Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-15
DR.. WARREN p. LAIRD
On the Delaware River Bridge

"THERE is no question that the Della,
i ware river bridge should be designed
by an architect" In the opinion OF Dr.
Warren p. Laird, director of the depart
ment of architecture and dean Of the new
School Of Fine Arts of the University Of
Pennsylvania.
''The building of the bridge is pre- -cmi-
nently an architectural problem" holds Doc
tor Laird thus taking exception to the view
expressed by engineers.
"In creating this span, We should remem-
ber that it is to be not merely structure
TO enable one to cross n stream in hurry,
but because of its significance, 1t shoul ID be-
come q great monument, the expression OF
an idea.
'"The training of the architect and his
whole experience Is along the line OF crea-
tive effort. whether In the design OF build
ings or the planning Of cities, and this IL
the training that is needed in the building OF
bridges.
There is no new constructive problem
TO be solved in spanning the Delaware river
with a structure of this kind. The same
thing has been worked out many times be-
known quantities. The North river bridges
in New York. for instance. offered substan-
tally the same engineering problem as the
proposed Delaware river structure.
But the character of this bridge as q
monument, expressive Of the cntcrnrise and
civic pride of two great communicative
;s fhe novel element; this is the problem
TINT must be solved anew. aud 1t can be
solved only BY the architect. Engineering
service will. Of course, be INDISPENSABLE In
| its own field, but this must be in execution
Of the general conception. to be found by
genius OF bsre ierm ana noa
merely the question of span to cross
| river.
European Bridges Architectural
"a striking illustration of this point may
be found II we turn our eyes toward Europe.
| Travelled persons will tell you that the finest
and the most beautiful bridges In the world
are to be found in Europe. There it Is a
very small percentage, indeed, that viii be
| found to be ugly. On the other hand, you
| viii find an even smaller percentage here
| that nre beautiful. The answer may be
found in the fact that Euronean bridges
| universally represent the creative work OF
architects, while here large percentage
have been built without that control.
1.-THE bridge may finally take the form of
a cantilever structure, which, God forbid, or
suspension span, which may God grant
but, in any event, It should represent every
| c'ement-beauty, utility, economy-and
should represent compositcly the greatest
service and convenience to the whole COM
munitv.
the center of gravity of two important com
| munities the main artery connecting two
| great commonwcalths. 1t should be 70 To-
Gated as to be Of the highest service to every
| tyne of traffic; pedestrian, tourist, indus
| trial commercial, street railway; in fact
| every interest to which the bridge would
prove Of service should be considered In its
| location and planning.
| "In determining the site and the design
of the bridge, it will be necessary to con
ceive the centers of the two cities, not as
they now exist, but as they will be- say ter
or twenty years from now. The structure II
10 last for 'ong time, and, therefore, the
future should be a very large element In
locating the span.
Monument TO Generation
"One popular misapprehension Is the be
lief that the architect Is a mere beautiher-
| A man to supply ornamental touches, thu
| esthete to gladden. the eye. Nothing coult
| he farther from the truth. In designing hi
| structures, the architect endeavors to Great,
| an organism combining the various needed
qualities Of stability, utility or convenience
and beauty Of proportion and line. II
achieve practical value, clothed In a p0we
TO please the eye and crafty the taste Il
his aim. The design of this bridge is al
undertaking that nobody but an architect 4
10 the most satisfactory conc 'usion, TO tn
end that the finest possible structure will
| span the Delaware river and be a splendit
connecting artery between two great com
monwealths and a great and lasting monu
ment to the people of this generation.
"There ts much uncertainty as 10 th
length OF time which would be consumed 1,
the building OF the structure. In view o
present unsettled conditions, that would be