The Washington herald., 1922-02-11

ing Of heavy members on their supports viii suffice
to validate the general principle that unless build
ings are planned with due regard to their ve-load
character they will be subject to danger-slight, no
doubt. but definitely present.
Two months ago, after the American Theater
collapse in Brooklyn, it was urged in these pages
that heavy superstructure concentrations should be
carried integrally by supporting framework, so that
the structural parts Of important buildings will form
rigid, self-eontained skeleton From the facts Of
the Kniekerbocker disaster there emerges the clear
showing that this principle should have primary and
universal application heaers and other buildings
of public assembly, involving large hazard to hu-
man life. Columns under trusses and girders Sc
curely braced to form framework capable of re-
sisting all forces acting the complete building,
should be made mandatory in our practices and our
regulations governing building. There is no reason
why we should continue to be bound by the trade
tons Of former ages, which made virtue Of utiliz-
ing masonry wallis for heavy-duty service because
better materials Of support could not be had.
Building codes also brought into the focus
of attention by the before US. Regrettable
it may seem. the fact is that the construction of the
Knickerbocker Theater in full accord with the
requirements of the Washington building code.
Still more regrettable one of the prime weaknesses
OF the Inflated structure founded what ap-
pears to be error or oversight in that CODE namely
that no separate provision made for theater
wal' so that the rules up for ordinary building
walls automatically applied also to the walls of
theater. 1t was under this provision that hollow
tile wall eighteen inches thick erected to sup
port hfty-ton truss load at height of nearly
forty feet and that it was cut into meshwork of
windows and doors to resemble apartment house
-avowedly in order to harmonic with the charac-
ter OF the neghborhood. There will be occasion
for revising and improving the Washington code
What may be accomplished by code improve
ment is strictly limited. however. Building codes
cannot assure safe buildings They cannot take the
place Of Constitutional skill and knowledge In the
knickerbocker case the code relied upon as
the sheet-anchor of safety. Walls were designed
as the code demanded; for that reason they would
be safei Steel roof framing was designed (by the
steel contractor), in changing the original design
prepared by consulting engineer with no other
stipulation than that the design must be approved
by the city bureau Of buildings. Such dependence
upon the guardianship of code and routine admin
istratve process, though in good faith, is an easy
path to destruction. 1t is not uncommon among
architects, we fear-and engineer was involved in
the Knickerbocker in authoritative responsible
position Fostered by excess of detail in code re-
qurements. this dependence upon formal rules needs
to be combated by simplfcation of codes rather
than by increase in detail and eomplexty.
Safety in the last analysis rests upon the per.
sonal responsibility Of architect and builder"