ARCHITECTURAL QUALITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20988, 26 September 1931, Page 10

ARCHITECTURAL QUALITY.

PRACTICAL REQUIREMENTS.

VIEWS OF PROFESSOR KNIGHT.

"Buildings are constructed for tho community and it is logical to say the community should express opinions on the quality of architecture," said Professor C. R. Knight, professor of architecture at the University College, in a lecture before the Auckland Society of Arts yesterday. The speaker said the essence of modern civilisation depended to an extent greater than was realised generally on architecture, in which the complexities of modern life were widely expressed. Unfortunately, the lay critic of architecture frequently obscured his opinion by being led away by an emotion springing from some feature in architecture.

Good architecture was defined by Professor Knight as that most adequately fulfilling practical and aesthetic purposes. Its first consideration, undoubtedly, was in meeting practical requirements. This at once made judgments of architecture different from those of other arts where practical needs were not essentially prominent. Curiously enough tho lay critic usually lost sight of the practical side in his appreciation of architecture. Another aspect of architectural art was in the great variation in practical construction. A building was expected to be beautiful and in this lay tho relation between its practical and aesthetic qualities. It was being realised to a greater extent to-day that employees who spent largo portions of their lives in buildings could give better service in congenial surroundings. It was evident that there was a definite practical advantage in the ah-thetic quality of a building. The speaker .said a consideration of architecture should be from three principal standpoints—tho practical quality of a building, balanced proportions and tho craftsmanship in the detailed work. Emphasis of the character of a building was desirable in the interior decoration.

In moving a vote of thanks to the speaker, the chairman, Professor F. P. Worley, expressed the view that a keener public appreciation of architecture would result in a steady improvement in the quality of buildings.