The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-12
FUTURE ARCHITECTURE.

An interesting and carefully considered
article by w. NJ. Conway in the London
! Chronicle on the present style of architec-
ture and system of construction in that
city, closes with a forecast concerning the
architecture of the immediate future that
suggests a much greater departure from
the old order of things than has ever been
preached by any one of equal authority in
such matters, and gives reason for believ-
ing that the civilized man of the future
will be housed almost as cheaply as the
South Sea Islander and as superbly as
Roman Emperor.
Basing his argument upon the records of
history, which show that new conditions
of life have never failed to produce new
STYLES of architecture developed from a
blending of the preceding orders of con-
struction, the writer asserts the forces now
in operation will necessarily produce a
house structure widely different in some
respects from that which now prevails, and
yet a natural development of it. Improved
means of transit have already materially
changed the aspect of cities, and this
change will continue until the city of the
future will consist of a compact nucleus
composed OF buildings from fifteen to
twenty stories high, with a wide area of
suburban villas extending for many miles
around it. Along with this will come in
cessant alterations in buildings of all kinds
to meet the demand for new improvements
and the continuous shifting of the popula-
ton. These forces create a need for build
! ings that can be rapidly erected, easily
altered and moved without great cost.
1t appears certain, therefore, the mate
rails OF the future will not be those of the
past. Stone, wood and brick have had
their day. Steel orders and concrete or
terra Gotta are becoming more and more
common for buildings of all kinds, and it
seems likely that in the future they may
| have to give way to aluminium and paper.
The masterpieces of architecture at the
Chicago Exposition show what the future
may do in the way of palaces "lifting to a
transient summer, paper walls" Such
structures will line the streets of future
cities and show magnifcence unparal-
leled, as well as a convenience which for
mer generations never dreamed of.
Looking forward" says Mr.. Conway,
ITO the possible future of architecture in
a world of powers enlarged by science, and
taste renewed by the return to nature that
marks our day, it is a pleasant and not I'M
healthy diversion to launch forth in
thought to the coming era and behold the
cities that are to beetles of great houses.
wide avenues and large open spacesz-glori-
| fed Chicagos at all the crossroads of the
highways of the earth. Inevitably in them
the house of the individual must be
merged, as is already SO largely the case
lin some form of collective abode" He
then goes on to urge the London Common
Council in its work of municipal develop
ment to construct row of buildings of
this kind through one of the slums it is
clearing out, and it is not impossible that
something of the kind may be undertaken.
Strange as it may appear, therefore, the
! feeting glory of the magic city by the lake
may assume a more permanent form in
the old gray city by the Thames and a new
Chicago rise to take the place of fast van
ishing London.