Evening star., 1929-06-27
ARCHITECTS PLANS
TO Be INTERPRETED.
Builders viii Be Selected to
Give Concrete Expression in
Better Homes Competition.

Perhaps the most interesting and i'm
portant feature to result from the ma
fional better homes architectural COM
petition being conducted by the Home
Owners Institute and sponsored by The
Star In this region, will be the final in
corporation of the prize winning plans
in actual houses.
Under the supervision of The Star
and the Washington Real Estate Board.
local builders will be selected to give
concrete expression to the dreams of
the three architects whose plans will
have been chosen as outstanding by the
jury of awards, headed by Frederick
Vernon Murphy, dean of the School of
architecture of Catholic University.
During the construction of these
model homes The Star will keep its
readers advised of the progress by Illus
Wated articles and in addition will
publish the cost of the various phases
OF the work, thus making the project
of actual educational value to pro-
spective home owners and home build
ers.
(. Competition Nationwide.
The erection of homes following prize
winning plans will be more than local.
In each of the 13 districts into which
the Nationwide competition has been
divided these model dwellings will be
built. In addition the national prize
designs will find expression in actual
homes. The place for the construction
of houses built after the national prize
winning plans has not been selected,
however.
The construction cost figures to be
made available as result of the build
ing of the homes are expected to be of
a-A n1sra %1-S. rf& &Aa-
able factor In the induCement OF the
National Association of Real Estate
Boards to end its aid and promise the
cooperation of its constituent men,
bers. It is thought that the findings
viii be of much assistance to the as
sociation as well as to the builders
and architects and the general home
seeking public.
In offering the aid of his organization,
Herbert U. Nelson of Chicago, executive
secretary of the national association,
stitute, in part as follows:
"In my opinion the institutes work
has been an important factor in better
ing house construction and In Identify
ing the realtor more closely with this
movement. Therefore, we are much in
terested In your program for 1929, and
particularly in the plan to conduct a
nationwide architectural competition
for designing better homes, under super
vision of Raymond Hood, A. l. A., as
chairman Of the architectural commit
tee. We heartily approve your pro-
posal to have realtors construct the
prize-winning house designs In various
cities throughout the country. It would
be a splendid thing for the realtors to
do in cooperation with the institute in
such highly educational program.
"You may know that whatever CO.
operation and help can be given you by
the National Association of Real Estate
Boards In connection with the arcili-
tectural competition and the construc-
tion Of the prize plan master model
homes win be most heartily extended"
Local Architects Supervise.
Each of the model homes will be
built under the direct supervision of
the local architect who is the author
of its design, so that without question
the plans and specifications will be
properly interpreted in the finished
homes.
Since the plans are submitted In the
contest with the ultimate end of be-.
ing incorporated into homes, it is de-
sired above all things that the house
plans will prove to be not only of q
high degree of architectural merit, but
that they. win also be thoroughly prac-
tical from the points OF view of real
estate values, structural integrity and
sound construction economics.
Therefore 1t Is obvious that the, jury
Of awards win give thorough consid-