Page 25 - NyghtVision Magazine Volume 3 #2

4

C

1. Edmonston-Alston
House, 21 East Battery,
circa 1825-38
2. Sunrise from the
Ravenel Bridge
3. House on South
Adgers Wharf
4. John C. Calhoun
6 House, Meeting Street

5. House in the South
Battery area
6. Homes on East Battery

Images 5 & 6: The tension between functionality and excess. Builders often oriented their
Charleston homes so that the porches would catch the prevailing winds and provide some relief

in the sweltering summers. Consequently, many homes are not perpendicular to the street and
the porches are on the sides of the homes, like this house in the South Battery area (5). On the

other hand, the two mansions on East Battery (6) are square to the street and display a striking
contrast between the columned, rectangular porch and the sweeping semi-circular porch. These

homes appear to have been designed to make a statement about wealth and power.

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