Wednesday, 10 July 2013

14-16 Hans Road SW1

The Arts and Crafts architect Charles Voysey designed this pair of houses in 1891 at the outset of his career, and they form something of a contrast with his usual output of suburban villas for intellectual bankers.
They are also a stirring contrast with the general run of houses round Harrods, with horizontal lines of windows and curious little oriels.
The joined porches over the front doors conceal a delightful surprise - two ceramic panels by Conrad Dressler. One is a naked man with cloak and a lanthorn, disturbing a bird as he creeps through the night. The other is a tiger stalking through an Asian forest.
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2 comments:

  1. Capability Bowes11 July 2013 at 20:04

    Where on the building are the plaques? Don't actually see them in the picture.

    Possibly fanciful, but I think the man is an allegory of daybreak, appearing from the cloak of night. Quite what the link between that the tiger is, is beyond me....odd that the two panels seem to have no design or stylistic link between them?

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  2. Chris Partridge11 July 2013 at 20:42

    They are inside the porches. Luckily, the houses are now offices so you can go in without feeling you are invading anyone's personal space.
    I also wonder what the link is between the plaques. Any ideas, anyone?

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