Vol. CxVIII — 3063
The ARCHITECT & BUILDING NEWS
September 2, 1927
Proprietors: Gilbert Wood & Co., Ltd.
Managing Director: William L. Wood
Editorial, Publishing and Advertisement Offices:
Rolls House, 2 Breams Buildings, London, E. C. 4. Tel.: Holborn 5708 Registered Office: Imperial Buildings, Ludgate Circus, London, E. C. 4
Principal Contents
Notes and Comments.................................................................................................. Page 373, 374 Essays by the Way — VI. (Illustrations).............................. 375, 376 No. 2 Devonshire Square, London (Illustrations)......................... 377
Book Review................................................................... 377, 378 County Fire Office and Barclays Bank, London (Illus
trations).................................................................................. 378 Midland Bank, Guildford (Illustrations)........................................ 379 Gardens at the Palace of Hellbrun, near Salzburg
(Illustrations)................................................................... 380, 381 Memoranda — V.: Plywood........................................................... 382 New Post Office and Telephone Exchange, Leigh-on-Sea
Illustrations)....................................................................... 383, 395 The Repair of Rural Cottages — IV.............................................. 384 Holiday Reflections — I. (Illustrations)................................. 385, 386
House at East Finchley (Illustrations)......................................... 387 Midland Building and Allied Trades Exhibition, Bir
mingham............................................................................. 388 Hay’s Wharf, London (Illustrations).......................................... 389 Coming Events........................................................................... 389 A Modern Housing Scheme — I. (Illustrations)................... 390-394 Professional Societies..........................................................394 A New Future for the Arch (Illustrations).................................... 395 London Building Notes................................................................ 396 The Week’s Building News.................................................. 396, 404 Building Contracts Open............................................................ 398 Building Tenders...................................................................400 Current Market Prices.................................................. 402, 404 Current Measured Rates................................................. 406, 408 Building Wage Grades..........................................................410
NOTES AND COMMENTS
That the walls of the houses which collapsed in Beak Street had no foundations was one of the sur XpftsHit’points of evidence before the Coroner’s inquest
upon the victims; and, apparently, there are many houses of similar age in London whose walls are without the footings and concrete base which modern practice decrees as essential for the proper distribution of the weight upon the sub-soil. Years ago, in
one of the Midland mining villages where building by laws were not so strictly enforced as, possibly, they are now, we saw bricks tipped into a shallow trench devoid of concrete, and merely roughly squared up as a base for a house. This procedure, risky enough one would think, in a mining district, was rendered still more hazardous by the fact that one end wall was separated from the rest of the building on the lower floor by the “entry, ” or passage from front to back, which is a feature of housing in this part of the kingdom. Those, however, who would judge building of all ages by the standard of Rivington, will realise that the jerry-builder, like the poor, is always with us. The crumbling core of the west front wall of Peterborough Cathedral, the 18th century houses in Beak Street and elsewhere, and the 19th century speculative villa of the suburbs, may savour of jerry building, but they should be regarded rather from the economic standpoint than as evidences of original sin. The conditions at the time of erection may seem to have justified the method adopted as reasonable, and sufficient to give ample strength for a long period. A cathedral centuries old, or a house which has served its purpose for 150 or 200 years, are hardly to be judged, therefore, by modern standards. In rural districts one may find cottages of even more flimsy construction, which, after two or three hundred years, are still serving their original purpose of a habitation. But these survivals amid the changing and complex conditions inherent in great centres of population like London, do present a problem which will become increasingly difficult as time goes on. In the case of Beak Street, alterations were in progress in the building itself. To negligence, not of a criminal character, in securing the structure while these alterations were going on, the coroner’s jury attributed the collapse. At a time, however, when these old structures are being pulled down and replaced by buildings much taller and going much deeper into the ground, the task of ensuring their safety when building on the adjoining site becomes an extremely onerous one.
