza futi nyingine za mraba 2,000 za nje. Lilibuniwa likiwa na lifti mbili adimu, vyumba 30, meko 9 za kuni, kila moja ikiwa na sehemu ya juu ya meko ya asili na ya kuvutia, vyumba 19 vya kulala, bafu 8 kamili na bafu 2 nusu. Likifaidika na dhana za Gilded Age, pia lilijumuisha vipengele vipya vya kisasa. Mwonekano wa mbele wa jengo hilo haujabadilika kwa kiasi kikubwa tangu kukamilika kwake mwaka 1932, na limekuwa chini ya umiliki uleule kwa zaidi ya nusu karne.

URITHI WA LIVINGSTON

Mwaka 1686, Robert Livingston Mzee alipokea kipande cha ardhi chenye ukubwa wa ekari 160,000 chini ya Mfalme George wa Kwanza, ambacho mwaka 1715 kikawa Livingston Manor katika eneo ambalo leo ni Kaunti ya Columbia, jimbo la New York.

Akiwa mzao wa moja kwa moja wa Robert Livingston kupitia upande wa mama yake, John Livingston Redmond, aliyejenga jumba hili, alihitimu kutoka Harvard mwaka 1911 akiwa na shahada ya usanifu, lakini alijitolea maisha yake kwa shughuli za hisani.

KITALU BORA ZAIDI KWA MWANGA

Kwa makazi yake ya New York, John Livingston Redmond alichagua upande wa kaskazini wa E. 70th St., kati ya Park Avenue na Lexington Avenue, kwa sababu alitambua faida kubwa iliyotokana na wamiliki wawili mwaka 1859, ambao waliongoza maendeleo katika kitalu hicho na kubainisha kwamba ujenzi wote wa baadaye upande wa kaskazini urudishwe nyuma kwa futi 10 kamili, “uwe huru milele, na usikaliwe.”

Nafasi hii ya ziada hufanya mwanga mwingi kuingia katika majumba yaliyo upande wa kaskazini wa barabara.

HAKUNA KITALU KINGINE UPANDE WA JUU WA MASHARIKI KILICHO NA SIFA HII YA KIPEKEE

Mapema mwaka 1939, jarida la Fortune lilikitaja kuwa “huenda ndicho kitalu kizuri zaidi cha makazi katika jiji la New York,” sifa ambayo imeendelea kudumu hadi leo.

Wasanifu wa kipekee walikusanyika katika kitalu hiki hivi kwamba Paul Goldberger, katika kitabu chake NEW YORK: The City Observed, alikielezea kuwa “kina uwiano kamili kati ya upekee wa kila sehemu na mpangilio wa jumla.”

Mandhari hii maridadi ya barabara pia ilikipa kitalu hicho thamani ya kipekee—wengi wanaona kinaweza kulinganishwa na vitalu vilivyo kati ya Fifth Avenue na Madison Avenue.

KUJENGA JUMBA

Jonathan Livingston Redmond alimpa Frederick Rhinelander King kazi hiyo, ambaye pia alikuwa mhitimu wa L’École des Beaux-Arts na alifanya kazi kwa uangalifu ili kugeuza yale aliyojifunza huko yaendane na mtazamo wa Kimarekani.

Ikiwa Waroma walikamilisha matumizi ya tao, basi msanifu huyu aliliingiza tao ndani ya jengo na kulitumia kama mada kuu. Matao husaidia kuunda nafasi zenye mvuto mkubwa na zilizojaa mwanga, zinazokumbusha ukuu wa kitamaduni huku zikiunganisha vyumba kwa umaridadi.

JUMBA

Katika kiwango cha kuingilia, eneo la kuingilia lina urefu wa futi 12'6", likipitia tao hadi kwenye ukumbi wenye urefu wa futi 13'10", wenye vyumba upande wa kaskazini na kusini; kila kimoja kina dari yenye urefu wa futi 13'10", pamoja na ngazi kubwa inayopanda hadi kiwango cha sebule. Chumba cha kaskazini ndicho chumba rasmi cha awali cha kulia, chenye umbo la mviringo na madirisha 3 yenye urefu wa futi 11'6". Chumba rasmi cha kukalia upande wa kusini kina madirisha yenye urefu wa futi 8'2" na dari zenye urefu wa futi 12'6".

