ARCHITECTS’ DISPLAY

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29800, 17 April 1962, Page 17

ARCHITECTS’ DISPLAY

Effective House Interiors The architect’s display at the annual exhibition of the Canterbury Society of Arts is an attractively arranged selection of the work of some 11 architect members of the society. The exhibits are mainly plans and perspectives, supolemenitcd by photographs Mort of the drawings are white on black reproduced from black on white originals. presenting, particularly in the better drawn examples, pleasant, clear examples. There are several delightful water colours, by F M Warren, an effective perspective renderin'? .from the office of the Government Architect, also an intricate land use map from the office of the Regional Planning Authority (without a key) None of these drawings is too complicated to be understood by the non-specialirt

The interiors of the two houses by Stewart Minson. and one by Donald Cowey. are finely effective in their simplicity, and would well repay study by anyone interested in house building. Two houses, one by George Lucking (unfortunately no interiors), the other by D. A Cowey. in their proportions and wide eaves, are reminiscent of Japanese domestic architecture, an entirely suit, able exam,rile for New Zealand. The influence is strictly controlled and the resulting designs are extremely pleasing

Of the non-domestic examples shown, two are particularly noteworthy: Warren and Mahoney's chemistry block, and Griffi-'l’s and Moffat's freightair depot. The latter is an effective desism always controlled, particularly in tiie handling of the large blank wall panels framed by structural members. The chemistry block, a simple functional buildins. is a highly skilful design in the strong and subtle modulation of depth in the facades, in the expression of the function of the centre bay and ffie a’vhitectural utilisation of the open passage underneath: a fine prototype for a whole quadrangle at least. A variation on the theme of glass architecture is exemp’ified bv a design of a now übiquitous overseas type, with the roof and floor slabs projecting beyond the floor to ceiling glass skin, like a layer cake This type is acceptable as the expression of a patent method of construction. but. I understand this building was of normal concrete frame. That meagreness can be mistaken for simplicity is shown by the aesthetic repression of ’he necessary guard rails d-estroving any three dimensionality, particularly as the intended penetration of floor! and roof planes through the glass skin stops short, as always, bv reflection thereby leaving fine eye with merely a uniform and anonymous glass wa’i to sustain interest, which after a first glance it cannot do

Enlarging the guard rail and accentuating it bv colour would provide lively three dimensional interest ’at no extra expense.

The completed drawing of Cathedral square “improvements" is lucid and skilfully drawn, and ideal for its purpose. The suggested totem poles, however, convey the the impression that these are ’he lares of the whole population and Christchurch the chief centre of ancestor worship in New Zealand The reflecting pool would be a notable embellishment and would alleviate the “damaged in transit” Gothic of the cathedral. I have never understood why water is so seldom made use of in Christchurch when it couid easily be. like Rome, a “citv 1 of fountains." —INIGO