Loggia Project

 

The four columns of the Ford House loggia are an important and recognizable element in Albert Kahn’s design of the home. Like the rest of the structure, the columns are masterful combination of old-world craftsmanship and early 20^th Century technology. While the exterior façade is made of 6” thick sandstone to imitate the look of Cotswold structures, the internal structure is made of 5-inch I beams. That marriage of materials has not been without problems, however.

 

Moisture wicked up through the sandstone, a relatively porous material, causes the metal infrastructure to rust. Rusting steel can expand to many times its size, with enough force to break the mortar joints and even the stone surrounding it. 

 

Cracks and splits in the stone covering the four Loggia columns are growing and need to be addressed.  In September 2007 National Restoration, under the guidance of Preservation Architect Elizabeth Murphy, from Chambers, Murphy and Burge, opened one column to examine the stone and develop the following repair plan.

 

Each stone around the columns will be carefully removed to expose the rusting steel.

The steel will be sandblasted, painted with a rust inhibitor, and wrapped for added protection. The stone will be replaced, preserving as many of the original stones as possible. Any stone that cannot be salvaged or repaired will be replaced with the same type of sandstone, custom cut for that space. However, Ford House’s first priority is always to maintain as much of the original material as possible.

 

During this repair, the area around the loggia will be protected. Each column will be structurally supported when stone is removed, to protect the steel beams from the increased burden. The windows and Samuel Yellin doors will be sealed to prevent the fine mortar dust from infiltrating the house. During cutting and stone removal, heavy barriers will be put up to protect the windows and door from any chips of mortar or stone that may be dislodged.