The Washington herald., 1922-01-11
Foreign Recognition.

w hundreds of other famed structures from
the Greeks and Romans; our cathedrals are derived
from the modified Gothic AT least. however, the
skyscraper is own
They have adopted the lofty Office pile abroad
we are told, and it gives us pride in creation
Better STILL the American architectural concept is
being further grated upon the European tradition
This is nstanced by recent showings of plans and
drawings in London. OF them the Christian
Science Monitor has this to say:
THE proposed Union Through Art Society, to
be called The English-Speaking Art Fraternity
although not yet actually in existence, is having
its way prepared in remarkable manner. The
pioneer of this fraternity is architecture, which
is as it should be. For architecture is the parent
of the arts. The place where the union inaugu-
rated was the Royal Institute of British Architects
IN London, and the attraction was no fewer than
327 fine photographs Of American architecture, dis
played the walls. This exhibition was one Of
the most interesting, and the most useful that the
Royal Institute has held. 1t was opened by Lady
Astor, who won the applause of the large gather
ing, even if the architects present were rather
astonished with her statement that no architect
should ever be allowed to build family house
until he has married and has three children, and
then he should be compelled to submit the plans
to his wife first This, of course, is really plea
for the architect, which is receiving more
attention in America than in England
"The opening of this unusual exhibition was
followed, few days later, by a gathering filing
the building which had assembled to listen to ad-
dresses by two eminent American architects, Mr..
Bertram G. Goodhue, and Mr. Dom Barber. Ques-
tons were asked after the speeches, and those who
present realized that, for the first time, Ameri-
and English architects had come together, and
were understanding and approaching each others
methods and ideals. Later in the week English
architect. Mr.. Raymond Unwin, dscoursed on
American architecture and town planning.
at is to be hoped that this plan of exchanging
views and studying each others work will become
a regular practice between the architects of Eng
land and America, and also of France. So sue
cessul was the exhibition that it is proposed to
issue, from the American Institute, invitation
to the Royal Institute of British Architects to ex-
hibit in Washington collection of drawings and
photographs illustrating British architecture.
"The 322 American photographs had already
formed special section of the Paris Salon this
year. This example of art fraternity was organized
by the American. Institute of Architects, the So
ciete des Artistes Francois, and the Societe des
Archtectcs Diplomes of France. All styles of
architecture shown in the exhibition, from
the colonial house to the skyscraper. 1t may be
of interest to record the buildings selected for
illustration in the British catalogue. They were
the Municipal Office Building, New York; the
Century Club, New York; a private residence in
Elberon, New Jersey; and the Scottish Rite Temple
in Washington, District of Columbia. But the
chief contributions of interest were, perhaps the
comments made by British architects and their
friends they examined, photograph by photo
graph this novel exhibition. Englishmen who
visit New York return home full of enthusiasm
for American architecture, its daring and its
beauty. A well-known English architect, Mr.. Aus
ten Hall, was equally enthusiastic, in regard to the
Royal Institute exhibition. He said, in interview
in the Daily Chronicle OF London, in what may
be called civic architecture-publc buildings, busi-
ness premises, banks-the work of the American
architects is long way ahead of ours
"But the main advantage of this exhibition is
that American and English architects have at last
come together, exchanged views, and realized how
much one nation can help the other and how much
one can learn from the other. There seems, how
ever, to be consensus of opinion that the sky
scraper can obtain, and will be allowed
to attempt to obtain foothold in London clay"