A neck gable is a gable in which the upper, central part rises above the rest as a narrow, rectangular projection — the “neck”. On either side of this neck are decorative scroll pieces (klauwstukken) that fill the step down to the lower sides. The type is characteristic of Dutch urban architecture of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Features
The neck gable can be recognised by a number of fixed elements:
- The neck — the rectangular raised centre section, often crowned with a pediment or an ornamental vase
- Scroll pieces — the decorative, often S-shaped carved pieces that bridge the sides left and right
- Pediment — a triangular or segmental crowning element on top of the neck
- Hoisting beam — almost always present, to lift goods up to the attic
Applications
The neck gable is chiefly used on:
- Canal houses in cities such as Amsterdam, Haarlem, and Leiden
- Merchant houses, whose ground floor and upper floors served as living and storage space
- Restoration and reuse of historic town centres, where the gable is preserved as a defining monument
The neck gable succeeded the older stepped gable and preceded the wider, more classical cornice gable. The choice of gable type often says something about the period in which the building was constructed. Many neck gables are protected as listed monuments, meaning changes to the façade require a permit.
Related terms
- Gable
- Stepped gable
- Scroll piece
- Pediment
- Cornice gable
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