CLUB-CHAMBERS. As the building we are about to describe is the first attempt to provide a superior kind of accommodation for gentlemen who are accustomed to reside in chambers, by the erection of an edifice especially planned for, and adapted to the purpose ; we think a notice of the extensive and elegant institution known as the Club-chambers in Regent Street, not inappropriate in a work devoted to architecture.
In consequence of the scarcity of chambers for residence in the vicinity of the Clubs and Houses of Parliament, an association was formed for the purpose of supplying the want. An eligible site having been procured in Regent Street, between Pall Mall and Piccadilly, the association engaged Mr. Decimus Burton to make designs for a new building. These designs being approved of, contracts were made, and the result was the present handsome and com modious mansion.
The elevation of this edifice is of the Italian style of architecture; it occupies a frontage of 76 feet, and consists of a ground-story, rusticated, and terminated by an enriched lace-band or string-course, enriched with the Vitruvian scroll. This story forms a basement to the upper part, con taining the principal story, and a second and third story, sI•mounted by a bold and enriched cornice, the main charac teristic feature of the Italian style. Between the principal story and the ground-floor, an entre-sol is introduced, the windows of which are placed between the panelled pilasters supporting the consoles of the bold projecting balconies in the windows above. The ground-floor is approached in the centre by a portico, projecting forward with coupled Doric columns on each side, and recessed back to give depth : this opens into a grand entrance-hall, the height of the ground story, and entre-sol. The four upper stories are divided in the same way as the ground-floor, except that on all the stories above the entre-sol there is an apartment over the entrance-hall.
The building contains 77 chambers ; 27 are provided with alcoves or recesses for the bed, and 50 without ; some of the rooms are so planned, that two or three may be formed into one suite, if required. The basement-story—occupied as servants' rooms and domestic offices—is arched over with flat brick arches, supported by iron girders. The two staircases are of stone, all the corridors have stone floors, and every precaution has been taken throughout the building against the extension of fire.
The ingenuity displayed by the architect in providing for the warming and ventilation of the building deserves a par ticular description—it is thus effected :—On each side of the principal staircase, on the basement-story, is a furnace, with an iron pipe or flue 12 inches diameter, fixed in the centre of a vertical brick-chamber, rising through the several stories and roof, where it is terminated by a cowl. On each story
these vertical chambers communicate with horizontal ones, formed between the floor and ceiling of the corridors. Each room being furnished with a ventilator near the ceiling, opening into the horizontal chamber ; when the fire is lighted in the furnaces, it heats the iron flue, rarefies the air within 22 the vertical chambers, and causes it to pass off with consider able rapidity through the cowl at the top. The air within the rooms then flowing through the ventilators and horizontal chambers into the vertical ones, supplies the partial vacuum created by the escape of the rarefied air, and thereby keeps up continuous and healthy circulation.
The warming of the building is effected by the patent hot water apparatus of Mr. H. C. Price, erected under the super intendence of Mr. Mangy, The apparatus is erected on -the basement-story, on the north side of the principal staircase ; the hot-air chamber is immediately behind, the top being nearly on a level with the ground-floor ; a supply of cold air flows through a trunk—the mouth of which is furnished with gauze-wire to filter the air—into the vault, where it passes upwards between the vertical iron chambers filled with hot water, and becomes heated, the warm air then escaping through apertures in the top of the vault, is distributed throughout the principal staircase and corridors. The cor ridors and water-closets are lighted with gas, the light being enclosed in glazed lanterns, provided with tubes leading to the external part of the building. On the basement-story, a well has been sunk, by which the premises are supplied with pure spring water lifted to the top of the building by means of a small steam-engine, which is also employed for raising coals, furniture, &c., up the well-hole of the back staircase. Every alcove or recess for the bed is provided with hot and cold water, and pipes trapped, and commu nicating with the drains for a water-closet, if the tenant should wish to have one.
We have been thus particular in describing this establish ment, because the very perfect arrangements made in it for the comfort and convenience of its numerous occupants reflect the highest credit on the architect, whose taste and ingenuity have been so eminently displayed ; and because we would bespeak for so valuable an association the patronage and support its liberality so fully deserves.