TO INSTRUCT ARCHITECT

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30856, 15 September 1965, Page 18

TO INSTRUCT ARCHITECT

Board Wants New Offices

He had not been impressed by architects’ efforts in the past, and the board would be wise to decide beforehand what it wanted, said Mr L. T. Griffith, when the Central Canterbury Electric Power Board yesterday discussed construction of a new administration block at Hornby. Mr Griffith said some architects seemed to live in a world of their own, and he often wondered whether they were not more concerned with their fees based on percentage of cost than with giving the customer what he wanted.

“There is far too much planning for this and that, and almost invariably not enough space is provided for growth,” said Mr P. G. Wederell. “There is not a Government building that is not cramped. Our own engineering block is not a year old, but it is full.” The chairman (Mr W. A. Newton) said that the new block would be on the corner of the Main South road and Brynley street. Provision could well be made in it for a public library, said Mr R. J. Roberts.

The board agreed that Mr Newton and executive officers should inspect local body buildings to get ideas for the instruction of the architect for the new block.