Openings - Sash, Doors, Windows, & Shutters

Introduction

Any discussion of historic architecture would be incomplete without an examination of openings. The size, scale, design, and detail of a building's doors and windows are important to the sense of the individual building and to the visual texture of the district. For this reason, great care must be exercised when repairing existing openings and when designing new openings for both existing buildings and new structures.

The design and detailing of new doors and windows on existing buildings should recognize the fact that many stock elements are not suitable for historic structures.

The size and proportion of elements are often directly related to the architectural style of the building. Rules and conventions of design varied with building styles; thus, it is important that openings retain the character of their individual building.

Types of openings can also be identified with the various styles. Certain types came into fashion and later fell from fashion. Thus, it can be seen that it would be inappropriate to use an anachronistic opening type on a historic building. Often, the design of a building's openings offers the only clues as to the building's date and style. Important design features such as these must be preserved.

Doors generally open inward and are hung on the inner wall surface. Therefore, the wall thickness is expressed on the exterior.

Window insect screens were not used on early Vieux Carré buildings. If screens are necessary, they shall be installed on the interior/inside of the opening.

Rare or important examples of design or detailing should be preserved. The fact that these features have survived to now, testifies that they do not sufficiently impede contemporary function to justify their alteration or removal.

Hardware (hinges, hooks, locks, etc.) forms an important part of the character of historic openings. The selection of specific hardware designs should be carefully related to the type of sash that the hardware is intended to serve. Many modern "reproduction" hinges are grotesque caricatures of the types that they attempt to imitate. The design and use of hardware should adhere closely to other original Vieux Carré examples.

The use of bright, polished, lacquered brass hardware is discouraged as it was rarely found in historic architecture. Where brass is to be kept bright, it shall be done so by polishing.

Shutters are, by definition always operable. The practice of fixing shutters to wall surfaces is strictly prohibited. All shutters shall be hung on hinges of the proper type and design. Once this requirement has been satisfied, shutters may be fixed in the closed position or held in the open position with appropriate hardware.

The exterior use of plywood on historic buildings is prohibited with the possible exception of flat door panels.

As the use of quarter-round moldings is virtually unknown in 18th and 19th century architecture, the use of quarter-round and related "stock" moldings on buildings of these periods is discouraged.

Profiles of moldings offer very specific information on the date and style of details. For this reason, existing profiles must be matched exactly; approximations are not good enough. The Commission's Architectural Historian and Architectural Committee shall determine the correctness or appropriateness of molding profiles.

The specific size of individual building elements makes a very significant difference in their appearance. Small differences in size may be readily apparent, particularly when they constitute a large proportional difference.

Certain elements are limited in their size because of historical building conventions and 19th century construction technology. In some instances, changes in building technology have resulted in corresponding changes in the prevalent sizes of particular elements. An example of this would be glass window panes or "lights". Early glass was limited in size, but improvements through the 19th century led to the general use of larger lights. Thus, the use of improperly sized lights would be detrimental to the design of new sash for a historic building.

In general, it can be said that buildings of various styles derive much of their effect and importance from the fact that their various parts adhere to systems of scale and proportion that are unique to the respective styles. To tamper with these relationships can be detrimental to the sense of the building. Although the rules of scale and proportion for each of the many types and styles of buildings found in the Vieux Carré are too numerous to set down here, decisions are based upon the Commission's knowledge of Vieux Carré norms.

1. Opening Types
2. No Sash

   On some early buildings and on some service buildings of various dates, no door or window sash was used. Shutters were the only means of securing the opening. Sometimes,this lack of sash is important to the sense of the building. In such cases, no sash is preferred. If this is impractical, a single sheet of glass (tempered or laminated) may be mounted on the inside, preserving the sense of this type of opening.

3. Doors

   1. French Doors

      The most common exterior type of door in the Vieux Carré, French Doors consist of a pair of sashes, each having one or two panels at the bottom and a glazed section at the top. The earlier examples (before 1830) generally had a single bottom panel with many small lights above. Later examples often had two vertical bottom panels and fewer, larger lights above. French doors of various forms were used in buildings of virtually all styles, types and dates, but their specific design was (and should be) related to the specific design characteristics of the buildings on which they are located.

