FEDERAL CITY DESIGNS

Southland Times, Issue 16842, 19 September 1911, Page 7

FEDERAL CITY DESIGNS

BRITISH ARCHITECTS STAND OUT. MELBOURNE, Sept. 9. A deadlock has arisen between the Minister for Home Affairs and the Royal Institute of British Architects concerning the conditions of the Federal capital design competition. The institute, which expresses the views also of the American institute, has informed the Government that It will not allow its members to compete. “The conditions,” it states, “are that the plans are to go before a committee of onfe engineer, one architect and one surveyor. That might mean anybody. We nave a rule that we do not compete unless the assessors are named beforenand, and we will not compete In this competition. An architect who enters is put to a heavy outlay of time and money, and he does not want to find that the assessors are not competent to deal with the designs, and that no 'iiarantee has been given that if he is recommended by the assessors he will the award. Without guarantees here are many slips." The institute suggested that the Government should jxtent the date for the competition, and ;ave a board of three architects, one rach from the British. American and Australian institutes, to act with engineers and surveyors as judges. The cost of British and American representatives, it stated, would be £IOOO each. , The Minister decided yesterday that 10 alteration would be made. “The position taken by the British institute,” ue stated, “shows want of confidence m the probity arid impartiality of Australian professional men. Town planning comprises three professions, engineering. surveying and architecture, and we laid it down that the Australian mstltutes in these professions should nominate the advisory board. I deeply regret that the British institute should taka this attitude, but I cannot depart from the conditions sent out to the world, and while the aristocracy of the professio'n may not send designs, there are hundreds of young, progressive and up-to-date professional men who will compete. They have reputations to make. Australia is a continent, sunny and cheerful, and its city will probably be better planned by men with continental Ideas than by those reared in a atmosphere, isolated from great continental horizons. We are a mighty growing nation, and we will get our best designs from men of continental intellectual outlook.”