Evening star., 1936-07-18
NEWARCH|TECTURE'
MARK OF T|MES|
New Yorker Says Offspring
of Depression Will Per-
sist in Prosperity.

6O-CdlleQ WOutIu dICllICCtule,
offspring of the depression. will per-
sist in prosperity. Harvey Wiley Cor
bett, New York architect, declared
this week in an address before a SYM
postum on contemporary art at the
Summer session Of Columbia Uni
verSity.
The new building designs are not
q fantasy created out of nothing IN
the minds of a few neurotic artists,
but are the direct result of changing
conditions in the lives of the people,
according to Mr.. Corbett, a fellow OF
the American Institute of Architects.
THE so-called 'modernist' is in
fact a fundamentalist," Mr.. Corbett
explained. "He has appeared in Ameri-
ca, specifically speaking as fashions
latest craze. He is actually quite the
reverse He is conscientiously en-
deavoring to build functionally, prac-
tically. and economically, and still
retain that esthetic and emotional
quality which gives to buildings their
vitality and interest.
Revitalizing Effect.
"His influence is having revitaliz-
ing effect in the entire approach to
the architectural problem; so deep
and sound in principle that even a
recurring prosperity, no matter how
great, will ever successfully eradicate
the firm hold he now has on the
building world.
Architecture has been in sense
O luxury profession. During the
world depression it suffered as all
luxury professions have suffered In
such times. People will not buy silk,
however much they desire to-, when
they have not the money. Cotton will
do.
THE modern ARCHITECT has not
thrown up his hands because OF this
condition. He went to work to see
If he could handle the purely func-
tional and economical phases of his
problem, and through study and de-
sign ability still demonstrate that
esthetics were not necessarily an
added expense.
I'm America particularly in the last oU
years or more. American architects de-
reloped, in adding estheticS to other-
wise reasonably practical buildings.
system of training in architectural
establishment which had become IN
creasingly academic and standardized.
Went Out With Depression.
"The architect was thought OF as
nec11liarly well trained in the accepted
archaeological styles, and it was only
those owners who desired this special
dressing who employed him. When
special dressing went out because OF
economic depression, the architect
went out with it.
However, the economic depression
which we felt in 1929 had been felt
in Europe previously. There archl-
tects. notably the younger men, re-
turned to fundamentals. cast out their
academic training in styles and pro-
ceeded to meet the new situation with
q new approach.
For centuries people have recorded
their progress in their buildings. The
more enduring the buildings were, the
more permanent was the history they
recorded. What we know of past civili-
cations we learn from this more or
less imperishable record.
People are still doing the same
thing today, only the record is being
written much more rapidly and the
element of endurance is much less
'long-termed'. This is not because VIC
do not build to endure, but because we
tear down and rebuild to meet new
economic, social and industrial condi-
tions.
Contribution Important.
The architectural profession in
America deals with only about eight
per cent of all the building that goes
on. Their influence therefore, as his
tory writer's has only eight per cent
value. They do, however, write for the
leaders, and their contribution is i'm
rortant.
particular has shifted from an agra
rian to an industrial civilization,
which means in terms of buildings
that their life's work is indoors rather
than outdoors. An ever increasing
amount of inclosed space is needed.
Probably in America alone in the last
hundred years greater amount of
1nclosed space has been erected than
was erected in all the previous re-
corded history of the world.