   2. Paneled Doors

      Most often found on American style houses such as the American Townhouse or Center Hall Cottage, solid paneled doors consist of rails and stiles which form a rigid framework; in the spaces between the rails and stiles, wooden panels are held in place by panel moldings. The width of the various rails and stiles, their arrangement,the profiles of panel moldings and panels are all determined by style, type and date. Appropriateness should be respected.

      Paneled doors are usually hung individually on the exterior.

      Some single paneled doors were glazed in their upper portion above the lock rail. Early and mid 19th century examples usually had separate glazed sections in each upper panel. Examples of this type are often found on service buildings. Later 19th century examples usually had one large single glazed panel above the lock rail.

   3. Store Doors

      Store doors are a type of sash used on commercial buildings. They resemble French doors in that they have a paneled lower portion and are glazed above the lockrail. The difference is that store doors incorporate a night blind or metal grille to cover the glazed portion. Grilles were permanently fixed and were usually reserved for warehouses or similar buildings. Night blinds were removable and were put in place at night and removed when the shop was open. Because of the rabbet necessary to told the night blind, and because doors of this type were often eleven or twelve feet tall, they were often very thick (on the order of 2 1/2"). Smaller doors were sometimes thinner, and details varied slightly because of the reduced thickness.

      The practice of attempting to simulate the appearance of store doors with a night blind rabbet by routing a groove around the glazed portion of conventional French doors is strictly prohibited.

      Store doors were used on buildings of the granite or cast iron pilaster column design. The doors were usually hung behind the columns with no visible frame and swung inward. The number of leaves per opening varied from two (2) to six (6). Multiple leaves were hinged onto one another. As store doors were equipped with night blinds, exterior shutters were never used with store doors.

   4. Carriageway Doors

      Usually a pair of heavy wooden doors hung on strap hinges and swinging inward, carriageway gates permitted access for vehicles to the rear of Creole Townhouses. Wicket gates or small doors for incidental pedestrian use were sometimes included within the larger gate. These large gates were often paneled and sometimes had open section with iron grilles in the upper panels. Arched openings usually had iron bars set vertically between the wooden transom bar at the top of the gates and the rounded head of the masonry arch.

4. Windows

   1. Casement Windows

      Casement windows, hinged on the side and mounted singly or in pairs, were typical in French influenced architecture as the use of vertical-sliding (up and down) sash was not common until after 1830. Thus, the introduction of hung sash into buildings which predate 1830 should be avoided. Because the use of casements is associated with the early years of the 19th century, each window is usually multi-lighted with generally small light sizes. Casement windows are only rarely found on later buildings, and then only in special cases.

      Because casements are associated with early styles, they must not be added to a building of a later date, as this is inconsistent and has the effect of "earlying up" the building.

      Casement sashes were always hung on the inner face of an exterior wall and made to swing inward. In no case should they be hung on the outside or swing to the outside on existing 19th century buildings.

   2. Double Hung Windows

      Double-hung (vertical sliding) windows were derived from a window form invented in Holland in the 17th century. Their use spread to England but was not widely adopted in France. Consequently, the early French influenced architecture of New Orleans did not use hung windows. When American colonial and national style trends began in local buildings, the use of hung sash became widespread. Because hung sash is so closely identified with post-French colonial styles (after 1825), its use should be limited to buildings of that period. Double hung sash are usually two equal sized sash, each with multi-lighted glass panes, with a window sill approximately 24" to 36" above the floor level.

   3. Triple-Hung Windows

      Triple-hung windows evolved from double-hung windows, but they differ in that they open to the floor. With no notable exceptions, the use of triple-hung windows was limited to the 1830's. Again, because they are so closely identified with a particular style/period, the should be preserved and/or restored where appropriate for the building involved. Also, their use should be limited to buildings where they are stylistically appropriate. Triple hung widows contain three (3) equally sized multi-lighted sash, which could all open to the top of the frame to allow passage through the window.

   4. Slip-Head Windows

      Slip-head windows serve the same purpose as triple-hung windows but superceded them. Their distinguishing characteristic is a pocket in the head section of the frame into which part of the bottom sash could slip. This allowed the check rail to be located above the midpoint of the opening so that when the lower sash was in the fully raised position, people could walk through the opening. Without the slip-head feature, an opening would have to be twice as high as the height needed for clear passage.

