A Great Architect.

Progress, Volume IV, Issue 6, 1 April 1909, Page 210

A Great Architect.

Sir Christopher Wren. Reading in the life recently published of Sir Christopher Wren, we came across many reasons for the suggestion that an architect is made by combination of many qualities; but that with all the qualities present he can not, without opportunity, be made at all. Wren had genius, and application. He was so many-sided that he quickly attained to Doctorship of Laws and of Medicine, besides taking high rank early as an engineer, astronomer, surveyor, and mathematician. He was, in addition, a rather noted inventor. When the genius of the man had combined the development of all the qualities required for the above extensive list of achievement, there came to Wren two opportunities. The King — Charles II. — appointed him to be SurveyorGeneral of the Kingdom, and the Great Fire of London gave scope to his enterprising genius to do great things. The effect of the appointment ought to be to modify the hard jibe that King Charles "never said a foolish thing and never did a wise one," for this appointment of

It is true that lines must be laid down at the outset before there can be criticism at all. Ruskin laid down the false lines that every thing must be what it seems in architecture, and therefore we are to believe because the visible dome is carried by a brick inner structure, and because the lantern which seems to rest on the outer dome rests really on the inner one, that therefore the lantern is not a miracle of beauty and that the dome's evidence convicts the cathedral of being a hideous fraud and unjustifiable pretence. Wren, on the other hand, exalted the ideal of strength of construction and beauty of appearance, and by that standard his cathedral comes out in the judgment of all reasonable men a master piece. Let us be thankful for the work that Wren did, and let us regret that he was unable, on account of the limitation of the intelligence of his contemporaries, to do more. Prom both what he did and what he suggested there is much to be learnt by the architect. Genius can not be commanded by every one who wants to be an architect. But it is possible for all men to widen the circle of their effort — be it in architecture or ought else — in order

Wren's was as eminently wise a thing as was ever done by King or Commoner. It was patronage, and as such may be spoken of as vicious in principle. But, however vicious, the appointment can only be described at worst as good fruit of a bad system. The result of the first was chiefly St. Paul's, and much more of architecture which lives and is of noble example, and a suggestion which, had it been carried out, for the rebuilding of the city would have antedated the modern improvements of London Embankment, Victoria street, and the rest, by two centuries, and saved more money in the process than the cost of a dozen Boer wars. Ruslrin did not approve ( f Wren 's work for the most part. Which only proves that even the greatest men are not immune from the attacks of the mosquitoes of criticism, who, as critics, do nothing but sting. The criticism of Ruskin, however, does not prevent Wren's St. Paul's from being one of the great churches of the world. Wherein lies a lesson for all critics and all men criticised.

Hoggard & Prouse, Architects. See below that later on a concentration of accomplishments may help to build them up high in the profession of their choice. If Wren only became an architect after he had succeeded in many things, it ought not to be difficult for men who are architects to widen their knowledge of the arts and sciences so as to be useful to them in the work of design and construction. The opportunity may never come to them as opportunity came to Wren. But to men who work there always come many opportunities for useful achievement.

The new offices and warehouse for Prouse Lumber, Limited, Taranaki street, are an illustration of a serviceable type of modern building. With a frontage of 132 ft. by a depth of 54ft., it is four-story, with a flat roof and large basement. An automatic electric lift connects the basement with the flat roof. The contract was carried ou x , by Messrs. Campbell & Burke, at a cost of £7800. Hoggard & Prousi, architects.

W. Gray Young, architect, has prepared plans for a residence in Hawke's Bay, for which tenders are being invited. The same architect is preparing plans for a residence at Featherston. Messrs. Hoggard & Prouse, architects, have prepared plans and specifications for Mr. H. Brittain, chemist, for new premises to replace the very old buildings on the corner of Manners street and Herbert street. This will be a skeleton steel frame building similar to the one erected for Cadbury Bros, in Ghuznee street by the same architects. Tenders will be called shortly for its erection. A week-end bungalow has just been completed at Trentham for Mr. McCosh Clark.

H. E. Manning, contractor; Hoggard and Prouse, architects. (Illus. page 209.) Alterations have been effected in Milner and Thompson's music warehouse, Manchester street, Christchurch. F. E. Shaw, builder; architects, Clarkson and Ballantyne. The same architects have in course of preparation plans for a residence in Armagh street. Christchurch, for Dr. W. Fox. New offices on Customhouse quay for the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand. Messrs Mitchell and King, Wellington, Contractors, £42,339. Messrs. Crichton and McKay, pf.r.i.b.a., Architects. Wellington.

Takapau. — Two-story brick hotel (just completed). Ceilings by Carrara Ceiling Co., Wellington. Builder, W. Ward. Cost, £4000. Architect, D. B. Frame, Napier. Napier (just completed). Block of twostorey buildings, comprising four shops, dwellings, etc., at a cost of £5000. Messrs. Bull Bros., Napier, builders; Messrs. W. B. Finch and D. B. Frame, joint architects, Napier. The building recently erected in Heretaunga street, Hastings, for the Bank of New Zealand, is one of the finest of its kind, we are assured, out of the four centres. The architect was Mr. D. B. Frame, of Napier; the builders were

Messrs Bull Bros., of Napier, and the cost was £5000. ##* # # A striking example of the usefulness of asbestos roofing and walling sheets is shown in the bungalow house recently erected in Keppel street, New Brighton. The whole of the outside and inside walls have been covered with Calmon's asbestos slates, with strappings over the joints. The effect is

very quaint. The joints in the interior of the bungalow have been covered with chamfered Rimu batons oiled and worked out in the form of panelling. Here the effect is artistic and pleasant. The roof is of Calmon red slates, the ridging being finished with the ordinary baked clay tiles. The bungalow is on the whole an ideal seaside place. The architects are Messrs. England Brothers, and the contractors Harris and McGillvray. # js # The new premises erected in George street, Dunedin, from the designs of Mr. Basil Hooper, architect, are a great addition to the architecture of the street. They comprise basement, ground and first floor, each of which are 80 feet deep. The ceilings of all the rooms are of fibrous plaster,

enriched in Bankart style, and the lighting of the Avhole is electric. The front, fairly handsome, as our illustration shows, is finished in pressed brickwork, with Oamaru stone facings, and Marseilles tiles are the covering of the front roofs. Contractor. George France. * # n The latest architectural sensation in New York has been provided by the proprietor of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, who has constructed a main wall of plate glass in a new suite of four rooms. The suite is on the second floor near the royal apartments and through the plate which forms the eastern wall it is possible to obtain a fine view of Fifth Avenue. Only one main wall in this suite is of glass. The others are covered with tapestry. At one end of the suite there is a morning room, one room of which opens into the sitting-room, the other three walls of which are made of glass. A door leads directly from this room to the cor-

ridor outside, so that waiters who serve meals in the suite need not be seen by the occupants as they bring in or take out dishes. Two of the rooms are bedrooms. There is a telephone in each room. The furniture is of Circassian walnut, and the decorations are principally in pink, gold and white.

How do good trained architects earn the fees paid them? — A case in point is in a letter recently received. "We make the extract : — A friend of mine proposed to make an extension of one of his rooms, and consulted a builder, who suggested an arrangement for which he gave an estimated price of about £60. My friend, not being prepared to expend so much on his alteration, dropped the matter for a time, but subsequently consulted an architect, who was able to suggest another plan, giving more room and greater convenience, and this was ultimately carried out, including the architect's fee" for under £45. Verb. Sap!