WISE COUNSEL

Evening Star, Issue 23499, 13 February 1940, Page 3

WISE COUNSEL

COURTESY IN BUILDING HARMONY OF SCALE IN PRACTICE " ARCHITECTURE HAS ITS SOCIAL SIDE " Principles of neighbourly courtesy in building are the subject of wise comment by a leading New Zealand architect. “ I refer,” he says, “to the relation of the buildings we erect to those immediately adjacent, and con&ideiution for the existing character of the street in general or its possibilities for the future. By this I mean broadly, the establishment of a common harmony of scale, a consideration of lloor heights, and those elements of light and shade which make for composition and proportion, and which will not ignore the other chap alongside. Architecture has its social side, and by such means do wo establish neighbourliness. We all know that the neighbour may appear unworthy, or even impossible, but I suggest we can ‘ give him his chance.’

“I fancy we may he surprised at times at the result. One of the most interesting exercises we can indulge in is to walk in a leisurely fashion down any. of our streets, yes, our streets, ragged and bad-mannered as they are, and, after the fashion of Mr Tristram Edwards, pick out the little acts of courtesy and kindness that have been done, and to notice how, as in actual human intercourse, such acts have made the giver the better for its deed. The game gets quite exciting at times, as for every act of courtesy that is seen there are at least two of rudeness, and if there are two rude buildings together you feel momentarily that something is sure to happen. In that wish lie the elements of good citizenship.

■' An act of architectural courtesy is frequently as easy as an ordinary social courtesy—it costs little and is just as apt to react to the pood of the building which accomplished it as to the adjacent buildings. Of course, we know that in certain important public buildings probably more or less isolated, a decided difference in scale, for instance, is not only justified, but desirable. On the usual street section, however, such an increase is an exaggeration that entirely defeats its own purpose of attracting favourable attention. “ Some of us know of a building, one of a group of which much was expected, that despite its splendid plan and otherwise fine exterior design, has such a large scale that the general feeling is one of coarseness or even brutality. On the other hand, its arrogant exaggeration tends to make its neighbours look considerably moaner than they actually are. Because socially and commercially the element of competition is not perfectly controlled or guided, and because the wonderful advances made in new uses of materials and building science makes it so easy to be 1 clever,’ this age has become vulgar and pretentious. On the Continent, in particular, n desire by owners of certain commercial structures that these should excel their neighbours in compelling public attention, has led to an exaggeration that approaches the ridiculous, or else is entirely negatived, without being less ridiculous, by the exaggeration of some other adjacent monstrosity. England has been beset by a similar movement, but to a much lesser degree.”

In those notes last week we described the new building being erected in Cumberland street for the E. P. and L. department. The plans of the building were drawn in the drafting office of the building surveyors’ department.