IN recent years considerable interest has been attached to the domestic architecture of Normandy and Brittany. Houses and other buildings in the locality have been the inspiration of much of the best domestic architecture conceived in the United States. The result has usually been a picturesque, sturdy little house, excellent in mass, proportion and detail. Samuel Chamberlain’s article “Breton Silhouettes” and the accompanying illustrations which appear in this issue of THE AMERICAN ARCHITECT are, therefore, of practical and timely interest. As usual, the text is written in the pleasing and vigorous manner in which Chamberlain always treats his subjects.
Wm. Roger Greeley never writes unless he has something to say that is worth reading. Whenever we find it possible to present an article from Mr. Greeley’s pen we experience a feeling of good fortune. In the current issue Mr. Greeley writes on “Town Halls, ” using as illustrations both early American meeting houses and some recent work done by the firm of Kilham, Hopkins and Greeley.
The Savoy-Plaza Hotel, New York, one of the buildings designed by McKim, Mead & White and but recently completed, will be found fully illustrated and described in this issue. This hotel, presenting an interesting and unusual solution of the modern hotel problem, is operated in conjunction with the Plaza Hotel located across the Square upon which the familiar Vanderbilt House also faced for many years. The Savoy-Plaza was, therefore, designed to recall the spirit and exterior appearance of its sister building. Zoning laws have changed since the Plaza Hotel was erected and it is of interest to note the effect that these laws have had on the new structure as compared with the older one. Designed in the spirit of the French Renaissance, the Savoy-Plaza perhaps recalls the Plaza most noticeably through its detail and the green tile pyramidal roof so pronouncedly French in character. The site of the structure provided three street frontages which, with the unusually large courts in the front and rear, are certain to afford a generous quantity of light and air to all guest rooms. It will be noticed upon examination of the plans that the rooms are larger than those provided in the average modern hotel. This was a feature particularly stressed in the original program for this building. Another unusual feature of this hotel, the result of its location, is the in
corporating of shops and offices on the second floor. While the mechanical features of this building are not unusual, apparently nothing has been omitted that contributes to the comfort of the expected guests and the efficient operation of the services which hotels are called upon to provide.
Many of our readers are particularly interested in school buildings. The Lexington High School at Lexington, Ky., of which Warner, McCornack and Mitchell were the architects, will be found illustrated in this issue. While the plans and elevations treat this structure as a single building, it is in effect a group of buildings cleverly joined as one. We believe that the Lexington High School is an institution that warrants the careful attention of our readers.
The designs of the three American architects which were submitted along with those of three English architects in the final competition for the new Shakespeare Memorial Theatre at Stratfordon-Avon, England, are reproduced in this issue of The American Architect. The program called for a modern theatre of dignified simplicity to be built at a cost of approximately $750, 000. The seating capacity of the new theatre was stipulated at 1000. Conditions specified that it be placed on the bank of the River Avon in the midst of an immense formal garden. The walls and stage of the old Memorial Theatre, still standing after the fire which destroyed the playhouse in 1926, were to form the rear of the new theatre, this section being for use as a conference hall. On examination, it will be seen that the three American contestants sought to impart into their designs the style of architecture associated with Shakespeare’s time and with that part of old England in which the theatre was to be erected. And yet modern conditions and customs had been considered so that the designs might well be classed as fulfilling the requirements of that portion of the program which called for a modern theatre. Space does not allow the reproduction of the plot plans submitted by the several competitors, although these are especially interesting and must have been given especial attention by the jury. A photograph of the model of the prize winning design by Elizabeth Scott, an English architect, was published in the January 20th issue of The American Architect; the perspective drawing and plan are reproduced in this issue, with a similar presentation of the designs submitted by the three American competitors.
Wm. Roger Greeley never writes unless he has something to say that is worth reading. Whenever we find it possible to present an article from Mr. Greeley’s pen we experience a feeling of good fortune. In the current issue Mr. Greeley writes on “Town Halls, ” using as illustrations both early American meeting houses and some recent work done by the firm of Kilham, Hopkins and Greeley.
The Savoy-Plaza Hotel, New York, one of the buildings designed by McKim, Mead & White and but recently completed, will be found fully illustrated and described in this issue. This hotel, presenting an interesting and unusual solution of the modern hotel problem, is operated in conjunction with the Plaza Hotel located across the Square upon which the familiar Vanderbilt House also faced for many years. The Savoy-Plaza was, therefore, designed to recall the spirit and exterior appearance of its sister building. Zoning laws have changed since the Plaza Hotel was erected and it is of interest to note the effect that these laws have had on the new structure as compared with the older one. Designed in the spirit of the French Renaissance, the Savoy-Plaza perhaps recalls the Plaza most noticeably through its detail and the green tile pyramidal roof so pronouncedly French in character. The site of the structure provided three street frontages which, with the unusually large courts in the front and rear, are certain to afford a generous quantity of light and air to all guest rooms. It will be noticed upon examination of the plans that the rooms are larger than those provided in the average modern hotel. This was a feature particularly stressed in the original program for this building. Another unusual feature of this hotel, the result of its location, is the in
corporating of shops and offices on the second floor. While the mechanical features of this building are not unusual, apparently nothing has been omitted that contributes to the comfort of the expected guests and the efficient operation of the services which hotels are called upon to provide.
Many of our readers are particularly interested in school buildings. The Lexington High School at Lexington, Ky., of which Warner, McCornack and Mitchell were the architects, will be found illustrated in this issue. While the plans and elevations treat this structure as a single building, it is in effect a group of buildings cleverly joined as one. We believe that the Lexington High School is an institution that warrants the careful attention of our readers.
The designs of the three American architects which were submitted along with those of three English architects in the final competition for the new Shakespeare Memorial Theatre at Stratfordon-Avon, England, are reproduced in this issue of The American Architect. The program called for a modern theatre of dignified simplicity to be built at a cost of approximately $750, 000. The seating capacity of the new theatre was stipulated at 1000. Conditions specified that it be placed on the bank of the River Avon in the midst of an immense formal garden. The walls and stage of the old Memorial Theatre, still standing after the fire which destroyed the playhouse in 1926, were to form the rear of the new theatre, this section being for use as a conference hall. On examination, it will be seen that the three American contestants sought to impart into their designs the style of architecture associated with Shakespeare’s time and with that part of old England in which the theatre was to be erected. And yet modern conditions and customs had been considered so that the designs might well be classed as fulfilling the requirements of that portion of the program which called for a modern theatre. Space does not allow the reproduction of the plot plans submitted by the several competitors, although these are especially interesting and must have been given especial attention by the jury. A photograph of the model of the prize winning design by Elizabeth Scott, an English architect, was published in the January 20th issue of The American Architect; the perspective drawing and plan are reproduced in this issue, with a similar presentation of the designs submitted by the three American competitors.