Putnam patriot., 1920-08-06
DESIGNS NEW CAPITOL
Former Pomfrct Boy Presents Radical
 Building Design

These residents of Pomfret and Putnam who recall Bertram Grosyen- or Goodhue. now possibly the fore most architect Of his class in the ] United States, will be interested in the discussion aroused by the accept anee of Hr Goodhue's design for the new capitol building of Nebraska A Boston newspaper. commenting edit orially upon Mir Goodhue's design, speaks as follows:
 Some one has said that as a uni versal symbol of our nationality the domes in our state houses comes sec ond only to the star in the American ] flax. Certain it is that the dome in Washington has become almost fixed symbol of government for the states of the Union and that, with few ex- captions. the state capitols are of the domed type. with the buildings at Bos- ton, Providence. Madison, Jefferson City and Olympia as outstanding ex- amples. The capitol at Albany has neither dome nor tower, the South Carolina Capitol has tower and spire, the Virginia. Louisiana and Florida capitols are Homeless. But far the larger number of our state
 ouses are essays, more or less master ly, upon a common theme.
 Now comes Nebraska with an ac- cepted design so complete in it's break with tradition AZ to be almost sensational. Most of the competing architects submitted dome designs The jury selects the design offered by Bertram Grosyenor Goodhue, showing building with tower soaring 400 feet above the site. He proposes to place cross inside hollow square, so that four interior courts resule. At the intersection of the arms of the cross he places q rotunda, with the legislative wings upon either side. The rotunda is almost immured by it's sur
 oundings and from it ascends the sky scraping tower for housing the gov ernment documents and the books of the state library. The executive ofiie- es and law courts are lodged in the outer square Having eliminated the dome many architectural embellish- ments of the classic type also are omitted.
 This selection is the outcome of the services rendered the capitol eommis- sion by Thomas R. Kimball, the Ne braska architect, who was also presi- dent of the American Institute of Ar chiteets As professional adviser he prepared program as different from the traditional methods of operation as is the chosen design different from the iomed ,aPitols Of tradition He did not announce any concept to which the competitors must conform their designs; he did not name q jury until after the competing designs had been submitted getting rid of the competitors natural tendency to study the known likes and dislikes of 1 his judges and trying to suit his draw. i ings to their tastes; and he set no ab. soute limits upon the cost. The act under which the competition was held appropriated S5,000, ,000 for the new capitol.
 However the successful architect + to have q free hand. He is not tiel to his present design The whole pro- cedure amounts essentially to the SC lection of an architect upon the basi. of d competition, and Mr Goodhue is now required only to erect a building i in line with the spirit of his plan. The l future must pass upon the artistic merit and dramatic appeal of this daring innovation It may be noted too, that q beautiful domed design of the traditional type submitted by John Russell Pope almost hung" the Ne braska jury.