Professional Societies
R. I. B. A., Notes
The Eleventh International Congress of
Architects.
At a recent meeting of the Permanent Committee of the International Congress of Architects, held in Paris, it was decided to hold the Eleventh International Congress in Amsterdam and The Hague from August 29 to September 4. This will be the first regular International Congress of Architects held since the war. The architects of the Netherlands have long desired this meeting, and are exerting every effort to make it a notable gathering. Five of the subjects thus far decided upon for discussion are: (1) International Competitions; (2) Legal Protection of the Title of Architect; (3) Architectural Copyright; (4) Architecture as Practised by the Architect and by the Architect-Builder; (5) Artistic Development of Architecture since 1900. Those expecting to be present should communicate with the Secretary of the British Section, Lieut. -Col. H. P. Cart de Lafontaine, A. R. I. B. A.
R. I. B. A. London Architecture Medal, 1926.
The jury entrusted by the Royal Institute of British Architects with the award of the London Architecture Medal have selected the Friends’ House, Euston Road and Endsleigh Gardens, designed by Mr. Hubert Lidbetter, A. R. I. B. A., of Amberley House, Norfolk Street, W. C. 2. This building was illustrated in our issue of June 24.
Correspondence
The Editor, The Architect & Building News.
The Repair of Rural Cottages
Sir, — Our experience inclines us to agree with Mr. Edwin Gunn’s opinion that horizontal damp-proof courses were rarely provided in buildings earlier than the middle of last century.
His recommendation to treat walls that are damp owing to the absence of an effective horizontal dampcourse with an interior rendering of waterproofed cement has been well proven in practice, and we should like to stress the importance of the porous lime plaster skimming that Mr. Gunn indicates as a finish
for such interior renderings of waterproofed cement. This skimming should have a preponderance of washed sand, and, if Buxton or other similar fat lime is used for making the putty, it will carry double its bulk of sand. The gauging of this ‘‘setting stuff’’
by the addition of a little plaster-of-Paris just before its application to the wall will secure adhesion and obviate the necessity of consolidating the substance of the skimming by steel trowelling, which is essential with ungauged setting stuff, in order to prevent shrinkage cracks. The gauged setting coat will be more absorptive and, in consequence, a better safeguard against condensation.
Unfortunately, the trouble of defective dampcourses is also prevalent in buildings of more recent construction, due largely to careless workmanship and the use of indifferent dampcourse material. The sketch shows a very effective method of treating a wall of this type, and the rendering of waterproofed cement applied on the outer face, from the bottom of the footings up to 6 in. above the ground surface, is of value in minimising the soakage of water into the base of the wall, from whence it would rise upwards by capillary attraction. By carrying the waterproofed cement rendering down to the base of the wall on the inner face, dampness is excluded from the void under the joisted and boarded floor. — Yours faithfully.
Kerner-Greenwood & Co., Ltd. King’s Lynn.
India House — (Continued).
(electric lighting); Messrs. John Tanner & Sons, Liverpool (plaster and fibrous work); Messrs. Martyn, Ltd., London (plaster work in arcade); Messrs. Ames & Fennis, London (roof tiling); Messrs. Val de Travers Asphalte Co., Ltd. (asphalte); Messrs. R. W. Houghton, Liverpool (plumbing); Messrs. Widnes Foundry, Ltd. (cast iron work); Messrs. McFarlane & Co., Glasgow (iron windows); Messrs. Crittall Manufacturing Co. (metal windows); Messrs. Mellowes & Co., Ltd., Sheffield (leaded lights); Messrs. Williams & Watson, Liverpool (glazing; Messrs. F. & E. Pescod, Liverpool (sanitary fittings); Messrs. Bromsgrove Guild, Bromsgrove (bronze work); Messrs. Waygood- Otis, Ltd. (lifts); Messrs. John Stubbs & Sons, Liverpool (marble work) Messrs. Diespeker, Ltd., London (terrazzo floors, walls and staircases, terrazzo partitions to lavatories, with terrazzo heads and posts). The general contractors were Messrs. Wm. Thornton & Sons, Ltd.
New Cafe-Restaurant., Liverpool
The new Cafe-Restaurant for Messrs. Reece & Sons, Ltd., the Liverpool caterers, has been erected in Parker Street from the designs of Messrs. Edmund Kirby & Sons. The building, which comprises sub-basement, basement, ground and four upper floors, will be opened to the public on Monday next. The basement contains a luncheonroom, smoking lounge and soda fountain, decorated in the style of an old English hall. On the ground floor is a confectionery shop, soda fountain, quicklunch counter of the American type, and light refreshment cafe. This floor is panelled in walnut, the floor being of Tenessee marble. The main restaurant and grill-room are on the first floor, on which there is also a small private dining-room. The walls on this floor are panelled in bleached oak, mirrors and decorative paper panels being introduced, and the floor is parquet. A popular cafe, panelled in oak enriched with gold, and another private diningroom occupy the second floor. The ballroom on the third floor has space for 200 dancers. There are in addition two goods lifts and three passenger lifts. The cost was approximately £250, 000.
section through external wall with perished
DAMP-PROOF COURSE.
