Evening star., 1938-07-09
COMMUN|TYGA|NS
SEEN IN PLANNING
Competition Shows Results
Of Realty Developer and
Architect Cooperation.

How the architect and real estate
developer can work together for a
greatly needed improvement in COM
munity designing is illustrated in the
July issue of Architectural Forum
Magazine. which publishes the prize
winning plans from the first neighbor-
hood planning competition ever con-
Quoted
The competition was sponsored
Jointly by the magazine and the
American Gas Association to obtain
least IS families with incomes ranging
from $4,000 to $1,000 annually
Great promise for the future Is
shown in the neighborhood planning
designs" comments Dean Joseph ".
Hudnut Of the Graduate School of
Design, Harvard University, a member
H the jury of awards which judged
the competition. They show how the
architect and the real estate man can
work together for a greatly needed i'm
provement in the association of a
house plan with a neighborhood plan.
Community Phase Weighed.
'"The house has been studied by the
contestants, not as mere structure
upon lot, but as unit in a commu
nifty. If we are ever to have order in
our cities, or smaller communities, we
must face the problem Of the house as
part of the organic plan Of such cities
or communities"
In Judging the designs submitted, the
jury gave particular consideration to
conservation and Use OF the advantages
Of site for those Of limited income, the
need OF keeping costs within the SPEND
ing power Of those who are to be
housed. and the requirement Of good,
convenient and spacious living.
There are two ways to secure an
adequate return from the economical
use Of land" the Architectural Forum
reports from Clarence S. STEMS find-
ings for the jury. THE first is to house
more families on It, The second
method. however. is more important;
that 10 TO say, its economical develop
ment.
Raw Land Costs Low.
RAW land can be purchased at a
very low cost. The actual cost of the
use Of the land comes from its develop
ment and operation for living. The re-
lation between the number of DWELL
ings and the length OF the roads, paths,
sewers, water and other unities, and
their arrangement can facilitate ease
and economy Of operation and main
tenance. This applies equally to the
matter OF parks and recreational IA
eilities.
Large open spaces can be MAIN
tanned at low cost if they are left more
or less in their natural conditions. On
the other hand. parks with innumera-
bic paths, small broken up lawns and
many structures would be beyond the
means of a community such as was
considered by this competition.
Compact, economical site, road and
0tllities planning are essential for
those in the lower income brackets"
& was emphasized. Even the fami-
kes IN the weather. groups-those Of
81, 1000 annual income-require eco
nomical land planning. They should
not pay over one-fifth Of their annual
income, or $1,4o0, for shelter exclusive
Of heat.
1T Is generally estimated that rent
si,ould equal about one-tenth Of cost
In other words, the most expensive
houses, including land and land i'm
provement, should not cost more than
4l4 1000. and the cheaper house, for
those Of $4,000 incomes, should not
cost moro than $4,000.
Tho incomes are important. A
family With only $4,000 year not only
cannot buy much in the way Of new
house, but Is quite as much limited In
the amount Of land and land improve
naefftS It can Afford"