Oculus New York Chapter American Institute of Architects June 1962
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OCULUS NEW YORK CHAPTER AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS JUNE 1962 THE DALLAS CONVENTION: SURP.RISES, DISAPPOINTMENTS, AND DREAMS by Peter S. Van Bloem, Secretary Amid balmy breezes and 90 ° was given to a discussion of topics proportionate to the extreme. weather a contingent of 31 chap and candidates than is poss1ible at Each speaker talked with either ter delegates arrived in Dallas the regular meetings. such colloquial humor or ceremon early last month to attend the It was interesting to note that ious pomp that the business1 ses 1962 AIA Convention. this year the Chapter submitted sion was shortly used up. It also It was a time of some surprises more Special Resolutions than all took one hour for the tabulation and a few disappointments. other chapters combined. The ac of the votes by the "new" system With high hopes delegates cast tion taken by the Resolutions of counting. It is small wonder their 2.23 weighted ballots (the Committee was, on the whole, that at the business session on N.Y. Chapter had 69 votes) in an quite succes.sful: Friday there was not even a quo attempt to elect Robert W. Cutler 1. Revision to F.H.A. Standards rum to transact business. When Secretary of the Institute. En -referred to committee will the Board learn to put the couraged by 15 other chapters and 2. F.D.R. Competition-refer business session in the middle of their nomination seconds, it seem red to committee for nego the Convention? ed as if New York would, at long tiation with Fine Arts Com Between business meetings at last, get into the picture again. m1ss10n and Congressional the Dallas Memorial Auditorium The "smart money" had said committees. there were some very fine talks that the fact that Bob was from 3. Home Building Design-re including a keynote speech by a large firm, from New York, and f erred to committee. Dean Charles Colbert, presenta not fully experienced in Institute The proposed By-Law Changes tions of urban redevelopm€nt pro matters would count heavily were acted upon thusly: grams, by Institute members, pan against him. But when Fritz 1. First Vice-President to be el discussions led by Douglas Has Woodbridge made a fine, forceful come President-Designate - kell, Tom Creighton, and Emerson nominating statement and was approved. Goble, and the exhibition of the followed by three seconding speech 2. Professional Affiliates Dallas "Main Place" redevelop es, we were floating on air. Then tabled. ment by Columbia University. when we heard the nomination of The amount of time spent by There were, if anything, more Clinton Gamble, we could see we delegates trying to "kill" or "save" than the usual round of parties faced a worthy opponent. the Affiliates proposal was dis- and activities in and around the And so, it turned out, we lost. Statler Hilton hotel, home base for Our thanks to Bob and Max Ur most of the convention-goers. hahn, who helped greatly with the Some active members got to see campaign. Two other contested the "Madwoman of Chaillot" at positions resulted in Secretary Roy FLLW's Humphreys Theatre; a Carroll's win of the 1st Vice Pres good many visited Harwell Har idency over 2nd Vice President ris' remodeled Trade Mart. James Hunter (we hope that Jim will be appointed to a high post, Highlights, to this writer, were as he is far too valuable a man to the presentation of the Gold Medal lose) and Arthur G. Odell, Jr.'s to Mrs. Eero Saarinen and the victory over Albert S. Golemon parting speech of Philip Will at for 2nd Vice President. Elected the Annual Dinner. Will left a unopposed were Henry L. Wright, legacy which included the "ex President and Raymond Kasten panded services - affiliate" idea, dieck, Treasurer, and a number of and left members with a "dream" Regional Directors. Mrs. Max 0. Urhahn, newly elected Presi of tomorrow. We applaud a man A convention highlight for the dent of the Women's Architectural A uxil who has gone through two rigor Chapter was the caucus held Wed iary of the New York Chapter, with ous years at the head of the AIA President Frederick J. Woodbridge, at the nesday morning under Fritz Wood recent AIA Convention in Dallas. Photo and who can still talk about ideals bridge' s chairmanship. More time by E . James Gambaro, FA/A. and dreams. 2 -- IMPROVING NE"'V'V YORK DETRO·IT INSTRUCTOR OCULUS WIN1S BRUNNER A.WA.RD VOL. 34 - Number 3 As commencement approaches, The Chapter's Arnold W. Brunner AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS college seniors usually vote recog Scholarship has been presented NEW YORK CHAPTER nition to "the man who has. done this year to Denis Charles Schmie the most for the class" (and often deke, an instructor in architecture MARGOT A. HENKEL, Executive Secretary ballot, too, for "the man who has 115 East 40th Street at the University of Detroit, it New York 16, N. Y. done the class for the most") . was announced by Frederick J. MU,rray Hill 9-7969 When New York celebrates the Woodbridge, Chapter president. 