New-York tribune., 1867-02-19
THE ARCHITECTS AND THE POST-OFTICE
COMMISSIONERS

tectural commissions, the world over, that
almost every attempt to get good design for
any proposed public structure by means of an
open competition has signally failed, deter
mined TO take different method of obtaining
what they wanted The terms offered by the
War Department for designs for the new offices
it intends building for itself having been rejected
in advance by the architects, and the State OF
New-Yorl having Jared no better, in its
attempts to get a design for the Capitol
at Albany; the Commissioners for the
New-York Post-O Office determined to shift the
burden of responsibility, so far as they could,
from their own shoulders to those of the
architects. And accordingly, without offering
any terms of their own, they asked these gen.
tlemen, by means of a public advertisement to
tell them in plain words what action they
should take, in order to secure their cO1pera-
ton. They did not wish to offer terms that
were pretty sure to be protested against, as
those of their brother Commissioners had been; ;
they preferred that, this time, if there were
any protesting to be done, it should come from
them, and not from the architects.
This way of dealing was thoroughly sensible
one, and, we may add, not a little adroit. The
architects, too by their way of meeting it, showed
that their motives in rejecting tie terms pre-
vously offered by the War Department and
the State of New-Yo had been, simply, re-
spect for their profession, and justice to them
selves. They had no desire to force the public
to come to their terms nor were they IN any
such need of work as made it necessary for
them to accept the terms of the public. All
they asked for was that their profession might
he recognized, and that in calling for their
services, the public should understand
that it must pay for the time, labor,
and skill, expended in its behoOf. By
the usual terms of every "open compel-
tom all the architects but the successful
one throw away their time and money, ana 1t
is n chance if the one whose plan Is adopted,
after pocketing or paying away for expenses
the small sum awarded him, does not find the
execution of his design intrusted to some other
architect, or to some contractor, who in nine
cases out of ten, adds insult to injury by alter
ing it past recognition, and claiming the manned
bantling as his own. All sorts of abuses have
crcpt into the management of "opcn compe-
ttions,r and it is for good reasons that archl-
tects of ability and position have come 20 the
determination TO have nothing more to do with
them. No one who has looked into the ques-
ton can deny that in doing so they have con-
suited, not only the dignity of THEN profession.
but its highest interests, material and intel
lectual.
The New-York Commissioners, then, seeing
for themselves that by this plan of an "Open
competition" they could never secure suitable
design for the Post Office, asked the architects
to say what better plan they had to offer; and
the Institute of Architects Immediately called Il
meeting to discuss the matter, and give Well
considered answer. The meeting was an un-
usually full one some twenty being present; /;
and the spirit in which the discussion was con-
Quoted proved them actuated by no small or un-
worthy spirit, but by an honorable interest in
the public welfare. AS the result of their de-
liberatons, il was agreed, unanimously, that
the best plan for the Commissioners to
pursue would be TO select n certain number of
men whose works have proved them to be good
architects, and ask them to furnish sketches
not finished drawings, but sketches, OF de-
signs for the Post Office, showing the building
in perspective, and giving the plans of the sew
eIal stories All these designs are to be paid
for-the same sum for each-and one of them
selected by the Commission. The architect
whose design is preferred should be engaged
to carry it into execution, and he be paid
Der cent on the first 100000 of the estimated
cost, and per cent on all necessary
expenditures over that amount There
was some debate on the question, what
sum should be fixed on, as the lowest
for which the architects representing the In
stitute would agree to make designs in case
they were called upon, but it was at last
settled without dissent at $4,000; sum which
to those who know what an amount of thought
and experience, to say nothing of actual labor,
is implied in making design, worthy of the
name for a great public building, will seem
very moderate.
1t was further understood that while this
course was recommended to the Commissioners.
and while the corporate body of architects de-
clined furnishing designs on lower terms, it
was not intended to intimate that no design
could be procured except from them. One
might be sent in by a man little known, or,
indeed, not known at all, which would COM
mend itself to the Commission, and to the pub
lie, as the best and in order to give an 0ppOr-
tunity for any such piece of good fortune, The
Institute suggested in addition that at the SAME
time, with the selection of the limited number
of names, there should be another competition,
an open one, to which all the other arehi-
tects might be invited and prizes given to
the three Of those who should send in the
best designs
We confess, we thought this recommendation
not 80 wise us the other. Wesaw no middle course
between CD open competition with invitation
to the whole body of architects, and payment
made for every design sent in; and 90 a selec-
ton 0f certain limited number of men deemed
cnmnetcllt with nnYment 10 each one for his