Evening star., 1961-11-27
Design for Learning

LSSISH IOI ECOfHiIIS
The Maryland alumnus,
whose letter appeared in The
Star November 18, may not
actually be unique in his to-
tai lack of appreciation for
contemporary architecture,
but he certainly is passe.
The fact is that there no
longer is any conflict between
so-called contemporary archi-
lecture and traditional. Con-
temporary architecture has
simply carried the day-at
least for any thoughtful man.
This is also true of any rea-
sonable, sound institution.
Architecture, by its very ma
ture. if it is to be excellent,
must reflect that which is
excellent in its time. In
our day there are excellent
structural techniques, excel
lent materials, and excellent
esthetics based on visual
fundamentals. I
None of these are the least
bit evident in the medium
lousy. psuedo-G Georgian, stage
set design of the buildings
at the University of Mary
land. Nor is the foregoing
intended in any way as a crit
icism of authentic Georgian
or American Colonial archi-
lecture. Both, in their time,
reflected the most excellent
structural techniques. mate
rials, and esthetics Of their
day.
If all this seems to be a
reflection on those who con-
troll the design of buildings
at Maryland, as well as the
Maryland alumnus, it is be-
cause every aspect of intel
lectual and esthetic disei-
pline Is involved in real"
architecture, and the total
absence of these things in a
group of buildings, particu-
larly at an educational insti-
tuition, is a very sad COM
mentary, indeed!
Irritated Architect.
4 "a
A friend sent me a clip
ping from your newspaper
containing a letter and q very
entertaining sketch about
contemporary architecture"
at the University of Maryland.
Apparently the University Of
Maryland trustees have wise
ly continued in the path of
the classical tradition. They
are not afraid to have new
buildings which harmonic
with the old in terms of style.
Maryland Alumnus," author
of the riposte, neatly licked
off the so-called modern"
as fit for filling stations and
sewage disposal plants. I
think he was too generous;
the modern" or contempt
rary" is not even fit for such
useful structures.
Much has lately been made
of the failure of our univer-
sites and colleges in teach
ing science. An even better
case cam be made against
them in their teaching and
patronage of the so-called
modern" The sketch of
Maryland Alumnus" under
lined the all-pervasive nihil-
ism in the arts now culti-
vated by our institutions of
higher learning.
The irony of this puerile
fashion is that the trustees
of these Institutions, from
Harvard to California, would
not be caught dead in a
modern" chair, a modern"
house or a "free-form mod
ern" garden, yet they permit
the plague on the campuses
for which they are response
BILE. CONNECTIONS of tin-foil
and sandpaper, miniature
Glassvilles, faceless slabs,
these are the settings which
these trustees have devised
for young people who must
suffer them for four of the
most important, and often
happies, years Of their lives
All praise. then. to the
trustees of the University OF
Maryland who have the cour-
age of their convictions in
rejecting a nihilistic archi-
lecture, the product OF
esthetic vivisection!
Henry Hope Reed, jr.
Tn nhoroa nf uyoIlyiY1u tOIIrr