Sir John Simpson, in a letter to The Times last week, thinks that this question of old buildings in
the streets of London a matter of anxiety, and of all the forces or strains to which they are subject to-day, he regards the most fatal as the violent and incessant vibration of heavy traffic rolling on hard roads. We have had some experience of this in a house, just over a century old, in a quiet square with little traffic, but which is within about 40 yards of a main thoroughfare carrying trams, omnibuses and heavy vehicles. Even at that distance, vibration is very pronounced with certain classes of vehicles. Trams and omnibuses do not seem to have any effect, but fire engines travelling at high speed and heavy lorries do produce very unpleasant tremors. It is not fully realised, perhaps, that many of the modern motor vehicles, especially steam -waggons, run to a weight or two or three tons, and, probably, double that weight when loaded. With these heavy vehicles passing along the streets, it is not surprising that Sir John should have seen free sand from the perished mortar dribbling out of the brick joints of an old building every time a heavy vehicle passed in the adjoining street. Quite apart, therefore, from the care and precautions required in the case of alterations to such structures, or when erecting new buildings against them, this distinguished architect would have the owners of such property recognise the need for periodical surveys and watchful supervision. “Accurate plumbings should be made from time to time and registered for reference and comparison, for the life of many ancient structures has been shortened of late, and we must expect further failures. ʼʼ Though “it is true that buildings in distress give warnings
to those whose eyes are trained to observe them, ” it is the danger of sudden collapse, with possible loss of life or limb, that is to be feared.
The more pregnant question, arising out of the Beak Street collapse, was the architect’s duty or responsibility for seeing that old buildings were adequately shored up or secured during alterations or underpinning; and on this point various opinions were expressed. Generally the question of shoring is a matter which has rested with the builders, and, naturally, as Mr. A. R. Powys points out, the architect cannot criticise or interfere without taking a certain amount of the builder’s responsibility upon his own shoulders. Mr. E. Guy Dawber also dissented from the the suggestion that the architect should dictate and supervise the shoring operations required; such a procedure would mean that “the architect’s work would never be done.” Generally, we think the present system has worked well, and as the architect cannot spend his whole time on the job, the
The ARCHITECT & BUILDING NEWS
September 2, 1927
Proprietors: Gilbert Wood & Co., Ltd.
Managing Director: William L. Wood
Editorial, Publishing and Advertisement Offices:
Rolls House, 2 Breams Buildings, London, E. C. 4. Tel.: Holborn 5708 Registered Office: Imperial Buildings, Ludgate Circus, London, E. C. 4
Principal Contents
Notes and Comments.................................................................................................. Page 373, 374 Essays by the Way — VI. (Illustrations).............................. 375, 376 No. 2 Devonshire Square, London (Illustrations)......................... 377
Book Review................................................................... 377, 378 County Fire Office and Barclays Bank, London (Illus
trations).................................................................................. 378 Midland Bank, Guildford (Illustrations)........................................ 379 Gardens at the Palace of Hellbrun, near Salzburg
(Illustrations)................................................................... 380, 381 Memoranda — V.: Plywood........................................................... 382 New Post Office and Telephone Exchange, Leigh-on-Sea
Illustrations)....................................................................... 383, 395 The Repair of Rural Cottages — IV.............................................. 384 Holiday Reflections — I. (Illustrations)................................. 385, 386
House at East Finchley (Illustrations)......................................... 387 Midland Building and Allied Trades Exhibition, Bir
mingham............................................................................. 388 Hay’s Wharf, London (Illustrations).......................................... 389 Coming Events........................................................................... 389 A Modern Housing Scheme — I. (Illustrations)................... 390-394 Professional Societies..........................................................394 A New Future for the Arch (Illustrations).................................... 395 London Building Notes................................................................ 396 The Week’s Building News.................................................. 396, 404 Building Contracts Open............................................................ 398 Building Tenders...................................................................400 Current Market Prices.................................................. 402, 404 Current Measured Rates................................................. 406, 408 Building Wage Grades..........................................................410
