The chamberlain's hall and workshop
The layout of the main house (fig. 419) is similar to that of
the Outer School. In both cases, the center hall is divided
by a median wall partition into two equal halves, each
furnished with its own hearth and louver; however, in the
Collective Workshop this partition extends across the entire
width of the hall and has no doors between the two rooms
thus segregated. Each has its separate entrance and exit,
yet both are designated by the collective title, "the chamberlain's
hall and workshop" (domus & officina camerarii).
The coupling of the denotation domus and officina makes
clear that the two center spaces of the Great Collective
Workshop perform the dual function of serving both as
living room and as supplementary work space.
It would be unreasonable to assume that the Chamberlain,
who was in charge of the work performed in this house,
also resided and slept there.[419]
His rank in the monastic
polity, had he shared quarters with the workmen, would
have called for a private bedroom with corner fireplace and
private toilet facilities, which do not exist in this building.
The Chamberlain either slept in the Dormitory for the
regular monks, or, more likely, shared the sleeping quarters
of the abbot, to whom he was closely attached not only by
grave responsibilities of his office, but also—at least in
some of the monastic orders—by certain specific duties of
a personal nature.[420]
The two central halls of the house,
designated as "the chamberlain's hall and workshop," are
the rooms where the chamberlain conferred with his craftsmen,
assigned workloads, and inspected the finished products.
They were also the place where the workmen, in their
hours of rest, could congregate around the open fire, prepare
and eat their meals.[421]
The designer of the Plan was aware of
the fact that the work performed in these rooms required
special lighting conditions, and he met this need with a
double set of louvers capable of flooding the interior of this
house with an abundance of light.
