Stereotomy and L’Art du Trait: The Guitarde as a Case Study

Abstract

One example of the combination of structurally sound construction techniques and attention to pleasing aesthetics can be seen in the guitarde, an elaborate type of dormer that was developed in the Loire Valley in France during the eighteenth century. Although the traditional methods of joinery are still taught and practiced, their use in contemporary guitardes is uncommon. Historic preservation work and the insights provided by the construction practices employed in buildings being preserved may give us a new perspective, providing a more holistic and profound approach to sustainable architecture than is allowed by an exclusive reliance on new technologies.