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provision for ventilation. The part of such a basement nearest the window may possibly
be regarded as almost coming within the minimum requirements of a satisfactory office,
but to such a contention I should only give grudging approval. When such an office is divided
into two by a partition, running parallel with the front wall, the back office is, in my opinion,
quite unsuitable, as it possesses neither light nor satisfactory ventilation. A sketch makes the
position clear and in the following there will be recognised two offices, A and B, which have
been arranged out of one common basement room. The middle partition is glazed half-way
down and the office B therefore receives no light except that borrowed from A, and no ventilation,
except the air received from the passage, or the used air from A as it passes through B
into the passage. (Sketch Plan III.)
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sketch plan III.
A nearer approach to satisfactory conditions is shown in sketch IV., in which the basement
window is a large one and opens on to a capacious area lined by glazed brick. Ventilation
and lighting are improved by this device so far as an office opening on to the area is concerned,
but obvious objections would exist to this office being divided into two as in plan III.
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sketch plan iv.