Evening star., 1939-07-21
Fine Arts Body
ADOPTS Design
OF Library
Approval of Facade
Speeds Building Of
$1,118,000 Structure

$118,O00 Structure
A design for the controversial new
Public Library has finally been
adopted.
The National Commission of Fine
Arts at its monthly meeting yes
terday placed its final stamp of
approval on a design presented by
Municipal Architect Nathan c.
Wyeth. For months Mr.. Wyeth and
DR.. George F. BoWerman have
labored to please the commission in
the matter Of facade on the Penn
sylvania avenue front of the build
ing. 1t must be in conformity with
the new National Gallery of Art
and the Apex Building across the
way, the commission had main
tanned.
Now that the facade is approved,
completion of final plans is in sight.
The first unit of the building will
cost Sl,1l8,000, and be placed along
pennsylvania avenue between Sixth
and John Marshall place NV. 1t
will house library facilities now
cramped into the old building at
Massachusetts and New York ave-
nues NV.
New War Unit Approved.
AT the same time, the commission
gave final approval to plans for the
first unit of the new War Depart
ment to be placed in the Federal
Triangle west of the new Interior
Department. Here again the mat
ter OF facade and attendant sculp-
ture figured most prominently in
discussion, H. P. Caemmerer, COM
mission secretary, said.
The War Department plan has
been prepared by the Procurement
Division of the Treasury, now part
OF the Federal Works Agency.
The commission also considered
tentative plans for the new Navy
Department building, which is to 60
in the Federal triangle between Con-
stltutlon avenue, Tw ,lty-third and
F streets NV. and the Potomac
River. Plans for the Navy struc-
ture, however, are in a formative
stage at the Procurement Division,
and no final plan has been worked
up as yet.
1t is thought that the designs Of
both buildings will be more or less
IN keeping with that of the new In
terror Department Building.
Airport Not Discussed.
The commission did not have time
to discuss the landscaping and build
ing treatment proposed for the new
national airport at Gravelly Point.
as was expected, Mr. Caemmerer
| said, nor did it discuss the proposed
Smithsonian Gallery of Art.
First prize in the final architects
competition for the Smithsonian
structure, as approved by the Smith
sonlan Gallery OF Art Commission,
went to modern design sub
mitted by Eliel and Zero Saarinen,
two noted Finnish architects now as
sociated with J. Robert Swanson of
Bloomfield, Ill.
Mr.. Caemmerer said, however. the
commission might bring up the mat
ter for discussion at its next meet
ing, in September.
The Fine Arts Commissions con-
sideration of this matter bids fair
to inject considerable controversy
into final selection of a gallery de-
sign, as the traditional policy of the
commission, as shown by its de-
cisions in regard to the new Library
and other public buildings in down
town Washington, is to make all
public buildings conform to the
classical style of architecture already
in vogue.
At Crossroads.
Gilmore D. Clarke, chairman OF
the National Commission of Fine
Arts; c. L. Borie. another commits
sion member, and Frederic A. De-
lano, chairman of the National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission, who are on record as favor
ing conformity in public buildings,
serve on the commission which ap-
proved the Smithsonian Gallery
design. Mr.. Delano and Henry R.
Shepley, another membar of the
Commission Of Fine Arts, served
on the jury selecting the Messrs.
Saarinen design.
To the lay eye the winning de-
sign looks like an exhibition build
ing from the Worlds Fair.
Observers said today that this
dual service of Fine Arts Commits
sion and Park and Planning Com
mission members may indicate that
architectural planners of the Ma
tion's Capital may be standing at
crossroads when they meet in Sep
tember.
To be classical or to allow archi-
tectural designs of wide variety, in
cludlng the modern, to enter the
public building picture in downtown
Washington, will be the question
confronting them.
1t is known that great pressure
has been brought on the Commits
sion of Fine Arts in recent years
by prominent architects to depart
from the classical tradition because
the architects feel expression of
contemporary and other periods of
American architecture should be
given chance. They feel also that
contemporary designs would provide
more efficient and better lighted Of
flee space.