Evening star., 1936-11-14
EUROPEAN STYLES
REJECTED IN j. S.
Harvard Architect Says 1t
Has Aroused Interest Only
on Pacific Coast.

The international STYLE" widely
accepted in Eurone, Is making little
headway in America, says Roger Gill
man Of the Fogg Art Museum, Har-
ward University, in study OF mod
ern architecture reported to the
American Institute of Architects. 1t
has aroused interest chiefly on the
Pacific Coast and "in few adven-
turous souls" he points out.
I'VE must admit that this is a
widespread and thoughtful effort to
create a new architectural environ
ment for modern existence" Gilman
declares. "Yet we cannot help asking
ourselves if it is as inevitable, even
as convincing, in all respects as its
adherents insists. It would seem not.
such a theory, for instance, as
every building being a volume Of
space inclosed by fat, weightless
planes is too remote deduction to
settle the style for both small cot
tage and city post Office. Architec-
tural form is not developed from one
condition but from many; hygiene
and logic are only two of great
number of factors. Walls of glass
are often pure folly.
Lacks New Developments.
$50 1t is with notifications in more
local, more human and less theo-
retical form that it is chiefly used.
Its outward symbols, horizontality,
flatness of surface, repetition of motif
and bold geometrical shapes, above
all its flexible asymmetry, have al
ready had an influence that is far
reaching and may be long-lasting.
Where this international style
shows signs Of failure is in a lack
of new developments. No new ideas,
no new forms have been forthcoming
since its start. In contrast to it.,
the traditional style has shown a
good deal of development. In monu-
mental designs, to be sure, the old
rhythm of voids and solids remains,
but the effect Is directly in light and
shade, in mass and in line.
I'VE all know how they were for
merly masked by the beautiful details
of columns and cornices and all the
ldiom of classic decoration. For in
stance, this year in Paris a new post
Office has shafts and cornices, but
without capitals or mouldings. In
PoitierS, which calls itself The Ro-
manesque City, the new Chamber OF
Commerce Is much the same. Such
types of facades with long established
traditions apparently only change
with reluctance.
Composition Remains Same.
"In other large buildings, such as
apartment houses, the old elaboration
has given way to plain surfaces, the
old stone to brick and concrete, the
old motifs, of bay and mansard and
balcony, to motifs adapted from the
new style. But the composition re-
mains nearly the same.
"It is in America that this conserv-
atively modern, which we might call
most strongly. Among us it attracts
the majority even of the progressives.
While it offers possibilities for large
buildings which must appeal to the
public by its air of progress and
charm. yet it cannot venture too far
beyond the public taste, for our man
in the street is not so readily i'm
pressed by his architectural leaders
rs the European bourgeois.
Nevertheless such a traditional
style might almost be said to be
reaching a new expression. It's ele-
ments might almost be set down-a
very bold mass, vertical line, which
stems from our skyscraper type as
much weight in the wall as we can
afford, and beautiful material.
Buildings of Modern Design.
Symmetry and striking compost
ton combine these in monumental,
II sometimes theatrical, architecture
Of facades. Such recent buildings as
Ralph Adams Grams Federal Building
in Boston, Paul Crets Folger Library
and Holabird g. Roots Remington
Rand Building in Washington seem
to indicate a phase of modern design |
that carries its own justification"
In intention the international style |
was realistic, or objective, in contrast |
to the imaginative or subjective ap-
proach Of the German expressionists, |
Gilman explains. "The starting points |
Of this new architecture were to be
function and biology. The archi-
tect, no longer an inspired genius,
was to be sociologist, studying the
needs Of a new society, and a doctor,
prescribing the requirements of hy-
giene, also an engineer, an indus
trtalist, and withal philosopher and
artist. 1t Is no surprise that one
wing of the movement denied the
existence in all this of any aesthetic
ingredient whatever"
Outstanding examples of the inter-
national style on large scale In the
East, according to Gilman, are the
McGraw-Hill Loft Building and the
Radio City Office Building in New
York, both by Raymond Hood, and
tne Savings Association Building in
Philadelphia, by Howe g. Lescaze.