The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-01-21

LOOKS Be 7 TER
Architect New
comb Finds
New Vistas.
Brings Back New Ideas
for Buildings in
Hawaii.
Tendency of The East Now Runs
to English Gothic
Style.

E. A. P. Newcomb, the architect, whc
returned on the Siberia from a year:
absence spent mostly in the Eastern
States, observes many changes for the
better in the appearance Of Honolulu
There has been a great improve
the streets were badly torn up for the
installation of the Rapid Transit tracks,
Uttered with building material, and
| things in general had an appearance
| of incompleteness. Now the bare
spaces are covered with new struc-
lures or are grassed over, and in many
directions the vistas are very beauti-
full
Mr.. Newcomb found time while away
to study the changing ideas in architec-
ture and observed that the architecture
of the United States was growing bet
ter every year. The architects show
more taste in designing and people are
displaying greater interest in beauti-
flying their grounds than formerly.
There was a time when a fine lawn
surrounding a home was the piece de
resistance" said Mr.. Newcomb yester-
day. "Now they have Italian gardens
and the formal gardens of England
are finding much favor in the East
Even in small areas the home-makers
are endeavoring to do something with
their property besides merely building
a beautiful house, and architects now
adays enter largely into completing the
picture with grass, flowers and trees.
OF course an Italian garden without
good architecture to accompany it. is
impossible
I'm New York the French modern
lied style of Louis XIV and XVI, both
in business blocks and in residences, is
the vogue. In Boston they generally
seem to stick more to the classic de-
signs, although in business blocks the
style has to be- modified in order to
carry them up to the great heights
now demanded by owners.
I'm residences there is a growing
tendency to the English Gothic type.
think they are building in much BET
ter style than formerly. The English
Gothic type goes back to the time of the
Tudors, or, more specifically speaking,
to the Eliza bethan age. One of the
features of these buildings is the large
bays; another is a great terrace I'M
covered with a balustrade to it. That
terrace is generally the beginning of a
formal garden.
'In school buildings I think they have |
shown, in the East, particularly, a ten |
1ency to disregard styles of architec- |
.ure, to erecting their buildings to fit i
heir requirements although from an |
standpoint they do have |
some standard style, but the great
mass are building schools without
much regard to any particular style.
"Tn California, especially in the |
outhern part, some very fine buildings
lave been erected in the old mission
lyle. This is a very practical and de-
irable style for that climate. Any |
f these types could be well adapted TO
UGH a climate as Honolulu possesses.
1.-THE Queen Anne style was about the
worst we have ever had, but it served
is purpose in an architectural way.
about that time people began taking
nore interest In architecture, and the
of the Queen Anne period in
ur own country was to develop better
ieas of building. Where the commu-
ity is interested in architecture, they ]
re apt to have beautiful buildings ;
rected.
''I stopped off at ST. Louis, on the
-ay home. Some of the great build
lgs of the Exposition are really very
ne. The majority of the buildings {
artake more or less of the French {
.yle. which is modernized form Of
lie classic T