New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-12
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS BESIDES RENT
pApP rERREE POINTS OUT REFORMS NEEDED
N AMERICAN NOTIONS OF ARCHITECTURE
- 49,. rdi+or Of The Tribuno

BARR FERREE POINTS OUT REFORMS NEEDED
IN AMERICAN NOTIONS OF ARCHITECTURE
To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir. In your issue OF January 20 you make com
munication Of mine in a late issue OK Science "'e
bosis of an editorial on The American iu0" VI
Architectural in which you remark that lndoE'e tc
statement OF The Record and GUIDE that "thc
dominant conditions Of American architecture are not
those that make for the greatest beauty or the hlg
o., health or for charm. but for the largest return "
cash. While it is true that this does 10 IaIse cN
tent represent the American idea Of architecture,
am far from agreeing with the general dea Of lNo
Record and Gude7 which not only puts Iortn 'il'
view AS the essential Characteristic OF our
but rlores i'm it, and maintains that a builuls WHO"
docs mot make thc cash return the rental ana income
- the owner the foremost consideration sHouiu III
condemned as not fulfilling the architectural require
ments OF the day. .,,u,
II Is not to be denied that the income from o'.''
ing is a question OF the utmost importance, Uat
,alo II that when one Of the foremost OF our DuHu'is
pancrs deliberately states that 1t does not Ha'or INV
,, bindings are built how crowded the space Ho"
mall badly ventilated, nllightcd cold damp III"
bo,Itbfu they be- or whether they have any Sl"i''
ARRANGEMENTS at all. so long ms the owner o''''"'
hest possible rate Of interest on his Investment '
indeed has architecture reached point tla' s"0Ui
ovcr us with shame. Nor is this ALL for ihe i'cVou
and Guidep calmly maintains that SUCH questions ID
-, common sense usefulness and Intention are
,.tcuGcaut forces in American architecture anu ''
these factors. whose fundamental nature shoWu " -
-aICcvidcnt as TO need no demonstrations a." w
ubordnatcd to the great question OF cash. Inc uoil'
l. undoubtedly a most important FACTOR III oil 1
ear, onoratons. but surely the giving Of attention 10
b. environment the taking ADVANTAGE OF every Ia'.
,o,,,nstapcc even though IT be only twenty l'o
foot Iot il not incompatible with the hIse'' i'oi''
rotIrn under certain conditions
,,itocture i, more than this. II house is to be
,ood and satisfactory and comiOrtablc IoF 'l'c ''
:. mat exhibit certain phases Of utlllty ana oo'
voniepce without which 1t would De ulue'"'o'I ~
t,hatit II We may wish TO use us much IAN" 40
i,lo IN cover every available inch. 10 put as Wuch
civon area as can possibly be put thcre' Ou' ''e,'
. , limit NJ which the dollars refuse u CONF ''' "
l., c..v enough to direct an architect |" P'0P''O i
rr , building ON gwen site, but u l. a'o''.' H"
,io, f. Obtain tenants. Undc-iraoc o"'c' anu "P''
,, arr, rot AWAY, flied. aud the public Is not $40"
, n. practcal approval 10 these necessary con
,'.,- y,bich The Record and Guide ignores
=, , many modern structures these clements are
cr,,l.d You cannot. it Is true. fool all me puD'
u the time but. from the dissatisfaction VII" "''''
Lecture, that is 50 pronounced today that j. cAp'0
i'm all quarters aud is too frequently !u'tncn Al wv
,g, that have cost the largest sums ANA nave Oeeh
,,c,ted under the most intelligent supervision d,
,., ,,.t the art j, seriously at fault IA1 Fvo""
, ,,,de- docs not undertake to explain ih'' COZ
di,ion by the desire the part oi the owners 10 %
t ,t Greatest income from their buildings but put7
forth hi, idea a something to be o'MIV""''
Doubt whether an ARCHITECT urll paper o"'''Nc @>'
,,ld have the courage to make a statement oil ull'
tind-;o deliberately pass over matters ol a'' "'
,i,,tv,rd II Is certainly not satisfactory or coHpA
,,,or,orv IA find il stated By high an authority
with Us. 49,, ,,,,
feature Of our architecture. the sooner II Is iofHoUcl
the better The influence Of association Is ailper'au
D., .fftrp han IN Is.
n onr ucope nre to Doe crowded into unhealthy tehc
,e,.s II our business aud professional men are 10 be
condemned to HIushtcd. unventilated Offices our
l,scal future viii be such ~ to cause serious "pp1'
.enslon When plant!ropi-ta on one SIDE OF t.'e AZ
auc and 70 certain extent on both sides are bu,'td
with reform, for the poor ana providing Eood hc'"!'
clean dwellings. 1t is somewhat dis'oncerunS 20 h''
,,.rt.ahlc iourial-ouc concerned with architecture
and therefore presumably thoroughly IN touch WIN
the hc.t Views OF the mattcr-calmy stating tit ie''
, the ,oI, criterion. 10 which even health Is u D'
-lbofdinated. surely, II We arc TO give up healthy
buidmgs We may well give up architecture a'o-
-ctAcr. .
:, far as cxtcrioss concerned, do not tAiM u
can Zoe seriously questioned that Americans tmhA mo-.
~ the outside Of their house, uan Of what D., vim
IN I'D other grounds is it possible to cAp!aA the srll
Ii-.,.r. that b. attached to cNtcrOrs lu thc p'ilr
l.t. ,,,.,,-,l,fi paper, ana even professional IS
updf.nu- like that Ot she Arcllicctuihl L't'ur; II
Inc public cared iu tIc least Tor ar il''.''h d.
,,i.,'ueut IA u vas mtclc-. Cd DO con. Iu' i"l anu
blaming. II IL understood The comparative merits ."
il.u- oar architectural literature aud didNlh-- "'I'
Ice d.icrrut from what tucS are. They an ", shown
who're they can be seen. simply bc,a".' ilei "".l
not hc appreciated. In hi, day and generation ih'
want, ol the public cannot BE- to9 9"Ii.. @t'',"' 10.
,.i.c they have been m1uilc,i''i. IHcre i' "a "I-'
volume ~ evidence that the public f. Indifferent -
mi. phase OF architecture.
But is not altogether indifference In no conntry
Of tlr world j, that ola,, called the new rch' so
uucroa a, WIN U.s., The R2pgilato19, Of our l'.!
ccuia-c ol people who have become wealthy eudd-1y
They want 10 display their wealth, Win "A natural