HOUSING SCHEMES

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 103, 25 January 1933, Page 8

HOUSING SCHEMES

Building Since the War METHODS IN EUROPE London Architect’s Views Housing schemes which hare been carried out in England and certain Gontiuential countries since the war were described last evening by Mr. E. J. T. Lutyens, a London architect, in an address given at Bishopscourt to a gathering of Wellington architects. Mr. Lutyens is a nephew of Sir Edwin Lutyens, the famous British architect, who* has been responsible for many noted structures, including the Cenotaph at Whitehall. The address last evening had been arranged for by Mr. E. W. G. Coleridge, secretary of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, and it was foliowed with intense interest by those who were present. According to Mr. Lutyens, the greatest amount of building that had been done in England •since the war had undoubtedly been in housing. "In the first few years after the war,” he said, “when building material was very scarce, cottages were erected chiefly by builders under a Government scheme at enormous cost, and many builders made a very good thing out of it. When things settled down, the designing and supervising was generally entrusted to architects all over f country, and in most cases a liigli standard maintained. All kinds of materials were used, brick, concrete blocks and even pise de terre, the material of which so many Kentish and West of England cottages are made, namely earth rammed down hard between boards. On the whole brick has proved the most reliable, as the use of the other materials was confined in many cases to certain localities where conditions were suitable. Ix>ndon Housing Schemes. “The London County Council has carried out some very imposing schemes,” Mr. Lutyens said, “but I think that the allowance per cottage granted to them must have been in excess of the amount granted to architects generally, as so many details, such as good facing bricks, wood frames to windows —to mention only ■two—usually denied, have been included. Unfortunately a custom has increased of recent years for the local committees to carry out their scheme with their own surveyors. On the face of it, it is very attractive that compared to the architect’s fees the local surveyor should be able to carry out the work for nothing, except perhaps a bonus at the end. But this is obviously unfair, since the surveyor, besides having his own work to do—which should be a whole time job—has all his office, assistant, and materials provided for him, and I very ’ much doubt, when you consider that his knowledge of designing, materials and their cost, and site planning, should be inferior to that of a well-trained architect, if there is any saving to the purse of the ratepayer. Holland ami Austria. “In connection with housing I should like to touch on various schemes which I have seen in Holland and Austria.” Mr. Lutyens said. “The Dutch soon after the war launched out with enormous •schemes. Their usual arrangement was for their own city architect to do the planning, whereas another architect was appointed to design the elevation. It so happened that a socialistic Government was in power, and it appointed revolutionary architects whose ideas were contrary to the orthodox. “Sometimes these big blocks were designed to represent battleships complete with poop and captain's' bridge. Windows became triangular, set out at right angles to the reveal, and even sometimes five feet and more from the floor. However, in spite of all these stupid innovations they managed to erect some very imposing blocks, and were able to relieve the great congestion which had arisen in the; war, besides providing ample playing grounds for children, who previously had only the street to play in. “Vienna has also tackled the problem in a way which has attracted the attention of the whole world. The conditions of living of the poor classes were the worst in the world, and it was not unnatural that when a socialistic Government took office, that the first thing it did was to'take drastic steps to put it right. I don’t want to dwell on the political or economic side of the question as to how the money was raised, and whether the buildings can be maintained, but sufficient for the moment for architects that the problem has been tackled with unparalleled boldness, and -buildings erected both in design and size equal to anything that has. ever been created. “The largest single building is the Karl Marx Hof, where 1400 families have adequate accommodation. The living rooms are small compared to our standards, and the sanitary arrangements would not pass the requirements laid down by the London City Council, but. at any rate the people all look cheerful and happy—which they might easily be when , a beneficent Government provides them with a home for approximately .5/- a mouth.’ The laundries are arranged in the large courts, and each family has one day allotted to them a fortnight, with the privilege of letting them take their washing the night before to soak.”