THE PUBLISHERS’ PAGE
We rather imagine that architects who subscribe to an architectural publication do so in hopes that at least occasionally they will find within its pages an idea which they may embody in some design on which they may be working, or which may serve as inspiration for the solution of some problem on which they may be engaged. We select our illustrations, and text articles for that matter, with this thought always in mind. We may show, for example, a photograph of a church which may not in every detail of its design meet with our approval. And yet the cupola of that church may, according to our ideas again, have been very successfully treated. Or, perhaps, it may be a tall office building, in the design of which the stipulations imposed by the zoning law may have been particularly well complied with, although certain of its other details may be mediocre. And yet, natflFaifwe Ijfi] tst show the building in its entirety in dScfOaL in order that the particular feature can efrjp ly appreciated by seeing it in its rela
tiontchtH Dmplete composition of which it is a partS AnJi i 11, many architects are limited in the deveiopmeit of their designs by conditions which Jd Sot- appe ir when seeing a photograph only of i the soljipfeitt J structure. It is to be our policy in G t§e fjutpredc make mention of the more important joF tjjeje con rolling conditions whenever possible, d a ad herelgk eliminate much of the criticism that
iSnsaw plate i on the architect’s shoulders by not knowing h it the conditions of the problem were.
In fct, ilii our ambition to reduce the photograpic iljstrations of the finished building structuretftomewhftt, and elaborate on the problems invnlvgd in _the design, and illustrate and describe their solution. Drawings or photographs necessary to make these clear will be shown. In considering material to send us for publication, contributors are requested to please keep this in mind. We want the “inside story”-—what were the conditions governing the problem and how was it solved? An
other architect, a subscriber to The AMERICAN ARCHITECT, may at some future time be confronted with a problem governed by certain similar conditions as yours, and your solution may be of value and interest to him. If it is, you may be sure that your reputation in the profession has been enhanced.
It is said that mental impressions resulting from what we see are retained longer and are more vivid than those produced by what we hear or read. These impressions, transferred to the printed page or related as personal experiences, are often of unusual interest. Dwight James Baum, architect, of New York, recently enjoyed a prolonged visit through the West and Northwest. On this journey
Mr. Baum personally photographed many buildings of excellent and unusual architectural interest in these sections of the United States. We consider ourselves fortunate in being able to present to the readers of The AMERICAN ARCHITECT a series of articles by Mr. Baum, accompanied by reproductions of many of the photographs referred to. These articles record Mr. Baum’s impressions of what he saw, with reference to architecture in general and ecclesiastical architecture in particular, in California and the Northwest, and will appear in early issues of this journal.
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While on the subject of impressions we are reminded that L. W. C. Tuthill has prepared an article on a layman’s impressions of brickwork. While on a trip through the early settled districts of Virginia, Mr. Tuthill was attracted by the character of the brickwork which predominates in those districts. These impressions, as related by Mr. Tuthill, we trust, will be found interesting and valuable.
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If wars are primarily destructive, it is also true that they may be constructive. Constructive lessons learned from the world conflict have been and are noticed from time to time. An advance, important from the humanitarian, medical and architectural point of view, that can be cited in this connection is the matter of hospital design. One of the destructive effects of the war served to center attention on the housing and care of the sick, injured, and wounded. As a result, those engaged in the design or operation of hospitals have learned the value of good hospital design and the importance atttached to their location and environment. The various departments in the hospital must function quickly and smoothly. Many institutions or portions of them have special requirements. It has been learned that the proper housing of the hospital staff is of equal importance to the comfort of the patients. Now that the war is a decade behind us, it seems an opportune time to review the progress that has been made in hospital design. In a future issue Edward F. Stevens, F. A. I. A., of the firm of Stevens & Lee, will write on What the Past Fifteen Years Have Taught Us in Hospital Design and Construction.”
The leading article in the November 5th issue, “The Design of Airports,” by George B. Ford, an expert in this line, will present to architects certain fundamental principles on which the layout of a flying field is based. On account of recent efforts in the development of aviation in this country, this material is especially timely and is of great value to architects.
