Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-10-20
ERECTING A CATHEDRAL.
Intricate Problems That Hare 60 II
Solved by the Architects.


Intricate Problems That Hare GO Ne
solved by the Architects.
Some idea OF the magnitude OF the
task OF building the Cathedral of st.
John the Divine on Morningside
heights, New York, is conveyed IN the
fact that the model Of a portion OF II.
on the scale of one inch to a foot. cost
In the neighborhood OF $4,000 and took
more than three years to complete. In
rough dimensions this model is fifty
feet long twenty-eight feet wide and
thirty-five feet high. Ii represents the
choir and chancel OF the cathedral with
part OF the crossing, and the exterior
shows a portion of the roof and the
eastern frontage, including the Bel
mont and other chapels. There is room
for stout person to stand in the choir.
and II the nave of the cathedral were
completed In the model il would make
q very comfortable sitting room.
The model was begun when work on
the cathedral was in contemplation. It
was intended as working model and
not for exhibition. The architects.
Helms & Lafarge, had it constructed
section by section in their studio
downtown. The sections were careful
" studied and were frequently altered
along with the plans. 1t was q slow
construction. Here a pillar was made
and set In place, there a section of
wall, and as each bit was added the
architects studied the result. Numer-
GUS changes were made as the work
progressed, for many things that seem
satisfactory and harmonious in the
diagrams prove to have technical disad.
vantages when they come into exist
ence and when the varying effects OF
light and shade are first practically
demonstrated.
Changes suggested by the model, of
course, necessitated changes in the
plans, aud, though the original ground
plan for the cathedral has been adj
hered to, elevations have been altered
so extensively that to the layman the
later plans seem strikingly different.
In devising such improvements and re-
finements the model is an indispensa-
BILE aid.
AT first the architects confined their
attention largely to the interior of the
choir. The exterior OF the model con-
sisted OF great blotches OF plaster, re-
sembling some unsightIy white mess
dumped into the studio. As the work
progressed, however, the thing grew
until It practically filed the room from
wall to wall, and persons were barely
able to squeeze about At this juno
ture some members of the building
committee Of the cathedral who had
been looking Mt the model suggested
that the outside be finished and that Il
be then placed on public exhibition.
The architects were In an odd dilem-
ma. They could not complete the
monster mosel In the cramped quar-
tiers of their studio and no place large
enough for 1t was apparently avail
able. About the only buildings suit
able In point OF size were the CITY
armories, and the cathedral building
committee was not able to hire any one
or these. Finally some thought of the
old orphan asylum building on the ca
tbedFal grounds. As there was no
room in the old building high enough
to contain the model, two rooms were
transformed into one lofty chamber
by cutting away the flooring between.
Then the building, which had long
a proper entrance to the Exhibition
room. To remove the whole model
from the studio downtown was i'm
possible without knocking away a DOR
ton OF the wall OF the building, so Il
was sawed into sections and trans
ported up to the old asylum, where Il
was set together again. Ultimately.
after the exterior had been completed.
IL was put on exhibition. 1t is NOT.
however, on public view now and IS
shown only to persons having special
permission to see Il.
To the architects all this labor was n
necessity In order that they might have
some more definite idea than that af-
forded by the most elaborate plans and
drawings OF the ultimate appearance
or their great creation. To the layman
IL affords In some degree an opportuni.
ty OF approaching the grandeur OF the
completed edlfice which is to crown
the plateau above Morningslde park.
The Interior OF the model Is practical
~ finished study OF the choir and
chancel.
A suggestion OF the intricate prob
lens involved In the study of the
model and its value is obtained by
considering a single detail. The bases
or the eight great chancel pillars. for
instance. were the object OF long and
careful examination. To the layman
the base OF the pillar seems an easy
enough thing to plan. and indeed in
the case OF an ordinary pillar two feet
IN diameter there are numerous stand !
ards to follow, but when the architects
came TO consider the question of bases
FOR columns six feet In diameter they
confronted an absolutely different |
problem, in which the old standards
did not serve. They found, when their |
Ideas took visible form in the model.
that the original plans for the bases |
were entirely unsatisfactory, and the |
plaster models were studied and |
changed again and again. Finally 1t |
was necessary to make a full sized |
model for one OF the bases before what |
were considered thoroughly satisfac- |
tory profiles were obtained Brooklyn |
Citizen.