Stone Houses: Traditional Homes of R. Brognard Okie

One of Richardson Brognard Okie’s first design projects was his father’s home, Burnswark, in Berywyn, Pa. Destroyed by fire in 1899, just as Okie was starting his architectural career, “Burnswark... is an early work of a master showing themes that would be more developed over the next few years… vernacular expressions of the local architectural precedents, and his manipulation of geometric solids and scale.” House by house, Garrison addresses each of these themes in turn: the influence of history in Okie’s work, his originality within the context of colonial revival style, and the importance of both comfort and graciousness in Okie’s vision. The book assumes knowledge of architectural history and terminology, and of the region and its architecture—a map and glossary might have made it more broadly accessible. Yet it has plenty of appeal for the Okie fan. The book is full of beautiful photographs and the stories behind the stones: how a family recreated a demolished Okie house with the help of a team of Okie enthusiasts; how one man’s account of the construction of his Okie home inspired a Cary Grant and Myrna Loy movie. (Oct.)