DOMESTIC ARCHITECT

Grey River Argus, 23 October 1936, Page 8

DOMESTIC ARCHITECT

PLANNING POU COMFORT. Plenty of New Zealand housewive(and pi'Ospective ones) will agree with, a statement of Brian Grant in the I’inglish “Aichitectiiral Review” that “comfort and service should be built in." “Pltimiing and designing for the actual conditions of living." he continues “is the most valid distinction between ‘tradiiiontil’ and ‘modern' domeste arcliitei'ttire. The modern architect designs houses that are intended' primarily for living in. _ “The architect or builde r who does not know how to turn out a ‘first c’ass’ kitchen is not worthy of his hire. The well planned modern kitehen may indeeif be likened to a thoroughly worklike piece of machinery—it is buili up round a series of individual units each uiiif having' a certain Ti“lationship with other units ami the <lO- - of lay-out being so arranged as fo provide a eonvenieiil and continuous sei|iience iii wi’ii’king operations.

“Ii is most des’rable that there should be a constant working level throughout the room and nianufacturers would do well to collaborate and standardize a constant working height for cookers, refrigerators, sink units, serving tables ami the like. The highly mechanized kitchen is likely to becoine chaotic rather than efficient H details of plan ami lay-out are no! considered with proper fort 1 th ought. “'rhe placing of doors is a matter leqiiii iiig consideration; to a certain exleiii 110-ii position will bo dictated bv llo' ;• •• lie*e:i 1 piniianig, lull earn must be I"; e 11-1 in I io ,'ivoiil cross draughts and i| r.’i nghl s on I lie cook'er.

‘•Modern kiichen ei]uipiiienl is lies' i n.-I i I led d uri ng bif Idi ng rqio'rations, exact provision being incorporated in the ‘drawing board’ plans; but in existing houses <uid flats the out-of-date kitchen can be modernized and cous-itlqyablv improved by the substitution of modern units for the old obsolete typo of kitchen furniture.” An editorial art'ele in “The Timos’’ (London) recently was coneoriiofl with new di’i'elounieiits in dompstip ai'chileidiii’e. “’.More Ilian anv other kind, domestic a I'l’h ilerl ii re raises the vexed no<ilion of ihe relal'oti of bounty Io ■uliilily.” the writer stated. “Th” one :hl|io’ to insis* upon is that fulfilment of 'lie one need not. and for permanent <:if isfaet ion nmsi not. bivolve anv sacrifice of ihe other. The more fulfilment of uti’ity ‘fitness for purpose.’ Joes not. in itself, produce beauty but H is n steii in the right dirm’d on and the eonfonlioii fha* in order fo be useful .'I I liiti” m'n-4 be a litt’ > loss bo’iu--I’till, or ihal in iirde.- io bo it must he a little lc‘s useful sinrrdv wit’ not waMi n; bi-- tinm if d"v.”