Professional Societies
R. I. B. A. Notes
The Council of the R. I. B. A. has decided that after December 31, 1928, no one shall be registered as a Probationer unless that person has passed one of the recognised public examinations in the required subjects. A list of the examinations recognised may be obtained free at the R. I. B. A.
R. I. B. A. Statutory Examinatioris
The R. I. B. A. Statutory Examinations for the office of District Surveyor under the London Buildings Acts, or Building Surveyor under Local Authorities, will be held at the R. I. B. A., London, on October 19, 20 and 21, 1927.
Applications for admission to the Examinations, accompanied by the fee of £3 3s., must be received at the R. I. B. A. not later than Monday, October 3. Full particulars of the Examinations and application forms can be obtained from the Secretary, R. I. B. A.
Southend-on-Sea and District Society of
Architects
President, Sir Charles A. Nicholson, Bt.
A general meeting will be held at the School of Arts and Crafts on Wednesday, September. 21, at 8 p. m. Mr. Howard Robertson, F. R. I. B. A., S. A. D. O., will address the Society on “Modern Architecture,” illustrated by lantern slides.
Competition News
Edinburgh
A competition for designs for the large new buildings to be erected at Merchiston for the George Watson’s Boys’ College is to be held shortly by the Governors of the school. The present school has been sold to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, and will necessitate the erection of a complete new institution at a cost of £200, 000. Mr. John Keppie, F. R. I. B. A., 257 West George Street, Glasgow, has been appointed as assessor.
Southport
The Town Council is to invite competitive designs for a semi-open-air type of school, for 450 senior pupils, at Birkdale.
Herne Bay
Designs are invited for a composite building containing municipal offices, assembly hall and business premises. Professor A. E. Richardson, F. S. A., F. R. I. B. A., is the assessor.
Conditions of the competition and site plan may be obtained from Mr. G. IT. Beetenson, Clerk to the Council, Westminster Bank House, Herne Bay. Designs must be sent in by October 10, 1927.
Torquay
The Borough Engineer has prepared preliminary plans for the provision of a building to serve the purpose of a rendezvous for visitors and residents, in the Princess Gardens, and it is proposed to invite architects to submit designs.
Accrington
The Corporation are contemplating extensions to their town hall and municipal buildings. We understand that the design for these buildings will be subject to an architectural competition in the near future.
Birkdale
The Southport E. C. has appointed Professor S. D. Adshead to act as assessor and adviser in the competition for the new Senior School at Birkdale.
Peterborough
Peterborough Town Council are inviting designs for new municipal buildings with shops beneath, to cost
£166, 000, and to be erected in connection with the widening of Narrow Bridge Street, in the heart of the city. Sir Reginald Blomfield, F. R. I. B. A., has been appointed assessor, and the winning design will be awarded a premium of 250 guineas. It is proposed to widen the street on its eastern side from 30 feet to 75 feet, with a carriage-way of 50 feet. The Ministry of Transport has agreed to make a grant of £80, 000. Land has been acquired from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.
Wimbledon
The Corporation invite architects of British nationality to submit designs in competition for the Town Hall and municipal buildings which it is proposed to erect on a site in The Broadway, Wimbledon.
The Corporation have appointed Mr. Henry V. Ashley, F. R. I. B. A., to act as their assessor. Premiums of £200, £150 and £75 are offered for the designs placed first, second and third respectively by the assessor.
Conditions of the competition, together with a plan of the site, can be obtained from the Town Clerk on payment of the sum of two guineas, returnable under the usual conditions.
Designs are to be received on or before November 30, 1927. Mr. Herbert Emerson Smith, LL. B., Town Clerk.
Correspondence
The Greek Doric Order
To the Editor, The Architect and Building News.
Sir, —During the course of my architectural studies I have naturally encountered a considerable amount of unqualified praise for the Greek Doric Order in its perfected state, blind adulation which seems as universal as is the strict avoidance of any discussion of possible demerits. As nothing on this earth is perfect, certainly nothing man-made, I may be pardoned my apparent audacity as a mere student in advancing some views I have on the subject.
It is my opinion then, firstly, that the absence of a base to the Greek Doric column is a decided defect. The shaft as a consequence has the appearance of growing up from the ground, of having been designed to no predetermined height, or of having sunk into a stylobate of not sufficient strength to resist its downward pressure. It is often argued that the stylobate provides a base to the columns, but if this is accepted, then it would be quite reasonable also to omit the capital and allow the entablature to take its place. No, the stylobate is the base part and the entablature the crowning part of the three parts of the whole building, and the column should likewise independently have its three essential parts, in the same manner as have the entablature, the cornice, and the Ionic architrave.
Secondly, the Greek practice of bringing the end triglyphs to the extreme corners is also very much open to criticism, in my humble opinion, for if these features represent the ends of ceiling beams, then how can the provision of two adjacent angle triglyphs be justified? In this respect it seems to me strange that the Romans are criticised for bringing the end triglyphs away from the corners in their adaption of the Greek Doric Order.
It will be of the greatest assistance to me, and doubtless to many other students like myself, if any of your readers would kindly show if and how I am wrong in thus taking exception to the recognised authorities on the subject. — Yours faithfully,
Student.
