New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-06
THE CENTENNIAL BUILDING.

Considered az arfair show Of what our Amer
lean architects capable of in the way Of designing
such building needed for the Centennial Exhib
on building do not think The collection OF plans
which Is now being sifted by the Committee in Phila
dephia very satisfactory. Speaking without any
prejudice and after carefai examination OF
the 81 designs that have been sent IN, we
ma only one that presents any real novelty
IN conception combined with thorough adaptation
10 the purposes of the structure to be erected This is
the so-caled Pavilion plan which have already
tialy described In The TRIBUNE. The author Of this
uosgh mas not In the opinion OF some persons, given
suincient attention 70 the building but
cannot De denied that the interior has been
Iuy studied and that IL meets in very satisfactory
manner all the requirements OF space air light ventils
tiou ana varied picturesque effects OF perspective.
"o as LOT the external appearance. there Will not be
the shgrest difficulty In accenting different points.
particularly by carrying up the roof OF the central
paVhon' II necessary into a dome loftIer than its fell
Io"s-ih producing marked effect is desired.
But what mas particularly Interested this plan
rom the start IL this very point which the
rhnadeipha journals. in their very well written
articles on the subject have pitched as a defect.
Inc author OF this design is almost the
only one who has thrown himself entirely into
tne WORK OF perfecting the internal disposition OF the
Omlung' IN making that the essential thing was
secureu ana has by this, by nothing else assured
that' whoever he may be- he understands business
thoroughly We by means wish be understood a.
m.maungth because the other gentlemen-and ladies'
VINO nave sent in designs have given attention 20
tue outsdes OF their buildings than to the insides that
they do not understand their business Only they have
Yielded ana We wish they had nj, the popular taste
"hich Always thinks last OF how we'll a building is
adapted 10 It's uses. and first OF how much show it
makes And. therefore, since ourselves the question
OF adaptedness non-adaptedness in such matters is
"A
plan which seems to quite perfect this respect and
which has originality. and picturesqueness aud state
Illness beside.
IL las Deon made objection TO many OF the plans
presented, that they like the other OF the
former Exhibition buildings But they may reasonably
copy something good, unless they originate
thing better. Tho fanlt are Obliged to find with
them Is that the of them have been eontented TO
repeat the faults OF the former buildings that in too
many Instances what they have added OF their is
not an Improvement. Now the Pavilion plan il
certainly not open to the objection that it
copy OF any other building and 1t is recommends
ton that 1t has not tried be original by playing any
fantastic architectural tricks. Everything about it is
plain common-sense and the fine effects that-as may
seen by the excellent mode-wl be produced are the
result Of very simple combinations. One point we
missed In describing the Pavilion plan the other day
which is Of signal Importance. At that time we had
not had the opportunity Of studying che model. The
piers from which the ribs OF the domes spring
solid but open and each Of them contains
feet square These courts designed TO be planted
with flowers, and 10 have fountains, while effect at
once peculiar and splendid will be produced by a
calcium light in each. or IN many
OF them as will be necessary TO make the building
light by night as by day. In every building where
dome vaulting supported by PIERS these piers
be solid in proportion 70 the work they have
10 do, and consequently n large portion OF
the Light In the building must be absorbed. Yet
here have assembage OF domes and courts OF
ceptona size supported by piers that do not obsruct
the light the vision TO any appreciable extent. No
building OF this character that has been built up the
present time allows Of such extended views in many
directions
We are so far rom taking pleasure in the fact that one
Of the many designs that have been sent in is of excep
tional excellence. that consider misfortune; and
cannot help adding that IL Is not very creditabe.
This is splendid opportunity and thus far the details
~ competition have been we'll managed by the Com
mItee There lack Of architectural ability in our
country though glad much of II has been
shown on this Pavilion plan, wish il had not been 30
easy for - seem the best.