   5. Transoms

      Known as transom windows, these sashes are usually found in association with doors (either single of pairs). In true French colonial buildings, transoms sometimes occurred over pairs of casement windows, but, aside from the Ursuline Convent, no others have survived. A transom is simply a multi-lighted glazed sash located above the transom bar (horizontal element above door or window) and it is generally operable. This feature allows the doors to be kept locked while permitting ventilation through the open transom. Transom designs vary according to date and style, from simple rectangular sash with vertical muntins to elaborate designs. Round, segmental and elliptical transoms also are common. Rarely, carved or cast ornament was added to particularly fine transoms during the 1830's.

   6. Entresol Windows

      During the four decades following the fire of 1794, a number of buildings were built with what is known as an entresol level. This was a floor level just above the ground floor shop with a ceiling height of only a little over six feet. In most cases, this entresol was not expressed as a separate floor and was disguised as part of the first. This had the effect of giving the building a lofty proportion, since the principal floor, above the entresol, had a wrought iron balcony that was quite high above the street - higher than the first balcony would usually be. In order to get light and air into the entresol, the transoms of the first floor openings (usually round headed) opened into the entresol, with the floor level between the shop and entresol level corresponding with the transom bar.

   7. Frieze Windows

      This is a type of small window located in the frieze below the main exterior cornice in buildings of the Greek Revival style or others having a similar condition at the top of the front wall of the building. Their purpose was to give light and air to an attic floor. Glazed sash (similar to transoms) was employed, but occasionally, ornamental grilles were placed over the openings to make them more decorative.

   8. Vitrines

      A vitrine is a display window, generally projecting from the first floor street elevation of a commercial building. Occasionally, vitrines were conceived as integral parts of an original building design, but more often they were added at a later date by taking out the sash and shutters of the original ground floor opening and filling it with a three-sided glazed projection having a sheet metal roof and paneled base. Some vitrines are supported by heavy, ornamental wooden brackets projecting from the building face. Because of their high level of craftsmanship and detailing, vitrines are among the most charming of accretions. Their removal should be permitted only after careful consideration of their innate worth, their effect on the building (including aesthetic and structural considerations) and the functional aspect of retention and removal.

5. Shutters

   Shutters (or blinds) were used on Vieux Carré buildings. They are particularly suited to urban neighborhoods in a subtropical climate. Shutters are useful because they offer both protection from intruders and the capability of moderating the effects of the climate. As with other features of historic architecture, their forms were varied and underwent evolutionary and stylistic change. The type and detail of shutters is closely related to the age, type and style of the buildings on which they originally hung. For this reason, their design should be consistent with their location.

   The following is a descriptive listing of most of the types of shutters found on the historic buildings of the Vieux Carré:

   1. Batten Shutters

      The simplest form of shutter consists of vertical boards with battens nailed crosswise (horizontally) to hold them together. The outer surface of the boards is usually divided by vertical flush beads run onto the edges or flat surfaces at 4" to 5 1/2" on center. Batten shutters invariably hang on wrought iron strap hinges which are about two-thirds as long as the shutter is wide.

   2. Vertical Board/Rail and Stile Shutters

      From the exterior side, this type of shutter looks like the simple batten shutter - it has vertical beaded boards. On the other side, the battens are replaced by a frame of rails and stiles. These have the effect of dividing the back side into panels and create a finer, more finished shutter. These shutters are usually hung on strap hinges. As is true of the edges of battens, the edges of these rails and stiles are molded, or a separate panel molding is added at the joint between the frame of rail and stiles and the flat, recessed rear surface of the vertical boards that make up the front of the shutter. In some instances, the interior paneled area is filled in with a single flat panel which covers the interior surface of the vertical exterior boards or with diagonal boards flush with the surrounding stiles and rails.

   3. Paneled Shutters

      Paneled shutters consist of a frame of rails and stiles which support panels of wood that are held in place by panel moldings. In general, they look like small paneled doors. The size, profile and scale of each element is related to the style of the building. Shutters of this type may be hung on strap hinges or various types of butt hinges, depending upon the style and date of the building involved.

   4. Louvered Shutters

      Louvered shutters are most useful items because they afford privacy and a measure of security without preventing the free motion of air through openings whose sash have been left open. They also block the direct rays of the sun and can be closed up tightly to resist hurricanes and intruders.

