The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-16
HARMONY IN BUILDINGS
Great Public Structures Should Not
Antagonize Each Other.
Some Wise Hints From the American
Institute of Architccts--A Great
Display of DrawinEs-The Pan-
American ExpOsItiOn-Miss Perrie
and Mr.. Lamnsure-Mr. yoss Here.

American ExpOsItiOn-Miss Perrie
and Mr.. Lamnsure-Mr. yoss Here.
| Last week was a busy and evertful
one in architectural circles. The Ameri-
| can Institute of Architects meeting hire
| following the Centennial celebration and
the exhibition of the Bingham Owens
! model of the proposed additions to The
White House in the Executive Mansion
| were important art events.
OF course. cannot express an opinion
| as to the excellence of that, model Of the
| for am not an expert in such matters.
That l am not is my own fault, for good
but misguided man, an honored member
| of the institute armed with the club OF
parental authority. kept me in an archi-
tect's Office till he got tired of the job.
Then / started out to become painter,
| and that alone l profess to be.
Aside from any technical questions,
speaking as a layman, may be permitted
| to say that the model as shown seems
to me a charming and appropriate solu-
| tion of the problem. Leaving, as it does,
| the old White House practically untonch-
ed, the additions lead easily to future
| palatial development OF the Executive
| Mansion which present conditions made
J imperatively necessary. The Pre- sident is
! the chief hired man-not the owner, as
kings are. Owners may be away from
their estates any length Of time, but the
| Overseer or superintendent must stay
| there and keep in touch with the men
under him. This to my mind is the az
| gument against a palace, purely social
| establishment, located ON the hill, or
| elsewhere far from the Executive Office.
| and l fancy the right kind of Presi-
dent would not want to depart from the
custom that has worked SO we'll for
hundred years.
Before the Institute, at the Columbian
University, last Thursday night, were
read number of interesting papers on
the problems architecturally which con-
front us at the opening of the twentieth
century. The papers were immensely in
strictive, but an unpleasant feature was
ar unexplained electric sizzling and
roasting that the stereopticon kept up
back of US while the speakers in front of
us roasted the Engineer Corps cOmpe-
titions and various other things which
the Institute does not like. This was all
right, and ! remained passive until they
began or the Library. One of the speak
ers rasped that numerically from the
gilded dome down. / came away with The
impression that the speakers idea was
that it should have been n bodybuilding
like the Census Office. I won't say he
was not right for he Is an architect and
am only painter-but the Library suits
me. l have seen all Of the important
buildings in northern Europe from the
Reichstag 20 the houses of Parliament and
il is more impressive than any, and tow
ering above the Library as the architects
of the Library intended it should, rises
the Capitol. magnificent and serene, the
most beautiful building on earth, fact.
however. one must travel abroad to fully
appreciate and understand.
At the Cosmos Club there was also an
impressive exhibition OF drawings from
the recent Phoebe Hearst University of
California competition. The view Of some
of those perspectives is from so high
an altitude that one positively grew dizzy
looking at them. They were altogether
bewildering, but the lesson / drew from
these great drawings was the Importance
of the adoption of some definite, concert.
ed plan for the entire city Of Washington
to be decided upon by the best obtain
able committee Of experts. and that Con-
gress should endorse II in such fashion
that other Congresses will not interfere
with the plan. Unless some. such scheme
is devised we will have city in 1000 not
harmonious and magniiicen. as was the
great Court Of Honor in '93-each building
and feature a compliment to the other
but a horrible condition growing worse
annually, like lower Broadway This is
serious matter, and one advanced by
the Institute which even Iayman could
1t is worth noting that there never was
SO formidable and unanimous opposition to
O Government proposition as the united
protest to Congress by the various art and
architectural associations throughout the
entire country, recently sent asking for
| a commission to act on this White House
question.
The Fine Arts Union OF Washington
D. c., composed of delegates from the
Washington Chapter of the American In
stitute of Architects. the Society of Wash
ington Artists, the Washington Architec-
tural Club. and the Washington Water
Color Club all recommend that this COM
mission be appointed by the President of
the American Institute of Architects, the
President of the National Sculpture So
ciety. and the President of the National
Academy of Design, and respectfully re-
quest Congress to take the necessary ac-
ton to legaliZe such a commission.
The Fine Arts Union Of New York is
more modest in its request. and shows
commendable confidence In the President.
It's request is couched in the following
terms:
1.-The Fine Arts Federation of New York
is in entire sympathy with this protest,
and desires to support IL in every way.
1t feels, however, that It wo-.!d be pref
| cradle to have the appointment of com
missioners made by the President of the
United States from lists furnished him by
the presidents of the American Institute,
the National Sculpture Society, and Ma
tional Academy OF Design
Before seeing the completed model OF
the BinghamOwens design. as member
of the local Fine Arts Union, voted for
that protest, and do not regret doing so.
That is my confidence in the Institute-as
a body of experts. II they think the pro-
test wise, wise 1t is. for am only
layman who does not hesitate to remind
them that painting is not their field when
he finds them encroaching upon 1t.
At the Octagon House was also most
interesting display of drawings, from
which the great Pan-American Exposition
at Buffalo Is being built.
There were superb perspectives by F.
Hopkinson Smith, Hughson Hawley. and
other artist interpreters Of architectu-