The dictionary program on my iPhone alerts me daily to a”word of the day” The other day it came up with”opuscule,” a word I had never before encountered. It turns out to be a derivation of the Latin term, opus (a bit of literary or musical work, like in Mr. Holland’s Opus). And, just like in Spanish where you could add”ita” to any noun to imply the diminutive of the noun, an individual could add”cule” in Latin to achieve exactly the same result. So”opuscule” literally signifies”diminutive work” or, in this interpretation, a little, endearing literary or artistic composition.
There’s a long tradition of architectural opuscule, particularly in general and residential design. By way of example, there are the garden follies of those 19th-century landscapes. In more recent times, there are observation towers, tea houses, garden sheds, detached garages and much more. What they all have in common is their size and endearing quality.
So next time you begin to plan a new project, be it a new house or garden play area, consider your own opuscule and, like always, have fun.
Britannia Joinery
An opuscule may be a little, detached escape set at the border of the garden. A fine spot for studying, painting, writing or just getting away from it all.
Birdseye Design
An opuscule may be an open-air structure nestled in the woods to take in the opinion. Possibly a tiny wood-burning stove or fireplace adds just the ideal amount of heat for comfort.
Bosworth Hoedemaker
Just like a 19th-century folly, this observation tower stands aside from the main property. Whereas the home is all flat, hugging the earth, the tower is all vertical…
Bosworth Hoedemaker
… to indicate an individual existence on the property in addition to provide a vantage point from which to view the landscape.
STUDIOS Architecture
Perhaps the opuscule is really a grand spot to gaze at the skies, rather than the landscape.
Greif Architects / LIVING ARCHITECTURE
An opuscule doesn’t need to be costly. A simple box similar to this may make a grand gesture.
Ana Williamson Architect
Detached garages can readily be made into little and endearing functions. All that is needed is careful attention to detail.
Castro Design Studio
An opuscule can begin as an easy storage shed that’s incorporated and in tune with the surrounding architecture.
K C Wood Custom Homes
Though an opuscule is typically small…
K C Wood Custom Homes
… it could live large.
Keith Willig Landscape Services, Inc..
An opuscule may be a children’s play set with the simple inclusion of a roof and railing to specify and enclose the distance. The inclusion of a little chair completes the transformation of this distance by a pass-through into a destination.
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