THE PUBLISHERS’ PAGE
Shreve & LAMB are the architects for the office building for the Reynolds Tobacco Company, now under construction at Winston-Salem, N. C. This building was designed, working drawings made, and the contract awarded in approximately four months. The work was carried through the office on a definite time schedule similar to that often employed for contract work on large buildings. The working drawings and specifications were completed simultaneously. Bids received from contractors in widely separated localities were remarkably close. The contractors acknowledge that this was largely due to the manner in which both plans and specifications had been developed. Business management in the practice of architecture is probably receiving more attention at present than at any time in the history of the profession. The Reynolds Tobacco Company Building illustrates an interesting phase of this question which is described and illustrated in the current issue of The AMERICAN Architect.
The Engineering and Construction Department of The American Architect issue of December 5, 1926, contained a description of the balcony construction in the Roxy Theatre, New York City. This theatre provides seats for 2, 850 persons on the lower floor, 1, 034 on the mezzanine floor, 2, 110 in the balcony and 110 in the orchestra pit. The two columns which support the front of the balcony are about 1 69 ft. apart. The principal truss member is 103 ft. long and weighs 200 tons. At the time that this theatre was built, its construction was a novelty in this country. Since that time there has been built in Los Angeles, California, a shrine civic auditorium known as the Al Malaikah Temple, which in certain respects surpasses the Roxy Theatre in its engineering features. The theatre in the temple seats 3, 200 on the main floor, 3, 350 in the balcony and 200 in the orchestra pit. The principal balcony truss spans 168 ft. and weighs 250 tons. The balcony cantilevers have a maximum overhang of 45 ft. The roof trusses over the auditorium span 192 ft. and weigh 60 tons each. The construction of the building is an interesting combination of structural steel and reinforced concrete, a description of which will be found in this issue.
An article in this issue by Henry E. Wichers emphasizes the relation of house to site. A house well designed will appear to be actually a part of the landscape. In certain parts of the country, certain types are more generally used because they seem more naturally associated with the landscape conditions of that particular locality. Mr. Wichers’ article,
however, has a wider interest in that it does not deal with styles, but rather with principles. The house on a hilltop, for example, should repeat in the lines of the roof the slope of the hill, he states. He does not say it should necessarily be an early English or French gable house. Architectural design is based on principles, and not on styles. Because certain of the old styles embodied certain forms which lend themselves better than others to certain landscapes, it is only natural that we find ourselves simulating Colonial lines in designing houses where horizontal roof lines must be emphasized and affecting English gables in houses calling for sharp inclined roofs. Mr. Wichers’ article is illustrated entirely by houses in Kansas — his home state — and it is particularly interesting to know that he could find at such close range such capable designs to demonstrate his principles.
Sport arenas have, in recent years, aroused widespread interest both in this country and abroad. In the larger cities these arenas are called upon to serve a great variety of uses, ranging from circuses to sixday bicycle races, boxing matches and hockey games. The equipment necessary to furnish ice for skating or playing hockey and the design of refrigerating systems for this purpose are comparatively recent developments. We are fortunate in being able to present in our issue of May 20, 1928, an authoritative article by Terry Mitchell describing the ice making equipment installed in the Olympia Arena in Detroit, Michigan, for which C. Howard Crane and his associates, Elmer George Kiehler and Ben A. Dore, were the architects.
It is a generally accepted fact, and one that has frequently been emphasized in the columns of this journal, that many of the best architectural conceptions get no further than the drafting board. The architect of a large office building in New York only recently remarked to us that certain of the most interesting features of the design had already been eliminated and the structural steelwork is now only one or two stories above the ground. As a consequence, a photographic presentation of present day building may not be a true barometer of progress in architecture in this country. We feel that our readers want to see the best, whether it be reproduced from photographs or from renderings. We, therefore, make an appeal to them to send us prints of perspective sketches of buildings which they think are worthy of publication, even if the design may have to be materially changed before building, or even if the project is entirely abandoned.
Please do us a favor. If your magazine does not come regularly on time, drop us a postcard or a letter. Address us — 501 Fifth Avenue, New York City.
