The Duty of Those Who Build.

Progress, Volume XV, Issue 11, 1 July 1920, Page 831

The Duty of Those Who Build.

At a recent meeting of the New Zealand Club when General Bramwell Booth was entertained at luncheon, an interesting aspect of building was touched upon which does not, we think, receive its due share of attention. In the course of his remarks when introducing the guest, Mr. William M. Page, President of

General Booth in replying said it was very gratifying that one of their buildings should merit the approval of the local architectural "nabobs." He was quite aware that most of the Army buildings were most atrocious from an architectural point of view, but they were too bu -y in the Army building

the Club, congratulated General Booth and the Salvation Army on the William Booth Memorial College in Aro Street. He said It is not often that public or other bodies, ,or indeed individuals, realize the duty they owe to the citizens when they set new buildings in our streets. The Salvation Army, however, so far as Wellington is concerned, is a notable exception, for, speaking as an architect, I consider the college in Aro Street one of the most architectural buildings in the country. It strikes a charming note in a drab neighbourhood and is a continual pleasure and joy. ,The Institution is a most excellent one, and the work will go on all the more successfully by reason of its being housed in a comely building. ''

character to pay much attention to architecture. In speaking of the early days of the Army he expressed the opinion that his father built better than he knew. By paying great attention to character building the son is doing better for architecture than he knows, for, without character a people will never have a worthy architecture.

Nevertheless, General Booth and the Salvation Army are to blame if they never pay any attention to the architectural value of their buildings. In the case of the Wellington building Providence must have guided them to an accomplished architect, and so they acquired a worthy building. But it might very easily have been otherwise, and evidently, on the General's own confession,- it is very often other-

wise. The General cannot afford to neglect architecture. It is a potent and powerful ally in the campaign to which he has devoted his' life. Architecture, like any other art, requires to be encouraged; indeed there can be no art without encouragement and it is because of the lack of encouragement that we have so few fine buildings. Our ideals and outlook on life are reflected exactly in our architecture. When our ideals are fine and noble our buildings will be beautiful and worthy. Is it not a fact that those who build do not sufficiently realize their duty to their fellows and their time? Do they exercise as much discrimination and care in the selection of an architect as they do in the selection of their tailor or grocer? Has an architect's client ever been known to insist that the design should be improved architecturally? There is no reason whatever why all our buildings should not be as satisfactory as the building previously referred to. It is not a question of money. It is a question of brains and how the money is spent, and we have no hesitation in saying that the great majority of people who build get sorry value for their money. They are to blame, moreover, in failing to contribute to the general welfare and happiness of their fellows for, beyond question, the lack of beauty in our everyday life is one of the great evils of our times and is perhaps the root of all evils. Pugin said, "Let every man build to God according to his means but not practise showy deceptions. Building to God means designing in such a manner that every one who looks upon the building will be helped and uplifted. It means that those who build must not place stumbling stones in their brothers' path, and every building of ungracious mien is a stumbling stone for all who pass by. Showy deceptions are not necessarily cheap jerry erections, but include all buildings which do not satisfactorily fulfil the purpose for which, they were designed, which are not soundly constructed and healthy, and which are not truly proportioned and modelled with grace. They also include those buildings whose fine facades hide an unsatisfactory inside, commonplace flanks and a mean back. - - C. 11. Spurgeon caught the whole idea for he wrote with reference to Chapel Building Committees—- " They make a front just like St. Paul's. Or like Westminster Abbey, And then as if to cheat the Lord They make the back part shabby." We have been sufficiently interested to visit the Booth Memorial College and are bound to state that, in our opinion, it has all the qualities Mr. Page claims for it. We find, too, since General Booth's visit it has aroused considerable interest and that many people did not previously know of its existence. It was designed by Mr. Stanley Fearn, architect, of Wellington, and, whilst the President of the New Zealand Club congratulated the Salvation Army we heartily congratulate the architect. We have obtained a photograph of the building from Mr. Fearn which we have pleasure, in reproducing for the bene-

fit of our readers, and we feel sure they will agree with us that it does strike a very refreshing note, and that a few more buildings of the same type would do much to relieve the architectural dreariness of our cities.