Katika kiwango cha sebule, dari zinafikia urefu wa futi 14'6", huku matao yakiingilia kila chumba. Sebule ina madirisha 3 marefu yenye urefu wa futi 13 na dari yenye urefu wa futi 14'6". Maktaba pia ina dari zenye urefu wa futi 14'6" na madirisha 2 ya milango ya Kifaransa yanayofunguka kuelekea kwenye mtaro wa juu wa jengo.

THE GILDED AGE

The era of great house building in New York lasted approximately 50 years, beginning with the opening of the Vanderbilt House in 1882 and theoretically ending in the first years after the Great Depression. The inherent concepts behind these buildings, however, extended far longer. This was due to the fact that practically all the major architects of New York attended the L'École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where they learned how to reproduce the various architectural styles of Europe.

A MASTERPIECE FROM THE GILDED AGE

This extraordinary 30' wide mansion contains a total of 8 levels - 6 above grade, and 2 levels below grade - with interiors spanning over 16,000 square feet and four well positioned outdoor spaces comprising an additional 2,000 exterior square feet. It was designed with a rare two elevators, 30 rooms, 9 wood-burning fireplaces each with an
exquisite original mantelpiece, 19 bedrooms, 8 full baths and 2 half baths. Benefiting from the concepts of The Gilded Age, it also embodied new modern elements. The
facade is virtually unaltered since its completion in 1932, and has been in the same ownership for over half a century.

THE LIVINGSTON LEGACY

In 1686, Robert Livingston the Elder received a 160,000-acre tract of land, under King George I, that in 1715 became Livingston Manor in what is present day Columbia County in New York state.

Descended directly from Robert Livingston on his mother's side, John Livingston Redmond, who built this mansion, graduated from Harvard in 1911 with a degree in architecture, yet he devoted his life to charitable causes.

BEST BLOCK FOR LIGHT

For his New York residence, John Livingston Redmond chose the north side of E. 70th St. between Park and Lexington Avenues because he recognized the great benefit created by two owners in 1859, who dominated development on the block and stipulated that all future construction on the north side would be set back a full 10', "forever free, and unoccupied."

This additional space results in light pouring into the mansions on the north side of the street.

NO OTHER BLOCK ON THE UPPER EAST SIDE HAS THIS UNIQUE FEATURE

As early as 1939, Fortune Magazine called it "probably New York City's most beautiful residential block", a reputation that has persisted to the present day.

Extraordinary architects congregated on this block so that Paul Goldberger in his book, NEW YORK: The City Observed, described it as "having a perfect balance between individuality and overall order."

This exquisite streetscape also gave the block unusual value-many feel comparable to the blocks from Fifth to Madison.

BUILDING THE MANSION

Jonathan Livingston Redmond engaged Frederick Rhinelander King, also a graduate of Lecole des Beaux-Arts, who worked carefully to adapt what he learned there to an American sensibility.

If the Romans perfected the arch, this architect brought the arch indoors and employed it as a major theme. Arches help create dramatic, light filled spaces that evoke classical grandeur while gracefully connecting rooms.

THE MANSION

On the Entry level, the entry is 12'6" moving through an arch to a gallery of 13'10" with rooms north and south, each with ceiling heights of 13'10" and a massive staircase ascending to the parlor level. The north room is the original formal dining room, with an oval shape that contains 3 windows of 11'6". The south formal sitting room has windows of 8'2" and ceiling heights of 12'6".

On the Parlor level, the ceilings reach 14'6" with arches entering each room. The living room has 3 tall windows at 13' in height and a ceiling of 14'6". The library also has 14'6" ceilings and 2 French door windows that open to a terrace ove