Evening star., 1939-05-13
.4rchitects Credited
With Safeguarding
Of Proper Design
Pictured in Key Role
To Protect Owner
In Building Home

The technical service of the archi-
tect is preventing the intrusion of
details of design which often hide
poor architecture, Travis G.. Walsh
Of Cleveland. vice chairman of the
Committee on Industrial Relations
of the American Institute of Archi-
tects, says in explaining the rela-
tionships between Federal building
activities and the architectural pro-
fession. With the aid of the archi-
test, Mr.. Walsh points out the F.
H. A. is promoting both simplicity Of
design and sound construction.
The F. H. A. emphasizes the
value of the architects service and,
while the F. H. A. assumes a GER
tain amount of inspection of con-
tracts, materials and workmanship.
1t does not consider this as a sub
stitute for the customary profess
sional service
THE Federal Government, in pro-
tectlng a building insurance fund
through the F. H. A., stipulates that
the contract documents should in
clude the agreement between the
contractors and the owner, the gen.
eral conditions, the specifications
and the working drawings. The
F. H. A. is interested in developing
economically sound construction to
the end that satisfactory values will
be maintained throughout.
Broadens Availability.
ITO bring these benefits within
the reach of the largest number of
persons, insurance on loans as high
as so to 80 per cent has been made
possible, extending over a period of
Is years in certain cases. This pre-
sents impressive evidence of the un-
usual opportunity which the F. H. A.
program provides for the prospective
home owner.
Recently events have demon
strated the Willingness of promi-
nent lending institutions to Coop
crate. thus presenting to the public
a correlation of factors which in
times past has been very difficult
to achieve. All of these elements
emphasize the Importance of the
"a NiialSNb 90 q 'IollLLliiS dllo SUpCI
vising agent for the owner"
The architect has assumed the
social responsibility of aiding in the
development Of proper housing ia
cilities. according to Mr. Walsh, vino
says that approximately one per-
son out of every three on the street
is connected directly or indirectly
with the building industry The
building of home, from the fer
tllizer on the lawn to the last
drapery on the windows, stirs into
action almost every channel of the
business world, he adds.
Holds Key Position.
The architect. as never before,
is relating himself to the vital fac
tors inherent in small homes, low
cost suburban developments, rural
resettlement and the more COM
plex apartment structures of the
large cities. BY virtue of his long
and intensive training, his practical
experience, and his constant re-
search for suitable materials, the
architect becomes the only indi-
SlOodi III pOAlllOIl " ADVISE tIle
owner and to act as his impartial
agent in building matters.
In knowing the essentials of
sound construction. the architect
realizes the value in the use of Ger
tain materials of better grades, thus
eliminating maintenance charges
over a period of years. He is the
only one trained to maintain SIM
pllcity of design, devoid of over
loading details, which, although
they cost more, are so often used
to hide poor architecture"