The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-11
THE CATHEDRAL PLANS.
The Consulting Architect Refers 1nquir.
ers TO Hts RcpOrt.

conceptions WnlCn are most natural Ill
view OF the fact that you are not in
possession of all the facts bearing on
the new tentative schemes for COM
pletion. I send you herewith certain
extracts from the report of the con-
sulting architect submitted together
with the tentative sketches. This report
bears the date of November 81, 1913:
The drawings, as I now place them
before you, are not to be considered In
any respect as definitive or even as repre-
senting any matured convictions as to
the lines of development that should be
followed, except as regards the general
scheme OF the plan. the composition and
mass. The time available for the prepa-
ration OF these designs was OF course
quite inconsistent with that careful study
and consideration that must be given to
any scheme OF such commanding magni-
tude. This careful consideration. how
ever, applies rather to detail than to gem
era, principles, and these latter. I believe.
] have been able to determine satisfac-
torily to myself and I trust as well to the
trustees
The fundamental points TO which
would especially call your attention are
as follows:
td) The plan should he developed with
explicit regard to the work already ac-
complished. This Is so definite that a
radical change In scale or treatment
would be impossible even IL II were de-
sirable | am convinced that II is not
desirable. but that the adoption OF the
principle OF large square areas built to-
gether to form complete plan Is sus-
ceptible OF fine and monumental develop
ment. In my opinion II would be impos
sible to add to the work already accom-
plished a nave and transepts of the ira
dltonal English form. /. e.. long sequences
OF Identical bays each approximately
twice the width of it's depth. as, for ex-
ample. in the cases OF the naves Of Can
terbugy, York. Lincoln. Winchester or
Westminster. Transition would be so
violent from such nave ana transept
to the great crossing that 1t would be
most unfortunate In effect.
ob) I am strongly of the opinion that
the apsidal Examinations Of the transepts
originally provided for should be wholly
abandoned and In their place should be
the fiat walls that appear in practically
all the standard Gothic work of the
Middle Ages. These transept ends should
contain. each of them. great doorways
opening north and SOUTH and above these
doors would appear vast rose windows.
with a third at the westerly end of the
nave. thus obtaining the great grouping
OF three roses so characteristic OF all the
best medieval work in France and to
certain extent in England
tc) The great crossing should. be-
licve. he rooted by an enormous sexpartite
vault echong those OF the nave and tran
scpis This vault would rise materially
higher than the present temporary dome
and IL would be lighted by two great
windows on either face above the ridges
OF the roofs. The increase in height and
the breaking up of the vault into sexpar-
title form can only result in enormously
improving the acoustics of the cathe-
irdl
tc) In the DEVELOPMENT OF the exterior,
would particularly call your attention
To the position OF the towers In the
original plan the traditional Byzantine
Renaissance and English Gothic scheme
of a great central dome or lantern was
contemplated. This treatment provided
Tor vast tower and spire with subor-
dinatc towers AT the west end. a most
careful study has convinced me that this
is inadmissihlc. and | am fully persuaded
| that the original architects for the build
ing would have come to the same con-
clusion on further study. Ii appears to
mo demonstrable that n tower 100 feet
square and OF the width of both nave
ana aisles cannot possibly be made to
serve as central tower that will bear
proper relation in point of mass to the
remainder of the building. such treat
ment has never been attempted before
| in any architectural work Wherever a
crossing Of these dimensions was pro-
Nidcd FOR II was invariably covered by
some form of dome. Now "A domical treat
| ment OF the crossing of the Cathedral Of
81. John the Divine is manifcstly out of
! the question For a century efforts have
been made TO devise and TO develop what
may he called "A Gothic dome" but with
lamentablo results. That this crossing
must be carried higher than the roofs OF
the nave. auire and transepts is ineyi-
| table In view of the size of crossing area
| itself, but ] believe this central lantern
| should Ice kept down to the lowest Dos
| sibe height that would result in con-
| tanning the necessary interior area, and
that the towers should be provided for
elsewhere
| The same argument that holds against
/ the great central tower holds also against
| III" two great western towers after the
| fashion of Cologne Cathedral with none
| others to back them up except the low
! lantern OF the crossing Great western
! towers would. | think. give "A poor com
! position and an unfortunate general ef-
| feet in view OF the enormous mass Of
the Inevitable lantern. Therefore II be-
| comes necessary to develop the impera-
! tive great towers at som. other part OF
! the plan. I have tried innumerablc
| schemes for the placing of these towers
! hut have invariably been driven back To
| my first conviction that these should
/ stand approximately at the junction of
! the nave and trausepts and toward the
! west, BY assigning the towers to this
| position they are brought into the centre
Of the composition. they combine them
| selves happily with the great lantern and
! make II less conspicuous in its gigantic
proportions, and lifting, us they do. 900
| feet in the air they can, ! think. only re-
/ suit in pilinG the whole composition up
! into a pyramidal form that Will be strik-
! Ing and impressive TO "A degree,
| 1t will Toe seen by referring Ia the plans
| and perspective views that these great
| towers are now shown closely associated
| with the central lantern, | am Of the
| opinion that further study may make II
| appear desirable that they should he re-
| moved further from this lantern, SO that
| they will stani clear from the level Of
| the parapets, with light between them and
| the lantern. However this may he, ! am
| absolutely convinced that the position as
! signed to these towers is at present APP
| proXimately right.
| (gl In rhe treatment of the exterior
| the stylis,ic basis should be that of so
! called transitional Gothic !. e. the ear
| Hest and purest Gothic of Europe, while
| il was still one style and before 1t had
especially differentiated itself between the
| different nationalitiss. This is styl"
! Of great simplicity and classical beauty.
| 1t depends to u great extent on its form,