Evening star., 1922-02-04
ARCHITECT EXPLAINS METHODS
IN MODERN CONSTRUCTION
J. H. de Sibour Says Nothing in Way OF
Defects Should Get By If All
Rules Are Followed.

Because Of the collapse of the roof
of the knickerbocker Theater un-
usual interest has developed in the
detailed points Of constructing pres
ent-day buildings and, at the sug-
gestion Of The Star, ]. II. de Sibour,
chairman OF the architectural COM
mittee of the Washington Society of
Fine Arts and popular local archi-
tect, has written the following
article on "The Evolution of a Mod
ern Building Opention":
This article is written to en-
tighten those of the general public
who are not thoroughly conversant
with the usual method of procedure
followed in a large building opera
ton of the present day.
1.-The owner of piece of property
which he wishes to improve employs
an architect to prepare plans and
specifications for the proposed build
ing. A preliminary set of sketch
plans is prepared by the architect
for the owner, and after these have
been changed and approved by the
owner the architect is instructed to
proceed with the working drawings
and specifications.
An accurate survey of the lot Is
secured from the District surveyors
office and the grade. sewer depths.
etc, are obtained. Tests Of the soil
are secured by means Of test borlngs
if the building is Of type to require
footings to carry considerable weight.
Working Plans Made.
THE working plans, which are
usually turned out at one-quarter-
to comply with the requirements of
the building department and to con-
form to the approved preliminary
sketches. The plans. before final
completion, are turned over to a
structural engineer. who. in turn. de-
signs the columns. beams. trusses,
footings. etc, for the entire building
and supplies the architect with set
of drawings and a larger set of de-
tails of portions of the construction
which it may be necessary to Nus
trate more explicitly. The struc-
tural engineer is sometimes paid by
the owner and in other instances by
the architect and is responsible for
the correctness of his structural de-
sign.
! forms of construction are to be USED:
the engineers representing the type of
patent construction submit a layout
Of their own to the architect for his
approval. and he may. in turn. have
il checked by a structural engineer,
ings are guaranteed to be correct by
the Datent-system engineer, and in
dorsed by the structural engineer
representing the architect and owner.
Experts Look Over Plans.
THE heating. lighting, elevator and
ventilating layouts are in turn gone
over by expert engineers of the re-
spective trades that they represent.
and their plans are also submitted to
the architect, and he embodies these
in his working drawings. or makes a
separate set to accompany his work
ing drawings. In the case Of the plumb
ing, a separate plumbing section is re-
quired by the plumbing department Of
the District of Columbia The architect
further prepares a carefully written
set of specifications covering the en-
tire building operation which, to-
gether with the working plans and
I necessary details. forms the basis
| upon, which the plans are figured on
by the contractors to arrive at the
| cost of the building. When this cost
| has been obtained and is satisfactory
| to the owners contract is entered
! into between the owner and builder
and usually executed on a regular
| contract. prepared by the American