The New York herald., 1921-04-10
New style Skyscrapers.

New style Skyscrapers.
AS to the new style skyscrapers ono
may look and look, but 1t appears to
be too soon to come to conclusions in
regard to them. When the new law
went into effect curtailing the sheer
height Of our buildings architects in
general felt stir of enthusiasm. To
tell the truth they had been going A
bit stale and needed o change in cxer-
else.
There is nothing the healthy archi-
tect despfces so much as the carte
blanche Restrictions prolong the life
of the art, and at once there were en-
thusiastic hopes that amusing things
would happen to our sky line because
of the new enforced terraces that may
sooner or later make our city lofts re-
semble the famous hanging gardens OF
antiquity. But that has not arrived yet.
Some OF the new buildings have agree
able aspects. but probably the major
portion of them are not equal in artistic
interest to the structures that followed
the older formula. There is conse-
quently still something to be worked
for. The Woolworth Building and the
Bush Terminal. 1t may be remembered.
were not arrived at until q great deal
of bricks and concrete had been spilled
in other directions.
The designers of country houses and
those who remodel city residences con-
tinue to grow In grace. and there is an
imposing array Of photographs OF taste
ful buildings of all sorts that have re-
Gently been erected. Among the notably
pleasant buildings to contemplate. Judg-
ing by the photographs. may be cited
the Parsons House. Lenox, Mass. by
hAl- -.
Building, on Broad street. by George
b. Post & Son the Union College Gym
nasum, by George b. Post & Son; Rob-
ert II. Fowler's residence at Oyster Bay,
l.. l., by Edward 8. Hewitt: the resi-
dence OF Jay L. Carlisle at Islip. l.. l..
by Trowbridge & Ackerman the river
facade OF the presidents house. insti-
tute Of Technology. Cambridge. Mass.
by Wellcs Bosworth; the Howard
Cushing Memorial Art Gallery at New
port. by Delano & Aldrich and the
Turtle Bay Gardens in New York city,
by Dean & Bottomley.
Back Yards Are Transfermed.
This last mentioned affair, which is
rather a matter of landscape designing
than architecture. Is indeed ono OF tho
most happy accidents in recent artistic
endeavor. A group OF the proverbially
unsightly New York backyards has been
converted into one general and very
charming garden, and ought to go a
great way toward instructing the rich
that they can have agreeable aspects
from their windows easily enough. II
they so desire.
The most distinguished piece OF
sculpture In the general art exhibit is
a Ia" h., I1h rrk
is a decorative mural, In his best cublstic
manner. by Arthur Il. Davies: designs
by Pablo Picasso. designs for stained
glass windows by Clement Heaton, sThe
Mumpcrs," by Augustus John, loaned
by John Quinn; beautiful wrought iron
gates by Samuel Yellin of Philadelphia
a window for the Missouri State Capt.
tol by H. 7. Schladermundt, a screen
by Robert Chanler and many interesting
textiles. Charming interiors have been
supplied by Miss Ghecn and Chamber
lain Dodds.
The recent history Of the Architectural
League. has been 80 interrupted, owing
to the disastrous fire OF last year, and
the various Interruptions Of war work,
that the following announcement OF
their aims, will be read with interest:
THE objejct OF the Architectural
League OF New York Is to quicken and
encourage the development of the art Of
architecture, the arts and crafts allied
thereto and to unite in fellowship the
practitioners Of these arts and crafts TO
the end that ever Improving leadership
may be developed for the nations SER
vice. AS one Of Its means for this de-
vclcpment and encouragement II has In
thirty-six successive years held an ex-
h;bltion of architecture and the allied
arts. The scope and character OF these
exhibitions have broadcned and changed