      The more common early type of louvered shutter had fixed blades, Later, adjustable blades became common. Different types of butt hinges - depending upon the style and date of the building were used to hang the shutters.

   5. Breaking Shutters

      A type of shutter that came into use in the second, third and fourth decades of the 19th century is now known as the "breaking shutter"as no historical name is known. These solid shutters protect the large, arched openings on the first floor street facades of shop/residences of the Post-Colonial style. Their distinguishing feature is the fact that they employ a special strap hinge that has an extra knuckle (joint) about a foot from the main pintle (hinge) (which is driven into the frame of the door). This allows the face of the frame to be set almost a foot behind the front face of the exterior wall. A small section of shutter (about ten inches wide) is attached to the section of hinge between the pintle and the knuckle. When the shutter is opened, this section folds flat against the jamb (or reveal) of the opening. The larger portion of each shutter can then be folded back flat against the face of the wall. This detail gives expression to the thickness of the masonry wall, even when the shutters are closed. Therefore, while frames were ordinarily only relieved (set back) about two inches from the face of the wall, through the use of breaking shutters frames could be set eight to twelve inches in from the wall face.

      This type of shutter (or blind) invariably had vertical beaded boards on its outer surface, with a heavy frame of rails and stiles on the inside. Usually, the space created between the rails and stiles was filled solidly with beaded boards set diagonally, although a few examples with panel moldings and recessed flat panels may be found. The breaking shutter is only found on structures predating 1840.

6. Non-Historic Opening Types

   Occasionally, modern function requires openings not found in historic architecture. These may include garage doors, doors that must swing outward for safety or code reasons, specialized vents and other special conditions. The goal of the Vieux Carré Commission is to integrate these types of openings into buildings in such a way as to maintain the prevalent visual texture of the building and neighborhood. If an opening can be made to mimic a type of opening that could have reasonably existed on a particular building, then it may be desireable to do so. It should be understood that in some cases it may be impossible to make the desired change as the style or type of building does not lend itself to such modifications.

1. Security of Openings
3. History of Security Devices

   The earliest and most common security device in the Vieux Carré was solid wood shutters. The shutters were left open much of the time but were closed for protection against inclement weather and for security. Later louvered shutters provided this security while also allowing for ventilation.

4. Acceptable Devices

   In seeking solutions for privacy and protection, the history, style and design of the individual buildings must be taken into consideration.

   1. Wood buildings and one-story cottages historically had wooden shutters and wooden gates. Iron gates and ornate grillework are not permitted on the exterior of these buildings.

   2. The detailing of store doors should accommodate protective metal bars or wood panels (night blinds) between the face of the door and the location of the muntins. Store doors are discussed on page 21.

   3. Although decorative iron window grilles or guards evidently were not as popular in New Orleans as in Europe, there is precedent for their use locally. The Wickersham Catalog, published in New York in 1857, includes drawings of patterns for window grilles. Iron window grilles may be acceptable on the ground floor openings of commercial buildings where the use of shutters or night blinds is not appropriate, provided that they conform to the following:

      1. Where sufficient space exists between the window sash and the outer face of the window frame, the grille should be set within the window frame. Where sufficient space does not exist, the grille can be mounted either flush with the outer face of the frame or extending out no more than one (1) inch in front of the outer face of the opening;

      2. Iron window grilles must be attached to the window frame so as to allow their removal during business hours. Attachment of the grilles to the frames should be accomplished as simply as possible to minimize the visual impact of the attachment on the window frame and facade; and

      3. Grilles should be composed of woven metal "wire" or strands in either a simple diamond pattern or other appropriate 19th century design.

   4. On French doors which do not have the thickness or the recessed area to accommodate bars and on which shutters would not be appropriate, it is recommended that:

      1. Sash be glazed with heavy tempered glass,

      2. Protective bars be located on the inside face of the door/window sash, and

      3. The least conspicuous electrical warning devices be used.

   5. On doorways which have an exterior vestibule at least 18 inches in depth, simple metal bars/gates may be permitted at the front of the vestibule.

   6. Metal bars are not permitted on the exterior face of windows. When they are to be used, they should be installed on the interior side of the window, which provides a greater degree of security and safety than exterior installations