We rather imagine that architects who subscribe to an architectural publication do so in hopes that at least occasionally they will find within its pages an idea which they may embody in some design on which they may be working, or which may serve as inspiration for the solution of some problem on which they may be engaged. We select our illustrations, and text articles for that matter, with this thought always in mind. We may show, for example, a photograph of a church which may not in every detail of its design meet with our approval. And yet the cupola of that church may, according to our ideas again, have been very successfully treated. Or, perhaps, it may be a tall office building, in the design of which the stipulations imposed by the zoning law may have been particularly well complied with, although certain of its other details may be mediocre. And yet, natflFaifwe Ijfi] tst show the building in its entirety in dScfOaL in order that the particular feature can efrjp ly appreciated by seeing it in its rela
tiontchtH Dmplete composition of which it is a partS AnJi i 11, many architects are limited in the deveiopmeit of their designs by conditions which Jd Sot- appe ir when seeing a photograph only of i the soljipfeitt J structure. It is to be our policy in G t§e fjutpredc make mention of the more important joF tjjeje con rolling conditions whenever possible, d a ad herelgk eliminate much of the criticism that
iSnsaw plate i on the architect’s shoulders by not knowing h it the conditions of the problem were.
In fct, ilii our ambition to reduce the photograpic iljstrations of the finished building structuretftomewhftt, and elaborate on the problems invnlvgd in _the design, and illustrate and describe their solution. Drawings or photographs necessary to make these clear will be shown. In considering material to send us for publication, contributors are requested to please keep this in mind. We want the “inside story”-—what were the conditions governing the problem and how was it solved? An
other architect, a subscriber to The AMERICAN ARCHITECT, may at some future time be confronted with a problem governed by certain similar conditions as yours, and your solution may be of value and interest to him. If it is, you may be sure that your reputation in the profession has been enhanced.
It is said that mental impressions resulting from what we see are retained longer and are more vivid than those produced by what we hear or read. These impressions, transferred to the printed page or related as personal experiences, are often of unusual interest. Dwight James Baum, architect, of New York, recently enjoyed a prolonged visit through the West and Northwest. On this journey
Mr. Baum personally photographed many buildings of excellent and unusual architectural interest in these sections of the United States. We consider ourselves fortunate in being able to present to the readers of The AMERICAN ARCHITECT a series of articles by Mr. Baum, accompanied by reproductions of many of the photographs referred to. These articles record Mr. Baum’s impressions of what he saw, with reference to architecture in general and ecclesiastical architecture in particular, in California and the Northwest, and will appear in early issues of this journal.
*******
While on the subject of impressions we are reminded that L. W. C. Tuthill has prepared an article on a layman’s impressions of brickwork. While on a trip through the early settled districts of Virginia, Mr. Tuthill was attracted by the character of the brickwork which predominates in those districts. These impressions, as related by Mr. Tuthill, we trust, will be found interesting and valuable.
************
If wars are primarily destructive, it is also true that they may be constructive. Constructive lessons learned from the world conflict have been and are noticed from time to time. An advance, important from the humanitarian, medical and architectural point of view, that can be cited in this connection is the matter of hospital design. One of the destructive effects of the war served to center attention on the housing and care of the sick, injured, and wounded. As a result, those engaged in the design or operation of hospitals have learned the value of good hospital design and the importance atttached to their location and environment. The various departments in the hospital must function quickly and smoothly. Many institutions or portions of them have special requirements. It has been learned that the proper housing of the hospital staff is of equal importance to the comfort of the patients. Now that the war is a decade behind us, it seems an opportune time to review the progress that has been made in hospital design. In a future issue Edward F. Stevens, F. A. I. A., of the firm of Stevens & Lee, will write on What the Past Fifteen Years Have Taught Us in Hospital Design and Construction.”
The leading article in the November 5th issue, “The Design of Airports,” by George B. Ford, an expert in this line, will present to architects certain fundamental principles on which the layout of a flying field is based. On account of recent efforts in the development of aviation in this country, this material is especially timely and is of great value to architects.