4 OFFICIAL ARCHITECTS”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 18 June 1936, Page 12

4 OFFICIAL ARCHITECTS”

ENGLISH REVIEWER’S COMMENTS _ “To-day there is a great increase in j the number of official architects and j in the amount of work done by those in'salaried positions,” remarked Mr W,

H. Ansell, in a paper read before a recent meeting of the Royal Institute of British Architects. “Government departments, county and town councils, great commercial combines, banks, breweries, are setting up architectural departments, which arc undoubtedly taking and doing work which formerly came to the private practitioner. “In my opinion this state of things is likely to grow. Are we, then, to

train men as specialists for official positions? I hope not. Yet it is certain that many of the men in our schools must inevitably become official architects as the number of these increases, and as improving conditions of employment tempt the best men into that branch of the profession. “The public as a client, is of right entitled to demand that the quality of its buildings shall in every way be of the finest standard obtainable. This can be ensured if the ranks of salaried and official architects are replenished only by highly trained and qualified men. “Great national or civic buildings will still be carried out in any wise community by the best men available, irrespective of whether they are private practitioners or salaried architects. It is to be hoped that the open competition system will long continue as the arbiter of such matters and the provider of opportunities for those able to grasp them. “A reasonable conclusion to come to on this would seem to be that while a specialist training for officials is necessary, the ordinary training should be such as will fit a man either for private practice or official position whichever the gods chose to send him. “It must not be overlooked that there are more architects getting a living in private practice than ever there were, and that if even fifty per cent, of building work were designed by architects, there would be enough to ensure a busy prosperity for the profession. When the community as individuals, and as a whole, is convinced that.it is worth while employing an architect, such a state of affairs will come, but every architect who, through lack of adequate training, dissatisfies his clients, only removes it further from accomplishment. There is still much tb; be done in the way of educating the community to see and appreciate the difference between good and bad in planning and design.”