Evening star., 1939-01-22

The Smithsonian Gallery Of Art
Commission last night announced
national competition to select the
architect for a $4,000 900 art gallery
to be erected in the Mall between
Independence avenue, Jefferson
drive. Fourth and Seventh streets.
This site, announced for the first
time, is directly south of the new
National Gallery of Art. now under
construction from funds given by
the late Andrew w. Mellon, former
Secretary of the Treasury.
The new gallery, to cover a site
of virtually the same size as that
of the Mellon gallery. would close
Sixth street in the Mall, and would
provide a structure probably of
simpler design than the one now
under construction.
To Include Auditorium.
q The new Smithsonian Gallery of
Art, according to the commission S
announcement, is to be "a dynamic
rather than static museum of art"
1t will house the collection now
known as the National Collection of
Fine Arts. located in the Natural
History Building of the United
States National Museum of the
Smithsonian Institution. To this
collection it is hoped will be added
other works of art in an effort to
stimulate the creation of works of
art of distinction and to elevate and
sustain the public appreciation of
these works throughout the
country" Travelling exhibitions
would be organized to carry art to
the American people.
The structure would have an
auditorium for lectures. films, SYM
phony orchestra and drama, to seat
about 1,O00 a lecture room, refer
ence library, lending library and
many other features.
Funds in the amount of $4,000
appropriated last May by Congress
are to be used to defray expenses of
the competition for an architect, but
the funds for constructing the new
gallery will have to come in the fu-
ture, either from congressional ap-
preparations or private gifts, or per-
haps both. The flsst construction to
cost about $500 900 would complete
a building constituting about one
fourth of the eventual gallery.
Ten Prizes to Be Awarded.
The competition is to be in two
stages, the first one open to all
practicing architects who are Amer
ican citizens From this first COM
petition 10 designs will be chosen
for the second and final competi-
ton. Each participant in the final
stage will receive prize They will
be: First prize, $500; second,
$3,500; and eight prizes of $1,000
each.
In addition to receiving the first
prize, the winning architect win be
recommended by the commission to
be employed as architect at a. fee of
$4,000 to design the building in COL
laboration with the procurement di-
vision, Treasury Department, "if
and when funds are available"
The last day for submission Of
drawings in preliminary competi-
ton will be noon, April %. Sessions
OF the jury to select the 10 archi-
tects for the final stage will be held
May 9 to IL; the final competition
begins May IS and closes June "a.
The jury of award, whose choice
will be final, is composed of Fred
eric A. Delano, chairman of the
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission and chairman of
the gallery commission, who will
act as chairman of the jury, and
four distinguished architects, in
Guiding John A. Holabird, we'll
known architect of many Chicago
skyscrapers; Walter Gropius, pro-
fessor of architecture at Harvard
University; George Howe, architect
Of many important buildings In
Philadelphia, and Henry r. shepley,