BEAUTY IN ARCHITECTURE.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17124, 20 April 1921, Page 10

BEAUTY IN ARCHITECTURE.

(KROM OUfl OWN COBRESI'OKDSN'T.) LONDON, March 3. Mr H. Gordon Selfridge, in an address on "Architecture in Commerce" at the Architectural Association (where there are anumber of New Zealand students) said:— "Just as a physician will throw up. a case if he is dictated to,_ so a-fielt-respecting architect will refuse to design a- building if he be subject to the dictates of a client who is ignorant of architecture. As a very ardent devotee of that delightful game called Business, 1 take that conu merce has decidedly "failed to do its share in producing beautiful buildings. Commercial architecture has advanced more rapidly in America than in other countrieß, because there the man who is in commerce—and that includes practically everybody—takes such a pride in. his undertaking that he feels he has failed in his duty to himself, his business, and his city, unless he haq housed that business in a building which* is consistent with its purpose and is well con* strutted. Hie most conspicuous and the least successful of American commercial edifices are the high buildings, «j- 'sky-scrapers.' It is almost impos-

siblo to achieve good architecture with a building that is four or five times as high as it is wide. My friends in Ame-: rica are realty proud of the "Woolworth building, which is referred to as a 'cathedral of commerce,' but I havo little admiration for it. If it rested with, me, I would certainly not allow high buildings in London, for I have more regard for the beauty of the city than the utility of the buildings. The public do»not quite realise all that a building means. Once a building is erected it remains to all intentßand purposes for ever. In America, it is true, the general opinion is that any building more than twenty-five years old should be. pulled down, but in this country a building is supposed to Inst until it falls down. Of all the fine arts achitecture is the most admirable, because it combines qualities of great utilitarian value with a superlative degree of beauty. Until now commercial architecture has been surpassed by ecclesiastical architecture . and public buildings, hut there is no doubt that commerce has begun to realise its responsibilities in the matter, and in the future will have to its credit many edifices which -will be a source of prido to the city in which they are placed, and of joy and delight to the public. '