New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-20

L
,,,ov STAFF CORRESPONDENT or THG rEHrNE.l
c,,,.co Feb IA. | s9S-It Is not alone for con-
N,.nce that IN this view of the Fair buildings
~. later have been separated into three parts or
IN. There reasons for such d classification
s.hsrent In the buildings themselves. Aside from
luz. di.oosition in Jackson Park. which permits
a., lines OF dcmarcatiOn TO be drawn as | have |
s.swo them. their characteristics are such that
..h If the three divisions sustains clearly |
e' "rted individuality in the general scheme Around
=. .ourt OF honor. which has already been de- |
'".hed number Of the principal buildings of the |
,ostion have been erected under the inspiration |
.n. .,vle and that the style Of Greece, derived
:. wav Of Itay After all the French details in |
~. administration Building, all the Spanish in
,...hnerv Hall. and all the Roman in the Liberal |
49,. Ruil1inc and Agricultural Building have been
..d,t.d along with others unnecessary TO specify,
y. court architecture still retains the epithcts
,n,ied 70 it: il is academic. classic. The build
~. NJ the second division were cmancipated by
N. nature OF their sites from the rigid Journalism
:, ,ha court The lagoon of irregular shape, with
a. island, places sufficient space between the
TRANSFORMATION. Horticultural and Women's Build
,,,. on the west and the Fisheries and Govern
msr, Buildings on the east. for all those
.,,uc,ures 10 have been designed with considerable
,,.adom AMI, except that the Liberal Arts Build
;,c extends It's northern and western facades
.r,onr Them and thereby recalls the severity of
IN. court 10 which it properly belongs. the I'M
,.s.on the second division leaves is of more in
s.nsndsnt STYLE in each building and because
..,,oin stvles have been chosen. of romantic
..,hsr than classic ensemble. Penetrating the
..;,a and last division-for the Midway Plaisance,
=. eourlomeration of panoramas restaurants glass
..,or;as FsanimauX Dahomean, German, Turk
;.h Fast Indian and other villages. which lies
;n., outside the Park comprises nothing that
mo. within the scope Of these articlcs-the anti
1910 ~ the first division is reached. Here the
a., Rnildinr design in pure Grcck, is sur
,ornded BY numerous State buildings in diverse
tics and placed in the closest proximity to each
,hsr This is on the whole, the lawless, unsym-
marcal division OF the Fair. II has no one dis
,;noui.binc architectural note its individuality is
chat Of extremely complex pcturesqueness But
4, INNS, ne remembered that il contains only one OF
the main buildings Of the Fair
The TRANSFORMATION Building, designed by Messrs
Adler and Sullivan. a structure measuring 200 py
ooo feet of which the main facade looks upon inc
southwest angle Of the lagoon is really mastery
.aan,ation Of architectural motives to the needs
~ situation which could not have been other
-, ,h,n embarrassing This building shares,
Vit
.ommodatinr exhibits of peculiarly immense size
sra weight. and like that building. with which,
hr a happy arrangement, it is grouped at It's
.or,hsrr cnd il would have belied its purpose had
4, hsen given an exterior expressive OF anything
hut sheer strength As was pointed out In con-
n.c,on with soIne of the court buildings however,
great length and breadth Of plan. combined WIN
very moderate height. do not present very la'or-
ahe conditions for the composition OF massi'c
faeadee But rule of this sort, ike moeo ruieS'
IA uroved by an exception In the present 0'''
Tho TRANSFORMATION Building furnishes the eXcep-
,ion. furnishes it better than the Mines bulidihe
in which similar problem was attacked pu,
which il Of much smaller dimensions Inc iounu
arch Of wide span, unadorned on It's lace anu WI
BY fat piers, can be made TO suggest Tremendous
deeree Of strength. This motive has oeen u'iii~e'
!, the Transportation Building, and TO increase
the sense of inert resistance the big piers nave No
bases nor have the small columns between 'henp
Witch serve as mullions for the large windows
rh,cb they inclose bnt piers and columns DOM
,,o,v out Of a great unornamented and almost I'M
h,,,.n haze about eight feet high. wide cor
,,c. overhancs tn, long line Of arches. and ABOVE
mi. cornice. set considerably back from us eoee'
tb.r. rises an attic story Of small and similarly sim
nj, arched openings, also glazed In the centre OF
IN. attic's roof an octagonal tower OF d lie" iee'
IN heicht is in turn rooted by dome. IL Is d
newt ~ RI. composition that the transition from
the bold and heavy arches Of the lower story 10
the lighter lines Of the attic Is managed 30 '"a'
the suggestions Of lightness and heaVliess meet
and are interfused. And equally orililant are '''e
decorative contrivances resorted 10 LOT tic rem
,orcamont Of the effect which the constructiona
lines produce color everywhere ana n @an,r ~,
ornament wherever ornament is admissible Inc
=; hora =,
piers and walls. and saves them from having
torb;darr annearance. The latter. being flat and
,r,,;c.t. riyes variety to these surfaces here ana
there-and is even sumptuous when applied IaN-
isblv as al the main entrance without 1mpar'lhS
the too forcible sharply defined effect which deco
ration in high relief would have added' 10 'i'e
dctriment of a design that is in essence s'nip'c
The Golden Doorway shown in the llius'ra'ioi
is the glory of the building, and, as far as 'he
architects are concerned, il is so deservedy' nav
ING once commissioned the bas-rellefs winch III
the tympanum over the door. and the paheis OH
either side of the latter. they could no' perhaps
have done anything to suppress them ai~' '"e'
irredeemable badness had been dlsco'crcn' AN"
the heroic portco. with its arches ocno''"S 80
strength. they have beautihed as tactfuly as they
have n,ot,.s,r tho nlain belts between the re-
eesed arches and framing the spandrcis' "i'ic"
Az. tbsmsolves iudiciously left plain. keeping The
luxuriant Oriental arabesQucs used from over
weighing the feature No other portion oil ''iS
buldinc is decorated with the same spiendor' out
as on the cornice and on each pier where the cap'
tai would be- mad columns been empioyeu' '"e'e
10 rich ornamentation the contrast oe'ween '1 ;
centre of the building and the rest OF It's l'on' l.
not too strong =
The Transportation Building is the only one o.
tie greater structures on the grounds w''.on -
highly colored Not only will its main eh,'"nSs
h . polychromatic blaze. but the en'irc cen '',
heven now of brilliant terra Gotta nue. anu WI
pshaps be given additional touches o' oo,y,