Evening star., 1935-09-21
BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.

BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.
If the beautiful buildings of the
International Exposition at Brussels
may be accepted as criterion, a new
dignity is coming into modern archi-
lecture.
Numbers of Americans who have
visited the fair during the past Sum-
ner will agree that it is a magnif1-
cent spectacle, especially at evening,
when each separate edifice is edged
and foodd with painted lights.
and flooded with painted lights.
romantic quality is restrained and
reticent, in no way overdone nor
extravagant Architects of score
OF different nations are represented
and each has been inspired by the
trend Of his own times, but the net
result is poetic harmony very graft
flying to see, though difficult to picture
in words.
Stream-Lined Softness.
The phrase lined" how
ever, may serve to convey an idea of
the central theme of the exposition
as the pilgrim finds it. That cruel
sharpness which once. only few
years ago, was characteristic fea-
ture of latter-day design is a missing
quantity. Forms have been softened,
nodded into a kindlier gracefulness.
There is novel music in the pano-
rama, quiet rhythm recently dis
covered. The architectural age of
jazz, it seems, is dying-if not al
ready dead.
Perhaps the best gem of the entire
exposition collection is the pavilion
of Great Britain, designed by White
and Robertson-an alabaster work of
notable simplicity, but memorable
charm. The entrance is through
peristyle of tall white columns, flank
ed with pylons jutting out like wings
from a circular hall whose outer sur
face Is marked with the sculptured
arms of the crown high above the
doors.
The Palace of France, also, is a
lovely creation. Its facade is a cres-
cent wall adorned with three lofty
5resco panels, modernistic but not
bizarre. presenting in symbolic form
the natural values of French civiliza-
ton. Joseph de Montarnal was the
architect and Nathalie Carlu the deco
Tative artist.
City of Paris Palace.
Nearby Is the Palace of the City OF
Paris, planned by Leon Arena. with
ships prov topping slender ivory
tower, and the French Air Ministry
D,,iI do
tarnals studio.
Strikingly at variance with all of
these compositions is the Belgian
Congo Palace, the main bulk of which
Stimulates In tile and terra Gotta mid
African grass hut Of massive propor-
tionS, but the redeeming tower Of
which Is an unforgettable adaptation
of the clay "skyscrapers" of the Berber
territory of the Dark Continent. It's
interior surfaces are covered with
velour draperies of brown and yellow
in the manner Of a leopard's Skin-a
savage but intensely dramatic de-
vice for which the architect Rene
Schoentjes Is responsible.
Smaller but each specifically salts
flying are the pavillions of Switzer-
land, by Kellermuller and Hofmann;
Austria, by Prof. o. Hoerdtl; the
Netherlands, by M Rosemburg; Nor
way, by Ole Lind Schistad; Poland,
by M. Damman; Luxembourg, by @.
Trans and M. Wolff, Denmark, by
Thyge Hwass and Prof. Ostenfeld;
Finland, by Lunkkoven and H. Atty
Torien, and Chile, by Barrez and l.
Echeverria. The note which every
one of these attains is that of indi-
Vidual but consonant beauty, so that
in total they are subject to comparison
with pearls strung together. White,
as elsewhere, is the predominant color
in the ensemble.
Peasant Cottage Motif.
Bulgaria, 1t is worthy of mention,
has typical peasants cottage, COM
Portable and restfully simple, to house
her portion of the show. 1t is a fruit
Of the genius of j. de Brouwer and
probably will be copied widely in the
United States as well as in Europe
The Rumanian building, more pre-
tentious, is by C. Mosinschi.
The Palace of Italy is a many
windowed bulwark of steel, brick and
stone, stucco and glass. It follows
the model Of the less remarkable
Manhattan Office buildings which now
are judged commonplace on this side
OF the Atlantic but which still are
marvellous on the other.
The exposition gateway is cres-