Shreve & LAMB are the architects for the office building for the Reynolds Tobacco Company, now under construction at Winston-Salem, N. C. This building was designed, working drawings made, and the contract awarded in approximately four months. The work was carried through the office on a definite time schedule similar to that often employed for contract work on large buildings. The working drawings and specifications were completed simultaneously. Bids received from contractors in widely separated localities were remarkably close. The contractors acknowledge that this was largely due to the manner in which both plans and specifications had been developed. Business management in the practice of architecture is probably receiving more attention at present than at any time in the history of the profession. The Reynolds Tobacco Company Building illustrates an interesting phase of this question which is described and illustrated in the current issue of The AMERICAN Architect.
The Engineering and Construction Department of The American Architect issue of December 5, 1926, contained a description of the balcony construction in the Roxy Theatre, New York City. This theatre provides seats for 2, 850 persons on the lower floor, 1, 034 on the mezzanine floor, 2, 110 in the balcony and 110 in the orchestra pit. The two columns which support the front of the balcony are about 1 69 ft. apart. The principal truss member is 103 ft. long and weighs 200 tons. At the time that this theatre was built, its construction was a novelty in this country. Since that time there has been built in Los Angeles, California, a shrine civic auditorium known as the Al Malaikah Temple, which in certain respects surpasses the Roxy Theatre in its engineering features. The theatre in the temple seats 3, 200 on the main floor, 3, 350 in the balcony and 200 in the orchestra pit. The principal balcony truss spans 168 ft. and weighs 250 tons. The balcony cantilevers have a maximum overhang of 45 ft. The roof trusses over the auditorium span 192 ft. and weigh 60 tons each. The construction of the building is an interesting combination of structural steel and reinforced concrete, a description of which will be found in this issue.
An article in this issue by Henry E. Wichers emphasizes the relation of house to site. A house well designed will appear to be actually a part of the landscape. In certain parts of the country, certain types are more generally used because they seem more naturally associated with the landscape conditions of that particular locality. Mr. Wichers’ article,
however, has a wider interest in that it does not deal with styles, but rather with principles. The house on a hilltop, for example, should repeat in the lines of the roof the slope of the hill, he states. He does not say it should necessarily be an early English or French gable house. Architectural design is based on principles, and not on styles. Because certain of the old styles embodied certain forms which lend themselves better than others to certain landscapes, it is only natural that we find ourselves simulating Colonial lines in designing houses where horizontal roof lines must be emphasized and affecting English gables in houses calling for sharp inclined roofs. Mr. Wichers’ article is illustrated entirely by houses in Kansas — his home state — and it is particularly interesting to know that he could find at such close range such capable designs to demonstrate his principles.
Sport arenas have, in recent years, aroused widespread interest both in this country and abroad. In the larger cities these arenas are called upon to serve a great variety of uses, ranging from circuses to sixday bicycle races, boxing matches and hockey games. The equipment necessary to furnish ice for skating or playing hockey and the design of refrigerating systems for this purpose are comparatively recent developments. We are fortunate in being able to present in our issue of May 20, 1928, an authoritative article by Terry Mitchell describing the ice making equipment installed in the Olympia Arena in Detroit, Michigan, for which C. Howard Crane and his associates, Elmer George Kiehler and Ben A. Dore, were the architects.
It is a generally accepted fact, and one that has frequently been emphasized in the columns of this journal, that many of the best architectural conceptions get no further than the drafting board. The architect of a large office building in New York only recently remarked to us that certain of the most interesting features of the design had already been eliminated and the structural steelwork is now only one or two stories above the ground. As a consequence, a photographic presentation of present day building may not be a true barometer of progress in architecture in this country. We feel that our readers want to see the best, whether it be reproduced from photographs or from renderings. We, therefore, make an appeal to them to send us prints of perspective sketches of buildings which they think are worthy of publication, even if the design may have to be materially changed before building, or even if the project is entirely abandoned.
Please do us a favor. If your magazine does not come regularly on time, drop us a postcard or a letter. Address us — 501 Fifth Avenue, New York City.