Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-16
BEAUTIFUL CITIES
AIM OF INSTITUTE
Washington Held as Model of
What Others Should Do
to End UglinesS.

To eliminate "the careless ugliness
of the Nations cities, the American IN
Stitute of Architects has started a cam
paign of public education in good
architecture and good environment. u
Moving pictures are being employed to
illustrate how Washington is being de-
veloped as the city beautiful.
In high schools and colleges, and be-
fore chambers of commerce, civic bodies,
women's clubs, art bodies, and other
organizations, films are portraying the
architectural advance of the National
Capital as a model for the Nation.
American cities are "90 per cent
ugly" and the result is enormous waste
and depreciation, according to Charles
H. Cheney, chairman of the Institutes
City and Regional Planning committee.
which is striving to stimulate an
awakening in behalf Of better architec-
ture.
Plans Decreasing.
"The seriousness of the situation lies,
however, in the fact that the percentage
of new buildings, really esthetically
good, is not increasing" Mr.. Cheney
says. In some cities 1t Is even de-
creasing. The building inspectors tell
up they are getting fewer plans today
than formerly by men trained to pro-
duce good design.
cit Is unthinkable that rich country
like this will long continue to allow
such needless uglineSs to be hung like
a milestone about our necks. The same
amount of buildings could be built at
tractively for the same money or less.
Sound city and regional planning,
that takes carefully into account the
esthetic factors OF city building, as in
Separable from the economic and So
cial factors. would soon produce diff
ferent results. Much more use OF
trained city planners should be made
by city planning commissions and every
such commission should have an archi-
tect as a member because architects
have special knowledge Of how to pro-
duce attractiveness in city building.
"Zoning and major street plans are
important, but they are but small
part Of city planning. The widening
of major streets for the new motor age
is everywhere cutting down trees and
leaving our cities uglier than ever. Such
city planning Is not sound unless pro-
vision is made in the same or parallel
proceedings for the replanting OF the
street trees. Ruthless Disagreement of
this kind, if caused by the neglect of
city planning commission or city engi-
neer or city council, should be Suf1-
Gent cause for removal from office.
Omissions No Plan.
"a major traffic street plan which
neglectS or overlooks the necessity Of
maintaining important vistas, of pur-
posely shifting over to make opportu-
nifty for location of important buildings
and groups on axis of providing for
arcading or of harmonious block treat
ment of downtown architecture, of group
planning in residence as well as buSi-
ness districts, is no solution of the city
plan.
"Zoning ordinances and building codes
have more effect on architecture and
landscaping than any other agencies.
The glorious new architecture of New
York, caused by the New York zone
ordinance in its step-back provisions for
light and air, is one profound eSthetic
result of the city building of our time.
Few people know that these regula-
lions were deliberately worked out by
some of our greatest & architectural
thinkers, who had the eSthetic impor-
lance OF such regulations well in mind at
the same time as the economic and So
cial detectives of coming.
"One of the greatest blights Of our
cities, one of the biggest and hardest
problems to be solved, Is that of the
Disagreement and upset to surrounding
property caused by railroads and other
transportation agencies. Great eco
nomic losses ensue, with depressing and
deteriorating influence upon the poor
creatures of humanity who generally
drift to the deprecated neighborhoods
along railroad rights Of way.
There is also the great loss of time
and inconvenience to whole cities by
misplaced or outgrown yards, terminals
and other facilities, that proper CO.
operation and planning. on the part Of
public and carriers, could make whole
some, esthetic and compatible with the
reasonable amenities Of life.
Must Consider Esthetic.
"And so through all the items of the
master plan the human equation-that
subtle thing that reflects and controls
mems souls, the esthetic-can and must
be provided for.
"There is much yet to be done In
Washington to change it from only rs
per cent of a city to something nearer
rs or 30 per cent and the Capital Park
and Planning Commission should be
upheld in the work it is doing to this
end.
President Hoover's recent appoint
ment of William Adams Delano of New
York City to this commission will meet