Evening star., 1925-09-05

famous architect Wren, builder of st.
Pauls and other noted churches, pro-
posed "a rebuilding scheme for Lon
don after the great fire of 1866 in
which the fundamental ideas of Zon-
ing were set forth. Wren wanted
wider streets then and to isolate cer-
tain industries, such as those which
yield 'noisome smells."- and to- have
buildings conform to beauty as well
as safety and utility. But the city
was rebuilt largely on the old lines.
Modern zoning, by the way, Mr..
Forrest attributes to Napoleon. The
conqueror insisted that in subjugated
German towns dangerous manufactur-
ing operations, or those that were un-
healthy or offensive, should be segre-
gated. Germany adopted these ideas
later in other towns and widened the
control of building. The United States,
in turn, borrowed the ideas, and now
they are coming back to England with
renewed force.
Quotes Maj. Wheeler.
Quoting Maj. r. A. Wheeler, execu
tive officer of the Zoning Commission
of the District of Columbia, Mr.. For
rest says that speculative imitation of
| real estate values is eliminated by
proper regulation of commercial and
residential areas. He further quotes
| Maj. Wheeler to this erect:
"If in functional street planning we
now propose to discriminate between
street needs and allow different kinds
of streets to meet those needs, we
should permit differences OF legisla-
ton in the regulation of buildings
upon the streets. The real city is a
| fedora ton of neighborhoods. To rec
ognize this is the function of zoning. "
Washington is placed first in Mr..
| Forests analysis of American zon-
| ing practices, though possibly because
| he visited that city early in his tour
| of the United States. 1t is interesting
| to note that he includes statement
| of the zoning rules for Takoma Park,
| Nd, and also of Baltimore and Nor
| folk He was informed at the De-
! partment of Commerce in Washing
| ton that 261 cities and towns in the
United States had zoning laws in
operation at the beginning of 1925.
The work of art commissions in
America is rated highly important by
Mr.. Forrest, who discusses the Ma
tional Commission of Fine Arts in
Washington at considerable length.
He traces the history of Washington
as a city and of the plans for it's
development, eliminating in 1910 in
the creation of the National Commits
! sion The location and design of the
! Lincoln Memorial are cited as proofs
| of the utility of the commission.
| whose advice on these questions was
| followed in the main, with especial
| reference to carrying out the original
L'Enfant scheme, and he quotes the
commission that probably the next
quarter of a century will mark the
greatest building activity ever under
taken by the Government since the
City of Washington was begun with
the conclusion that the commission s
work comes at a most opportune time
The Anacostia Park, Mount Hamilton
project, the area between the Capitol
and Treasury and other plans are
listed by Mr.. Forrest, while the views
decorative effects are mentioned as
having a beneficial influence.
Under the heading of Housing"
Mr.. Forrest recounts the work of the
United States Housing Corporation,
several drawings being presented for
his British public. In discussing edu-
cational construction he deals mainly
with Detroit and New schools.
The assumption, therefore, is rea-
sonable that while Washington is
| seeking architectural ideas from other
| cities and still ready to learn from
any source, the National Capital in
| its turn and by its own achievements
| also is welding an influence upon
| other cities, including London. Mr..
| Forests report certainly is receiving
| the widest consideration in Great
| Britain. and through him Washington
is most favorably pictured.