Evening star., 1909-06-16
Estheticism in Architecture
Proposed by Maj. Judson.
RESTRICTION is SUGGESTED
Washington Chapter. Institute of
Architects. to Investigate.
FEASIBILITY UNDER QUESTION
Doubt as to Whether American City
Can Be Brought to Accept
European Practice.

tectural construction throughout the Dis
trict of Columbia and to prevent the erec-
ton Of monstrosites by private owners.
Engineer Commissioner Judson has under
consideration a plan for safeguarding the
physical growth of the National Capital.
In order to obtain information as to how
this can be accomplished Maj. Judson has
asked the aid of the Washington Chap
ter, American Institute of Architects. 1t
has promised TO give the matter atten-
tion.
Letter to Architects.
Most European cities of the first rank.
and especially European capitals" wrote
Mai Judson to James Rush Marshall.
president Of the local chapter of archi-
tects, Impose upon private builders GER
tain requirements as to the esthetic fea-
lures of their structures / am not sure
that such requirements could be legally
enforced in Washington. I am uncertain
whether Americans are prepared to sub
nit to them.
Nevertheless. since any city is for the
most part an aggregation of structures.
privately planned and erected. / do not
see how we can be sure that the great
Washington OF the future will rise to a
desired plane Of beauty unless some pro-
cedure shall be adopted that viii limit
the taste of his fellow citizens, lessen the
value OF his neighbors property, detract
from the beauty of his own city and in
cidentally inflict financial loss upon him
self.
Gould not your chapter secure informa-
tol as to how these matters are treated
In foreign cities. so that some considera-
ton could be given to the subject of
legislation along proper lines to safe
guard the physical growth of Washing
drno
but | feel that we shall come to ii some
day. Certainly, in that case. we should
come to 1t now. when it appears that
such great epoch of building is ap-
proa aching.
Perhaps I should not have ventured
TO ask so much of the chapter had not
Mr.. PelZ expressed the thought that il
could more readily than any other agency
secure the needed data"
Architects Will Cooperate.
Mr.. Marshall has replied to the letter
promising the cooperation of the chapter
committee of the chapter has alread,
been appointed to consider this question
Mr.. Dessez, the chairman of that com
mittee. will confer with Maj Judson or
the subject. Mr.. Marshall informs him
Citizens on certain streets or in GER
tain districts. Maj. Judson believes. car
be persuaded to agree upon certain build
ing regulations and restrictions. This
plan has been tried in Europe and proved
successful
At the recent conference on city plan
ming held in this city Frederick Law Ohm.
sted of Boston outlined this feature.
One of the most fundamentally impor-
tant features of recent city planning in
Europe, he declared. has been the sys-
tenn of differentiated district building reg.
ulations. In America are familiar with
the principle in the case of districts de-
veloped by land companies and syndicates
and by individual large owners of land
Objects to Be Attained.
Now. one of the purposes in view in
me system of district building regulations
which forms feature of recent town
planning in Europe is to give to every 10,
owner in each district in the city fair
degree of assurance as to the kind OF
thing which may be done and which may
not be done in the way of building, and OF
commercial and industrial occupations in
the vicinity of his lot: to give him. in
other words the same kind of protection
for which man is willing to pay an extra
price when he buys in a restricted neigh
borhood.
"Of course. it all depends on the nature
of the restrictions. These are not fixed
for any given district without full and re-
peated public hearings. at which the views
and wishes of the property owners are
expressed and considered The endeavor
is to give each district as nearly as pos
sble just what 1t wants. to protect it
from deterioration at the hands of a sell
fish minority and to give stability to its
real estate values.
"And, as a matter Of fact. the real estate
men of Hamburg. where / caused some
inquiries to be made, state that the effect
of the district building regulation plan
there has been, in general. to raise values
except in those districts where tenement
houses are not prohibited. and that the
tendency has been everywhere to greater
stability of values and smaller speculative
fluctuations"