R. I. B. A. Notes
The Council of the R. I. B. A. has decided that after December 31, 1928, no one shall be registered as a Probationer unless that person has passed one of the recognised public examinations in the required subjects. A list of the examinations recognised may be obtained free at the R. I. B. A.
R. I. B. A. Statutory Examinatioris
The R. I. B. A. Statutory Examinations for the office of District Surveyor under the London Buildings Acts, or Building Surveyor under Local Authorities, will be held at the R. I. B. A., London, on October 19, 20 and 21, 1927.
Applications for admission to the Examinations, accompanied by the fee of £3 3s., must be received at the R. I. B. A. not later than Monday, October 3. Full particulars of the Examinations and application forms can be obtained from the Secretary, R. I. B. A.
Southend-on-Sea and District Society of
Architects
President, Sir Charles A. Nicholson, Bt.
A general meeting will be held at the School of Arts and Crafts on Wednesday, September. 21, at 8 p. m. Mr. Howard Robertson, F. R. I. B. A., S. A. D. O., will address the Society on “Modern Architecture,” illustrated by lantern slides.
Competition News
Edinburgh
A competition for designs for the large new buildings to be erected at Merchiston for the George Watson’s Boys’ College is to be held shortly by the Governors of the school. The present school has been sold to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, and will necessitate the erection of a complete new institution at a cost of £200, 000. Mr. John Keppie, F. R. I. B. A., 257 West George Street, Glasgow, has been appointed as assessor.
Southport
The Town Council is to invite competitive designs for a semi-open-air type of school, for 450 senior pupils, at Birkdale.
Herne Bay
Designs are invited for a composite building containing municipal offices, assembly hall and business premises. Professor A. E. Richardson, F. S. A., F. R. I. B. A., is the assessor.
Conditions of the competition and site plan may be obtained from Mr. G. IT. Beetenson, Clerk to the Council, Westminster Bank House, Herne Bay. Designs must be sent in by October 10, 1927.
Torquay
The Borough Engineer has prepared preliminary plans for the provision of a building to serve the purpose of a rendezvous for visitors and residents, in the Princess Gardens, and it is proposed to invite architects to submit designs.
Accrington
The Corporation are contemplating extensions to their town hall and municipal buildings. We understand that the design for these buildings will be subject to an architectural competition in the near future.
Birkdale
The Southport E. C. has appointed Professor S. D. Adshead to act as assessor and adviser in the competition for the new Senior School at Birkdale.
Peterborough
Peterborough Town Council are inviting designs for new municipal buildings with shops beneath, to cost
£166, 000, and to be erected in connection with the widening of Narrow Bridge Street, in the heart of the city. Sir Reginald Blomfield, F. R. I. B. A., has been appointed assessor, and the winning design will be awarded a premium of 250 guineas. It is proposed to widen the street on its eastern side from 30 feet to 75 feet, with a carriage-way of 50 feet. The Ministry of Transport has agreed to make a grant of £80, 000. Land has been acquired from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.
Wimbledon
The Corporation invite architects of British nationality to submit designs in competition for the Town Hall and municipal buildings which it is proposed to erect on a site in The Broadway, Wimbledon.
The Corporation have appointed Mr. Henry V. Ashley, F. R. I. B. A., to act as their assessor. Premiums of £200, £150 and £75 are offered for the designs placed first, second and third respectively by the assessor.
Conditions of the competition, together with a plan of the site, can be obtained from the Town Clerk on payment of the sum of two guineas, returnable under the usual conditions.
Designs are to be received on or before November 30, 1927. Mr. Herbert Emerson Smith, LL. B., Town Clerk.
Correspondence
The Greek Doric Order
To the Editor, The Architect and Building News.
Sir, —During the course of my architectural studies I have naturally encountered a considerable amount of unqualified praise for the Greek Doric Order in its perfected state, blind adulation which seems as universal as is the strict avoidance of any discussion of possible demerits. As nothing on this earth is perfect, certainly nothing man-made, I may be pardoned my apparent audacity as a mere student in advancing some views I have on the subject.
It is my opinion then, firstly, that the absence of a base to the Greek Doric column is a decided defect. The shaft as a consequence has the appearance of growing up from the ground, of having been designed to no predetermined height, or of having sunk into a stylobate of not sufficient strength to resist its downward pressure. It is often argued that the stylobate provides a base to the columns, but if this is accepted, then it would be quite reasonable also to omit the capital and allow the entablature to take its place. No, the stylobate is the base part and the entablature the crowning part of the three parts of the whole building, and the column should likewise independently have its three essential parts, in the same manner as have the entablature, the cornice, and the Ionic architrave.
Secondly, the Greek practice of bringing the end triglyphs to the extreme corners is also very much open to criticism, in my humble opinion, for if these features represent the ends of ceiling beams, then how can the provision of two adjacent angle triglyphs be justified? In this respect it seems to me strange that the Romans are criticised for bringing the end triglyphs away from the corners in their adaption of the Greek Doric Order.
It will be of the greatest assistance to me, and doubtless to many other students like myself, if any of your readers would kindly show if and how I am wrong in thus taking exception to the recognised authorities on the subject. — Yours faithfully,
Student.