Clarinda SH is not a Kirkbride

I just find this thread an odd argument all around. Don't get me wrong I understand the points of the discussion and enjoy the opinions, but I could make arguments for all kinds of stuff being or not being a kirk. It just depends on your point of view. A prime example comes form the link for the Mo. Hospital No. 3 that I posted earlier. Not a kirk at all, not even a psych hospital, but in their application for protected status they sure made it out to be. At the core anyone making the argument has to decide what they feel makes it a Kirkbride plan building and what is essential for it to be one. A label is a label, to me it's the building and it's history that matters, so I guess I could care less if it was called a quasi-super-tunnel-conencted-ultra-pavilion-planned-transitional-Kirkbride (btw I am trade marking that name) or the big rock on the hill. I'd enjoy it for what it is either way.

OK folks check this out -

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This isn't a Kirkbride at all, but if you read the description on page 6 of the historic application they sure make it out to be. Building was 4 stories, brick, and X-shaped. The folks made the decision for Infirmary Building, MO. Hospitals No. 3, being a Kirk based design based on the 2 sex divided wings connecting to a central administration building, so I think it all depends on who gives the description and where they get the idea of what a Kirkbride is. There is probably no way to completely classify all of these buildings one way or another. Someone may believe they based their building on a Kirkbride design and they may have some of the elements correct, but if you nit pick the buildings enough I am sure you could argue even some of the Kirkbrides aren't Kirkbrides. The big question you have to ask is what does it need to have to be a true Kirkbride. What bare bones qualities need to exist to classify it one way or another.


Actually check out page 17 and their description of Kirkbride too. Kind of an interesting read.

Personally, I think the Kirkbride designation has been bandied about a little too much. (I'm not blaming or pointing my fingers at anyone) But I've seen people just take barely a look and then apply Kirbride plan to it without taking the time to thoroughly investigating the building in question.

Two things I just wanted to point out. I my research on PA hospitals I have noticed that sometimes the wording used to describe a floor in books and reports can be misleading because of the changes in language over the years. For instance it took me a little while to understand the floors at the Harrisburg Kirkbride, especially since for the longest time I had no photos. At Harrisburg the floor that is referred to as the basement is actually the first floor and the building actually had no basement, just some dirt tunnels the vents and heat pipes traveled through. The second floor was referred to as the main floor and the main entry was also on this floor. The basement at Harrisburg was indeed designed for patients and/or staff from the very beginning.

The other thing I wanted to point out is the areas of the buildings that join the wings. At Harrisburg and Davnille these are truly 4 floors. I have the blue prints to prove it. So what constitutes a 4 story kirksbride? Does the whole wing have to be 4 stories or not? Looking at the blue prints for Harrisburg it clearly has a 4th floor that was designed for patient use, but not the whole way across.

Harrisburg


Danville