Evening star., 1932-09-23
Apartment Architecture
Not Conducive to Health
To the Editor of The Sta

builder who planned q house contain
ing windows only on one OF its four
sides and provided for bath rooms and
kitchens without windows and rooms un-
connected by halls? Doubtless he would
be regarded as extremely eccentric or
the dwelling freakish abode. Windows
on two or more sides of a house have
too long been recognized as essential to
proper lighting and ventilating to be
dispensed with even in this progressive
age of artificial illumination and me-
chanical ventilation. Without windows
facing the sun and opening on oppo-
site sides a dwelling would be cherries
and stuffy indeed.
+ Yet the apartment builder who plans
numerous housing units under a single
roof containing windowless bath rooms
and Kitchens and suites without halls
and with but one exposure, is esteemed
a perfectly rational human being, and
house hunters are beguiled by the
glamour of snowy entrances and other
nom essentials designed to offset the
lack Of sound house planning. Artif1-
cial ventilating and lighting have not
attained the stage where they can be
satisfactorily substituted for windows
although they may be useful in supple
menting them. So long as the sun con-
tinues to shine and the winds to blow
windows will perhaps remain the best
means for lighting and ventilating
homes.
In The Star of April IT, 1892. ap-
peared a map Of Washington prepared
by the Association for the Prevention
of tuberculosis containing $50 dots
showing the former address of a person
who died the year previous from the
disease, an increase of 20 fatal cases
over the preceding year. Modern apart
ment house planning would indicate that
lighting and ventilating are of Sec
ondary Importance, and the medical and
undertaking fraternitieS solemnly ac-
quiesce in this form of housing In
quiry has disclosed the only efforts
made by the United States Public
Health Service to better housing condi-
tions were to make buildings rat and
vermin proof
So inviolate are the sacred rights OF
property especially of the small city
lot providing a compact location for Sc
families where but one or two formerly
were housed. that the building codes
Of our largest cities are extremely con-
servative, containing no harsher meas
ure than to require the whitewaShlng
of the inadequate light and air shafts
prescribed and through which the ten
ants breathe and look heavenward.
The elimination of halls in apart
ments has resulted in economy of space
although the size of rooms in the newer
buildings has diminished and rentals in
creased. The overnight guest occupying
the living room couch must intrude upon
the privacy of the host, passing through
his bed room to reach the bath. II
the host arises first, he must pusSyfoot
through the improvised guest room =,
order to prepare breakfast in the con-
Meeting kitchen.
The apartment without a hall Is
particularly unsulted for a family con-
sisting Of father and daughter, or
mother and son. or friends occupying
separate sleeping rooms. Even the
married couple finds 1t inconveniCnt 10
entertain guest overnight because
of the lnaccessibllity of the bath room
and kitchen. The building codes OF
some cities require that access TO the
bath OF an apar ,mCnt shall be through
a hall, but the District building regula-
tions make no provision for such
privacy.
The utilization OF q clothes closet as
connecting passage between the bath
md other rooms is poor makeshift
TOR a hall or closet LINED passage The
pGr.icu ar host is somewhat sensitive 10
exposing to the furtive glances of polite
guests clothes closet with Irish bed
diversified wardrobe. housecleaning
weapons and other unornate articles.
There are comparatively few build
ings which do not contain unrentable
suites or apartments difflcult 10 keep
occupied. 1t has been estimated there
are some 4,0C0 vacant apartments In
Washington. This condition probably
could be avoided were the planning and
construction of apartment houses regu-
lated and supervised like a public
utility Builders who plan improve
ments which are likely to prove poor
investments as we'll as inferior livinT
accommodations should be placed in
the category OF promoters OF worthless
stocks and other questionable enter
prises.
Maintaining a home in small
private house is not The burden of a
decade ago. The oil-burning furnace.
mechanical refrigerator and automCb.l l.
have simplified the problem. No longer
is 1t necessary TO handle coal and ashes
tend the furnace. and wait for the ice
man and trolley or train. Unless apart
ments are planned to embody the fca-
lures Of private house which make
Tor health and comfort the apartment
may be brought into competition with
the small house.
The costly fire-resisting and other
materials required by municipal ord.-
,nances and which tend TO maxi apar,
ment rentals high 90 not enter into the
construction of the small private house,
which can be erected on less exp nsiv
site 1t is probable that the small!
house or bungalow can be maintained
at figure not exceeding the rental OF
an apartment OF a similar number of
rooms. Certainly the private house
possesses features which are far more
conducive to better living and If in
corporated in apartments would satisfy
long-felt need. LEWIS L. YOUNG.
Orient Not to Blame