Evening star., 1932-04-27
Institute Opens Annual Con-
vention Here With Program
for Noble City.
MEDAL is AWARDED
TO SWEDISH DESIGNER
Progress Reported in Study for
Improvement of Housing Con-
ditions Throughout Nation.

Co1SuIlHldtlOu OF the Dulldlng OF truly
noble National Capital, the American
Institute of Architects and 10 other pro-
fessional bodies will scrutinize current
and future plans for the development
of Washington, during the convention
Of the institute which opened here to-
day
This important phase OF the work
of the institute will come up for specific
consideration, involving numerous def
mite proposals, at a conference to be
held Friday morning as part of the
institute convention program at the
Mayfiower Hotel
The convention proper was opened
this morning with an address by Robert
D. Kohn' of New York. president of the
institute, who declared that housing
that meets the needs OF the lower in
come groups of the population of this
country, for which no adequate" pro-
vision ever has been made, is the aim
OF studies now being conducted by ar
chitects.
Marks Seventy fifth Anniversary.
This is one of the detectives of stud
les Of the economic aspects of housing
and the uses of land which he reported
now are well under way.
award Of gold medal to Ragnar Ost-
berg of Sweden for "the most dis
tinguished service to architecture"
Ostberg designed the Stockholm City
Hall. The medal has been awarded
only 10 times in the last IS years,
twice to British, twice to French and
six times to American architects.
The convention, which marks the
seventy-f1fth anniversary of the found
ing of the institute, is being attended
by a large body of delegate architects
from chapters throughout the United
States.
The conference with important re-
lated professional associations will be
known as the Bicentennial Conference
on the National Capital and will be
staged in cooperation with the George
Washington Bicentennial Commission.
In addition to the institute, the par-
ticipating organizations are the Amers
ican City Planning Institute, the Amer
lean Civic Association, the American
Federation of Arts, the city-planning
division of the American Society OF
Civil Engineers, American Society OF
Landscape Architects, Association OF
the Alumni of the American Academy
in Rome, Garden Club of America, the
Mural Painters, the National Confer
ence on City Planning and the Ma
tlona sculpture Society.
Peaslee to Preside.
Horace w. Peaslee, second vice press
ident of the Architects Institute, VIII
preside over the conference, which win
act upon q number of proposals deala
ing with the development program fos
the Capital. Similar proposals will be
considered by offciels representing the
other bodies Thursday evening.
A., nnrnnafffno FnYFocnnfinR
the various groups recently was set up
with Mr. Peaslee as chairman ana
Gardner S. Rogers, a director OF the
City Planning Institute, as secretary.
It has drafted a group Of resolutions Tor
consideration here this week.
Agreement in principle on three main
points was reached. These provide that
the development Of Washington, in its
general plan and in its details, should
be in the hands of the ablest profess
sional men in order that 1t may express
the highest ideals and accomplishments
of American art; that the employs
ment of such men should be made
possible by definite legislative authors
zation, and that the full force OF pro@
fessional and civic organizations should
be directed toward the accomplishment
of this program and toward the aps
preparation of ample funds to obtain
the men best fitted for the work, the
proper execution of their designs and
adequate maintenance on high stands
ard.
Seek Closer Relationship.
other problems which may be acted
on at the conference include SuggeS-
ton for a more definite relationship
between the Fine Arts and the National
Capital Park and Planning Commis-
sions and the professional and other
societies interested in the development
of the Capital.
It has been. declared that now the
contact between these commissions and
the professions exists only in times OF
emergency, when support is desired
either for obtaining authorizations or
appropriations or for the blocking OF
some i'll considered project which
"ieopardizes" the plan of Washington.
The proposal has been advanced also
that, in view of the number OF general
planning projects reviewed by the Fine
Arts Commission, the established pro-
fession of city planning should have
recognition in the personnel of the fine
arts body.
The Bicentennial conference also will
consider proposals that the united sup
port of the interested professional
bodies be thrown behind specific prof.
ects In the Capital development pro-
gam, such as completion OF the Mall,
the Monument Grounds, the George
Washington Memorial Parkway and the
National Arboretum.
Progress Is Reported.
Reporting progress in the study of
means Of producing more adequate
housing for the low income groups Of
Americans. President Kohn declared:
THE construction industry is almost
paralyzed; millions of its technicians
and workers are idle. 1t is essential
to find work for architects in a field
in which there is a social need for
service, one that can be met with
economically sound projects.
"One such field is that of large-scale
housing to meet the needs of income
groups for which little building ever
has been done in this country. The
study of ways and means is still in its
beginning, yet the architects have been
trying to clarity the basic principles
on which any solution must be
founded"
Notable progress has been made In
the past year, Mr.. Kohn added, In the
work of unification of the architectural
profession and the building industry.
The recent formation of the Con-
struction League, he said, promises to
a new era for the industry.
Thirty or more national associations
are expected to affiliate with the league
IN an attempt to create an unusual
type of deliberative conference In
tended to give constituent organi.
sations knowledge of the work of tho
others toward better public service,