 It
started out as a way to disguise the iron post that once held a basketball hoop on the south end
of the driveway. That led to the idea of building a bird house
to put on top of the pole. Then, as the planning and
ideas went wild, it seemed a better idea to simply have an
architectural
feature in miniature -- without the birds.
During a
Nebraska heat wave in July 2005, we built a model of a
half-timbered house that we saw on a visit to Germany. The
main structure was made of scrap plywood. The timber and
window details were painted. The slate shingles were
made of 1-inch squares of rubber inner tubes. |
| Inspiration
|
|
Das
Spitzhäuschen
Bernkastel
Marktplatz
Mosel River Valley, Germany
 The
model house is
inspired by the Spitzhäuschen
(the Pointed House) in the little village of
Bernkastel
on the Mosel
river of southern German. Just off from the
picturesque Medieval Market square with it's 400 year old
half-timbered 
buildings, is a little house built in 1416
that looks as if it is ready to fall over. It's a classic jewel of rustic middle class
building of the Middle Ages. It is a prime example of a vintner’s house with its
wine cellar, and overhanging upper stories topped by a high
loft. |
|
