The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-02-15
THE BISMARCK TRIBU1

led large entrance lobby to the ad
ministration building, opening into
wide corridor and from which q wild
stairway opens leading to the mali
hall on the floor above.
To Have Terrazzo Floors
1.-THE public spaces on the grount
floor will have terrazzo floors Will
the designs demarkated with Wild
bronze strips, wood paneled wall
and ornamental plaster ceilings.
1T is on the first floor that som,
of the more important spaces are 10
Gated.
"Stairways leading from the grouns
floor entrances arrive at the MAR
lobby of Memorial hall on the frs
floor. This hall, a magnificent con.
course, Is feet wide. 40 feet high. ane
27O feet long. while forming as Il
does unit in itself, will be divided
mainly by a variation of architecture
treatment into two somewhat distinc.
tive parts.
/ "A huge window on one side Of the
hall, facing the city of Bismarck. will
take full advantage of the extraordi-
nary view this dominating site af-
fords.
THE western half. forming the
| foyer to the legislative halls, will have
marble floor and base with black
marble columns. architraves, ETC.. at
the various openings.
The walls will be wainscoted In
various woods arranged in panels to
accommodate maps. mural decora-
, tons, etc.
The eastern half. forming the
foyer to the administration building
will have a terrazzo floor In which
the patterns will be demalkated by
wide bronze strips and walls wains-
coted in various woods separated into
panels with bronze strips.
Plan Concealed Lighting
'The ceilings in both instances will
be ornamental plaster decorated In
gold and arranged for concealed
lighting.
The house Of representatives,
planned to the north of the foyer, is
approximately senlicircular in shape
with a series Of ornamental bronze
columns supporting a balcony over
and forming wide aisle on the out
side Of the chamber for general cir
culation. It is arranged that the
aisle can be entirely separated as re-
CURED by the use of curtain partitions
hung between the clumns.
The walls, which will be finished
in various woods separated horizon
tally with bronze bands, support a
flat semi domed plaster ceiling. cove
lighted around the outer edge, and
decorated in a manner as to focus
around a large suspended light fix
ture designed to illuminate the seats
in the speakers recess.
The recess will be vertically treat
ed in wood and bronze finished in
gold and framing large mural rec
grafton.
In connection with this chamber
are provided conference rooms, toilet
rooms, stenographic rooms, ETC., while
on the second level the balcony con-
tains ample seating capacity.
The senate chamber on the south
side of the foyer will be somewhat
similar in general shape but Of small
err dimensions and treated in more
intimate manner.
Columns Full Height
The delicate oval-shaped black
bronze columns. which separate the
outer aisle and support the balcony,
will be extended the full height,
where they will support the semi
dome ceiling. It will be observed that
the lines demarkating the seats are
carried up the walls and around the
ceiling in an interesting manner, pro-
ducing an extremely attractive and
esthetic unit.
The walls and ceiling wing will be
entirely finished with wood with con-
cealed illumination.
THE chamber has balcony accom-
modations with conference rooms,
committee rooms, ETC., Immediately
adjoining.
I'VE cannot emphasize too strongly
the economy of the present scheme of
the new capitol building. Other states
have spent anywhere from five to 10
times as much money for their build
ings and have achieved no greater
beauty or lasting quality, and have
not approached the efficiency attain
ed in the proposed design.
This building will be built for
$2,000,000. It contains a large amount
of high class disable space. sufficient
to give all of the departments proper
facilities for anticipated needs, and
IN addition, large unassigned areas
for possible expansion over a long
period of years.
Efficiency Is Style
All over the country private own
ers have insisted on buildings design
ed from the efficiency point of view,
buildings that will rent easily, build
ings that will furnish suitable accom-
mediation for possible occupants,
buildings that can be operated econ
omically. and maintained without
undue expense, buildings that will pay
a return on the investment It has
come to be great criticism of public
buildings in that they are lacking in
such reasonable demands: that they
are wasteful in every count as COM
pared with the private enterprise, Of
ten unsuited for the work to be &C
complished, and inconvenient for the
employee, the visitor and those trans
acting business with public officials
"A great deal of money has been
wasted in earlier capitol buildings in
expensive exteriors, columns, orna-
ment and decorative features which
were not only unnecessary but detri-
mental from many points Of view.
They were not required for the beauty
of the building and certainly unneces-
sary from unitarian point Of view,
and the cost was excessive.
1T is notable fact that in one
of our large cities. in building being
designed for public use, of charac-
ter similar to the proposed North Da-
kota capitol, it has been found that
the cost Of the exterior, at no sacri-
flee to its appearance, was only about
10 per cent Of the total cost Of the
building. At the same time there is
being erected in that city another
public building, Of the old-fashioned
uselessly ornate type, where the cost
Of the exterior is 20 per cent Of the