R. I. B. A., Notes
The Eleventh International Congress of
Architects.
At a recent meeting of the Permanent Committee of the International Congress of Architects, held in Paris, it was decided to hold the Eleventh International Congress in Amsterdam and The Hague from August 29 to September 4. This will be the first regular International Congress of Architects held since the war. The architects of the Netherlands have long desired this meeting, and are exerting every effort to make it a notable gathering. Five of the subjects thus far decided upon for discussion are: (1) International Competitions; (2) Legal Protection of the Title of Architect; (3) Architectural Copyright; (4) Architecture as Practised by the Architect and by the Architect-Builder; (5) Artistic Development of Architecture since 1900. Those expecting to be present should communicate with the Secretary of the British Section, Lieut. -Col. H. P. Cart de Lafontaine, A. R. I. B. A.
R. I. B. A. London Architecture Medal, 1926.
The jury entrusted by the Royal Institute of British Architects with the award of the London Architecture Medal have selected the Friends’ House, Euston Road and Endsleigh Gardens, designed by Mr. Hubert Lidbetter, A. R. I. B. A., of Amberley House, Norfolk Street, W. C. 2. This building was illustrated in our issue of June 24.
Correspondence
The Editor, The Architect & Building News.
The Repair of Rural Cottages
Sir, — Our experience inclines us to agree with Mr. Edwin Gunn’s opinion that horizontal damp-proof courses were rarely provided in buildings earlier than the middle of last century.
His recommendation to treat walls that are damp owing to the absence of an effective horizontal dampcourse with an interior rendering of waterproofed cement has been well proven in practice, and we should like to stress the importance of the porous lime plaster skimming that Mr. Gunn indicates as a finish
for such interior renderings of waterproofed cement. This skimming should have a preponderance of washed sand, and, if Buxton or other similar fat lime is used for making the putty, it will carry double its bulk of sand. The gauging of this ‘‘setting stuff’’
by the addition of a little plaster-of-Paris just before its application to the wall will secure adhesion and obviate the necessity of consolidating the substance of the skimming by steel trowelling, which is essential with ungauged setting stuff, in order to prevent shrinkage cracks. The gauged setting coat will be more absorptive and, in consequence, a better safeguard against condensation.
Unfortunately, the trouble of defective dampcourses is also prevalent in buildings of more recent construction, due largely to careless workmanship and the use of indifferent dampcourse material. The sketch shows a very effective method of treating a wall of this type, and the rendering of waterproofed cement applied on the outer face, from the bottom of the footings up to 6 in. above the ground surface, is of value in minimising the soakage of water into the base of the wall, from whence it would rise upwards by capillary attraction. By carrying the waterproofed cement rendering down to the base of the wall on the inner face, dampness is excluded from the void under the joisted and boarded floor. — Yours faithfully.
Kerner-Greenwood & Co., Ltd. King’s Lynn.
India House — (Continued).
(electric lighting); Messrs. John Tanner & Sons, Liverpool (plaster and fibrous work); Messrs. Martyn, Ltd., London (plaster work in arcade); Messrs. Ames & Fennis, London (roof tiling); Messrs. Val de Travers Asphalte Co., Ltd. (asphalte); Messrs. R. W. Houghton, Liverpool (plumbing); Messrs. Widnes Foundry, Ltd. (cast iron work); Messrs. McFarlane & Co., Glasgow (iron windows); Messrs. Crittall Manufacturing Co. (metal windows); Messrs. Mellowes & Co., Ltd., Sheffield (leaded lights); Messrs. Williams & Watson, Liverpool (glazing; Messrs. F. & E. Pescod, Liverpool (sanitary fittings); Messrs. Bromsgrove Guild, Bromsgrove (bronze work); Messrs. Waygood- Otis, Ltd. (lifts); Messrs. John Stubbs & Sons, Liverpool (marble work) Messrs. Diespeker, Ltd., London (terrazzo floors, walls and staircases, terrazzo partitions to lavatories, with terrazzo heads and posts). The general contractors were Messrs. Wm. Thornton & Sons, Ltd.
New Cafe-Restaurant., Liverpool
The new Cafe-Restaurant for Messrs. Reece & Sons, Ltd., the Liverpool caterers, has been erected in Parker Street from the designs of Messrs. Edmund Kirby & Sons. The building, which comprises sub-basement, basement, ground and four upper floors, will be opened to the public on Monday next. The basement contains a luncheonroom, smoking lounge and soda fountain, decorated in the style of an old English hall. On the ground floor is a confectionery shop, soda fountain, quicklunch counter of the American type, and light refreshment cafe. This floor is panelled in walnut, the floor being of Tenessee marble. The main restaurant and grill-room are on the first floor, on which there is also a small private dining-room. The walls on this floor are panelled in bleached oak, mirrors and decorative paper panels being introduced, and the floor is parquet. A popular cafe, panelled in oak enriched with gold, and another private diningroom occupy the second floor. The ballroom on the third floor has space for 200 dancers. There are in addition two goods lifts and three passenger lifts. The cost was approximately £250, 000.
section through external wall with perished
DAMP-PROOF COURSE.