NOTES AND COMMENTS
That the walls of the houses which collapsed in Beak Street had no foundations was one of the sur XpftsHit’points of evidence before the Coroner’s inquest
upon the victims; and, apparently, there are many houses of similar age in London whose walls are without the footings and concrete base which modern practice decrees as essential for the proper distribution of the weight upon the sub-soil. Years ago, in
one of the Midland mining villages where building by laws were not so strictly enforced as, possibly, they are now, we saw bricks tipped into a shallow trench devoid of concrete, and merely roughly squared up as a base for a house. This procedure, risky enough one would think, in a mining district, was rendered still more hazardous by the fact that one end wall was separated from the rest of the building on the lower floor by the “entry, ” or passage from front to back, which is a feature of housing in this part of the kingdom. Those, however, who would judge building of all ages by the standard of Rivington, will realise that the jerry-builder, like the poor, is always with us. The crumbling core of the west front wall of Peterborough Cathedral, the 18th century houses in Beak Street and elsewhere, and the 19th century speculative villa of the suburbs, may savour of jerry building, but they should be regarded rather from the economic standpoint than as evidences of original sin. The conditions at the time of erection may seem to have justified the method adopted as reasonable, and sufficient to give ample strength for a long period. A cathedral centuries old, or a house which has served its purpose for 150 or 200 years, are hardly to be judged, therefore, by modern standards. In rural districts one may find cottages of even more flimsy construction, which, after two or three hundred years, are still serving their original purpose of a habitation. But these survivals amid the changing and complex conditions inherent in great centres of population like London, do present a problem which will become increasingly difficult as time goes on. In the case of Beak Street, alterations were in progress in the building itself. To negligence, not of a criminal character, in securing the structure while these alterations were going on, the coroner’s jury attributed the collapse. At a time, however, when these old structures are being pulled down and replaced by buildings much taller and going much deeper into the ground, the task of ensuring their safety when building on the adjoining site becomes an extremely onerous one.
Sir John Simpson, in a letter to The Times last week, thinks that this question of old buildings in
the streets of London a matter of anxiety, and of all the forces or strains to which they are subject to-day, he regards the most fatal as the violent and incessant vibration of heavy traffic rolling on hard roads. We have had some experience of this in a house, just over a century old, in a quiet square with little traffic, but which is within about 40 yards of a main thoroughfare carrying trams, omnibuses and heavy vehicles. Even at that distance, vibration is very pronounced with certain classes of vehicles. Trams and omnibuses do not seem to have any effect, but fire engines travelling at high speed and heavy lorries do produce very unpleasant tremors. It is not fully realised, perhaps, that many of the modern motor vehicles, especially steam -waggons, run to a weight or two or three tons, and, probably, double that weight when loaded. With these heavy vehicles passing along the streets, it is not surprising that Sir John should have seen free sand from the perished mortar dribbling out of the brick joints of an old building every time a heavy vehicle passed in the adjoining street. Quite apart, therefore, from the care and precautions required in the case of alterations to such structures, or when erecting new buildings against them, this distinguished architect would have the owners of such property recognise the need for periodical surveys and watchful supervision. “Accurate plumbings should be made from time to time and registered for reference and comparison, for the life of many ancient structures has been shortened of late, and we must expect further failures. ʼʼ Though “it is true that buildings in distress give warnings
to those whose eyes are trained to observe them, ” it is the danger of sudden collapse, with possible loss of life or limb, that is to be feared.
The more pregnant question, arising out of the Beak Street collapse, was the architect’s duty or responsibility for seeing that old buildings were adequately shored up or secured during alterations or underpinning; and on this point various opinions were expressed. Generally the question of shoring is a matter which has rested with the builders, and, naturally, as Mr. A. R. Powys points out, the architect cannot criticise or interfere without taking a certain amount of the builder’s responsibility upon his own shoulders. Mr. E. Guy Dawber also dissented from the the suggestion that the architect should dictate and supervise the shoring operations required; such a procedure would mean that “the architect’s work would never be done.” Generally, we think the present system has worked well, and as the architect cannot spend his whole time on the job, the