RESEARCH IN BUILDING

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21972, 22 December 1936, Page 16

RESEARCH IN BUILDING

MATERIALS AND METHODf OF CONSTRUCTION ADVICE OI! DR. JIARSDHT, Much helpful information for &• general public was given by Dr. & Marsden, secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research,it a meeting of the New Zealand Institute of Architects. "With regard to the bvilding ant housing industry," he said, "there is ■ three-fold reason for the continuoH research and systematising and orgaaisation of knowledge, first from the building industry point of view asm industry, second from the point <tf view of the influence of building design and costs on nearly all manufaeturing industrial undertakings. Third, from a social point of view, for not to food and possibly clothing, housing is the most important social requirement. ~-,.*■ "If our so-called modern civilisation in New Zealand is to develop its own form of building construction, i.e., if it is to develop an architecture of ite own suited to its own conditions, and not merely a copy or modification some previous one, it can only do so by submitting its materials and methods of construction to the same critical analysis and investigation as has produced the motor-car or liner. Of this we may be sure that the more we learn of these materials and the more we learn of the conditions under which they must exist and function, the less will the designer find it possible to follow either his own whims or those of the owner. Both will come to realise that science is a better guide as to what is best and thus buildings and structures differing in appearance and efficiency from anything yet erect* will appear. - "Our system of designing and erection of buildings has come down to f from the last century, and in that sjstem no provision was made for the research scientist or the research engineer. Often a building is designed tff one person who has little occasion tt consider how it is going to be buitt Our system enables the builder to cfr tain a living by means of his profit on his work. Our system of accepting W lowest tenderer put a premium « skimped work. The architect earns W living by a percentage of the cost, cm nothing is set aside for research, m there is insufficient incentive for low cost efficient work, and those capaue of doing the research and discovennj the improvements cannot live and are found to undertake some other interest in life. And so, if you as an areatect find that there is need for tecfr nical advice, you find difficulty » locating anyone who can give it to yo* and if you do, then there is no meaß of remunerating the person, even though considerable savings or improvements may result. "It would, therefore, appear that « cannot expect improvement in buUQings comparable with that which taKO place in motor-cars until we set asiw some portion of the cost of builamp to finance the necessary research. iu» as the only way of removing the earrnquake menace lies in improved forms of construction, the sooner we law the issue the better."