Model Dwelling-Houses

This guide was written to complement the architectural and engineering showpieces of Edinburgh's 1886 Exhibition of Industry Science and Art.

Written as an accompaniment to the 1886 International Exhibition of Industry Science and Art in Edinburgh, Sir James Gowans' architectural guide describes the construction and design of the model tenement building on display. The book also features chapters on a commemorative sundial, the Memorial Mason's pillars, and electric trams.This detailed guide to the model tenement building displayed at Edinburgh's International Exhibition of Industry Science and Art in 1886 was first published in that year. A prominent figure in Scottish architecture and engineering, Sir James Gowans (1821–90) designed and built railways, roads, and stone houses during his long career, including a model village in West Lothian named Gowanbank. His intention in designing tenement buildings was to produce a standardised model that would make homes more affordable. This short book considers the tenement designs, including the situation of staircases, drainage, materials, and the mode of construction. Gowans' book also features chapters on the Prince Albert Victor Sundial, built to commemorate the opening of the exhibition by the prince, the Memorial Mason's pillars erected in Edinburgh, and the Electric Tramway. Gowans was made Lord Dean of Guild of the city of Edinburgh in 1885.