Evening star., 1926-12-02
ARCHITECTS GROUP
/ TO STUDY CAPITAL
Development Along Proper
Lines to Be Discussed at
h Institute Session.

Development of the National Capital
along proper lines will be one Of the
subjects brought to the attention Of
the directors and chairmen of national
committees of the American institute
OF Architects. who began two-day
session at the Octagon House,
Eighteenth street and New York ave-
nue.. this morning.
Horace W. Peaslee. chairman Of
the American Institutes committee on
the plan Of Washington and its en-.
Hirons, will make q report TO the
gathering some time today or tomor-
row of what the committee has done
and hopes to do for the Capital CITY.
That committee, which includes
representative of every State in the
Union, was active in the movement
year ago resulting in the act OF Con-
grees broadening the former Park
Commission into the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission.
Will Learn of Work Here.
The gathering of nationally promi.
nent architects will learn also OF the
work of the local architects advisory
council. which has endea Vored during
architectural appearance of Washing
ton by seeking to bring about volun-
fary cooperation between architects
end builders The local advisory
council meets at frequent intervals
and studies the plans of proposed
structures. making unofficial sugees-
tiors 10 those who are planning build
Ing projects.
The board Of directors of the Amer
of a ROB
cided to exert its influence to bring
about the restora ton of the Church
Of Sancta Sophia at Constantinople-
one of the architectural masterpieces
of all time-and this proposal may be
further discussed during the sessions
now in progress.
Delicate negotiations with the
Turkish government will he neces-
sary. however. and 1t is doubtful
whether such negotiations would sue.
coed at this time. 1t is considered
likely that, in any event. it will be
necessary TO secure American capital
for the work.
The roof Of the church now is over
grown with vegetation and has fallen
In In some places. according to re-
port by Prof. Emerson II. Swift of
Columbia University, who recently
studied the structure. Rain, leak
ing through the roof. has injured
some of the frescoes. but the mosaic
decorations. dating from the time of
Justlnian. are unharmed.
Walls and Dome Still Intact.
The walls and dome of the great
ehifice. Prof Swift found. are still
stable and show no signs of crumb-
ling. Patching the roof is the most
urgent need
The present church is the successor
cf the original structure built on the
site nv the Emperor Constantine,
when he made PvZantium his capital.
and the name Of Saint Sophia, by
which it is commonly known, is mis-
translation of the Greek words which
eignified The Church OF Divine Wis
dom"
In $50 it was destroyed by nre re-
eultinE from a riot of the Green anil
Blue Circus factions Justinian, then
Emperor, Immediately. began its re-
construction with flreproof materials,
under new plan and the present
structure is essentially the same as
the one which he built
The Turks. when they converted 1t
into a mosque, added minarets at the
-four corners of the building, white
washed over the mosaics and crosses
Of the Christian faith, and have added
tonbs and other buildings al different
times during the centuries since 1t
has been in their possession.
Quake Causes Damage.
An earthquake % years after the
building was completed by Justinian
IN 53S. destroyed the central dome,
but this was promptly rebuilt, and
is in good condition today.
The architecture, which was like no
other al the time the church was
built. has been the inspiration of
most of the great mosques of Constan-
tinople and other Turkish cities.
Following are some OF the COM
mittees of the American Institute
represented at the conferences sched-
uled for today and tomorrow: Com
mittee on preservation of historic
monuments. on planning, on build
ing for safety against earthquakes.
on architects registration laws, on
contracts, on industrial relations, on
foreign relations. on competitions. on
education. on publications and public
information. Oh small houses and
scientific research. President Mil
ton E. Medary of Philadelphia is pre-
siding.