300th Anniversary of its founding The $5,000 scholarship award FREDERICK J. WOODBRIDGE .................... .. President two years from now, however, it will be used to investigate and de DAVID L. EGGERS ·······················-··········· Vice President will not be necessary to go to the velop more efficient means of vis C. GATES BECKWITH .......................................... Secretary polls to find the city's "man who". ual communication which will im ALBERT H. SWANKE ·········· ··· ·························-····· Treasurer He is currently at work at Flush plement and faciliate architectural ing Meadow preparing a big show PUBLICATION COMMITTEE design, preparation of construc for the occasion, a show dedicated tion documents, and the process of PHILIP M. CHU ......................................................... Chairman to-among other things.-the real JAMES L. CADY .......................................... Vice Chairman construction. ization of a great arterial road pro OGDEN TANNER ·····-··········-····-··········· Associate Editor gram for a great metropolis. The study is expected to pro JAN WHITE ·····-····-····-····-················-····· Associate Editor Cynics have questioned the need duce methods of communication for this Fair, and impecunious cor which will reduce production costs porations have hesitated, but Mr. of architectural service, while ex Moses, as usual, has taken on all panding its extent. For the build comers. He has rejected the coun ing trades, it will clarify the ar As various Chapter committees sel of his architectural planning chitect's intent and produce more take stock and lay plans for the committee, shrugged off the with efficient construction methods. coming year, the Publication Com holding of approval by the inter And, since it will facilitate rapid mittee urges members to consider national body, publicly chided the comprehension of the nature and joining its ranks and/or becoming largest exibitors into the fold, and scope of a building project, it will part-time contributors to OCU gotten his theme structure as a benefit government agencies, mort L US. This monthly bulletin, with present. The Federal Government gage institutions, etc. a circulation of well over 1,400 is still a holdout, but what out belongs to all Chapter members, come can there be but that Wash GA.RMENDIA NAMED TO and depends on them to be a true ington, too, will come to the Fair? STEWARDSON FELLO·WSHIP for um of events, opinions, and From the outset, the architec ideas. Always welcome are sugges tural profession has been piqued The Jam es Stewardson Fellowship, tions and contributions for feature at Mr. Moses' decision to retain the a $2,000 grant made annually by articles ; coverage of Chapter and basic plan of twenty-five years ago. the New York Chapter, has been other pertinent New York events; The professional journals have awarded this year to Nesbitt A. book reviews., committee activity scoffed, and have ridiculed the un Garmendia, who will use the Fel reports, items for "Improving imaginative Unisphere. Lately, lowship to travel and study at first New York". Please contact Chair however, the tune has changed a hand the architecture of Greece. man Philip Chu at MU 5-1272. bit. Many architectural commis A draftsman with the architec * * * sions hay_e been awarded, and the tural firm of Oppenheimer, Brady Once again, the Publication Com caliber of the published designs is & Lehrecke, Mr. Garmendia is the mittee wishes to thank Carlson rising. It looks1 as though there second winner of the Stewardson Press for the fine services it has really is going to be a F'air on grant. Last year's award, the first rendered in publishing OCULUS April 22, 1964, and some of its one to be made under the endow during the past year. As usual, parts may exceed the whole. ment, went to Edward T. Schiff er Miss Emma Carlson and her staff S. Hart Moore of New York for a projected study have been most cooperative, effi of prefabrication techniques in cient, and reliable. LE'1'TERS Europe. The Fellowship was made pos NEEDED: SUMMER JO·BS Sirs: sible through a bequest to the Regarding the Cadman Plaza Pro Chapter by James Stewardson, an Architectural firms with opportun ject (OCULUS, May '62), we wish architect and a citizen of England, ities for summer employment of to call to your attention that we who spent most of his professional students are cordially requested to are the architects for that portion life in New York City. He speci contact the Columbia School of of the project shown in the right fied that the award be made an Architecture, Room 405, A very hand half of the rendering, en nually "to a worthy architectural Hall.